Power Shift: Sunset in the East

The quest for power shift to the Southern part of Nigeria, particularly to the Igbo-speaking people may be having an early turbulence, so devastating that the flight may indeed become ill-fated.

The sudden discordant tunes which could have been unavoidably silent is a pointer that the region may yet be ready to take a bite at the Presidency.

It is not surprising that there is a disturbing disquiet as a result of what I prefer to describe as an orchestrated plot to destabilize the collective dis(unity) already created by the inability of the people of the former Eastern Nigeria to forge a strong bond in spite of their similar language and cultural history.

Now, let’s focus on the issue of violence which pervades the region resulting in arson while anarchy looms, beginning from the capital city of Owerri also known as the Eastern Heartland, rightly or wrongly. One may argue that the arsonists who dared the devil at the risk of losing their lives, swiftly moved into the city and very close to the Government House, and set on fire the State Headquarters of the Police Command, burning down all the vehicles and making bold advancement towards the armory to steal what they consider “necessary weapons” for the actualization of their plot to destabilize and take over the reins of power in Nigeria, starting from the South East.

Even though no group has claimed responsibility for the attacks, it is not in doubt who actually instigated the hoodlums against the State.

 

When almost 2000 prisoners and detainees were released during the jailbreak and vehicles burnt, without the security forces not able to capture at least one of the arsonists, then, it becomes more than meet the eye!

A very simple question, working from known to unknown could reveal the identity of those who perpetuated this sacrilege in Imo State and may even continue to other neighboring states. Why did they single out the Police Stations and the Prisons for attack? What is the motive behind the release of prisoners? It is very simple to understand. They were either on a mission to break in and carry away Arms and Ammunition from the Armory for their own agenda, or they wanted to forcefully free their members who may have been detained in the Police stations and the Cells!

I will leave the puzzle for the Intelligence to unravel and figure out who is actually involved while I focus on the deliberate plot to make the East inhabitable, as such make it impossible for them to have a collective force to push for the top job come 2023!

It is no more news that the old Eastern Nigeria possesses the economic and commercial power of the country. Blessed with a huge reserve of Oil and Gas, which has been the mainstay of the Nigerian economy, since after the end of the Agro Economy, more than forty years ago. Traveling all over the world, there is hardly any Town, City or Village where you cannot find Traders who are from the East. In business, they have dominated Commercial nerve centers like Lagos, Kano, Aba and Onitsha. Different sectors of the Economy, particularly Trade and Industry also has witnessed an astronomical growth courtesy of the people of the old Eastern Nigeria who are mostly Igbos, of the hinterlands and the Coastal areas.

No wonder they have the likes of Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who is the current Director General of the prestigious World Trade Center, amongst several others space would not permit me to list here.

Yet, in all these feats, it is surprising that the politics of Nigeria is yet to favour the industrious people of the Eastern Nigeria, apart from the accidental rise to power of former President Goodluck Jonathan, who though hails from the region but is not from the Igbo-speaking part of the Eastern Bloc.

It is highly worrisome that, rather than the people who have cried of marginalization in terms of political power to bury their differences and seek the support of others in other to drive home their aspiration of occupying the number 1 position, very many are still dancing in the sun, to the tune of the macabre dance by some persons who have found a means to enrich their pockets and entrench a culture of violence, having soon forgotten the sad realities of the first Nigerian Civil War.

Those engaged in the drumbeat of war on the premise that the Ijaws of the Niger Delta region got through to power through Arms struggle, have failed to understand that no two nations have the same history. There will always be differences in strategy and end result.

While it is said that “Wise men came from the East”, it is becoming crystal clear that though the East may have a legion of wise men, they may have gone to wine and dine with the King that they may have become enticed by the delicacies of the King’s table, so much that their wisdom has become tainted with foolishness!

It is rather against the laws of nature which says that the Sun rises in the East, as the reverse is the case now. Without an early termination of this bidding cancer, the Sun will only set in the East, at dawn!

▪︎ Ms. Christie Ndukwe can be reached via beamnews@yahoo.com