By Brown Chimezie
Moved by the desire to protect and project Igbo culture in the Diaspora, the president, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos State, Chief Solomon Ogbonna recently spoke on why the apex Igbo socio cultural group decided to hold Igbo Day in Lagos this year. In this interview, he also declared that any Igbo from any state is free and qualified to vie for any elective position in Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
You couldn’t celebrate 2020 Igbo Day in Lagos because of COVID-19, what of this year?
We will definitely do something this year, though it might be low-key, as attendance could be limited. The celebration is an important aspect of our organisation, as it highlights our culture and tradition. It accords our children, especially those born and bred outside Igbo land the opportunity to interact with people well-rooted in Igbo culture and tradition. We will consult with Governor Sanwo-Olu to secure his permission for such high profile programme that will bring together prominent Igbo people and our friends from other tribes. We will equally consult with our grand patron, Dr. Ifeanyi Chukwuma Odii (Ike Umuogbenye Na Ebonyi) as we need his advice in this circumstance.
Why did Ohanaeze Ndigbo elect Rita Daniel, a Delta State woman as woman leader worldwide?
Rita Daniel is Igbo first and the state of origin doesn’t matter. Note, state is just political creation for ease of governance. So, no matter where an Igbo person is, the fact that the person is born Igbo, he/she remains Igbo. Rita Daniel is from Ogwashi-Uku, one of the many Igbo towns in Delta State. So, she is eminently qualified to lead Igbo Union.
But her names have no link to Igbo “Rita Daniels.”
Her full names are Rita Daniel Chukwuji. Chukwuji is full Igbo name, so she is Igbo. It is pertinent to note that Igbo is Igbo, no matter where it is located on planet earth. An Igbo person from Delta, Rivers or Benue State is as much Igbo as the person from Anambra, Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi or Imo State. It is mischief-makers and agents of division that tend to give classification to Igbo of different states. It is worthy to note that we had Ralph Uwechue of the blessed memory, also from Delta State, as President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. So, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is an umbrella organisation for all Igbo.
Why is Ohanaeze Ndigbo adopting option A4 (Queuing behind Candidates) instead of conventional secret ballot voting?
Though, the best form of voting is secret ballot, allowing people to exercise their franchise without fear or favour. But people indulge in vote racketeering, pledging their support to all of the candidates for monetary incentives, only to vote for just one candidate. So, option A4 is a way of checking such vote racketeering, as people with such dubious intention are forced to pledge and stick to just one candidate and not extort money from other candidates before voting.
What is your view on the bloody sit-at-home protest in the South-East last Monday?
It is unfortunate that we keep losing innocent lives to avoidable circumstances. It is disheartening when brothers turn against brothers. The killings, for whatever reasons put Igbo land in a very bad spot. Ndigbo are peace-loving people, so, such killings are not in our character. I therefore plead with those perpetrating such heinous crimes to search their souls and avoid creating the impression that Igbo are barbaric and have no value for human life. Meanwhile, our National Publicity Secretary, Chief Alex Ogbonnia made official statement and addressed the issue. Chief Alex condemned the killings and the attacks on the people of South-East. He advised IPOB members to discontinue the sit-at-home order and explore other means to demonstrate support for its embattled leader.
The sit-at-home order is affecting the economy of the South-East negatively. Furthermore, forcing people to obey the order would usually create bloody conflicts, thereby turning Igbo land into war theatre. I plead with all Igbo to show restraint, and not allow emotions to becloud our sense of judgement. Thank God IPOB has agreed to suspend the Monday sit-at-home order. This is a big relief for the South East region.
Does it mean that South-East has two chains of authority – the state governors and IPOB members?
No! There is only one chain of authority, the elected government officials especially the governors calling the shots. However, many Igbo people have sympathy for the incarcerated leader of IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. So, many people show solidarity with IPOB members who are protesting the arrest and detention of their leader.
But IPOB people are issuing orders and enforcing those orders in the South-East. Doesn’t that represent parallel government in the South-East?
There is no parallel government in the South-East. The elected governors and their lieutenants are fully in charge of governance in the South East
Talk of the lieutenants. People complain that most of the lieutenants block the governors from the realities on the ground in their various states.
It all depends on what you mean by the realities on the ground, and the content of the character of the people appointed by the governors. Some government appointees are diligent in carrying out their duties, ensuring that the government is of the people and for the people. Such appointees give their principals, the governors clear understanding of what is happening in their jurisdiction, but not deviating from their job specifications. We must understand that these appointees have job specifications and cannot act outside those, else they infringe on set standards. Nonetheless, there are some overzealous officers who exercise high discretionary powers, cutting the people off their governors and blocking the views of the governors from the myriads of problems in their states. These officers sing sweet nothing into the ears of the governors, misinforming and misleading them.
It is alleged that some of these governors’ appointees collect bribes to arrange meetings and appointments with the governors, even on very serious matters affecting the masses of the people.
Some of these appointees are tin gods and constitute serious obstacle on the way of governance. They choose for the governor: who to see and what to attend to based on their lopsided and flawed analysis of issues. Some even act outside laid down rules and stipulations, thereby misrepresenting government position on pertinent issues. Anyway, individual governors should device means of assessing the performance of their appointees vis-à-vis their relationship with the citizenry; and ensure that people have access to the government and the governor.