posted
There is an Efik proverb that says: "Nkari ideghi ifiok"-In Igbo: "Aghugho abughi amamihe", meaning that: "To be cunning does not mean to be wise". We are not here to demonstrate who is smarter or more cunning as regards the Nigerian State confusion. Ojukwu, Obasanjo and Chekwas are now on the stage. The issue is not who is more cunning among them; but who is more truthful of the trio. Dim Odumegwu-Ojukwu has established a high record in leadership and transparency which those in question are yet to meet up with. The writer does not intend to take sides with Chekwas or Dim Ojukwu; but the intention is to enlighten the visitors to this forum.
On the APGA crisis, Chief Chekwas blew the whistle that Ojukwu betrayed him and made an allusion that after Ojukwu finished speaking to Obasanjo in Yoruba language, everything changed against Chekwas. Chekwas concluded that the hands of Obasanjo and his Presidency are behind the APGA crisis. Many people drew the hasty conclusion with Chekwas and started to call Dim Ojukwu a traitor. I personally had the opinion that there was not not enough logic to convince one that Chekwas was right on his allegation against Ojukwu.
There exists a logical fallacy that holds: "Post hoc, erga propter hoc" -"After this, therefore on account of this". It would be fallacious for anyone to conclude that because Ojukwu spoke to Obasanjo in Yoruba, Obasanjo told him what to do or say in the APGA crisis. After the rain, comes the sun. Behold Chekwas has dropped the ball and confessed that he was wrong to infer and say that the hand of the Presidency or Obasanjo was behind the APGA crisis. Will this confession absolve Ojukwu from being labelled as a traitor? Time heals all wounds! Who is right or wrong here? You are the jury and reserve your votes.
Now that it appears that Chekwas is in the good book of Obasanjo by going to the National dialogue, has Ojukwu turned overnight to become Obasanjo's enemy? Ojukwu recently vowed that: "God forbid that I should attend the National conference without the mandate of my people". Those who know Dim Ojukwu, know what he means here, that is, he is never relying on Obasanjo's Presidency to send him to the conference; but he relied on the Ohaneze ticket. He also said that some people are very uncomfortable with his participation in the conference. He is comfortable because he contributed to Igbo agenda for the conference.
It is not only Ojukwu who wants to go to the conference/dialogue. The average Igbo person wants a forum to discuss with Nigerians over the grave injustice metted Ndi Igbo in Nigeria. Some Igbo may reserve their right to disagree on this point of view; but the majority of Ndi Igbo want dialogue with Nigeria and this is where Dim Ojukwu stands.
To say or infer that Obasanjo outwitted Ojukwu is not palatable because it means that Obasanjo is more cunning than Ojukwu. To be cunning does not mean to be wise, in the first place. The truth is that Ojukwu had obvious reasons to support Obasanjo in the conference project: but this does not mean that Ojukwu agrees with Obasanjo's manner of holding the conference or dialogue. To hold this conference or dialogue is a big victory because it shows that Nigeria is in great crisis and needs immediate remedies irrespective of the outcome of the conference or dialogue. Obasanjo canvassed with Ojukwu to support his bid for the National conference/dialogue, and he got what he sought for. No one alive today can vow that Obasanjo promised to appoint Ojukwu as one of the delegates to the confab.
There is no permanent enemy in politics: there is only permanent interest. If you want to be a diviner, study the past and you can foretell the future. Ojukwu can make mistakes because he is human in so far as: "Erare est humanum"-To err is human. However, it may not be right to jump the gun and pass swift judgement on these two matters until the end when we get the facts or truth behind the APGA crisis. It may not be unusual to witness a mutual settlement of the whole crisis as is common in politicking.
There is an Igbo adage: "Eze nwe iro" or "Ugwu akporo dike bu onye agbata-obi ya".
Fada Jon
[ February 24, 2005, 02:36 AM: Message edited by: Fada Jon O. Ukaegbu ]
Posts: 19 | From: U.S.A. | Registered: Apr 2004
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posted
Nota Bene: May the web master of this forum kindly furnish an "edit" facility so that one can correct or edit one's posting. There is an error that says: ...because Ojukwu spoke to Ojukwu in Yoruba...: It should read:...because Ojukwu spoke to Obasanjo in Yoruba...".
(Thanks to the nice guys for I have edited the post).
Fada Jon
[ February 24, 2005, 02:40 AM: Message edited by: Fada Jon O. Ukaegbu ]
Posts: 19 | From: U.S.A. | Registered: Apr 2004
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Welcome again, and good to read your wise, humble and dignified postings as usual. On the Edit facility, please go to the top right hand corner of each post e.g the last one and click on the icon with a pencil and paper, it should bring you into an edit page from where you can edit and re-transmit your post.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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quote: May the web master of this forum kindly furnish an "edit" facility so that one can correct or edit one's posting. There is an error that says: ...because Ojukwu spoke to Ojukwu in Yoruba...: It should read:...because Ojukwu spoke to Obasanjo in Yoruba...".
The icon to the right of the envelop with pencil on it and left of “ “ is your edit button all you have to do is click and edit then click Add Reply box afterwards.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2483 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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My interpretation: The dignity and respect accorded a strongman reside in those who surround him.
Fada,
The saying above and in quotes goes to the heart of what I believe our challenge is as Igbos.
If Ojukwu or Chekwas Okorie, or even APGA as an entity each being the "Dike" in that saying, are to recover their "ugwu" (dignity/respect), they owe the people that surround and give them relevance an accounting of sorts that will be facillitated more amenably by their reconciliation.
Natural and future convenient political interaction might necessitate this interaction at some point, but what Igbos should now demand to begin to assert that ownership on which basis much anger has been expressed on this board, is that we will not wait for chance reconciliation but demand an accounting NOW!!!.
Taking this position in my view is then what will validate our position as the true stakeholders in question, even though it would finally compel us to back our posturing with actual and real responsibility for once.
The suspicious actions and background of Umeh in my view, and the continuing public utterances of Okorie and Ojukwu in the matter has not been helping things either, but putting a stop and exercising greater scrutiny to these actions and utterances is where I believe the healing must begin.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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Yours have been my sentiments all along concerning who and who is not truthful in all these maters. And yet someone must take responsibility for this debacle and its deleterious effect on the aspirations and whole benefit of Nd'Igbo. That is not to assign blame, but responsibility. I think all involved should receive their due. The "grass people" do not benefit(from the wisdom of Nwa-Afor) while the elephants fight.
___________________ The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves... Posts: 660 | From: Valle del Sol | Registered: Nov 2004
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posted
THE ONLY "WORD OF WISDOM" THAT WILL QUELL THE ANTI-OJUKWU FEELINGS(EVEN AMONGST THE DIE-HARD BIAFRAN COMMUNITY) IS FOR OJUKWU TO MAKE AN UNRESERVED PUBLIC APOLOGY TO THE ENTIRE IGBO NATION AT HOME AND IN THE DIASPORA FOR MISLEADING US. ANYTHING SHORT OF THIS BY OJUKWU AND HIS ERRAND BOYS ON THIS BOARD OR ELSEWHERE IS NOTHING BUT A MERE WINDOW-DRESSING THAT WILL SURELY ESCALATE INSTEAD OF MINIMIZING THE EFFECT OF THE OJUKWU-INSTIGATED CRISIS.
If this is a war, I had say that that it is one which the Ojukwu camp will SUERELY LOSE, and lose BIG TIME.
Posts: 997 | From: Germany | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
Folks this thing is getting uglier,I hope this journalist is equally wrong because this may be the smoking gun some have been looking for. I always suspected Aremu was playing a double game, but who is to say ABC Nwosu was not chosen to complete the task of pitching Ikemba agianst Ekwueme with an intention to destabilize Ohaneze.
Facts have emerged that deft moves on the political chessboard in Anambra State cost former Biafran warlord and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, a place in the National Political Reform Conference.
Also, Second Republic Vice-President, Dr. Alex Ekwueme did not want to participate so he nominated Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife in his place.
Clarifications to these came from Anambra State Governor Chris Ngige and a source.
The source revealed that Ojukwu missed the list because Ekwueme was reportedly angry that he insisted that he would lead Igbo delegates to the conference.
“It was Professor ABC Nwosu, a fellow Nnewi man, who took Ojukwu to Ohanaeze so that he can be one of the Ohanaeze delegates,” said the source.
He added that Ekwueme argued that the Ikemba Nnewi is not a member of that apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation and that he runs a parallel outfit, Igbo National Assembly (INA) that is opposed to Ohanaeze, so he could not lead the team.
The source said though some members of Ohanaeze were disposed to Ojukwu, Ekwueme’s insistence that he should not lead the delegation cost him the nomination and in his place, Second Republic Senator from Rivers State, Chief Francis Ellah, was picked as second nominee after Professor Joe Irukwu.
In further clarifications Ngige said Ekwueme opted for Ezeife while Ohanaeze was expected to nominate Ojukwu.
Represented by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, Mr. Fred Chukwuelobe, Ngige said Ekwueme declined membership on the grounds that Ezeife is of the same Anambra South senatorial zone.
He added that he could not have nominated Ojukwu since Ohanaeze Ndigbo had earlier chosen him as their representative, adding that, he would not want to reduce a man of Ojukwu’s status to a mere representative of a state.
Ngige added that before the nomination, the three senatorial zones in Anambra State were well consulted and that stakeholders and interest groups made contributions and representations before a final list was compiled.
He expressed regret at insinuations that he did not nominate Ekwueme and Ojukwu, adding that such allegations were to create bad blood between him and the two great sons of Igbo land.
Addressing delegates in Awka, Ngige said the state has the highest number of delegates in the South East, noting that the pedigree of the delegates shows that they are faultless.
He urged them not to let the state down, insisting that should the report of the conference not be subjected to a nationwide referendum, the essence of the conference would have been defeated.
It was gathered that Ojukwu might be disappointed at his non-membership of the conference despite his closeness to President Olusegun Obasanjo.
A source said Ojukwu supported Victor Umeh-led faction of APGA so as to break the ranks of the party and to be compensated as a delegate through Ohanaeze.
But the declaration of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) that Chief Chekwas Okorie is the substantive national chairman of the party and the alleged turn around by the presidency over Ojukwu’s nomination as delegate member may have created cracks in the Aso Rock-APGA romance.
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Posts: 1532 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Without the benefit of hindsight quite a few here, including yourself, predicted a lot of what is being revealed now. Personally, I criticised Ojukwu when he didn't do enough to challlenge the imbalances that were obvious in the national dialogue initiative. His sudden romance with Umeh and Ohaneze were eaqually disappointing. In all, he miscalculated. If he moans too much about his exclusion from the dialogue, people may conclude he does so for personal reasons. Politics is not always about leading from the front eg as head of a delegation. So, even at this late stage, he could still try to clarify what will become of the resolutions of the dialogue. Are they going to take it to the national assembly? Will people get the chance to vote in a referendum? Is it going to end up like the Okigbo and Oputa reports?
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Guys See this is why I continue to say lets wait till all facts are in before we castigate Ojukwu, granted he has not acted well, I am not trying to hold brief for Ojukwu. But I what I see here is the same thing issue that is bedeviling Nigeria, which is the socalled leaders surrounding themselves with people who can't look them straight in the eyes and tell them that they are wrong, when there is need to do so. I don't understand why some of the aids around Ojukwu could not advise him on some of this issue. Of Course Ekwueme have always been a one Nigeria apologist.
I really don't understand your point, is it aids that will tell Ojukwu not to get too close to Aremu ? We have been saying here that it is wrong to form INA and overnight jump into Ohaneze because of some stupid jamboree Aremu is organizing, can you see what happened now ? Is this Ohaneze that will send Ojukwu to the jamboree not the same Ohaneze with people like Iwuanyanwu who rigged Ojukwu and his APGA out of the South East in the last election ? I think even Ekwueme handled this better than Ezeigbo. The scary part which I hope is false is where the article talks of the plot to destabilize APGA in return for nomination to a useless conference.
Posts: 1532 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote: Of Course Ekwueme have always been a one Nigeria apologist. --Biafra
Yes, he has done one-nigeria stuff since I started following his politics from around 1980. And it is only fair to comment that Ojukwu joined all the other one nigerians in NPN once he returned from exile. My father was very devastated when Ojukwu joined NPN because he thought Igbos were better off with NPP. I remember how he and other men in our village spent nights protecting their votes to stop NPN big wigs rigging the vote in 1983. I knew he turned down huge financial incentives just to remain loyal to the Igbo cause. I heard him asking an NPN activist. "What did we fight the war for?" Yet I believe that Ojukwu and the rest who excercised their right to join any political party of their choice did not necessarily betray the Igbo cause. In that light, when people like Ojukwu lose out in partisan politics, we should not necessarily interprete it as an Igbo loss.
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The Thing about Ojukwu is that he is not consistent. either with his beliefs or his actions. Reminds me of one igbo saying: " Ahu oji, ojighara, ahu ocha, ochaghara"
Most people will read whatever meaning they choose into ojukwu actions and words because he has given them ammunition to do so.
Unlike for example, Gani Fawehinmi. We all know what Gani stands for and he will never compromise regardless of who is inpower. He will also not support injustice or illegality against himself or anyone.
For ojukwu, he romanced with Shagari, IBB, Abacha and now Obasanjo; despite all the injustices he sees in all these men actions to either the Igbos or to other ethnic groups.
Fada Nwannam, ebe nwatakiri na atu aka, oburu na nneya anoghi ebaghu, Nna ya no na ebeaghu. Ojukwu nyere ndi nmadu nkume ha were tuo ya!
Posts: 380 | From: US | Registered: Dec 2004
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Good men can disagree and still get their points accross. I completely I agree with both of you. I was still in Biafranigeria the day Ojukwu came back from Ivory coast, I skip work that day in Lagos to be at Murtala Mohammed airport Lagos, yes I was one of those who bust that glass protection at the airport open, to hoist Ojukwu up. Then December 1982 I left Igbo land to come to exile in America.
In 1979 even though my own brother in-law doctor Slyvester Ugoh was the running mate to Nwakanma Okoro, but I worked for NPP, because many of us saw NPP as a way out for Ndi-Igbo. When Awo was stoned in ABA, that was a sign that ndi-Igbo was in no mood for nonsense. Now after I left Biafranigeria needless to say that I was very disappointed when I heard that Ojukwu has joined party politics, moreover joining NPN of all party. But I was't too upset then, because of some of the action Jim Nwobodo took back then, even many Igbos critized Nwobodo for seating at the Government House Enugu waiting for Ojukwu to come there and visit him. Many of us felt that Nwobodo slighted Ojukwu for that action. So it was a litle easier to swallow back then for Ojukwu joining NPN, after all Shagari gave him a pardon.
Now fast forward to current event, this one is bigger than 1983, Ojukwu's romance with Obasanjo a known Igbo hater, that burggles my mind. As much as the North and Hausa/fulani have engaged in Genocide against Ndi-Igbo, at least NPN had so many Igbo in key position and were never dictatorial in trying to supress the Igbos and NPP. So this is different Obasanjo is no Shagari, Obasanjo hands are soiled with Igbo blood. This is why many of us ardent OJukwu supporters are hiding our heads.
Brother Nwafor
Absolutely Ojukwu have not been consistent, I am not sure what to attribute that to. whether is from bad advise, or may be is because politics Nigeria style. Whatever it is, it doesn't suit Ojukwu well.
Having just read between the lines in this newspaper report in the SUN newspaper which I found today, some disturbing concerns have been raised in my mind about convictions previously harbored in my outlook of things.
Below is the link which I now attach, and the four major parts of it That I found disturbing, along with my comments (in bold) after each part:
quote:Chekwas Okorie ran APGA as personal property – Women leader By PETER ANOSIKE SUN Newspaper Wednesday, February 16, 2005
Princess Hajia Nana Dahiru (Photo: Sun News Publishing)
1.) ....... “What you see as crisis in APGA is mere repositioning. We are trying to put round peg inside a round hole. You call it crisis, but we in the party call it restructuring.
Mere repositioning??? This comment was particularly offensive because it created the sense of premeditation and bad faith
2.) ..........According to her, Chief Chekwas Okorie short changed the party. “I am with the Umeh faction because when the problem started, I had the opportunity of talking to the warring parties. Despite all the allegations being levelled against Chief Okorie, he has not denied any of them, neither has he addressed any of the issues. What he is doing is pointing finger here and there, which he has even extended to Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, who is now the Chairman Board of Trustees of the party.”
W.r.t. “Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, who is now the Chairman Board of Trustees of the party” This comment is distressing in that as one who should have been an arbiter in this matter, Ojukwu inserted himself into the affairs and lost credibility by accepting this position with one faction, thus belittling his stature while the confrontation was still under his arbitration
3.)......... “Chekwas Okorie is somebody who I respect as a person. But the way he has been running the party since registration has been very unfortunate. You cannot go to any state of the federation and see where APGA has a befitting secretariat.
........Apart from that, he is a dictator. He has privatised the party. He ran it as if it was a personal property, which is quite unfortunate. If he had been liberal and allowed other members to contribute their own views, our party would have fared better. But he won’t allow that. He is a feudal overlord.
........“The suspension of Okorie is very constitutional. More than two-thirds of the members of the National Working Committee voted for his removal.
What disturbs me in the sentences above is that nowhere was it shown what sincere efforts had been being made by Ojukwu or other senior stakeholders to rectify this condition previouslyif it was so disturbing, something that suggests Okorie had been the one doing all the hard work and heavy lifting all along, nowhere was sincere good faith effort to weigh in by suggesting alternative ways to do things demonstrated as previously existing, documented as having been brought to the table and how many times, before suddenly exploding in the papers that Okorie had been expelled
4.) ........ “Chekwas Okorie is not going to leave the party. We just want him to vacate the position of national chairman. That he was suspended from the post does not mean he would no longer be an APGA member. After all, he was not born a national chairman. But on the other hand, if he decides to leave there will be no problem. APGA will still forge ahead. Chief Alex Ekwueme founded PDP. When he left, PDP still forged ahead. That is what will happen if Chekwas leaves APGA. Nobody is indispensable. Our greatest joy is that Chief Ojukwu is on our side and he commands more respect and followership.
To me this particular paragraph is the smoking gun that suggested a coup had been pulled by people whom Okorie had had no reason to fear or distrust in his dealings with them
OJUKWU DID BETRAY CHEKWAS OKORIE!!! AND IN THE HANDLING OF THIS PARTICULAR MATTER OJUKWU DID MISLEAD, DISRESPECT, AND ABUSE ND'IGBO'S TRUST!!!
For all the comments I have made on this board, indicating in any form or fashion that it was in Chekwas Okorie's court to go back and provide account to the questions put to him by Ojukwu as regards the allegations of financial impropriety levelled by the Umeh faction, This posting hereby nullifies them all, no matter in what thread they be.
Responsibility never lay in Chekwas Okorie's court to disprove the wrongdoing levelled by his accusers, rather, responsibility to substantiate the allegations made against Okorie lay in the laps of his accusers.
To the extent that it may not have occurred to Chekwas Okorie to express this firmly to Ojukwu from the get go, that oversight is not a crime and does not warrant the underhanded brash and unIgbolike judgements and action taken against Chekwas Okorie by Ojukwu.
UNRESERVED APOLOGIES TO CHEKWAS OKORIE: OPPORTUNITY STILL BECKONS!!!
For any injurious insinuations possibly deriveable upon the reputation of Chekwas Okorie by my suggestions already nullified above, my unreserved apologies are also hereby rendered.
While I believe that Ojukwu's intentions towards the Igbo people he has always hoped the best for remain good, I also now believe that Ojukwu in the manner of his dealing with his loyal friend and protege Chekwas Okorie, owes a debt of apology (as previously suggested on this board by Greg) to Chekwas Okorie particularly and to Nd'Igbo in general for abusing their trust.
To re-unite Nd'Igbo in this matter, and begin to ameliorate the trauma inflicted upon them unexpectedly, Ojukwu must now unequivocally and unconditionally make a fatherly move to reconcile himself to his protege and to apply his influence upon Umeh and others in that faction to assume a more remorseful and sincere disposition for the attempt to have callously taken over what Okorie had laboriously built with his own sweat and tears, put aside their battle postures, and in good faith present and assist Okorie in bringing about any genuine reforms that it was they had been harping on about.
CONCLUSION
My positions regarding transparency, accountability, and "responsibilities of ownership" w.r.t. the relationship between the Leaders and the Led as the only vigilant way forward in which the Igbo masses can begin to seek empowerment from this point on remains. I now swallow hard and accept my humble pie.
___________________ YA CAIN'T KEEP A GOOD MAN DOWN :) Posts: 1182 | From: TEXAS | Registered: Oct 2001
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It surely takes an HONORABLE man, a just and mature mind to acknowledge what you just did so, my friend, let me reassure you that the respect a good number of us hold for you is still at all time high. Even when some of us realized that a grievous mistake was done by Ojukwu, we still respected your position as evident in our diligent disagreement. Jidekwe nke iji.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2483 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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quote:Get ready to swallow even more, as the whole Ojukwu/Biafra show has merely just begun. The next pie for you to swallow will be Ojukwu's Biafra itself. --Judges 113
Just as I feared, much of the wrangling here has not been so much about Ojukwu as it has been about the idea of Biafra itself. How can internal APGA divisions translate itself into a referendum on the legitimacy of the Biafran state?
Obviously, many of Ojukwu's detractors are indignant about his political machinations, but it seems some have another strong and ulterior motive for rubbishing his total image as a man of any integrity. In their minds, Ojukwu is synonymous with the idea of a Biafran state. It is for them "Ojukwu's Biafra." Is it not also our Biafra, and Nd'Igbo's Biafra? How then can the idea of Biafra lose any legitimacy on account of Ojukwu?
Yet we see from the above quote that the next thing we will have to swallow is "Ojukwu's Biafra," and all because of internal disagreements among Igbos about how best to represent their interests.
Yes, Ukaobasi, we may have to swallow hard about Ojukwu's handling of the APGA crisis, but we don't have to accept that somehow, after a life's service to the interests of Nd'Igbo, Ojukwu is now opposed to the total well-being of Igbos everywhere. That would be utter nonsense.
We may disagree with Ojukwu's thinking lately as to how to advance the cause of Igbos, but is he not still a staunch advocate of anything good for Igbo people?
He may not have seen our good this time as clearly as we expected, but is he now completely opposed to our interests, as some would like it to appear?
And now that most Igbos have condemned Ojukwu's questionable political power plays, the "anti-Biafra" voices begin to condemn the Biafran state as another of Ojukwu's blunders, denying the right of Biafrans to have a homeland, all because of the political mis-steps of one man. I just don't follow this logic, except it were to say just how important this man has been in the eyes of Biafran critics.
Brother, I will swallow my part of the humble pie too, but I won't so much as smell what is cooking in their favorite stew. I already know the stench
___________________ The fault, dear Brutus, is not in our stars, but in ourselves... Posts: 660 | From: Valle del Sol | Registered: Nov 2004
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