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Tom Aguiyi-Ironsi sworn-in
Written by Jonathan Elendu
Wednesday, 30 August 2006
Umuahia native and son of Nigeria’s first military Head of State, Amb. Thomas Aguiyi-Ironsi was sworn in this morning as Minister of State for Defense. The Nigerian Senate had confirmed his appointment and that of Joy Ogwu as Ministers of the Federal Republic yesterday.


Tom, a well respected diplomat, was until his appointment Nigeria’s ambassador to the Republic of Togo. His appointment and that of Ogwu would seem to be a move aimed at pacifying Ibos for the ouster of the former Finance Minister and later Foreign Affairs Minister, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. While Tom Aguiyi-Ironsi is from Umuahia, Okonjo-Iweala’s adopted home, Ogwu is from Asaba, Okonjo-Iweala’s native home.



Though Ibo sons and daughters have been given high profile positions in the Obasanjo Administration, there has been a general feeling amongst Ndiigbo that Pres. Olusegun Obasanjo despises Ibos. During a private meeting with some Ibo leaders, Obasanjo is said to have blurted out, in a fit of anger, “You people don’t know you lost a war? You should be grateful for what you have gotten so far. Historically it takes about two hundred and fifty years for people defeated in a war to recover.” Elendureports.com independently confirmed this outburst through various sources.



A high profile northern politician who was very close to Pres. Obasanjo had told Elendureports.com early this year that before the commencement of the bank consolidation exercise where most of the banks controlled by Ndiigbo ‘went under,’ the President had told him, “I have finished dealing with Hausas. It’s now the turn of Ibos.” The general feeling amongst Ibos, following the consolidation exercise, was that this was an exercise targeted at them. A former big time player in the financial sector told this writer, “It is unfortunate that two Ibos were used by Pres. Obasanjo to decimate our investments in the banking sector.”



A Governor from one of the Ibo states had gone to the President to solicit help for the construction of the Port Harcourt-Enugu express road. The President is said to have told the Governor, “I knelt down for an Ibo Governor for four minutes. You Ibos will kneel down for me for four years.” The astounded Ibo Governor is said to have responded, “Ibos don’t kneel for anybody but God.”



During the time of Gov. Chris Ngige as the Governor of Anambra State, there were numerous problems in the state. These problems were caused by Chris Uba, a very close friend of the President and the younger brother of Andy, the President’s Special Adviser on Domestic Affairs. The problems led to the abduction of Ngige by policemen under the command of AIG Ige at the instance of the Uba brothers. Months later, there was the killing, looting and burning of people and property in Anambra State, again orchestrated by Chris Uba. Ndiigbo were united in their belief that Obasanjo was behind the problems as he made no meaningful comments and refused to order the arrest and prosecution of Chris Uba.



Are the appointments of Tom Aguiyi-Ironsi and Joy Ogwu a genuine effort by this President to reach out to Ndiigbo or a calculated political move? Only time will answer this question. And time, the President does not have. May 29, 2007 is around the corner.



Email: jonathan@elendureports.comThis email address is being protected from spam bots, you need Javascript enabled to view it

Last Updated ( Wednesday, 30 August 2006 )

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