By Okezie Ikpeazu
Since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914, Ndigbo have distinguished themselves individually politically and Economically. The story of the struggle with British colonialists reveals Ndigbo as a very strong race. The prowess of Ndigbo in commerce and enterprise from that period until date is well documented. However, these recognizable strengths have not been leveraged to forge a united, social cohesive strength to engage in the Nigerian polity.
The Igbo have made global and national history as a people blessed with inherent capabilities to build strong and positive foundations for growth. However, over the years, these individual exploits, even at the global stage, have not reflected in a collective political and socio-economic development of Ndigbo and, indeed, AlaIgbo.
The Igbo have been noted as the biggest investors in the Nigerian economic space. Across the length and breadth of Nigeria, the Igbo have visible business and commercial interests running into trillions of dollars.
The Igbo apprenticeship model has been noted even by no less a reputable institution than Havard University as the most formidable and robust entrepreneurial incubation platform in the world.
In academics, records available from Ivy League institutions in the best centres of learning across the globe reveal that the Igbo have made remarkable success among their peers in egalitarian environments where level playing ground and fairness is practiced.
The political history of Nigeria, from Almagamation through Independence, even up to the First Republic, has the Igbo in solid and positive mention.
In a nutshell, Ndigbo remain a race that no sane society desiring to make progress can ignore. However, the realities on ground within AlaIgbo shows a people who have not harnessed these advantages to turn Igboland into the region of strength in the Nigerian economic and political space.
The biggest question on the lips of all Igbo today focuses on the future of Ndigbo in the contemporary Nigerian political and socioeconomic firmament.
Several opinions, groupings, fora and theses have been articulated and advanced to resolve this seemingly intractable quagmire. This colloquium is my avowed desire to elicite strong conversation and add to the avalanche of ideas but, more importantly, to narrow down with a more practical, functional and tangible road map that Ndigbo can reflect on.
For me, glowing tribute should be paid to our forerunner leaders in all shperes of life who have laid this enviable and solid foundation for Ndi-Igbo to remain a force to reckon with even on the global stage. Our ‘What Next’ questions should henceforth occupy the minds of Ndigbo.
The big question should revolve around if Ndigbo have properly accessed their strengths, politically, economically and socially. The next series of questions will then reflect on how Ndigbo have leveraged these strengths to really make AlaIgbo the centre of excellence in these spheres. How we as a people reflect and resolve these issues will form the foundation of whatever efforts to position Ndigbo in the Nigerian project. It will also reignite the Igbo values, norms and character of ingenuity, hardwork and selflessness, and make Ndigbo a solid race in the political and socioeconomic landscape called Nigeria.
Having been around for sometime now and from the vantage position as Governor of Abia, a state nature confered with strategic geographical advantage as the epicenter of the old Eastern Region and her commercial confluence, I have an idea that, for Ndigbo to play big in the Nigerian project, beyound having a united and enlightened group agenda, Ndigbo must play using their best and biggest assets.
While it will be arguable that Ndigbo have done well politically, nobody, even our most virulent critics, can dismiss our entrepreneurial and business showing in Nigeria and beyond.
What I want to leave on the table for discussion, however, is how will Ndigbo leverage their most formidable advantage to secure a permanent and prominent seat at the table called Nigeria?
This thought process is what led us to conceive with strong private sector flavour the Enyimba Economic City project as a global business hub supported by world-class infrastructure and services that will become the industrial, manufacturing, trading floor through which Nigeria and the rest of Africa can become a major global production centre.
This pan-Nigerian project fits into the bill of making Nigeria a strong player in the Africa Continental Free Trade Area regime; this project is our window into the global market space. This project is the deal-maker that will redefine the industrial and economic landscape of Nigeria and position Ndigbo properly on the economic space that cannot be ignored in political conversations in Nigeria.
For me, weaving this through successfully should be the agenda for the future of Ndigbo in the Nigerian political and socioeconomic firmament and that is the conversation we are having today.
•Ikpeazu, Ph.D, is governor, Abia State