By Wisdom Nwedene
****Renaming Of Abakaliki Street In Anambra, A Slap On Every Ebonyian***
Since the creation of Ebonyi state in 1996, Ebonyians have always been marginalised and hated. You may ask by who?
It is not by the Yorubas, Fulanis or Hausa!! Truth must be told!! It is still the same Igbos like us that always see Ebonyians as illiterates.
It is very heartbreaking, devastating and shocking that an Anambra man who ought to see an Ebonyian as his brother, will turn around to call him ‘Onye Wawa’.
The day I got the shock of my life was the day my friend who is from Enugu told me not to tell people that I am from Ebonyi state. I asked him, ‘Why’ ? He told me that they see Ebonyians as fools and illiterates. He equally told me that I do not behave like someone who is from Ebonyi state, so I should deny the state of my origin, just to please him and his people. I ignored him because in life, I have learnt not displease myself to please another person! Secondly, am proud to be an Ebonyian and can’t deny it for any reason!
Yes!
Why should I not be given a job just because am from Ebonyi? Not because am not qualified!
The questions remain, why should the Igbos who want a sovereign state of Biafra still hate one another?
Why should we Igbos be talking about Biafra when we don’t love ourselves?
Why should we Igbos be talking about Marginalisation, when we marginalise ourselves?
The renaming of a street in Anambra by Governor Willie Obiano shows that there is no love, unity, peace among the Igbos. It is an act every Igbo man should condemn just like Umahi did. It is a slap on our face.
We know you guys hate us but that does not mean you should treat us the way and manner you like.
Ebonyians are wiser now, we are educated, we are hard working, we are farmers and cannot be intimidated any longer by those we see as our brothers and sisters.
Until we Igbos, eschew the hatred among ourselves and see ourselves as brothers and sisters despite our state of origin, we cannot thrive or get what we want!!
(Wisdom Nwedene is a writer, blogger, editor, contact : [email protected] Facebook, : Wisdom Nwedene)
