By Okoi Obono-Obla
Political Inclusion vs Economic Incorporation: Where Do Igbos Stand?
Someone on a platform I belong to made a very interesting remark which I want to share here to begin a genuine political conversation. He said:
“Nigeria can never know peace until we fully incorporate the Igbos into the governance of Nigeria, and that time is now, not in the future.”
Below is my response:
The question we must ask is: between political inclusion and economic incorporation, which matters more for national stability?
It is propaganda to suggest that Igbos are not part of the governance of Nigeria. Politically, they are present in six states out of 36 states in Nigeria. They have six governors, six state Houses of Assembly, and many local government areas.
At the federal level, they have six ministers, permanent secretaries, ambassadors, and a strong presence in the federal bureaucracy. Indeed, there are more civil servants in the federal bureaucracy from states like Abia and Imo than from over ten northern states combined.
Economically, they are also a force to be reckoned with. More than 80% of real estate and property in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, are owned by Igbos.
The real challenge is not absence, but cohesion. The problem is their lack of unity and cooperation in politics, which stems from their republican nature.
Anybody who wants to be reckoned with in Nigerian politics must build bridges and alliances across the country consciously and deliberately, not the piecemeal approach some politicians from the South East adopt presently.
They also need to carry along their cousins from the South-South , or the former Eastern Region, to build a Pan-Eastern Nigeria political coalition, which is presently lacking.
Nobody dashes power. If you want power, you go for it. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu worked very hard to build blocks and alliances that helped him to become President, even though a section of the North and a powerful clique in President Buhari’s government did not want him and put stumbling blocks in his way. He overcame all that because he took his time over a long period to build a powerful coalition.
Therefore, if we are serious about peace and stability, the conversation should not be about “incorporating Igbos” as if they are outsiders. The conversation should be about how all sections, including the Igbos, build the alliances and cohesion required to take and exercise power at the center.
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