posted
With all due respect to those of you who hold Achuzia in high esteem, I'm afraid he has no respect in my part of ala igbo. He was NOT a proper soldier and his war record is abysmal: he shot and killed far more Biafran soldiers than Nigerians during the war.
He once told a BiafraNigerian newspaper that the Igbo nation do not sing his praises loud enough because he is from the midwest. Like emma okocha, they become igbo when it suits them and midwesterners when they want. why should bloody achuzia be worried that an igbo organisation is criticizing baba iyabo's inept regime.
Shame on him and onwuchekwa for arranging a WIC visit and praise session to baba iyabo on the day the Igbo were protesting the injustices in the land.
___________________ Awo's political idea was based on the assumption that any town beyond Owo was Igbo or Hausa. Awo was not socialised; he was not a good mixer because he did not have the opportunity, which the secondary school offered. ~TOS Benson, Baba Oba of Lagos Posts: 2644 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Apr 2001
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The ala Igbo you were refering to comprised the former Eastern Region. That was the intended Ojukwu's dream Biafra. That was the Biafra that should have been compared with Bahrain or Kuwait in terms of economic wealth. That should have been the Biafra that my people (Anioma) should have liked to be part of and not this present (Agu)hunger to be infested Biafra that people are calling for. So, to answer your question, that ala Igbo (Eastern Region)is nomore.
Did I answer your question? Why did the Hausas, the Umaru Dikko's say no to resource control in Obasanjo's conference? It is simple ECONOMICS. Why is the US protecting, fighting and dying in Iraq? It is simple ECONOMICS. Why would the Igbos want to confine themselves to just 4 states in the name of a sovereign State of Biafra and suffer the economic consequences?
Posts: 292 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2003
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"they become igbo when it suits them and midwestereners when they want" ...Ohafia Udumeze
Please give specific instances and under what conditions that the Deltan Igbos did what you are accusing them of.
We all know what happened in Asaba when the Federal troops got there duing the civil war. Man, leave politics of war alone. I hope you were not expecting our defenceless people to start shooting at the Federal troops when they entered Midwest during the civil war?
When the Federal troops were approaching the Igbo inhabited areas of the Midwest, the Biafra troops there, ran, abandoned my people, crossed the Niger bridge and destroyed it. Inspite of the fact that our people (Anioma) did not resist the mighty Federal forces, they came and massacred us. Why were our people massacred? Answer? To kill Igbos. So, what is Ohafia Udumeze talking about? To quote John Mckenro of tennis fame, you can't be that serious.
Posts: 292 | From: California | Registered: Jul 2003
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ALL! YOU GUYS SHOULD STOP INSULTING THE BIAFRAN MOST SUCCESFULL COMMANDER- ACHUZIE BECAUSE OF POLITICS. ACHUZIE DID NOT DENY MASSOB IN THE INFAMOUS CHAMPION NEWSPAPER REPORT. IF YOU READ DOWN HE ALSO EXONERATE MASSOB FOR BEING RESPONSIBLE FOR THE BRAND IN ZIKS HOUSE- AGAIN THE OTHER COMMENT HE MAKES ARE WHAT I WILL CALL A POLITICAL STATEMENT WHICH IS BEYOND COMPREHENSION OF MOST YOU ORDINARY HEADS: WE THE PRO-BIAFRANS HAVE TALK TO ACHUZIE AND I KNOW HIS OPPINION AND ADVICE ALSO ACTIONS(WHICH IS NOT FOR PUPLIC CONSUMPTION).A MAN SHOULD BE JUDGE BASED MORE ON HIS ACTIONS RATHER THAN WHAT HE SAYS. NIGERIA AS AT NOW IS MENTALLY A WAR ZONE; SO WHATEVER PEOPLE SAYS IN THE OPEN COULD BE TACTICAL. IT IS EVEN IN THE BIBLE: WHEN ABRAHAM CAME TO EGYPT; HE TACTICALLY TOLD THEM THAT HIS BEUTIFUL WIFE SARA IS HIS SISTER!: A TACTICAL MANOUVER TO TEMPORARY SAVE HIS NECK FROM EGYPTIANS CRAZY LOVERBOY PRINCE: IN TODAY NIGERIA FOR INSTANCE OBASANJO PREACHES DEMOCRACY IN THE OPEN-BUT HIS ACTIONS IS DESPOTIC, HE PREACHES AGAINST CORUPTION, AS ORJI KALU WROTE: DEEP INSIDE YOU SIR, YOU HAVE A DIFFERENT ATTITUDE TOWARDS IT; HE PREACHES TRANSPARENCY, BUT HE IS A DARK LORD IN ACTIONS; HE SAID HE BANS ALL ETHNIC MILITIA, BUT HE AND HIS ODUA MINISTERS DINES AND WHINES DAILY WITH OPC, THEY PAID THEM, IMPORT DANGEROUS ARMS FOR THEM AND USE THEM.OBASANJOS DECEITFULL TACTICS WAS WHAT HE USES TO CAPTURE THE ARMY COMPLETLY FROM THE UNSESPECTING NORTHERNERS. SO WE SHOULD BE CAREFUL TO ALLOW THE CLOUD TO CLEAR B4 LAUNCHING A VERBAL ASSAULT AND INSULT
posted
Chiboy Your argument is supported by me one hundred percent. The so called Achuzia is a bastard, i repeat he is a bastard like wise the whole members of ohaneze. The problem in BIAFRA land is nothing but greedy, and the greedy bastards are nothing but conservatives in Biafra, that thinks the sun sets and rises with them. These bastards are afraid of change. Why, because they like the present arrangement, they like statusquo once is not hotting their pockets. Any BIAFRA, be, he/she old person that dosen't repect themselves needs to be insulted and bring down to the lowest form. The ohaneze's are nothing but conservatives job seeking bastards/sabos planted in Biafra by nigeria to check'mate the progressives/liberals and Biafra independent agitators. NO NATION HAS EVER ACHIEVED INDEPENDENCE WITH OUT AN ARM STRUGGLE
Posts: 45 | Registered: Sep 2004
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The ala Igbo you were refering to comprised the former Eastern Region. That was the intended Ojukwu's dream Biafra. That was the Biafra that should have been compared with Bahrain or Kuwait in terms of economic wealth. That should have been the Biafra that my people (Anioma) should have liked to be part of and not this present (Agu)hunger to be infested Biafra that people are calling for. So, to answer your question, that ala Igbo (Eastern Region)is nomore.Did I answer your question?
Sorry Rick but that was the wrong answer. My question to you is simple; "If ala Igbo could sustain ndi`Igbo before the coming of the white man, why can it not do so now?". my question has nothing to do with eastern region or ojukwu long story you are bringing. Your answer to my question is that ala Igbo does not exist anymore? Ngbopiakpukwagisi there!! .
As to the second part of your post, I can only say your reasoning is juvenile at best.
quote:Why would the Igbos want to confine themselves to just 4 states in the name of a sovereign State of Biafra and suffer the economic consequences?--Rick
What does the number of states have to do with anything? what you should be talking about if yo want to make sense is the geographical area, or population density, not the number of states because that is a meaningless information as far as your argument is concerned. when you say alaígbo is made up of just four states you are realy displaying your ignorance. the question to you will be how many square kilometers do these 4 states make up, or how many people live in the four states. The five states of igbo land, have more land mass than belgium, holland or switzerland. Does igboland not contain more population, more areable land, and more raw materials,.
So if Belgium, holland and switzerland are economicaqlly viable, then why not Igbo land?
___________________ Biafra is inevitable.Illegitimis nil carborundum. Posts: 760 | From: europe | Registered: Jan 2005
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To people like Rick who want to forever live in darkness all because Achuzia is an old man, all I can say is that u guys are wasting your time.
I praise Achuzie for his efforts during the Biafran war but that does not give him any authority to become a sell-out. His age certainly does not earn him the right to wake up any day and sell his people. It seems like u guys are suggesting that once u grow old, u have the right to mess around. It is quite unfortunate that we still have people who still carry that silly Nigerian mentality that makes y'all feel like "Yes since I am older than u are I have the God given Birthright to say and do whatever I want, whether I am right or wrong." What does age have to do with doing the right thing? I am not in anyway suggesting that we should not respect our elders but u as an elder have to earn our respect, especially when it comes to issues concerning our lives and the future of our children. Achuzie at his age does not have that many years on earth so I'm sure that he could care less about the future. As far as I am concerned, if you act like an EFULEFU then certainly you are an EFULEFU and Achuzie is pure EFULEFU, an OLD MONEY HUNGRY, FLIP FLOPPING, POWER SEEKING, EFULEFU to be honest.
If his age makes him Mr. Superior then he should start acting like someone who got sense. While thousands of MASSOBIANS are being murdered all across Nigeria Achuzie who should serve as a father figure is running his mouth selling his people for some crumbs and you guys expect us to show him respect. What respect is he showing towards the family of those brave young men and women who are languishing in prisons all over the country for the same cause that he fought for back in the 60s? Sometimes I wonder why some of these old men seem to be losing touch with what is really going on in front of them and the feelings of the Biafran youths. Unlike him, men like Uwazuruike and the younger ones never have had a chance to enjoy anything good in Nigeria, so people like him, in no terms should attempt to convince us that the only option for us is Igbo Presidency and Nigeria. The last time we had an Igbo President and Igbo VPs we all know what happened to them. Why waste our time fighting for something that is unachievable.
If he Achizie, or Ojukwu / Madiebo, or anybody f*ckup then it is our duty to give them what they deserve. If you want respect then act right. I have no respect for any man at that age that is willing to sell his own people. Damn haven't we suffered enough? It is more annoying when men of his age shamelessly expose themselves as men who have no common PRINCIPLE and are ready to dance to whatever tune that is being played in their Kookoo heads.
Rick, As for issue with Igbo land and Biafra. Let it be known to u that Igbos are not only confined in the South East. FYI, we have Indigenous Igbos in Benue, Edo, Delta, Rivers, and parts of Cross Rivers, Bayelsa and Akwaibom so when it comes to land Igbos got it. If we never had land then I wonder how Igbos still survived till today. Igbos started moving out of their ancestral lands when the British came with the Railway system. It is quite laughable and shameful that a so called grown Igbo man like you Rick can be so ignorant and out of touch with your fellow Igbos. How could you not know that Ana Igbo goes far beyond 5 majority Igbo speaking states (4 states according to you Rick)? We have enough land to accommodate Igbos in a Biafra that will not include Eastern minorities so please don’t worry about Igbos falling off the ocean and river banks because there is no other land. Having an independent Biafra does not mean that every single person with Igbo blood must relocate to Igbo land. Igbos can still live in far away places but with the peace of mind that they have their own “tiny” country Biafra where they can visit and live in without fear of molestation. Are all Jews currently living in Israel? The answer is NO. The Jewish man knows who he is and does not need to run back to Isreal to prove any point. No Igbo man is obliged to live in Igbo land. The only obligation is that you maintain your culture, names, language and make it a duty to pass it on to your children. It will be your duty to always visit your homeland and interact with your relatives. Heck, we have Igbos in far places like Sierra Leon. The last time I went to Maryland to visit my uncle and his wife- a Sierra Leonean whose actually Efik, I met her uncle (about 65 years or more) and at first I thought the man was originally from Sierra Leon because of his fluency in Creole but he later told our family that he was an Igbo man from Umuogbu, Awka and his first and last names were typical Awka names. His family have been in Sierra Leon since 19kperegidi and he was born and bred in Sierra Leon. He still has very distant relatives in Awka and other parts of Igbo land. According to him, majority of people who identify themselves as Igbos in Sierra Leon are descendants of slaves and they all still maintain their cultures and names, like Ifeoma, Nonso, Madubuike, Obukwelu, etc. Of course, after many years of living in a foreign land where they are a minority their cultural practices may not be as pure as ours but the Igbo influence is very much still there and very evident. You just can’t miss it. According to him the majority of Igbos there do not marry people from other ethnic groups especially the Igbo women. The reason is that they want to maintain their distinct culture and too much mixture with other people will of course after many years destroy that cultural identity. If I was a non-Igbo or just simply ignorant of certain facts about Ala Igbo I will immediately believe according to your propaganda that Igbo land is probably as small as Vatican City. Have you visited or being to all parts of Igbo land? The answer is NO. You cannot convince anyone that Igbos will not survive in Biafra. If we have survived so far in our current situation then be rest assured that we will survive in any situation. Economically, a Biafra without the Eastern minority areas will survive as long there is good leadership and clear economic plans. When it comes to minerals resources, like oil, coal, etc. Igbo land has it in abundance or am I lying? Igbos have the human resources and we have lots of people with talents. If Igbos could achieve what they achieved within three years in Biafra despite all the odds then there is no doubt they will achieve more. An independent Biafra will not depend much on other foreign nations because of the fact that we are capable of inventing anything as long as we are in an environment that permits us to explore our hidden talents. Currently we have Igbo scientists in US, Europe, Australia and even in South Africa, working for such governments. If Nigeria is a country that encourages individual talents without prejudice based on the person’s ethnic stock you know there would have been many inventions. It will certainly remove the impression that Africans and Blacks in general are a group of people with no real talents except may be in music and entertainment. Land does not guarantee that a nation will turn to be the richest it’s the people and government that make up the nation. If land mass is so important then how come Nigeria after so many years has not accomplished anything but still remains a GIANT PIECE OF SH*T in Africa. There is no point beating about the bush and hoping that one day something good will come out of that country. A nation that was never created by the people inhabiting it will never be successful and that is the case with Nigeria. In fact Nigeria and the whole of Africa will continue to wallow in poverty and darkness until people like you realize that it is time that everyone is given a chance to decide where they want to go and who they want to be with. Nations that are formed by force never work. It will be better for you guys advocating for Igbo presidency to advocate for a Plebiscite so every one will decide to either live in One Big Nigeria or simply form their own little nations no matter how small. Having a President of Igbo extraction will not solve any problem or wash away any hatred or mistrust that other ethnic groups have towards Igbos. It will not stop the frequent massacre of Igbos in other parts of the country. The last time we had an Igbo head of state we all know what happened to Igbos up north. An Igbo president will be of no use to us as long as he is chosen by the King makers in the north. It will be a miracle if he or she decides to disobey those who put him/her in power.
“When the Federal troops were approaching the Igbo inhabited areas of the Midwest, the Biafra troops there, ran, abandoned my people, crossed the Niger bridge and destroyed it. Inspite of the fact that our people (Anioma) did not resist the mighty Federal forces, they came and massacred us. Why were our people massacred? Answer? To kill Igbos. So, what is Ohafia Udumeze talking about? To quote John Mckenro of tennis fame, you can't be that serious.”
As for your issue with the Asaba massacre, what happened to Igbos in Asaba was unfortunate but Igbos in other parts of Biafra suffered the same fate. It is true that the Biafran troops fled Asaba when they couldn’t stop the Nigerian army and in the ensuing violence over 2000 Igbo men in Asaba where murdered in broad day light. But is that the fault of Biafra? I may be wrong but it seems to me that you are suggesting that “Oh my God our fellow Igbos dumped us in our time of need, went back to the East where they were having a jolly time and the Nigerian troops came and slaughtered us” Brother, all Igbos suffered during Biafra, and when Nigerian Army arrived any town nobody was spared. It didn’t matter whether you were Igbo-Akiri, Osshimili, Obulukwu, Aro, Awka or Ikwere etc. If you were Igbo you were bound to be killed unless you were able to hide your identity like many Igbos living in riverine areas or towns that bordered other treacherous back stabbing ethnic groups did.
Just like Igbos in Midwest suffered many untold atrocities, Igbos in places like Owerri also were massacred and raped by the Nigerian army led by your current Excellency president obasanjo. If Igbos are supposed to feel guilty over the massacre then you should be equally blamed, after all those retreating Biafran troops were from all parts of Biafra including the Midwest.
quote:Ojukwu was no fool when he fougt for the then Biafra. There was a lot to gain then economically. Even now, he, Chief Ojukwu, a man of great vision is calling for restructuring Nigeria on the basis of six regions. If you guys cannot see ECONOMICS in that calling, then something is wrong somewhere.
He also wanted the office of the Presidency to rotate among the six regions instead of the present fraudulent North and South that will only benfit the West and the North in particular. – Rick
If this is not happening and has never happened and will never ever as long as the lazy awusa/arab fulani with support from some yoroba who should know better yet always cast their net with those that remain at odds with them just because they see the Igbo as a threat to their sophistication to continue the business as usual. Is this not then an open invitation for people who crave for Biafra to continue to push on since the cake that is found in our terrain is not being shared equitably? This is especially so with the refusal of the entire south to grow out of their primitiveness and stop being used by the selfish north. I did not see anyone after the ganged up war against the Igbo as resolute for Biafra prior to the evil man of aso rock’s accidental return to office. Making abacha of all the mediocres that have gone through power in that country to be the dumbest for his failure to permanently eliminate the wicked ape when the current was ripe for it. Even though Aguiyi Ironsi was a brother, he’s close in rank when it comes to naïvty as abacha. In my competent view I believe he set the motion for all the mess we’re enduring today, had he not screwed things up by surrounding himself with northern islamists none of these will be happening today.
quote:NIGERIA AS AT NOW IS MENTALLY A WAR ZONE; SO WHATEVER PEOPLE SAYS IN THE OPEN COULD BE TACTICAL.
OBASANJOS DECEITFULL TACTICS WAS WHAT HE USES TO CAPTURE THE ARMY COMPLETLY FROM THE UNSESPECTING NORTHERNERS. – markus
Good point. People, let us tread with care I totally share this line of thinking that some of our elders back home do and say certain things for collective political expediency of the Igbo and not for personal gain. Mazi achuzie may have misspoken here but I still would want to give him another chance to redeem himself. No one with his faculties in tact would cheer for Mazi Achuzie should he stray far enough for a kindergartener to notice, what I do call for here is for us to give him the doubt benefit until such a time his actions can’t be defended anymore. Even at that, we must denounce and condemn any antics that are against our interest albeit, we must still do so with a little respect towards him for none of us would call his father or grandfather names how offensive their actions towards us are notwithstanding. Biko brothers ka anyi were ya ka egwu. Every living organ is prone to mistakes however, what we should concern ourselves with is the frequencies of such misspeak and the weight it carries.
To Elder Achuzie,
Onward, let the better alternative to bungling things through your words as you lately wont to be to remain silent and I suggest you do this or wrap your utterances in Igbo idioms and allow us to decode it. It’s not like you and other elderly gentlemen are starving or something like that so Nna anyi, do not join the nigerian rapacity to do things that might be silly.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2486 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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You and Mallam left without notice. But, what was really criminal was that starting with HeBiaFreak, you foisted your poorly tutored underlings on those of us here who are interested in serious dialogue. I can't say I did not miss you, even though I don't agree with anything you write.
[ December 16, 2005, 11:37 PM: Message edited by: Daud ]
Posts: 449 | Registered: Mar 2001
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awusa boy, idi amin daud, what happened to your little Flight of BNW's Intelligentsia since you never fled, you’ve been here ever since still dropping your awusa dawada filled excreta and hanging with big boys of Igboland on BNW?
To the good fellas plus the awusa boy and his sidekick littleboyz, nite, niteeeeeeeeeeeee!!
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2486 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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It's Friday, (TGIF) and your Internet service is about to be terminated, until Monday. Don't you feel a little ashamed that whatever happens to your poor Biafra this weekend will go unnoticed to you until Monday?
Posts: 449 | Registered: Mar 2001
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You must indeed have turkey brains for thinking that in 2005 to have an internet service anywhere is still a big thing. Even homeless guys have 24 hours access to it yet you reasoned like atypical munchi nama herding idiot. For the uncountable times, I do not bother with it over the weekends since I do not want to share my home with a fanatical islamic awusa boy.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2486 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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So where are those people who want us to keep respecting the duo of Joe Achuzia and his alter ego Joe Irukwu ? I hope it has finally dawned on some of you that these two old men are nothing but low down traitors.I don't know when Ndigbo would become proactive and stop waiting untill some one has made a big mess before they start to complain.
Posts: 1534 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote: So where are those people who want us to keep respecting the duo of Joe Achuzia and his alter ego Joe Irukwu ? CB
Nwa nnaa, I'm one of those you're searching (lol) for. My comments regarding Mazi J. Achuzie then were borne out of his dedication for the Igbo/Biafran cause and the role he played when it mattered. Don't forget that this man could easily have gone on the awusa side but like the Most Revered Dr. M.I. Okpara, he remembered the Igbo adage that says "onye agbahala nwa nne ya" then followed his folks to defend our identities. Should we excuse any misstep or miscalculations of his based on the role he played many, many years ago? Not! Yet I don't think the name calling was deserving having at many times had our interest at heart unlike ekwueme, nzeribe, iwuanyanwu, joe irukwu and many other efulefus. Hell must freeze over ten times before I tinker with the idea of lumping him and irukwu together. Zero comparison exists. Chiboy, no doubt the man is bumbling lately what however I canvassed against is for us to avoid the temptation of calling an eighty something year old fella who may be suffering memory loss names that should only be reserved for the real deals as highlighted. In school, people do get credit for the little done, example, someone who misspelled a word by omitting a letter do not suffer the same fate as one who outright blew it. Another example would be a pupil/Achuzie who followed the stipulated mathematical formula to arrive at the desired and right answer but failed to put down the final outcome, he’ll still be awarded the score less few points for the error unlike one/efulefus who had no clue what the formula to the problem is, couldn’t arrange his calculation and stuff in orderly fashion. The latter will see flunked written all over his report card! Shey you catch my direction? Awu na!
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2486 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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What are you talking about, are you aware that according to Irukwu and Achuzia's Ohaneze 50 million Igbo's are in support of Obasanjo's life presidency? Here was my opening sentence on this thread
quote:"This old man is really desperate now, I told you guys nothing surprises me any more. Within the next few weeks expect Ohaneze to endorse the third term."
Can you now better understand why Achuzia wants Uwazurike in jail ? I don't see how he is better than Irukwu or Iwuanyanwu even if you consider it mere bumbling. Any Igbo party to what Ohaneze is doing CANNOT have your interest at hearth.
Posts: 1534 | From: USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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If obasanjo or any of his town criers believe the "50 million" bunkum, I have a bridge to give to them. The same obasanjo who conspired with his awusa lords to deny our superior population count is expected to buy into their nonsense? What is sad is how Mazi Achuzie lends his name to joe irukwu's scam to tarnish all he's worked for. What happened to honor in that cursed nation? Is there any hope? What's the way out? What the actions of criminals who deserve to be locked up with keys tossed, "nkporo oka" is to me, tiring and depressing at the same time. In another thread I stated that MASSOB and the generality of Ndiigbo are wasting their time by continuously picking issues with OPC, Arewa, Yoroba, Awusa etc. If you ask me, I say, let’s forget these other folks for a period of time and be rootless in dealing with the enemies within after which we may face any external aggression that still missed our message. If this solution is followed or given a shot, Mazi Joe Achuzie, joe irukwu, emman iwuanyanwu, chris uba, arthur nzeribe and all Igbo efulefus will either be on the run or straighten out on their own. Until this is done, it will be business as usual with more annoying dimension added.
___________________ BIAFRA: The land of my ancestors now, yesterday and always. So it will be! Posts: 2486 | From: Ala Igbo | Registered: Apr 2004
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More reading for you -------------------------------------------------- Constitution Review And South-East’s Burden Of Perpetual Flux
By Felix Uka
Correspondent,
Abakaliki
The public hearing on review of the Nigerian 1999 Constitution in the South–East geo-political zone tends to have left people in the area with more unanswered questions, thereby making them more confused than they were before the exercise. Going by what happened in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State capital, which was chosen to host the event, one would unarguably infer that the people desire review or amendment of the 1999 Constitution.
But the security within Abakaliki, more particularly around Women Development Centre (WDC), venue of the event made people who wanted to be part of the exercise wonder if they were indeed invited or it was an exclusive public hearing. In front of the venue, was an armoured tank.
It was difficult to count the number of armed policemen that were dratted to the area. They searched everybody, including women who hawked yams and vegetable, orange and banana. About a kilometer to the WDC, police roadblocks were mounted with sign posts, ”stop”. Yet, people managed to scale through the security and turned out in appreciable numbers. When asked why such security that could scare people was in place, leader of the National Assembly Sub-committee on the Constitution Review in the South East, Senator Jonathan Zwingina a told Daily Independent that they did not request for such security and that there was going to be free and protected movement, Zwingina, Deputy Senate Leader, who led the 13-member committee on the mission, explained that it was misleading to regard the review exercise as a ploy to prosecute any hidden agenda, adding that everybody was free to submit his or her memorandum to the committee.
“Review of the 1999 Constitution is a process that commenced in the year 2001. Between then and now, several reports and sub-committee presentations have been compiled, including public hearings conducted in 36 states of the federation and Abuja,” he stressed.
Zwingina said while the new National Assembly session began June 2003, “the process was recommenced in order to provide opportunities for new members of the National Assembly to make inputs and participate effectively in the exercise as required by our rules”.
The committee, which arrived Abakaliki on Tuesday, February 21, 2006, first paid courtesy call on Governor Sam Ominyi Egwu, who assured them of cooperation of the people of his state.
On Wednesday, February 22, the public hearing started with Zwingina and his co-Chairman, Senator Mao Ohuabunwa presiding. They announced that they would receive memoranda first from the states, House of Assembly, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Association of Local Governments of Nigerian (ALGON), Non –Governmental Organisation, parastatals, and later from Individuals. Some people protested, saying that having the states which had their positions presented by the secretaries to the state governments, except Anambra State, could influence the poor individual’s position. At the end, the committee had their way, as the state governments presented their positions.
The issue that took the centre-stage was the third term agenda, though some other matters, such as state creation, autonomy of local government councils were mentioned.
Ebonyi State took the first shot, which people said was abnormal, being the host of the event. People questioned why it was not done in alphabetical order whereby Abia would have first presented its memorandum followed by Anambra State.
Professor Ozo Nweke Ozo, secretary to the Ebonyi State government presented the state’s position calling for the review of the constitution to allow for three terms of four years each for governors and the President. He explained that such would ensure stability as in Malaysia, South Korea among others. The state also called for rotation of the presidency among the six geo-political zones. The Speaker of the House of Assembly, Christopher Omo Isu; the State Chairman of ALGON, Chief Emmanuel Uguru; the State Chairman of Council of Traditional Rulers, Ezeogo Agom Eze, spoke for 15 minutes to amplify the views of the states as presented by Ozo.
A mild drama ensued when the Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ezenwata Okechukwu Itanyi rose to present the state’s position but had no written memorandum. The sub-committee was not comfortable to allow oral presentation. Itanyi later had the floor and toed the lines of Ebonyi State after he had conferred with Governor Chimaroke Nnamani.
After Enugu came the Secretary to Imo State government, I.D. Nwoga, who said the tenure of governors and President could be made in such a way that they could qualify for third term of four years each. Maverick politician, Chief Arthur Nzeribe after submitting his two memoranda said his constituents, Imo West, were urging him to plead with President Olusegun Obasanjo to seek re-election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
When Professor Joe Irukwu (SAN), the president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, mounted the podium, the hall was silent. There was fear over his position on third term that he was going to change the submissions, being the leader of the Ohaneze Ndigbo which had been canvassing for Igbo presidency, come 2007. Unfortunately for him, the timing of his presentation did betray him. He spoke after Ebonyi State when Enugu, Imo, Anambra and Abia states were yet to present theirs. Irukwu started acting his script without taking cognisance of the timing. He said he was the representative of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which is made up of over 50 million Igbo, adding that the group cannot succeed without collaborating with the five elected governors in the zone.
“Ohanaeze therefore adopts the views of the governors of the South East as regards the tenure, because we can’t protect interests of our people without working together with our state governors. So, in addition to whatever positions we have taken, we align with those of our governors because, we are one family,” he stated.
The hall became rowdy as people shouted no! no! no! until Zwingina told them that such was not allowed in the chambers. Having said he was for the position of the South East governors, Senator Farouk Bello, a member of the review committee, asked Irukwu that now that Ebonyi State is the only one that had presented its memo, how do you know what positions the other states that are yet to talk would take? He said he had access to the governors and so he knew their views.
Zwingina asked Irukwu whether he was sticking to the Ohanaeze’s memorandum or his position on the three terms of four years each. The professor, who was then sweating profusely, looked down and said he might need to make more consultations. Virtually all members of the committee questioned him till he lost control. Some Igbo leaders, who could not contain the situation, walked out of the hall.
The committee asked for voice vote as to decide to accept the Ohaneze memo, but people shouted no to Irukwu’s presentation. So, the committee agreed to take the Ohanaeze memo as submitted and amended by Irukwu pending any further development.
When it was the turn of Anambra Governor Chris Ngige, he walked up to the podium with Chief Udochukwu Nnoruka (SAN), the state attorney general, who is believed to be the arrowhead of Ngige’s political machine.
Ngige declared: “I want to have a co-presenter, Udochukwu Nnoruka, I am here in flesh and blood, Let me make it clear that our position is a crystallisation of opinion of executive council of Anambra State, opinion of State House of Assembly, traditional rulers council, NLC, those who represented us at the confab, so, I won’t want to toy with anything.
“I am a knight of the Catholic church, co-presenter, Nnoruka, a SAN, is also a knight of the Anglican church, our presentations are going to be without ambiguity, no double-speaking, we call for rotation of the presidency among
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