By Makua (9News Nigeria, Awka)
The Igbo people were united into the framework of what is currently known as Nigeria in 1914.
Through the process of integration, Igbo sovereignty was limited and often frustrated by the sovereignty of the British colonial power.
However, as the practice of colonialism faded in popularity, Igbo intellectuals led the charge in the formation of political parties.
Following the success of the independence movement in Nigeria in 1960, the nation remained highly divided across ethnic and regional lines.
Igbo people in the present day have noted and lamented the exclusion and marginalization of Igbo politicians from high political offices following the aftermath of the civil war.
In fact, the last Igbo head of state was Major General Johnson Thomas Umunnakwe Aguiyi Ironsi, the military head of state-appointed following the 1966 coup.
When we look at all these exclusions and marginalization of Igbo politicians; all we see in the gap is just the lack of good leadership; having a good leader, who is visionary and charismatic should have solved all these ethnically divisive previous administrations’ policies.
The basis upon which the independence of Nigeria was negotiated by Nigerian nationalists with the British colonists was purely on the basis of power rotation to enable the unified alliance.
But politics is not morality.
It is a not rational thing. It is warfare in the true sense of the word. If you want power you go for it. Nobody can dash your power.
The original concept of Ndiigbo was for APGA to become the Igbo political party, meaning that all Igbo states should become APGA, but due to bad leadership and selfishness; that concept was defeated.
As the intended mission through APGA wasn’t achieved.
Why would an Igbo man lock himself out of the politics of Nigeria when we had people like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Alex Ekwueme etc, who had fought ahead of us with that motive.
These people did not play local politics; they showed the direction that if we really want to get what’s rightly ours, then we should play national politics, that is the only time that an Igbo man will become relevant. And the APC is the one at the centre of Nigeria politics now.
This is the kind of politics that the average Igbo man should play.
Not a mediocre politics, but the kind of politics that we were taught by our forefathers in order to redefine our environment and change Nigeria.
APC as a party is open to all Nigerians.
We, rather, excluded ourselves.
Yet we say that the Igboman is very intelligent.
Where is the wisdom?
What would the average Igbo man benefit from, when he excludes himself from the mainstream politics of Nigeria?
It is suicidal!
We cannot continue like that!
Frankly speaking; name one state in the country that Anambra State is better than –just one state in the whole federation that Anambra State being ruled by APGA, is better than?
Where is the wisdom, when we put all our eggs in one basket, in a polity like Nigeria?
Where?
Instead of being at a national table where dialogue takes place and decisions are taken, you decided to be on your own.
And the signs of the time are showing that the Igboman should join the ruling party.
We will lose everything by playing the politics of exclusion, which is what we are doing now.
Let’s get included first, from there possibilities of getting other things abound.
Chidimma G Makuachukwu
