Nigeria as a nation-state now, led by elected leaders, is hereby heartfeltingly counselled to remove her annihilative and aggressive guns from the South East (Igboland). Official guns (National Security Forces of Nigeria) are subtly finding their way to the South East now, and their guns are being deployed to do damage in their usual manner as done in Third World fashion—kill whether guilty or not (the innocent). Indeed, they have started maiming and killing innocent citizens from that area (ignorant of the spiritual implications of their actions: that the punishment/killing of an innocent person (un-armed person) is the condemnation of self/the nation).
We are beginning to hear and read that Nigerian Security Forces are already killing un-armed demonstrators: five persons before now in Onitsha; and two, one, etc recently, in other places! And believe you me there are spiritual and temporal consequences for all these dastardly acts on the nation. The blood of over three (3) million Igbos were shed unconscionably in their houses and homeland during the civil war in Nigeria (between 1967-1970), and the nation has not yet, nationally atoned-for, for the blood of those innocently killed (and whether we like it or not: this is one of the main reasons why the nation has not made a quantifiable advancement since then). And now, other innocent bloods are beginning to be shed because of their peaceful un-armed demonstrations and protests (actually by incarnates of those killed during that gruesome war that ended 45 years ago—those born after that annihilative war against a supposed brother: that could have been avoided—indeed an avoidable war where some of our so-called past leaders got their popularity from: through spilling their supposed brother/sister’s—“fellow country people’s” blood: and many of them innocent-which are yet to be atoned-for many years after).
True, the consequences will be grave; and deeply enlightened minds are already seeing it. It is better to jaw-jaw than war-war. Igbos are not to be confronted with guns, bullets and bombs again by the Nigerian nation-state. Going that way, will surely bring the nation down (quote me!). The mistakes of the earlier said confrontation (between 1967-1970) is yet to be solved on and in the nation’s body- politic: politically, economically and socially; and now, another confrontation is looming—and it is actually rearing its ugly head again: and guns are being silently deployed to keep the seeming grave yard peace that subsists in our country.
This writer at the ages between 4-7 witnessed the last civil war and the despicable impressions it left in his impressionable mind then still lingers. There was no family in Igboland that did not lose at least one person during that unfortunate and mindless war. This writer lost his loving Pan-Nigerian (Lagos boy: born in Lagos in 1942, properly oriented and socialized) eldest brother (Eugene Chukwuemeka Osuji) on September 4th, 1969—through a genocidal Nigerian Air force jet-fighter (plane) strafing (its discharged-spent shells/cartridges are still in the family’s custody since then), on a Church compound with un-armed attendees. His mother was nearly killed in the bombing of his town’s market—Afor Umuohiagu in the same 1969 (please read Chinua Achebe’s book: “There was a Country”, page 212): She bore the scares and wounds of that bombing many years after, and died painfully with the unforgotten memory of the gruesome death of her promising first son. See what annihilative bombing and strafing (and misuse of air power in that war) did to my family! Also, this writer’s eldest brother now (Eugene’s immediate younger one), a Professor of International repute (who has published over 48 books and thousands of Academic papers), was conscripted as a child soldier (he was about 16 years old then), and received massive bullet wounds on his body that could have incapacitated his gifted brain but for the fact that he is “a never-give-in to adversity person”; he still made it in life.
Believe you me, the sores of that genocidal and murderous war (that its atrocities are yet to be thoroughly investigated and properly recorded by sane-minds and other relevant International Bodies), is still fresh in the minds of many that suffered its horror. And now, annihilative and aggressive guns have started flowing back to Igboland to do another despicable damage. This time, it may be its last time in damage-emphases there (quote me!). Its efficacy will be blunted and made useless. We all have forgotten that Soviet Union, Yugoslavia, etc do not today exist because of the strong-arm emphases that was emplaced and practicalized as their operating national norm/ethics: it eventually failed them woefully—leading to the disintegration of their component parts (System Theory in Political Science comes to mind here—every part of a whole is very important for the system to work/perform properly!).
Igbos are truly The Nationalists of Nigeria and have indeed truly walked the talk of “One Nigeria” by living, having properties and raising their kids, etc in all the nooks and crannies of the country (without hating or hurting the indigenous people of their abode—exceptions are individually criminal-minded pursuits which many concur deserves such individual’s punishment). But others in Nigeria’s geo-political confine still treat them with suspicion, disdain and exclusion, and they (Igbos) know this (even their children know it too). For example: There is no Pan-Nigerian more than this writer. He was born in Lagos in the early sixties, schooled in the East and West; travelled to all the states in Nigeria—by road and by air-repeatedly; worked and lived in many of the major cities in the country (due to official transfers while working in a reputable national organization which President Obasanjo killed—throwing away the child with the bath water). He made excellent friends (men and women) from all-over the country without nepotism mind-set. He was truly a homeboy—silently but fairly operating in the “battle of the genders” in his youth years without nepotic disposition too (did you pick my joke—albeit open confessions and politically correct language usage here?). But in his journeys through life in Naija so far, he has being made to, many a time, to understand that he is after all: an Igboman! Not to be deeply trusted and therefore discriminated-upon and excluded. For instance, some of his “fellow country-people” who are Yoruba, not knowing he is a Lagos boy (born and bred in the best parts of Lagos), many a time, because of his Igbo name, while speaking in their language in his presence, say derogating things about his people (The Igbos) and sometimes on him—not knowing he hears their language more than many of them. But he practicalizes to the letter (and many Igbos do this also) the hallmark and centrality of the Christian injunctions–what Christ admonished His followers/lovers of him to: “Forgive them for they do not know what they do”. But he continues to wonder and ask: Is the nation progressing with this kind of disdain, dislike and exclusion of a huge chunk of its whole? The seemingly grave yard peace that hovers over the nation’s firmaments for a very long time now, is not helpful! To note additionally, is that this writer’s father came to Lagos in 1932, married (an exceptional Igbo lady of her time), and had all his six children in Lagos thereafter, and they (his children) have on their own, had their children in Lagos too—making three generations in Lagos; and making them too, more Lagosian than those who claim so today. But can his children and grandchildren born in Lagos ever claim and be respected fully as Lagosians (as it is done in developed/better climes like USA, Canada, etc)?
Something must be done (and fast too) to bring into true existence: peace, progress and prosperity to reign supremely in Nigeria. And this can only come, if we properly understand, emplace and practice at all times, the inner-core fact and truest understanding of the System Theory. Meaning, that all parts of the whole are very important, and needs to be respected at all times and in all situations too. A test of the System Theory: Remove a blade in a fan, and the remaining others on it will surely malfunction. Also test by removing a component part of a mechanism like in a car (even as small as a plug), and its true functionality will be in doubt thereafter.
If Igbos are continually mistreated, maltreated and marginalized (the popular refrain), and pushed to the wall, they will massively shout-out on these injustices, and also push-back on the obstructive wall—and believe you me, the wall will surely give-way (in similar manner the harmless loud ovation/cries of the Children of Israel brought down the walls of Jericho-as written in the Bible). Our fervent advice is that Nigerian Security Forces’ annihilative and aggressor’s guns must stop flowing to the South East now (in order to do another damage—spilling of innocent bloods). It is also strongly posited that we as a nation should now quickly jaw-jaw on how to correct the many troublesome dynamics of our nationhood rather than war-war.
The Igbos of today are not the Igbos of the 1960s. They have Internationalized and “Citizened” all-over the world, and will not watch-akimbo (hopelessly and helplessly), when their kits and kin back-home are being mowed-down silently or frontally in a cold or hot tactics/war, again! They will behave like the Jews: Remembering that every Jew anywhere is an Israelite, and comes to her aid in times of crises. The nation and its High-Command Operators, should understand deeply (deep calls to the deep), and lead with the essential-mentalities for the good of all the component parts—without fear or favour or any form of equivocation. We see a beautiful nation truly raised by Mother Nature (some say: God—but as a true Catholic, we were from childhood taught: properly oriented and socialized not to call God’s name in vain); and nobody should put her beautiful efforts/works still in progress asunder.
Might is not always right, and it is not the all-time winner! Goliath departed this earth ignorably because David (eventhough smaller than him in size) was smarter. To jaw-jaw is better than war-war!! Indeed, after every war, jaw-jawing brings and sustains the peace!!! And that reminds us: was there any kind of jaw-jawing after the civil war in Nigeria (from 1967-1970)? NO! And if so, that may be among the key reasons why peace has refused to be harnessed and sustained in this clime. We should always remember that when a person/society has done what could be considered as their worst to others, they will become cheap before these others and God; and therefore, will be made cheap by God and Man consequently. This is a hard fact of life and living: take it not; Mother Nature implements it as her rule.
It is never too-late to repair the one blade that is troublesome, so that the whole fan and system can function properly—making the other blades useful thereafter also. In this situation, the working fan will supply the refreshing air we all want. To say it all: every part in a whole makes the whole to function properly for the whole; and for every part of the system to be useful to its total existence. Also, we should all know that God works in and with peace, and when human beings love and respect each other (because all are created in His image). Presently, the whole world is closely-watching us as a nation, and therefore, we should be very careful not to make fatal mistakes or missteps that will question the rationalities behind them; and which will also rankle sane minds; and indeed the generality of mankind.
Understand me—that is: my gist in this write-up? Indeed, your take after reading this write-up is as good as mine. In all, Peace, Progress and Prosperity for all, are the only national all-time ethos and mind-set (made permanent in the brains of every citizen) that will see the nation through. The gifts (talents) and welfare of all (officially and duly permitted individuals within its geographical entity and also all citizens minus none), needs to be helped and harnessed (not wasted in any way) for the nation to truly move forward. Chikina! Oshe!! Ka Chukwu gozie okwu!!! Ya gazie!!!! Ka udibazia mgbe uzo!!!!! Kwenu udo, udoo! udo gadi! na ebe ekwere udo, na ebe ekwere ihunanya, ebe ahu udo gadi!!!!!! Amen!!!!!!!!
Written by Ejike Kingsley Osuji.
ekosuji@yahoo.com
