Whatever situation and circumstances, we are not the first to fight or lose war; thus, whatever and however we see it, we shall not be the first or last to cross the ocean. Anyone who ever lost a war knows the precautions to take?.
The Press is wonderful. It takes glory in success but never accepts error even in mistake; thus, beware of wide-mouth talk. Igbo is only a part of Nigeria and it is a part of Igbo homework to find out why it standing Nigerian is different. Akwa nwanyi ajo nkwa, ajo uka apuo ya n?onu. We fought emergency war disputatiously as madness tempted. I do not know how wise we stand now to talk and aim forward. For now 47 years after the war, we never looked back to configure. From the United Kingdom, if we send an envoy to the Hausa, there is a known fortress there to receive; the same as we know that there a fortress to receive in Yoruba, who is the Igbo fortress of impartial hope to receive the envoy Igbo? The Ohanaeze and all Igbo or Eastern Nigerian Organisations behave like bees and wasps longing to take the glory when there is none or with foundation.
There is no constitution and there must be a constitution to produce a humble diviner. The 786 autonomous ?Eze? are such bees and wasps of fiddles and sell outs. We fought a war under the brave commander; how far have we articulated and configured for communalism? Whatever we want, what preparations have we made? Oyibo repetee or dego-trenchee, we never learned to tame our long throat. Suffering, may I refer you to Job to learn a little bit of discipline and wisdom? The three men were with Job silently for seven days and when they began to talk, each talked and the other listened without interruption. Since 1980s, everyone has talked with no reckoning what another talks because we compete of who. Are we talking of academicism, intellectualism or common-sense? We should humble ourselves a bit and seek a process that is assimilative.
That everyone including the dumb has spoken shows that the problem is not talking or we have problem but why waste the Sylvia talking into the air without a ground process? Nationally and internationally, there are no more islands but opportunities to make and join friends. Our great brake is to apply cautious wisdom in addressing our problem. The Igbos are not the most reckless wanderers but wandering aimlessly indicts burdensomely.
Are Igbos a people without customs and posterity to defend, but how can we do so as leaderless people? If we be truly serious with the situation we find ourself, the first step is for the Home Land to elect a paramount leader, not politician but from the lineage of Aka ji Ofo, who owes allegiance to custom of the land. Those outside home should do likewise to have central leader amongst them. With a Paramount Leaders at home and at the outreaches, we dance in circle and circle our problems.
We have lived abhorrently enough of Igbo custom. When things turn awful and twist awfully our ancestors remembered that title to covenant anew by calling bygone past as historians say: read it as history but it past. Let?s start anew to live new covenanted life of trust, confidence and mutual support. Although we never had a Central leader since 1896, when the warrant chiefs were used by the colonialists to subvert the traditional Eze, shall we allow the slip to affect us forever? Igbo needs a Central Leader. Look, every nation bewails poverty, greed and corruption until it develops a transparent system that provides, supports and checks itself. Thus, the starting point is responsible leaders to be decreed with the development and control of excess expressions.
Something unique about us is our unique custom that started 874th year of man on earth. If others abhor custom for religion, we shall not because custom is the carpet Chineke used to cover the slipperiness of the earth. Check, since we abandoned our customs to be clapping in the foreign shrines called church, our land slips away from us.
I have checked all over the world, many civilizations have no ground rule or base. Recently, they said law but they easily fail character test and start running for indiscriminate attacks, which is the reprisal of equity. Custom puts everyone on inquiry to start with and then with some guided effort, everyone is provided and supported. Thus, I cannot open talk of industrialization without good carpet. It will become cut throat. We have had and suffered enough corruption. Give us leaders to channel our thoughts. This is our first priority.
I do not want to enter into procrastinations, power brokering; neither do I condemn anyone but let us have leaders first. This is our first course of preparation in showing any seriousness of whatever we want. I am towing the pre-Jewry course of 1873, when many inarticulate voices spoilt the goodwill but with articulate conjuncture, the matter become easy in a measurable motion. We never had a central leader is our greatest enemy. How can we talk innovatively without adjustment and repositioning ourselves? Are we still babies to know the contrary eyes at us? We need to come to terms with reality; speculation is cowardice, how long more do we speculate?
I wouldn?t say that the Igbo case is poverty or hungry driven. It looks more like a curse of people whose hearts are hardened against themselves. Worry, we should worry of suffering in vain. Pray/fast and do penance, we shall do to win back God?s mercy and kindness. When people are in a bad fix, all their efforts seem insufficient. A little turn towards love of God and neighbours may be all that we need to regain good consciousness of our communalism.
The tasks or loads for Igbo must be carried and discharged by the Igbos. We allowed our personal desires to drift us wild. Israel ruined several times, Nineveh Noah?s rescue centre destroyed in 612BC, Babylon, Greece and Rome ruined and made lame, is anything impossible to God? If any people forsake themselves, God knows what to do. Nigeria being rubbished by its leaders is a great eye-opener for self-recollection. Every good growth or recollection starts from the family, village and town level or it becomes woeful climbing that ends in the wolf?s mouth.