By Longers Anyanwu
With the groundswell of support and acknowledgment of well-meaning Igbo people and leaders of other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, it shows that, with proper leadership, appropriate diplomacy, concessions and rapprochement, the Igbo nation is positioned to earn the trust of Nigerians in the quest for a greater nation.
I agree that there are gaps here and there, injustice at different levels, prejudices and mutual distrust, but a leadership that adopts persuasive jaw-jaw as against unrealistic war drumbeats will achieve better results for Ndigbo and overall progress for the entire country.
Professor George Obiozor is a renowned Igbo nationalist who is robust in the Nigeria project and its survival jigsaw but he must shun the attraction of playing to the gallery in order to receive popularity that may not achieve a tangible result for our people. The politics of engagement works. Collaboration will reduce mutual suspicion.
One piece of good news out of the Ohanaeze renaissance is the commitment of both those in political leadership, particularly the governors of all the Igbo-speaking states, anchored by Imo State governor, Senator Hope Uzodinma, and proper mobilization of the authentic Igbo leaders in the election process, unlike before when governors played pretentious politics with the Ohanaeze leadership. What it, therefore, means is that, this time, when Ohanaeze speaks, it speaks for the government and the people.
How much respect Igbos will earn, moving forward, with the Nigerian project will be derived from the type of patriotic leadership Obiozor will provide.
It is not yet uhuru. The new president has an enviable curriculum vitae. In fact, he has excelled in all his callings in the past but one thing remains uncontestable and that is that he has never been an Ohanaeze president before! Therefore, he must stoop to conquer.
