Igbo people
Why do Igbo Politicians Lose Relevance After Moving to Abuja By Nze Tobe Osigwe
Once Igbo politicians get to Abuja, they go into oblivion. Why? Why do Igbo politicians who were extremely popular in the East, immediately they get to Abuja which is a national stage, a bigger platform, they get emasculated?
Think of Dr. Chris Ngige, Onwa, a crowd puller in the East about ten years ago. Since his voyage to Abuja from Senate to Minister of Labor, his status has bountifully diminished.
Think of Owelle Rochas Okorocha, Dr. Anyim Pius Anyim, Ken Nnamani, Orji Uzor Kalu, Theodore Orji, Victor Umeh, Enyinnaya Abaribe, Sam Egwu etc. Abuja has become a retirement home for all these politicians.
Yet, they are all proudly answering Igbo leaders. Who are you leading? People who do not remember you exist apart from during election cycles?
There should be a political growth. If you earn the respect of our people in the East, if we send you to Abuja, you should be able to earn the respect of the whole nation and most importantly, retain our respect.
But alas, what happens when we send Igbo politicians to Abuja or should I say when these Igbo politicians send themselves to Abuja? Nigerians do not know they exist. And, we who knew end up forgetting because they got lost and emasculated.
The more they stay in Abuja, the more we forget they are still alive.
Why Today’s Igbo Politicians Can’t Match the Greats of the Past
I have asked myself, why do the fourth republic Igbo politicians lack the charisma, the clout, the stamina to positively project and assert themselves on national stage like the first and second republic Igbo politicians who were respected by all irrespective of whether you agree with them or not?
The likes of Azikiwe, Mbadiwe, Okpara, Nwafor-Orizu, Sam Mbakwe, CC Onoh, Mbazulike Amechi, Ojukwu, I asked myself, what made these men to retain their regional and national appeal till the very end?
I found the answers I was looking for.
The first and second republic Igbo politicians never hanged around Lagos once they lost out of power. These politicians returned back to Igbo land once they are out of power. If you need their advice or partnership, you come down to their villas to consult them.
Our earlier politicians were more confident with healthy self esteem.
Immediately, Nwafor-Orizu handed over the instrument of office to Aguiyi Ironsi in 1966 he packed his things and moved down to Nnewi. He lived out the rest of his life in Nnewi till he passed away in 1998.
He never relocated to Lagos or Abuja trying to make friends and political compromises with the new guys in power. This was the same pattern with the first and second republic Igbo politicians.
I realized that what are missing in our current Igbo political class are;
1. They can never retire to the East once they are not in power.
2. They cannot resist the urge to go beg or pay for one contract or political position if they are not in power.
It is painfully shameful to hear that Igbo politicians are paying Hausa politicians millions and billions of Naira to get a ministerial position in Nigeria. When you hear how low some of our Igbo politicians go in Abuja, you wonder if it’s igbo blood that runs in their vein.
Pray, tell me, what are Igbo politicians who are not currently in government doing in Abuja? Abuja is the seat of government. Once you are not in government you have no business there if you have any ounce of self esteem.
What is Rochas Okorocha doing in Abuja? What is Ngige doing in Abuja? What is Anyim Pius Anyim doing in Abuja? These men should be in their various villages or state capitals as Igbo stakeholders they claim to be.
Why do Igbo politicians no longer have national appeal? Current Igbo politicians are beggars. They are either begging for contract, political position or begging to enter certain circles or cults when they should be home amongst their people. No wonder Peter Obi is outclassing them all. He is doing the reverse of what they are doing.
You know your true value when you are robbed of power.
You know your true value when you starve people that matters of your presence.
You know your true value when you make it difficult for certain people to access you and they beat all those odds to see you.
Zik lived out his political retirement in Onuiyi Nsukka, yet people that wanted to see him came looking for him at this remote residence.
Staying or living close to the seat of power will never make you powerful. If you don’t have power, you do not have it. If you are not in power, stop pretending you have it. Give yourself and your people some level of respect and dignity.
Written by Nze Tobe Osigwe (Ezeikolomuo)
Obi Eziokwu
