Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko is the founder, Igbo Youth Motion (IYM), Secretary, Jap Consultative Meeting (ECA), and Deputy Secretary, Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT). On this interview, he speaks on political and financial conditions within the nation
As 2024 rounds off, how do you assess each the financial and political state of affairs within the land?
Everyone is aware of this isn’t the very best of occasions. Nigeria is sick, the rot and decay started years in the past. It has gotten worse since 2015. President Buhari merely took Nigeria backwards. The financial and political points choking our nation are worsened by the unitary construction bequeathed us by unelected troopers who designed each the 1979 and the 1999 Structure. The emergent political class impressed the predatory management tradition that introduced us the place we’re. Sleaze and impunity virtually destroyed this stunning nation.
Solely sincerely returning to true federalism and devolution of powers will save Nigeria now. Restructuring the polity has turn out to be a necessity. Delay is unhelpful. From the horrifying unemployment, to the runaway inflation, to the insurgency within the North-East and unprovoked banditry within the North-West. The insecurity everywhere in the nation and the agitation within the South -East, all level to the nice have to urgently overview our journey to this point.
Apportioning blame to the present management of the land or taking part in politics with our decades-old morass occasioned by the self-centeredness of previous leaders, received’t remedy our issues. We have to inform ourselves the reality: Nigeria wants a brand new structure, anchored on true federalism, unicameral legislature, devolution of powers, regional autonomy and a return to parliamentary system of presidency.
All the issues consuming up the land circulate from the inadequacies of the unitary construction. We now have deceived ourselves for therefore lengthy. All of the experiences of previous Nationwide Conferences, ought to be revisited and an Meeting of patriotic Nigerians introduced collectively to attract a brand new folks’s structure anchored on a stage taking part in discipline for all, justice, fairness and equity.
A brand new template that may grant each part a way of belonging, and watch Nigeria explode, our economic system grows, mind-boggling corruption contained and agitations fizzle out. A terrific stunning Nigeria would emerge as soon as Nigeria is restructured.
President Tinubu assured all in France lately that these painful reforms will result in higher days. Do you agree with him?
I’m not an economist, and I’m not an knowledgeable in managing and rebuilding sick nations, however you haven’t seen a brave chief, who boldly launched into such large strides as petroleum subsidy elimination, unified forex alternate regime, electrical energy tariff and different reforms, with out considering it via. These are issues previous Presidents had been afraid to attempt.
I doubt if any of the opposite 2023 Presidential candidates would have been brave sufficient to face the reality and take the bull by the horn as he has achieved, not minding the attendant unpopularity that may include such daring however painful reforms.
He isn’t my idol, however I respect him for the braveness to embark on these painful reforms. It’s within the curiosity of the nation that he succeeds. I pray he succeeds. I additionally pray Nigeria triumphs over this very making an attempt interval. I additionally plead with President Tinubu to do not forget that his time in workplace might be judged by historical past. He should not fail to restructure Nigeria.
The South-East has progressively changed into one thing else. Why received’t this agitation go away, since 1999?
The agitation was sadly misinterpret and mishandled by regional leaders who had been so scared that each one they wished to do was keep so distant from the agitators, with a view to show to the central authorities that they aren’t sympathetic to the agitation. They distanced themselves from the disaster, permitting folks with a feudal mindset, who had just one need: to crush the agitation, bringing us to the place we’re in the present day. The businesses of presidency thought they’d crush the agitation inside months. They didn’t know concerning the never-say-die spirit of Ndigbo. They knew nothing concerning the ache, humiliation and concern of the longer term that impressed and drove the agitation.
The technique of containment they’ve been making use of since 1999, merely must be reviewed. It’s apparent that errors had been made on all sides. The basis explanation for the anger that drives the agitation, ought to be recognized and addressed. Therein lies the street map to decision and closure. Had the authorities sought to establish the basis explanation for the anger powering the agitation early on, we might not be the place we’re in the present day. The agitators made their very own errors. The land is struggling in the present day, as a result of the technique of containment hasn’t labored in 25 years.
The agitation started in September 1999 at 22 Ajijedidun Avenue, Agunlejika, Lagos with Ralph’s lower than 100 younger males. It grew to some hundreds and overboard steadily. Simply take a look at the state of affairs in the present day. The delay in figuring out precisely what impressed younger folks to affix in, attend conferences and willfully pay weekly dues, introduced us the place we’re in the present day.
Had the authorities sought, recognized and promptly addressed the problems that made the agitators consider that they had been higher off out of the country, their fears would have been assuaged. It’s the failure to reassure them that Nigeria can and might be honest and simply to all, that’s nonetheless preserving the agitation alive. They want reassurance that their area, and their kids might be pretty handled, and that they aren’t second-class residents.
One more reason the agitation has lasted so lengthy from Ralph to Nnamdi, is as a result of individuals who hope to make use of the frustrations, anger and bitterness of the agitators to drive their private political agenda, discreetly manipulate these feelings as gasoline and power that energy their very own political goals. For them, if the agitation is resolved in the present day, they may don’t have anything to energy their political goals.
One more reason, but is, that regional leaders don’t realise that it’s principally their obligation really, to resolve the problems. They might ask for assist from the central authorities solely when they’re overwhelmed. From day one, troopers had been drafted at Aba the day Ralph lifted the Biafran flag and escaped on a motorcycle 25 years in the past. Since then, regional leaders grew to become spectators while the Federal Authorities battled the agitators.
Former Biafran Head of State drew them near know their plans and monitor their actions. However different Igbo leaders had been scared to even communicate with them. They need to have been invited, engaged and their grievances recognized and promptly addressed. You see, operating away from them hasn’t solved the issue.
Over a decade in the past, about June 2014, a number of the agitators hung Biafran flag at Enugu Authorities Home, a couple of days later, the identical faction tried taking part in a prerecorded audio saying Biafra on the early hour’s information bulletin of the Enugu state Broadcasting Radio station. Alarmed and anxious, I sought permission from the aged constitutional lawyer, chief of the Igbo leaders of thought, to deliver all of the management of each agitating group to the subsequent assembly of the ILT, to listen to from them their grievances and carry them alongside transferring ahead, so that they don’t go off the monitor.
He agreed and I introduced all of them to the subsequent ILT assembly at Enugu, however regrettably a number of the leaders strongly opposed partaking with the agitators. The chairman of the assembly, Obi of Onitsha, an excellent man, was compelled to ask me to take them out.
I wept that evening, Igbo leaders current at that assembly didn’t perceive that partaking with the agitators often will set up a relationship that may defend our area.
Once more, instantly after the 2019 elections about 6 years in the past, I pleaded with the Director Normal of the South East Governors discussion board Prof. Simon Ortuanya, to kindly beg the Governor’s discussion board to arrange a committee with members drawn from every stage, to interact Nnamdi at once in the hunt for a gathering level, because the 2017 peace try has been destroyed. He promised to do this. However regrettably, he in all probability couldn’t win them over to that essential step that may have saved the South-East Area.
The tenacity of the agitators, the gullibility of the lots, and the technique of containment, all introduced us the place we’re in the present day. Concern and the technique of containment, all introduced us the place we’re in the present day.
Concern of being marked as a buddy of the agitators, led many to stay ambivalent with a view to keep out of hassle. The blackmail and assault, anybody who ventured to talk up suffered, compelled many to cover underneath the mattress. Dr Alex Ekwueme tried his finest to deliver sanity, Nnamdi met over a dozen very respected and extremely revered leaders, I organized to talk with him. The seek for a non-kinetic assembly level was sadly discouraged by individuals who most popular crushing the agitation with out ever partaking with the agitators. Regrettably, that technique hasn’t labored in 25 years. I plead that the very sources of anger of agitators, be recognized and addressed. The narrative that the Igbo are determined for political energy to lord it over others, is patently false.
The agitators aren’t agitating for that. Reasonably they need justice and equity. Equality and fairness. They need a rustic the place all are equal, the place no man is oppressed. They wish to see true federalism, devolution of powers and stage taking part in discipline for all.
Can decision and closure be discovered and attained?
After all, if the basis explanation for the agitation is recognized and addressed. Recall that exterior Nigeria, each Colombia’s FARC and the Philippines Islamic agitators purchased into the peace deal, as a result of their fears and grievances had been addressed. By sustaining the agitation for 25 years, 1 / 4 of a century, the agitators have confirmed to the world that they aren’t vagrants, miscreants, criminals and terrorists, as labelled. They’re aggrieved children, who consider they’re mistreated and disrespected. However they’re longing for justice and fairness. Their mother and father and grandparents fought and misplaced a warfare that ended virtually 55 years in the past. They consider they need to be handled pretty. They wish to see railway providers, worldwide airports and practical seaports of their area.
Container terminal, dry port, and export processing zone, of their area. They wish to really feel like full residents. They wish to make certain that their kids received’t endure the humiliation they suffered for shedding a warfare that resulted in 1970. It isn’t true that they’re agitating as a result of they wish to seize Aso Rock Villa. Nothing may very well be farther from the reality. They don’t care the place the subsequent President will come from. They wish to see a restructured Nigeria, so that they’ll develop their area. They know that deserved infrastructure has been denied their area since 1970. They’re crying for justice and fairness.
How do you suppose the 2027 elections, two years away, will play out? Do you suppose President Tinubu stands an opportunity to be reelected?
Sorry, I’ve little interest in politicians and their elections. I focus my decades-old activism on basic points holding down this nice nation. Politicians come and go. The nation stays. Correcting our structural defects stays an important factor. However in fact, elections are essential milestones in our nation’s growth. However I believe Atiku may very well be a powerful candidate in opposition to President Bola Tinubu in 2027. Apart from Atiku, there’s no different actual menace. Except in fact the PDP fields Goodluck Jonathan. If that occurs, Tinubu might be in actual hassle.
Nigerians from the six areas will vastly mobilise behind Jonathan. They know him. They know he is an efficient man. Furthermore, he’ll do just one time period. Jonathan is the best menace to Tinubu for 2027. That’s if the PDP are sensible sufficient to persuade him and draft him. His humble disposition has earned him respect. He endured the insults and vilification with out ever combating again. Even those that attacked him remorse combating him. It is going to be like a hurricane. Jonathan is the one menace to Tinubu’s 2027 reelection.
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