The past thirty years plus, since the end of the Biafra-Nigeria war has finally reveled the total bankruptcy of Igbo leadership, be it Igbo-Biafra, or Igbo-Nigeria, the story is the same. A leadership that elects itself, cons the masses of their sincerity and as soon as they convince the masses of their presumed honesty sells OHA to either the Hausa-Fulani or Yoruba leadership. The Igbo leadership are now divided into two camps, those sponsored by the Hausa-Fulani or the Yoruba, in fact there happens to be a third and just as dangerous group of Igbo leadership, those who serve any one in power – be it the Hausa-Fulani or Yoruba.
If Oha is so easily misled, who do we blame if not ourselves? If the 'center does not hold', who do we point the finger at if not ourselves? If 419’ers’ are now the leaders of Igbo, who watered down these stringent conditions that those who aspire to Igbo leadership must pass, if not ourselves? When we make excuses for the faults of our leaders instead of vigorously condemning them and demanding they stop representing Igbo, are we not setting the worst type of example for others to follow? If we excuse the fault of one, should we not also excuse the fault of others?
Of course Igbo lost a war, that was thirty plus years ago. Yes, the victors imposed Igbo traitors as leaders over Ndi Igbo, does Igbo have to continue to accept these traitors as leaders? When Igbo so called leaders continue to lead OHA down the wrong path, did those in the know, point out the betrayal of these 419’ers to OHA, or did they try to sweep these abominations under the rug? Who does an Igbo owe his/her loyalty, to Igbo or an individual? What is more important, the COLLECTIVE or the individual? These are a few questions we must come to terms with.
At this turning point in Igbo history, there must be no doubts on our stand, and we must be completely focused on our goal. Igbo survival demand that we re-evaluate our stand where Igbo leadership is concerned or we are a doomed people.
The founders of American Democracy where slave owners who lived in Virginia. It has been proven that most if not all these slaves were Igbo. Igbo is the only nation that we know of, that had perfected the purest form of Democracy – OHACRACY, thousands of years ago. It then stands to reason that the only way a people whose only concept of government was Feudalism, who had no concept of a government that was of the people and for the people, to suddenly stumble on Democracy – a form of government completely different from the form they had always practiced, was to have learnt these foreign concepts from some people – IGBO!
Using this new form of government which Igbo has practiced for thousands of years, if United States of American was able to bring order to its people, to the point that a ruling president – Nixon, was forced out of office over what some of us might consider a minor offense, is it not completely unacceptable that those who gave Democracy to the world are now moving to Feudalism because Igbo has forgotten that ‘Igbo cannot compromise on truth – ‘EZIOKWU BU NDU’, a concept that fore-parents left us. Igbo, your so called intellectuals have misled you, most of them have forgotten what Igbo is, they have turned their back on your culture, tradition and philosophy, they even have no idea that YOU, IGBO, gave the world, ‘ONE GOD’, ‘THE RULE OF LAW’ and ‘DEMOCRACY’ and ‘CIVILIZATION’. To them every thing Igbo is primitive. They have betrayed you.
THE PATHWAY IS CLEAR, WE MUST RETURN TO THE PATH BLAZED BY OUR FORE-PARENTS, A PATH BASED ON TRUTH ‘eziokwu bu ndu’ AND THE RULE OF LAW, A PATH THAT SUSTAINED IGBO FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS, A GLORIOUS PATH THAT IS STILL UNEQUALED BY ANY CIVILIZATION. OMENALA IGBO MUST BE OUR GUIDING LIGHT, just as the SHARIA is the guiding light of the MOSLEM NORTH!
Posts: 166 | From: chicago | Registered: Jun 2003
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Why don't you be the guiding light? Stop complaining and do something.
My name is Mota Ogallala Tekumseh, the proud native-American
___________________ The greatest thing about America is the right to disagree with the power structure without fear of torture or death at the hands of the government Posts: 217 | From: Ogallala, Nebraska, USA | Registered: May 2003
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You seem to miss the point. My write-ups are never about complains, they are usually a call to action. It is a challenge to the sons and daughters of those geniuses who gave the world Civilization, ‘One God’, Democracy and the ‘Rule of Law’.
If you understand Igbo, you will understand there is nothing like ‘The Guiding Light’ every Igbo is a ‘Guiding Light’ and when Igbo understand her strength then will each of these ‘Guiding Lights’ come together - the COLLECTIVE CHI of Igbo will then be tune. And when the Collective Chi is in tune, as it surely will, watch out world!
Putting it another way, when you look in the mirror, who do you see? Who ever you see is the ‘Guiding Light’.
Maazi, Igbo have a saying passed down through the ages, ‘Mara onwe gi – Know thyself’, that being the case it is important we learn about some little known sons of Igbo.
Consider the Talmud, what is the Talmud you say?
“IF THE BIBLE is the cornerstone of Judaism, then the Talmud is the central pillar, soaring up from the foundations and supporting the entire spiritual and intellectual edifice. In many ways the Talmud is the most important book in Jewish culture, the backbone of creativity and of national life….
The formal definition of the Talmud is the summary of oral law that evolved after centuries of scholarly effort by sages who lived in Palestine and Babylonia until the beginning of the Middle Ages. …
The Talmud is the repository of thousands of years of Jewish wisdom, and the oral law, WHICH IS AS ANCIENT AND SIGNIFICANT AS THE WRITTEN LAW (THE TORAH), finds expression therein. It is a conglomerate of law, legend, and philosophy, a blend of unique logic and shrewd pragmatism, of history and science, anecdotes and humor. ….”
THE ESSENTIAL TALMUD By Adin Steinsaltz
And to think that the father of the Babylonia Talmud – R. Abba Ben Ibo, the more complete and more quoted Talmud, of the Two Talmud – was Igbo. Interestingly, Abba Ben Ibo's lineage is traced back to the House of David.
Read on:
Some of the Igbo sages who played very promineint roles in the writing of the TALMUD:
1.) R. Abba Ben Ibo (known as Arikha) 2.) R. Hiya (Iya, correct Igbo spelling) – Uncle of Abba Ben Ibo 3.) R. Huna (Una, correct Igbo spelling) – disciple of Abba Ben Ibo 4.) Rabba (uprooter of mountains) – name of his father is Nahmani (Nnamani, correct Igbo spelling) 5.) Abbaye or Nahmani Ben Kaylil – nephew of Rabba 6.) Rava or Abba Ben Rav Hamma (Amma, correct Igbo spelling)
“As the importance of the Palestine center diminished, the great amora R. Abba Ben Ibo (known as Abba Arikha – Abba the tall one) was confronted with the task of establishing a spiritual center in Babylonia (it eventually overshadowed the center in Palestine). In his youth R. Abba traveled from Babylonia to Palestine with his uncle and teacher, R. Hiya, a disciple and colleague of R. Judah. R. Abba himself had completed most of his education under Rabbi Judah and was one of the members of the Sanhedrin. He lived in Palestine for many years, though apparently he returned to Babylonia on occasion, and in the end he went back to the country of his birth for personal reasons. There he found a number of eminent scholars but discovered that scholarship was only imperfectly organized and standards were lower than in Palestine. R. Abba was acknowledged to be one of the outstanding Palestine scholars, ordained by R. Judah himself, a compiler of mishnayot and an expert on the traditions of both Palestine and Babylonia. To avoid offending the existing communal leadership of Babylonia, he settled in the small town of Sura, rather than in one of the main centers of scholarship, and established an academy there. Babylonian scholars were soon attracted to the new center and thousands of disciples flocked to study there. R. Abba exerted such a strong influence over the Babylonian community that he began to be referred to simply as Rav, the name he is known by to this day. The authority of the Sura center over most of Jewish Babylonia was recognized, and the Sura academy survived in various forms for 700 years.
Renowned as a pious and noble man, Rav succeeded by his own personal example, aid, and encouragement, in raising Babylonian standards of scholarship. One of his younger contemporaries, the Babylonian sage Samuel, established a second center in the town of Nehardea. Although this academy later moved, it remained the partner and friendly rival of Sura as long as Babylonia flourished as a Torah center.
Rav and Samuel together constituted the first generation of Babylonian amoraim who cast the mold of Torah scholarship in that country for generations to come. They were close personal friends, although completely unalike in character. Rav’s family traced its lineage back to the House of David, and he was connected by marriage with the resh gulut (exilarch, or hereditary leader of the Babylonian Jewry). He was well versed in the Palestinian tradition of study and edited several collections of mishnayot. It was in his academy that the definitive commentary on the Book of Leviticus (known as Sifra Debei Rav) was composed, and several of the main New Year prayers are attributed to him. Samuel was a totally different personality, not only in outward appearance but also in occupation. Whereas Rav engaged in trade on an international scale, Samuel was one of the outstanding physicians of his day, a great astronomer, and head of the court of the exilarch. …
In the following generations many Babylonian sages made their way to Palestine and became prominent there, but the Babylonian academies were already so large and important that they evolved their own independent methods of study and schools of thought. Rav was succeeded at Sura by his disciple R. Huna, while Samuel’s heir was R. Judah, who had also studied under Rav and who transferred the academy from Nehardea to Pumbedita, where it remained. The scholars of this period include R. Hisda, who lived to a ripe old age; blind R. Sheshet, one of the most erudite men of his age, who had a sharp tongue and very definite views, “a man harder than iron”; and R. nahman, the son-in-law of the exilarch, who was a scintillating judge in the tradition of Samuel.
The third generation of Babylonian amoraim boasted two outstanding personalities: Rabba (short for R. Abba), a brilliant man (“uprooter of mountains,” according to his contemporaries) who became an academy head at a very early age; and R. Yosef, the great expert on the Torah. R. Yosef went blind in his old age but maintained his congeniality and warm relationships with his disciples, eventually replacing his friend Rabba as academy head. The debates between these two men became part of the regular curriculum of the academies. There were scholars who brought summaries of Palestinian scholarship to Babylonia, and this renewed contact inspired two sages who are regarded as the central pillars of Babylonian learning, Abbaye and Rava. Abbaye was the nickname that Rabba gave his nephew, Nahmani Ben Kaylil (the word apparently means “little father,” since he was named after Rabba’s father, Nahmani. An orphan, he was brought up by his uncle and lived like him, in penury, farming for a living and studing by night and during the slack agricultural season. He was a favorite disciple but also a sharp critic of R. Yosef, and he learned from both mentors, becoming academy head after R. Yosef. Rava, whose full name was Abba Ben Rav Hamma, was the follower of another school, that of R. Nahman and R. Hisda. A very rich merchant who was on close terms with the Persian royal house, he lived in the important and prosperous commercial center of Mehoza. Rava was apparently younger than Abbaye, but they were friends from youth despite their conflicting opinions. Hundreds of debates between them are quoted in the Babylonian Talmud, and the discussions which they and their disciples held are classic examples of the methods of the Babylonian Talmud. Both had incisive minds, but Abbaye tended somewhat to formalism, while his colleague generally represented a more realistic outlook. Abbaye was more moderate in his conclusions and preferred simple solutions, while Rava’s decisions were clearer, although his halakhic method was more complex. In numerous areas they were in accord, and many important halakhic elements are the fruit of their joint efforts.
THE ESSENTIAL TALMUD By Adin Steinsaltz (1976)
… What is the Torah or Talmud?
The purpose of the Talmud is Talmud Torab (literally study of Torah) in the widest sense of the word, that is, acquisition of wisdom, understanding, and knowledge, since Torah is regarded as encompassing everything contained in the world. An allegory in the Talmud and the commentaries depicts the Torah as a kind of blueprint for the construction of the world. … The concept of Torah is immeasurably wider than the concept of religious law, and while Jewish religious jurisprudence encompasses all spheres of life and overlooks almost nothing, the scope of the Torah is even wider. Habits, customs, occupational hints, medical advice, examinations of human nature, linguistic questions, ethical problems – all these are Torah and as such are touched upon in the Talmud.
THE ESSENTIAL TALMUD By Adin Steinsaltz (1976)
A pertinent question might be, why the ploy to obliterate the identity of the Igbo? Why the many genocides, holocaust and pogroms against the Igbo? Why is it that even when millions of Igbo a massacred, the western world pretended as if nothing had happened.
Umu Igbo, the answer is in your history!
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What is the relevance of this Talmud/Torah issue to the leadership crises facing Ndigbo ? You seem to be deviating from the real problem, do we have go back to pre historic times to substantiate our existence ?
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posted
“The Egboes cannot be driven to an act; they become most stubborn and bull-headed; but with kindness they could be made to do anything, even to deny themselves of their comforts. They would not, as a rule, allow anyone to act superior over, nor sway their conscience, by coercion, to the performance of any act, whether good or bad, when they have not the inclination to do so; hence there is not that unity among them that is found among other tribes; in fact everyone likes to be his own master.”
West African Countries and Peoples By James Africanus Horton (1868)
Ndeewo (greetings) Umu Igbo and friends,
Many thanks for the question: “What is the relevance of this Talmud/Torah issue to the leadership crises facing Ndigbo? You seem to be deviating from the real problem, do we have go back to pre historic times to substantiate our existence?”
Hopefully, we are agreed that Leadership is a major problem among the ‘so called’ Igbo Leadership. We could come up with what our gut feelings tell us are the solutions to this vexing problem among Ndi Igbo, or we could look at other nations and emulate what works for them. Or we could do our research, find out the make-up of these people that call themselves Igbo, and then see if we can design a system of leadership for them, if this has not been done, taking their make-up into consideration. Luckily our fore-parents, as usual, left us the answer!
I strongly believe that proposing any solution for a people, without taking their culture, tradition. ,,,. and philosophy into consideration is an exercise in futility. It is also important that we point out that there is so much at stake that whatever solutions we finally adapt MUST be the right solution. Our dare circumstances do not permit us a second or third go at it, time and the circumstances that Igbo find herself does not permit us that luxury.
Why was the leaderships of Ibiam, Ikejiani, …. Okpara successful on one hand, and why has the leadership of the current group of leaders since the end of the Biafra-Nigeria war, been a total failure? Why do Ndi Igbo exhibit dictatorial tendencies when they are in position of power? Why are they so full of themselves (huge ego), more interested in big titles, and why do they feel they know it all even in the field that is not their specialty, and when they are ‘educated’, and have Ph.D, God help us, they become mini-gods!
Africans Horton, an Igbo, summed it very well:
“They would not, as a rule, allow anyone to act superior over, nor sway their conscience, by coercion, to the performance of any act, whether good or bad, when they have not the inclination to do so; in fact everyone likes to be his own master.”
Oh yes, ‘everyone likes to be his own master’ and unfortunately the master of others if they can.
IGBO GA DI
Posts: 166 | From: chicago | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
Oha Ka, thank you for your wise observations. The leadership issue is indeed a major problem for us Igbo. We have neither respect nor loyalty for our leaders and everyone wants to lead. We keep pulling each other back and are never united. What can be done?
___________________ Biafra is inevitable.Illegitimis nil carborundum. Posts: 760 | From: europe | Registered: Jan 2005
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quote: Why was the leaderships of Ibiam, Ikejiani, …. Okpara successful ....
Who is this Ikejiani you speak of? I have never heard of him with respect to Igbo leadership.
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You raise some very interesting questions here concerning Igbo leadership, however, I cannot agree with most of them. In every nation, among every people, leaders rise and fall. The Igbo nation is no different. We have good leaders, and we have bad. In the case of Nd'Igbo, I do not think leadership alone is the problem. The real problem is the refusal by many to recognize the artificial conditions imposed on Igbos since the end of the war.
Many would like to pretend that these conditions do not exist. They strive for mastery under the present neo-colonialist subjugation of Igboland. This, dear brother, is a patent impossibility. There can be no mastery, political, economic, or otherwise, by anyone within his nation, if his nation is not a master of itself. At present, others are masters over us. If this is not so, why can't we use our own oil to finance our nation's infrastructure, that is, to build roads, hospitals, schools, airports, and the like? And why has our country been divided by others for their own benefit? Why? because others, who are not of us, have the mastery over us, and have systematically denied and excluded us, from the local to the national level, in an on-going progrom to keep the Igbo man under. It is called "institutionalized racism," and has affected every area of Igbo life and the aspirations of a whole people. If you don't believe this, just ask your brothers and sisters in the Diaspora. They will quickly tell you that there is no real opportunity for the Igbo in present-day Nigeria, and they are absolutely right in their assessment.
The "noble lie" of our opressors is, that there is no such thing happening, and many Igbos have come to believe this, and give little credit to the much-decried "Igbo marginalization." These, rather than facing the truth, begin to believe the propaganda of their oppressors, and fall to accusing and condemning one another, finding fault with themselves, their leaders, and their culture. But the fact is, that if Igbos were left alone, the qualities you mentioned about them in a negative light, would cause their nation to rise and shine as the light of free Africa. We ought to recognize that most, if not all, of our most pressing national problems are the result of artificially imposed barriers, set in our way by those who were victors in the war. We must must re-visit the issue of these barriers(based on our ethnicity) before we can really understand what is happening to us today.
quote:Africans Horton, an Igbo, summed it very well:
“They would not, as a rule, allow anyone to act superior over, nor sway their conscience, by coercion, to the performance of any act, whether good or bad, when they have not the inclination to do so; in fact everyone likes to be his own master.”
I can see nothing wrong with the qualities Horton observed here about Igbos. In my opinion he describes a people ready to take on the shoulders the responsibilities of republican government, not a slavish community of followers who turn here or there as easily as the wind changes direction. He describes a people with confidence and conviction. The same qualities have caused the Igbos to excel in the areas of commerce and entrepreneurial enterprise, among many others. These qualities are not weaknesses; they are strengths.
quote:Hopefully, we are agreed that Leadership is a major problem among the ‘so called’ Igbo Leadership.
One could argue that you have a point, but for me there are already good Igbo leaders. My personal favorite is Chief Ralph Uwazuruike of MASSOB. His stance embodies all that I wish to see in present-day BiafraNigeria. There is no problem with his leadership. He is bold and courageous, willing to put his life on the line for the betterment of his people. The problems lies in the hearts and minds of the average Igboman, whether such still sees a real stake in the Nigeria of today. Sadly, many do, and cannot distinguish their best interest from the lies told by the Nigerian propaganda machine, which would like Igbos to believe that everything is just fine, if they will just bow down and accept the status quo. Therefore our leaders can be divided into two kinds, those who see a future for our people in present-day Nigeria, and those who don't. Obviously I support the latter. Our collective task, I think, should be to persuade the Igbo nation that we have absolutely no part in present-day Nigeria, and that the sooner we are parted from it, the sooner these problems you speak of will dissappear. How this shall be accomplished is another discussion altogether.
posted
If this doesn't describe institutional racism and political and economic neo-colonialism and subjugation, nothing does.
quote: "...The war aim and (final) solution properly speaking of the entire problem...is to discriminate against the Ibos and in their own interest. Such discrimination would include above all the detachment of those oil-rich territories in the Eastern Region... in addition, the Ibos' freedom of movement would be restricted, to prevent their renewed penetration into other parts... leaving any access to the sea to the Ibos... is quite out of the question..." (Federal Nigerian Minister to E. C. Schwarzenback, Swiss Review of Africa, February 1968)
Some say the definition of insanity is always doing the same thing but expecting different results. Maybe our leaders should start doing some very different things to get the results we need.
___________________ The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves... Posts: 696 | Registered: Nov 2004
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Good leaders are inspired by a need to do something to correct observed flaws happening in their time.They are human like us and like every human are subject to make some mistakes.But,their intention remains the same.Our armchair critics should not just criticise on the internet those who are trying in their own little "sometimes flawed" way,but GET INVOVLED and positively help make that change!
posted
Some are born leaders. Some have leadership thrust upon them. Some attain leadership through the front door. Others through the back door. Some aspire to be leaders, work towards it and eventually attain it.
Of all these what type of leader does the Igbos want? or deserve?
Njiko, some are already involved by their contribution to this site. We all need to go beyond here and effect positive change within our sphere of influence. Friends, relations, neighbors.
We all can not be leaders but we all can help a good leader become effective.
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posted
“Every honest Igbo man or woman who has visited and moved about extensively from Ehamufu to Opobo, and from Ezaa to Kwale, will agree with me that there is a very serious problem in Igbo society today. If you look at the millions of unemployed young men and women, the hundreds of vicious armed robbery incidents, the thousands of miles of unpaved roads, thousands of primary, secondary schools, and universities, dilapidated, decaying and in ruins, thousands of Ndigbo who have become hangers on and now openly beg for alms, the thousands of young men and women in their thirties who die prematurely everyday from stress related illnesses, the near absence of meaningful health care to take care of the sick and so on. If you think of these people and situations you will agree with me that Ndigbo are facing very serious problems. It has never been this bad in Igboland. If you refuse to be deceived by the sprinkle of wealthy people in Igbo society today and seriously look at the big picture, the masses of our people, you won't help but experience panic about the plight of Ndigbo in Nigeria today and the future of this ethnic group of people called Ndiigbo. It is appalling when an intelligent Igbo man or woman makes a statement such as: "Oh things are all right” or "We are in charge in so-and-so political party and, therefore, things are going well for Ndigbo." It is more so when the speaker calls himself "Igbo Leaders.”
In 1940s, 1950s and 1960s, Igbo leaders did a lot to improve the quality of life of every Igbo person. During this period, Igbo leaders like Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. M. I. Okpara, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, Dr. Dennis Osadebe, Dr. Nwafor Orizu, Mazi Z. C. Obi to name a few did concrete things that propelled Ndigbo above every other ethnic group in Nigeria. Azikiwe, Orizu, Osadebe and others saw the value of good education as the ladder to economic progress and pursued the provision of educational opportunities for Ndigbo with such vigor that in a few decades, Ndigbo leapfrogged over every ethnic group in Nigeria in educational attainment thereby positioning themselves to take over much of the administrative machinery of the state at independence. Okpara, Ibiam and some others saw the need for food sufficiency and industrialization and pursued agriculture and food production with such zeal that by 1965, the government of Eastern Nigeria undertook publicity campaign to urge people to eat more meat, chicken and eggs and drink milk. Farm settlements and agricultural extension programs were so successful that Malaysia came to Eastern Nigeria to learn the secret. At the same time major industries were being established at Port Harcourt/Calabar, Enugu/Emene/Nkalagu, Umuahia and Onitsha. These industries were superbly successful and formed the backbone of the industrialization of Eastern Nigeria. Even during the Biafran war, the tenacity, foresight and sacrifice of people like Philip Effiong, Tim Onwuatuegwu, and a host of other heroes guaranteed that Ndigbo were not wiped off the face of the earth. These are Igbo leaders, they are the heroes of Ndigbo.”
Leadership Series by Ekwe Nche Organization (www.ekwenche.org)
*************
Igbo and friends, mma mma nu!
I will try to answer as many questions as possible but since I limit myself to a page of write-up, I might not be able to answer all the questions in one write-up, so forgive me and have some patience when I seem to go off at a tangent, for there is a method to the madness. Hopefully, by the time this discussion on leadership has been exhausted, we all, or at least I, would have gained some insight from this discussion – Ndeewo nu.
I am reminded of a book I read a few years ago in which the author claimed that Ndi Igbo have no history – go figure.
The history of the world has a sharp divide or demarcation – when color was no barrier and after color became the sign of the master race – this was the period when there was a concerted effort to rewrite history, when most of the black achievements were erased, hidden or ascribed to white nations. We now know, many thanks to the research of the members of Ekwe Nche, that one of the most important documents in Jewish history was authored by Ndi Igbo, among many others, the Torah (a Igbo word) comes out of the Omenala Igbo, the Kabala (another Igbo word), the mystical book of the Jews, comes out of Igbo mysticism. As far back as I can remember, our Jewish brethren continue to wonder all over Ala Igbo, what are they looking for? Yet, it was only of recent that the Hebraic heritage of Igbo, was grudgingly publicly acknowledged by an Israeli ambassador to Nigeria. If Igbo were a white nation, would that have been the case?
“ Sacred to Hermes (Thot) were the tortoise and the number 4, symbolic of the four winds.” Collier’s Encyclopedia with Bibliography and Index (Vol. 12), 1991 Hermes, one of the gods worshiped by ancient Europe, from the quotation above, reminds one of Igbo. Further research will show that he was an actual human and was also Igbo. Check out the history of Japan, do not be surprised to find that an Igbo played a very important role in her civilization, in fact, I claim that there is no civilization that Igbo was not directly involved in!
Consider the 1966 pogrom in which 500,000 Igbo were slaughtered, and close to 2 million refugees returned home. Never in the history of the world, has this number of refugees been re-absorbed with help from the world community, yet Igbo accomplished this Herculean task without help. At the end of the Biafra-Nigeria war, the population of Ndi Igbo had been considerably reduced to at least one third it former size. Thirty years later, despite the continuing diabolical plans of the conquerors of Igbo to continue the marginalization and genocide against Igbo, the population explosion of Igbo has been amazing, the only explanation is that it is a miracle!
One of the initial results of the research by Ekwe Nche Organization showed that Igbo is one of the most researched groups in the world. Why the continuing research on Igbo? Find the weakness of a people, and you master them. We then start to understand why our fore-parents left us the ageless saying – Mara onwe gi (know thyself). The weakness of Ndi Igbo also happens to be her strength! Africanus Horton, an observant Igbo, could not have summarized better:
They would not, as a rule, allow anyone to act superior over, nor sway their conscience, by coercion, to the performance of any act, whether good or bad, when they have not the inclination to do so; in fact everyone likes to be his own master.”
Why is it a strength and why is it a weakness?
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“The authority of the diokpa is not imbued with dictatorial power as he must consult with all the family and possibly obtain consensus on the issue at hand before making a ruling. He also cannot enforce a ruling without the explicit mandate of the extended family.
If the Umunna is involved in a negotiation, consultation or conflict resolution with other groups at the level of the village or town (Ogbe, Ama, Obodo), the diokpa becomes the spokesperson for his Umunna. Consultation with members of his Umunna will precede all-important decisions that he will render. If he is requested to render an opinion on the spot by the Obodo (Town), or if he suspects that the opinion he is about to render will be regarded unfavorably by his Umunna, or if he is faced with a totally new development, that he was not prepared for, he will immediately request leave of the Obodo to consult with his Umunna through a procedure called "igba izu or izuzu", before rending the opinion. During the izu, which is usually done standing up in a circle a good distance away from the Assembly, all the members of the Umunna will have an opportunity to air their views on the issue at hand.
The discussion goes on for a few minutes and quickly they arrive at a consensus on what their leader should present as their view. When they get back to the assembly the diokpa or some other person delegated to present their view renders their opinion as clearly as he can. He will usually end by looking back at his Umunna who may be standing or sitting behind him, and intoning in a clear voice: "Okwa nu ya ibe anyi nu" or "okwa ihe unu kwuru" (is this what you resolved). And all the members will answer in unison, "iyaa obu ya" (yes it is). And they salute him by his traditional name. If he missed a point, they will take a quick glance at one another and a member of his Umunna will quickly interject when he asks the question "okwa ihe unu kwulu", "ka m nwelu gi aka" (let me help you). And he will add the point missed by the diokpa. If he says something totally different from what they had agreed to, a member of the group will quickly call his attention to it and immediately effect a correction. During the izu, the Umunna does not usually strive for unanimous agreement on the issues. Rather they seek to establish an acceptable majority. And once this majority has been established, it becomes the consensus and all opposition ceases as everyone is expected to stand with the group.”
Leadership Series – By Ekwe Nche (www.ekwenche.org)
“Among their own tribe, be they ever so rich, they feel no ill-will toward them. A poor man or woman of that tribe, if they meet with a rising young person of the same nationality, are ready to render him the utmost service in their power. They give him gratuitous advice, and 'embrace him as their child', but if he is arrogant and overbearing, they regard him with scorn and disdain wherever he is met.”
West African Countires and Peoples By James Africanus Horton.
************* Ndeewo nu,
Allow me to repeat the last section of my last write-up.
“The weakness of Ndi Igbo also happens to be their strength!
Africanus Horton, an observant Igbo, could not have summarized it any better:
They would not, as a rule, allow anyone to act superior over, nor sway their conscience, by coercion, to the performance of any act, whether good or bad, when they have not the inclination to do so; in fact everyone likes to be his own master.”
Why is it their strength and why is it their weakness?”
I had hoped that some of us would have jumped in with their comments on the write-up. Please do not hesitate to comment.
Maazi Greg summarized the strength of Ndi Igbo:
“I can see nothing wrong with the qualities Horton observed here about Igbos. In my opinion he describes a people ready to take on the shoulders the responsibilities of republican government, not a slavish community of followers who turn here or there as easily as the wind changes direction. He describes a people with confidence and conviction. The same qualities have caused the Igbos to excel in the areas of commerce and entrepreneurial enterprise, among many others. These qualities are not weaknesses; they are strengths.”
Simply put – ‘onye kwe Chi ya kwe = the term ‘impossible’ does not exist in the Igbo worldview!
Why is it also their weakness?
The knowledge that ‘nothing is impossible’ - to the Igbo who has not learnt to control this power, it becomes a burden. The Igbo believe that he/she has all the answers, does not take kindly to advice, spreads him/herself too thinly trying to do everything, do not believe that there are experts in other field, becomes hasty, very arrogant and overbearing. This might explain why Ndi Igbo hardly ever have ‘thinking houses’. Each ‘so called’ leader knows it all!
Unless an Igbo understand that he/she does not have all the answers, that for the above quoted quality to be a strength, it must go hand in hand with another saying of our fore-parents – ‘Igwe bu ike = strength in numbers’. Is ready to allow others to play there part, understands that the Collective is always greater than the individual. Until Ndi-Igbo understand that no one person knows it all, nor can do it all, or has all the answers, Ndi Igbo will continue to fall prey to those who have spent hundreds of years studying Ndi Igbo.
The above might explain why Maazi Ibiam, Maazi Ikejiani, …, and Maazi Opkara were/are very outstanding and successful leaders, and why the present leadership since 1970 have been complete and total failures!
Posts: 166 | From: chicago | Registered: Jun 2003
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posted
“These representatives know that it is their responsibility to project and protect the interest of the village at the level of the Town government. They take this responsibility very seriously aware that if they fail to project the views of the village, they will not only be recalled but may also face severe socio-psychological sanction such as shaming or even economic sanction such as a fine. In addition to representing their village, they are aware that they are ambassadors of their Umunna.
Therefore they strive very hard to avoid any actions that could portray their Umunna in bad light e.g. taking bribes, being a drunk. Because of the importance which Ndiigbo attach to the "representative" function or duty, they adopt very stringent parameters in choosing these representatives.”
Leadership Series by Ekwe Nche (www.ekwenche.org)
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Umu Igbo and friends,
Quoting Maazi Ochiwar:
“The leadership issue is indeed a major problem for us Igbo. We have neither respect nor loyalty for our leaders and everyone wants to lead. We keep pulling each other back and are never united. What can be done?”
Before we can even begin to look at what can be done, it is important that we agree on what criteria those who aspire for Igbo leadership must meet, hence the topic, “Igbo Leadership – Setting the standard”.
Since I believe that it is impossible to talk about a people, more importantly consider their leadership, without an attempt at understanding who the people are, their culture, tradition, strengths and weaknesses, …, philosophy, I have made an attempt, even if it is a very small attempt, at bringing into focus what I consider to be the major strength and weakness of Igbo.
I had deliberately chosen the topic “Igbo Leadership – Setting the standard”, for it is important that before one talks about Igbo Leadership, the ‘stringent parameters’ that our fore-parents put in place in choosing their leaders must again be brought back for those who aspire to be Igbo leaders.
Using the current ‘so called’ Igbo leaders as examples, should:
1.) An Igbo who is sponsored by other nations be ever considered an Igbo leader (bearing in mind that no one can serve two masters, and where the survival of a nation is concerned, anyone sponsored by other nations is a traitor and cannot be considered an Igbo leader.)? 2.) An Igbo who during the genocidal war against Igbo, fought on the Nigerian side be ever considered an Igbo leader? 3.) An Igbo who was in a position of power but turned a blind ear and eye to the pogrom, genocide and holocaust against his people, be ever considered an Igbo leader? 4.) An Igbo who spied against Ndi Igbo, or sold weapons of war to those whose goal was to wipe Igbo off the face of the earth, be ever considered an Igbo leader? 5.) An Igbo who has no respect for the way of life of Ndi Igbo, or one who has committed nso ala, by coming between a man and his wife, thereby destroying the family, be ever considered an Igbo leader? 6.) An Igbo who is a 419’er, or speaks out of both sides of his/her mouth, or a dictator, be ever considered an Igbo leader? 7.) An Igbo who for the past 34 years since the end of the Biafra-Nigeria war refused to say anything as his people were brutalized, massacred and marginalized, be ever considered an Igbo leader?
As we can see, the list is a long one. If the head is rotten, will the body not die? Until Ndi Igbo take another look at the present abomination of a leadership and turn their back on them, Igbo will continue on a downward part.
May 'Ama Ama Amasi Amasi' give Igbo the strength to make the right choice – ISEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
OHA KA.
Posts: 166 | From: chicago | Registered: Jun 2003
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Despite the insinuation of characteristics of the known actions of the likes of Nzeribeh and Ike Nwachukwu, your questions appear intended to elicit another specific person and name whose own supposed crime remain unsubstantiable save as mere allegation. Is'nt it better to come out and spell it out, so that all your postings will harmonize more effectively.
This is not one of those academic series where we discover in amazement and indebtedness of gratitude to you that Muhammadu is actually an Igbo word afterall meaning; "study them people" or that Buddha is also an Igbo word meaning; "bring it down" just like Yah-(n)weh means; "He owns" (I suppose in Enugu dialect).
Personally I believe that when you have spelt out the name which those "general" questions are meant to help right thinking people deduce,we should then move to publicly physically impale or crucify such a terrible human being to absolve us of all our sins, that way our 100 million and over Igbo population count(based on some of your previous counts) would finally start amounting to something.
When your entire body of academic work is marshalled like a weapon to obliterate those individuals and or groups whom you have judged, it becomes very difficult to then fathom who and who is practicing despotism and tyranny, who is trying to play Yah-(n)weh in the land of the blind.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1184 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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There can be no compromise! There can be no excuses! There can be no apologies! Lies will not suffice! The debt can never be repaid! The world must not be allowed to forget! The guilt of the world will remain from now to eternity.
*************
Ndi Igbo and friends ndeewo nu,
Maazi Okaobasi Nno for giving me the opportunity to again cover some extremely important grounds that were probably last covered at the inception of the ‘Biafara/ Igbo Renaissance Movement’ – I should know since I was there and also one of the two founders of the Movement, despite all those who now strive to rewrite this most important history, NDEEWO.
As you can see from above, I started this write-up with what I call the ‘Item of Igbo Fanatics’, in the hope that you will understand the seriousness of this journey that we are about to undertake – Ndeewo.
I will be governed by one rule, a rule that has served me very well since I agreed to be part of this movement, slightly more than eight years ago, as we watched in amazement as Ndi Igbo in United States either sold their souls for crumbs to the Hausa/Fulani – Yoruba overlords, crawled under the skirts of their wives, too afraid to do right by Ndi Igbo, or did their damnest to stop those of us who were willing to do what had to be done to stop the endemic decay of Igbo into oblivion, Yes, that rule is a saying that is as old as Igbo – ‘EZIOKWU BU NDU!
What befuddles me, is that we can spend many sleepless nights and years and years of study to acquire all kinds of degrees and wealth, but when it comes to the most important part of our lives, the lives of our children and their children’s children, we continue to refuse to do the necessary and the most basic of research to be in a position to make informed judgments. If we have refused and/or are too lazy to do this most elementary research, NO, reading, to inform ourselves of our very rich heritage and to answer the most important question of our existence (Mara Onwe Gi), why point a finger at those who have taken the pains, spent the time and resources to try and bring closure to the most vexing problem of our generation – survival of Ndi Igbo.
Maazi, some of Ndi Igbo have forgotten or continue striving to forget the 500,000 of our brethren who were massacred in the pogroms of 1966 or the 3 million plus who were either starved to death or massacred in the ensuring genocidal war against a defenseless people, a people whose only crime was that they wanted to be left alone to rebuild their shattered lives, nor are we about to forget the continuing marginalization of Igbo by the slavemasters of Igbo. Even if the world forgets, there are a few of us who continue to insist and make sure that justice is done no matter how long it takes or what the sacrifices are. THE BEAUTY IS THAT CHI-UKWU IGBO IS WITH THIS FEW and VICTORY IS ASSURED.
Maazi, I will take your write-up apart piece by piece, and will not stop until I have said my piece.
Enjoy the ride.
OHA KA.
Posts: 166 | From: chicago | Registered: Jun 2003
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Thank you for responding. I take it you at least desire to be viewed as a thorough person. In that regard it becomes difficult to overlook your spelling my handle name wrong when I have not done the same with yours.
Are you trying to tell me something?
quote:Maazi, I will take your write-up apart piece by piece, and will not stop until I have said my piece.
Maazi, what "write up" do you speak of?
I asked a simple question in my post. One line will do as an answer, in fact just a mame will do.
If you then desire to validate your assertions then either provide corroborratable evidence to them in bulletted form and with bibliographical links (not of the Bolaji Aluko self-fabricated, self-referencing type mind you) or If you just want to inundate us with uncorroboratable but compelling fiction and fantasy, merely append links to all the pseudo intellectual million page cottage fabrications of the highly energetic, highly eccentric, highly imaginative, Dr. E. M. Onumonu with which he has assailed and vanquished several imaginary enemies, and combine it with the equally creative and vituperative fabrications of Osita Olisa so we can get to file it in the appropriate cabinet where they belong.
Otherwise Maazi, dont strain yourself, and wear yourself out for nothing. I'm only interested in understanding why make allusions to a name, and fail to specifically pronounce that name. Thats all!
SELF ADULATION: OPPORTUNITY LURKS AT EVERY CORNER
quote:I should know since I was there and also one of the two founders of the Movement, despite all those who now strive to rewrite this most important history, NDEEWO.
As to the comment above, I did not understand its relevance of to my question in the previous post. Is there some obnoxious self adulation going on here?
The only organization I respect as harboring an environment in which the word Biafra started to be spoken again without unnecessary stigma has been BNW, and later others (perhaps others like Kwenu.com existed, I dont know) I never attributed the existence of these organizations to the ispiration by any "Biafara rennaissance" group of which you speak.
Prior to my happy discovery of the existence of BNW I used to individually post-emails to the different "Nigeria" dailies on a consistent basis, lambasting their editors and correspondents with caustic language for an anti-Igbo anti-former Biafra bias. I guess the movement missed me. Yet if such movement as cited in that comment inspired the founders of BNW to create this messageboard and forum then; Congratulations! I suppose?
"EZIOKWU BU NDU": A FORMER SAYING, NOW CLICHE WHOSE KNEECAP HAS FINALLY BEEN BLOWN
I suspect that when the links I suggested (or the verbal regurgitation of their essence) is posted in response to my simple question, we would come to be reassured how the saying/cliche above is exemplified.
I hope the "ride" promises to be refreshing.
Ndeewo Maazi.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1184 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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