September 19, 2000
As I reflected on the just-ended convention of the World Igbo Congress (WIC), I was taken aback by the parochial nature of the association. And as I read through the lofty platform developed by the conferees, which was to be adopted as the WIC’s manifesto for the 21st century, it became necessary to call for the reorganization or restructuring of the association; especially, as it seems to have captured the hearts of the sultans of Igboland and has the capacity, therefore, to really become the umbrella-organization the Igbos should support.
WIC, in my view, was formed like every other organization the Igbos are wont to establish wherever they are.
In some cases, based on the Igbos’ individualistic nature which grows from their republicanism, their associations are sometimes used furtively by the founders to foster their personal ambitions: For wealth, some Igbos may venture individually or sprout through mushrooming economic associations; and for political leadership, through Umunna associations. While these associations are supported by other Igbos within the circle of the founders, their agenda are usually subverted by the founders because of their game plan.
It seems the WIC was probably established with this purpose on the mind of the founder(s). Or how else can one explain that such organization, with an Igbo-centric name so hypnotizing as well as giving a sense of belonging to every Igbo person, could be so parochially founded with serious limitations in its operational scope.
It is not likely that the WIC has on its board Igbos from the various states of the Igbo- nation. But because its setup appears falsely to embrace all Igbos, the Igbo sultans descended during the last convention and gathered under it to the exclusion of the masses that I supposed they very much wanted to reach.
It is very disturbing that the great one himself, Chief Ojukwu, visited Dallas and addressed the few Igbos that conferred there, but a cross-section of the teeming Igbo population in the Americas never heard what he said. While it is indisputable that the founders of the WIC had the right to close their convention to people they didn’t want, the WIC is too big for such privacy now; moreso, since the founders invited an institution like Chief Ojukwu, it should have been clear to them that the Igbo-nation was invited.
That hero of a man, titled Ikemba, is beloved by many Igbos. In his wisdom, he represents to many what the good life is to people. He is an eminent dignitary many Igbos want to hear from, as he has tentacles across the length and breadth of Igboland - through human ties, politically and/or otherwise. And he, Ikemba, wasn’t alone at the WIC’s convention.
In attendance also were Chief Iwuanyanwu, Governors Kalu and Mbadinuju, to mention a few. The presence of these personalities at the convention gives credence to the position that it was unadulteratedly an Igbo affair (misplaced of course).
There exists a dire need to now restructure the WIC to gain the confidence of all Igbos.
Based on how Igbos are perceived and treated in Nigeria, it must not be forgotten that they are human beings; and so, left for chance, they could become endangered species. Or isn’t it our dictum to always strife to be our brothers’ keepers? And judging from the situation of things since the end of the civil war in Nigeria, no Igbos should wait to be told that their unity is a do-or-die issue. For this, a collective effort engendered by the WIC could make the difference.
In the scheme of things today in Nigeria, Igbos appear not wanted; there is evidence that they are hated, and are marginalized.
Thank providence that the people are not, on their own volition, alms-dependent - a reason why their nature should not be left to vacuum, because nations tend to baseness and stupidity.
George Gissing
Igbos must understand that their drive intimidates and renders them a hate-target to Nigerians. And since some of them are not angels, which is the problem with mankind, all Igbos are supposed to be very careful and vigilant for whom men fear they hate, and whom they hate, they wish dead. - Quintus Ennius.
A sure example of the hate Igbos face in Nigeria is what happened recently to another Igbo hero, Dr. Okadigbo. Were the WIC to be organized with an all-embracing vision, this Igbo hero wouldn’t have been treated with the type of disgrace Nigeria heaped on him.
Can one imagine what would happen if IBB, a certified thief, were to be so treated? Can it be imagined what would happen if a Jewish hero was so treated anywhere in the world? Regarding Dr. Okadigbo, one Rueben-Abathief and Gbolabgo had field days tearing apart his eminent person for no just cause.
Gbolagbo’s write-up about thieves, allegedly in the character of Dr Okadigbo, made me to recall the days of one Ogunsanwo of the Nigerian Sunday Times of yore. Unfortunately, I had not been able to reach the self-anointed holier than thou writer, I would have loved him to explain to me whether thieving was analogous to plagiarizing. Yet, I absorb Nigerians from their attempt to destroy Dr. Okadigbo. The reason is because some Igbos don’t even know what happened to their own, and the WIC was not so established with the right machinery in place to educate them.
Since Igbo disunity is bound to be disruptive to the Igbo progress and create faithlessness in the people for their institutions, their unity should be groomed and protected with the cloak of progressive gangsterism for their liberty and freedom. Progressive gangsterism is necessary because nothing is more subtly enabling than its type of unity.
This means, with such system in place, the Igbos would have a means to ostracize saboteurs and traitors amongst them; network against the destruction of their heroes, killings of their innocent ones, and other societal vices; and positively network for industry, commerce and empowerment politically and in self-defense. Civilized world’s existence is founded on this framework.
Should there be doubt, any day one is discriminated against in any corporate setting, in the Western world, and such a person fights and ends up accused or jailed, that is gangsterism for the progress of the minority people’s oppressors. In Nigerian way, for northern Nigeria to subvert the Nigerian constitution with Sharia and Mr. Uwazurike got thrown into the cooler, that was gangsterism. And, for IBB & Co. to steal all the money in Nigeria but Dr. Okadigbo got indicted for trying to put a rapacious Senate in order, and some Nigerians want him to remain indicted because Malam Idris Kuta and his fellow stooges bothered at all to probe him, this is gangsterism.
Much more examples abound. Igbos must not forget that a nation is worthless which does not joyfully stake everything in defense of her honor ( - Schiller - Maid of Orleans); given that the condition upon which God has given liberty to man is eternal vigilance, said John Philpot Curan.
Recently, President Obasanjo gave another reason why the Igbos must willy-nilly organize properly. The president stated that he fought for the senate president slot to be zoned to the Igbos. My question here is who were the people that Mr. President fought to wrest the slot for the Igbos? Obviously, it must have been the owners of Nigeria, excluding the Igbos, of course.
Dr. Ekweme had said he was instrumental in forming the ruling party, PDP. Was he there when the zoning battle raged? And why did he not tell the Igbo-nation? This is Nigeria for the Igbos - the continuing faux pas that necessitates an urgent Igbo common front spearheaded by a restructured WIC.
The WIC is better placed to rally and speak for the Igbos. When organized properly, it can reach out to every Igbo organization anywhere on the globe. This will need a relentless effort, though, as chapters will need to be created from the grassroots - from family, village and town associations, etc. Fortunately, there are many Igbo associations that are well organized to learn from. To cite but one example, the association of the Aros, Nzuko Arochukwu, in its planned structure could be emulated.
The people have their association organized in chapters, depending on where they are in the Americas. And they have established an all-embracing apex association, under which all the chapters are to convene annually to forge a common agenda. If all other Igbo associations are organized in the Aros’ system, yielding under WIC’s umbrella could be easily attained.
Since the greed of individualism may make it difficult for some Igbo organizations formed to generate specific disguised benefits to the founders to yield to the WIC, the umbrella organization must restructure and operate only as a facilitator to gain confidence. It must staff its offices and board with Igbos from every town or state of the Igbo-nation and charge fees from the organizations under it for its facilitative services.
Submitting the WIC to collective ownership will give assurance and legitimacy; this is because of the very nature of the Igboman, which is rooted in the Igbo psyche and the maxim founded on the universal experience of mankind that no nation is to be trusted farther than it is bound by its interest - George Washington.
If the WIC is made what it is supposed to be, it means anything that affects an Igboman anywhere on the Globe would easily be understood and addressed effectively. Igbo heroes would be treated with decency, and Igbo economic activities would better flourish even on individual drive. With this attainment, Igbo neighbors might even seek voluntarily to ally and send delegates whenever and wherever an Igbo showdown is convened.
The WIC must restructure because if we fail now, then we have forgotten in abundance what we learned in hardship: that [nations rest] on faith, [that unity is attained when all share to the utmost in their affairs, and] that freedom asks more than it gives. - Lyndon B. Johnson.
Long live the WIC.
Long live the Igbo-nation.
Long live Nigeria in whatever form or shape she will remain hereafter.
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