Former governor of Abia State, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, has said that he believes the Yoruba nation is better positioned now more than ever before to back the emergence of an Igbo as President of Nigeria in 2015.
In a press statement signed by his Special Assistant, Mr. Emeka Obasi, the former governor, who is fresh from consultations with eminent Nigerians across the South, declared that the Yoruba by nature abhor injustice.
Kalu said having realised that the South-East had suffered pathetic neglect for so long, some strong individuals from that region (South-West) could lead the campaign for change.
According to Kalu: “Give it to the South-West. They always raise personalities against injustice. It did not just start with late Chief Gani Fawehinmi. Mrs. Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti was ready to confront colonialism with bare hands. Prof. Wole Soyinka risked his life and went to jail not really because his friend Christopher Okigbo died in Biafra, he had a soft spot for the Igbo who suffered so much persecution.
“The road to 2015 will throw up more such men and women.”
Kalu maintained that the perceived cat and mouse game between the two largest groups in the South does not mean they could not come together for more than political convenience, arguing that both understood themselves beyond power sharing.
The statement added: “There is so much between us. During the war, you found some Igbo living in Lagos. Chief Philip Asiodu even served in the Federal Government in spite of the loss of his brother, Sidney, to the bullets of Nigerian troops. Tony Igwe was busy playing soccer and Obisia Nwankpa sweated out in the gym. At the same time, Prof. Vincent Ike’s wife, a Yoruba, was part of the Biafran war efforts.
“Even the daughter of Lagos Oba Adeyinka Oyekan was married to a Biafran naval officer, Ohiaeri-Duru. To cap it all, one of the gallant Yoruba officers who saw the war, Lt.General Alani Akinrinade, had since condemned it as unnecessary. That is why the Yoruba stand out.”
Furthermore, Kalu expressed optimism that the long sought after handshake across the Niger would be witnessed in the 2015 presidential election since the Yoruba may not have their eyes on Aso Villa, following Chief Olusegun Obasanjo’s unprecedented goodluck.
The statement added: “Let me point out that the South-West will prove their love for the South-East in 2015. That is the best way to bury all the accumulated suspicion between both groups. For me, I know the Yoruba could stand up and be counted.
“The war years showed it. There was this Yoruba soldier who applied the brakes of his army truck to save the life of an Igbo pedestrian near Orlu at the end of the war in January 1970. An accompanying officer was so furious that he took control of the vehicle, drove for about 10 kilometres and forced the driver out into the dark.
“Time was 1.00a.m.’Ejoo oo,ejoo oo’ (please, please) the soldier pleaded. All to no avail. Fortunately, the drop zone was in Isu right in front of the house of the first Igbo Dental-Surgeon who had worked in Ibadan before the crisis. And he took the soldier in. The lesson is that there are more Yoruba out there who cannot kill Igbo dreams in 2015.”
I know Kalu is after something. The Igbo also should be allowed to rule
the same ibos who blame Yorubas and Awo for the civil war-the ibos will soon turn back and support another fulani man-its in their nature
Is Kalu a newspaper politician or a real Nigerian politician? He sounds more like one who needs attention or job from Jonathan; he was in Ile-Ife where he abused sons of Yoruba Kingdom, he is now in the newspaper drawing political conclusions from the activities of activists or human right crusaders. Does this man know that these finest Yoruba men and women late and living were or are not career politicians who can do both the clean dirty work of instaling a man as the president of the most populos black nation on earth? I was expecting him to say the results of consultations he had had with Yoruba politicians and not this noise common to political job seekers.
These ibos are pushing for another war and i enjoy them to watch HOTEL RWANDA true live story, ibos are in minority, they have no arrow-head like other tribes, ojukwu led them to war and ran away left Effiong to clean the mess, they have no home base, no structures at home to sustain them in case of any mass movement, they should be reasonable enough to know these therefore learn to be in harmony with fellow nigerians wherever their trading skills take them……. lets be together as nigerians rether than Hausa ibo or yoruba respect others so you can be respected if you are rich dont lord it over others if you are poor be thankful to ALLAH/LORD for your life……this idiot 81 year-old quarter to grave raking up the past has heat-up the tension while we are praying for peace…Ibo for president in 2015 needs the cooperations of other tribes…Yorubas regards Awolowo as our mentor you cant rubbish him and get our support, Achebe should be ashame of himself and commit suicide. Another State be created in south east!!!! biggest of all jokes
Igbo nation is ripe for presidency of the but are they ready? The dust being generated by the latest book of respected Chinua Achebe and Kalu’s one man march for Igbo presidency show the unpreparedness of the Igbo nation for the first office in the land. Let’s get the fact right, politics is not about logic or right. It is basically lobbying and a political markrting too. It is not about seperating the wheat from the weed: You need the votes of both the enemies as well as friends. It is about convincing all. Commentaries of the Achebe’s latest book is opening the wounds and widening the gaps or better put, creating the wound and gaps where actually there was none no more!!! The think tank of the Igbos must go to work and it won’t be out of place to say Chinua Achebe should lead them. The eatern politicians must not go to be but to work; not as Kalu is doing then the whole world will see that indeed they are ready.
Igbos are the most qualified Niogerians to rule. They are always plain, fair to all and above all they like merit and perfomance instead of nepotism
we support you kalu , i From Yoruba and i supported Igbo to come out and stand for 2015 , the Igbo has been cheated by So call Nigeria , Even Biafran i supported Igbo to have it .
Come 2015,south-east is our choice in Yoruba land.Infact we Yorubas have no better option than 2 support south-east.The north has ruled Nigeria more than all other groups in Nigeria.Another reason why we must support d south-east is d issue of BOKO HARAM.Nigerians
must not smell what we would not eat.
The Yoruba have no animousity against the Igbo nor have any desire to prevent Igbo presidency.
A lot of Igbo on the other hand, have a lot of hatred for the Yoruba inpite of the relative freedom and success they have recorded in the friendly amiable S.West.
Call it jealousy of the easy Yoruba diplomacy and sophisticated political savvy, the Igbo have great distrust for and misunderstanding of Yoruba aloofness.
The militant, impatient and boisterous Igbo believe in brute force while the Yoruba waits bidding his time, planning and sceming for the right opportune moment to either rally a formidable force or seize the chance to move in.
The Igbo believe in individuality while Yoruba will the Yoruba believe in the family unit and the extension, the larger tribal cohession and this is why the Yoruba have historically been in political opposition while the Igbo have always played in the center, neglecting their home base.
Now, if the igbo have a strong base, and are able to go into profitable alliance with the Yoruba strong base, they will witness the emergence of an Igbo president. But with the Igbo mindset of ‘me’ alone making and under-cutting the own people, they have so much diluted the cohesive power that have been rendered inconcequential in the polical matters.
For the Yoruba to believe in Igbo presidency and then offer support, the Igbo needs to jettison their distrust and hatred, become more cohissive. They need to extend a friendly hand to the Yoruba and be lees antagonistic.
The Igbo are the progenators of the problems as very evident in the past oil subsidy scam protests where the Igbo chose to stay on the sidelines, hauling abuses and scourn at the Yoruba.
Think about it, do your home work as see if the Yoruba will not embrace you.
At this particular time however, the Igbo will not get Yoruba support in 2015 as the political permutations will see an alliance of ACN and CPC. When invited to join the alliance, the Igbo distance themselves thereby loosing every chance of Yoruba support.
The Issue is not jus about Igbo to come out and contest, i mean is not jus about the contest, is about the outcome of the contest, if u tink that the south west will support the south east to emerge as president come 2015, Kalu i are dreaming, south west are people with no specification, they can never be trusted. to me i belive the south east should look for another means of realizing their dreams come 2015, but not trusting it to be tru yorubas. I am not againsing the emrgence of Igbo president on a personal note. Also i dont tink Uzor Kalu is d right person to captain the ship of Igbo presidency in 2015 goin by his past anticident. The south east should look for another person to champion dis cause not kalu. Best of Luck rebublic of south east.
I will be the last person to trust Yoruba man or woman, i’ll rather trust an hausa.
Prakash, u r a 2 headed snake. u claimed 2b an ibo on punch newspaper website and u even called jide a bastard for reminding u that an ibo man started d war. now again u r claiming omo yoruba. anyway if ibo truly wan rule dis country, u need to speak with one voice and present a credible candidate that will be acceptable to nigerians. if u bring person like gudluck u r OYO.
With the Ibos very clear disdain of the Yoruba race? This can be seen in all their writings in books, papers, articles, websites, I dont believe the Yoruba will ever support them, support is suppose to be reciprocal, will the Ibos support the Yorubas in anything? CAPITAL NO, so they should be believe that, that will be in another life.
Why does kalu A̷̷̴ man i like want to cause confusion,i know he’s working for Gej indirectly because i dont see Ђδω he expects Gej not to complete A̷̷̴ 2nd term…what he wants is for GEj to calll him & bargain with him since he has studied Gej & knows Gej ȋ̝̊̅ is gentle & A̷̷̴ man that follows rule of law…kalu that orji theodore that he singlehandedly put in power turned his back on should go & settle his home problem 1st before talking about nigeria…more credible ibos leaders should talk about 2019 while kalu goes back to reclaim abia from his godson….
Mmmmmmmmmmm aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!! Kalu beware of the chameleons. They are like slipery fish or wall-gecko that you can never hold its tail.
Akin Wale and Prakash – I thank you, but I still have my reservations!
If igbo comes 2 power, then beafra would be visible.
Ready to show the world that an Obama leaves with us. Is time to hav a trained leader who will make the change awaited. Please the SW! This is the time really to change Nigeria of our dream.
We dont have to kill our selves for political post.if my brother Goodluck Jonathan who never thought of becoming president in a hury finaly got there,then that God who did it for him one day will make Nigerians to come saying pls come and preside over us.all we need is the right attitude.GOD BLESS NIGERIA
Spot on Kalu! Except that the caption should have been: S’West can support Igbo presidency in 2015. However, you are still so right that you beat my imaginations hands down!. In all sincerity, when you observe the Igbo race and the exploits of people like Dora [during OBJ time], Barth Nnaji, Oby Ezekwezili, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Soludo [also of OBJ], Joe Igbokwe etc., one must agree that God blessed the race with great talents that are yet to be discovered. But can the Igbo people ever allow their hatred of the Yoruba nation to ease off a bit in order for them to see that they cannot go it alone and that the Yorubas’ block vote that can be put to good use now is in reality a resource wasting away? Whilst the Yorubas are coming together gradually under a certain Tinubu, the Igbos are busy showing off their hatred! It amazingly does not occur to them that a united Yoruba, if put to good use can guarantee the elusive crown that the Hausas are swearing will never get to Igboland
Kalu is the only man we can trust with this project, He can not be bought over rather he can buy whatever that is to buy to atcualize the Igbo presidency.
If thei Enterprise called Nigeria want to break up, it will not untill an Igbo Rule her.
We want our brother SW, to for once stand up and let us count them for prosterity sake, SW Stand up for the Igbos, we have tried for you, politically ,economically etc, It is a pay back time.
In addition to what kalu had said let me add that youruba by now should have understood that Igbos are very straight and forward people who do not bit about the bush for what they want.They speak their mind out the way they feel to reveal the state of their mind and the purpose is to express ones feeling towards the other for purposes of reconciliation and setting your mind free from quilt.this is even the way Bible directs all to do.I am sure the Yoruba will at the end of the choose life instead of death(boko haram) by supporting Igbo the way Igbo have supported both Abiola and Obj not minding the events of the war which is really a clear demonstration that Igbo nation has moved since contrary to those reading ulterior motive from Prof.Chinua Achebe;s indictment of Pa Awo and Gowon,even Igbo nation,etc in his book are only doing so to gain lost political relevance.
Kalu you are doing a great job, lets see who is who at the end, we have supported both the North and West, now is our turn they should do the same without even pleading for it.
Yoruba Awolowo starved 2 million igbo women and children to death, and YORUBAS still don’t support injustice.
so they support only genocide?
I WILL SUPPORT THE SOUTH EAST PROVIDED THE CANDIDATE IS SERIOUS .YES THE SOUTH EAST HAVE BEEN PATIENT ENOUGH THOSE SLAUGHTERER SHOULD GO AND SIT DOWN QUIETLY .THEY CAN NOT TERORISE US INTO Seizing POWER .THE NORTH SHOULD KEEP THREIR GORO MOUTH SHUT .
It is good and it will be better the igbos are given chance but the doubt is those at the corridor of power now how do they relate with other ethnic groups. Example is the army chief, crose check the juicy appointments, please who are there? I love the igbos but their sentiment would skyrocket to the extent that it may lead to something else. Emmulate the Yorubas you are having trust in for support and be a nationalist as the Yorubas. Unit and pick an individual and put all your weight behind the person possibly Rochas Okorocha. He is a good nigerian.
WE IN THE S/S WILL SUPPORT IGBO ONLY IF GEJ IS NOT CONTESTING. IF HE IS CONTESTING, THE IGBOS WILL NOT GET OUR SUPPORT. IF HE IS NOT CONTESTING, EVEN THE ANIMALS IN THE S/S WILL SUPPORT THE IGBOS. ENOUGH CHEATING IS ENOUGH.
Now is the time for Igbo president because they’ve been cheated for so long, Nigerians are solidly behind u guys.
Never ever will Yorubas support Ibo. Never ever . I repeat only bastard Yorubas will support Ibo presidency. I know the bastards love money than good name.
In one of Chinua achebes books he wrote of an Ibo gatathering in Lagos and there they offer prayers that all the good things of Lagos should be theirs but the evil things should go to the owners of the Land i e Lagosians. What wicked race are these Igbos?
Go on Mr. Orji
We yorubas, we stand for justice, we support Igbo presidency at all cost carry on…its a total injustice to deny the Ibos this time arround.
Former Governor Orji Uzor Kalu should stop deceiving himself. He does not possess what is needed to take Nigeria to the next level. Yes, there are great Igbo men and women that can be president, I won’t put Kalu in that list though. It is nothing personal, just that there is nothing spectacular about his 8 years sojourn in Abia government house. With the Igbos new found past time of blaming Awolowo for tall their civil war woe, they just won the support of the Yoruba nations for 2015 presidency. What a people!
Kalu has come again with his anthics. I wonder which Igbo man take Kalu serious any more. Probably he is either campaigning for Atiku or Babangida using Igbos as a bet. Enough of this your betrayal and rubbish. It is only an Igbo dreamer like Kalu that expects co-operation with majority of the Yorubas.
Keep dreaming kalu, there are other better igbo leaders than this thief that left the people of Abia state impoverished….I believe this man is looking for a northern candidate to become his vice, please Nigerians look beneath d surface, am from Abia state and I live I Abia state, d difference between him and the present governor is that one is d devil and d other is satan…..HE IS A THIEF
The Iroko, well done. May your nerves never get tired.
We Yoruba ll and shall never vote for Igbo come 2015, you ppl are the worst tribe that ever livd .
Kalu keep it up. Na we get 2015 and No weapon fatsion against it shall pros per. We igbo have being cheated 4 long, what a wicked Notherners!
People are saying we have surported North and West. Even South South, in the person of GEJ. because we all voted for him. And Nigerians should know that without Igbo nothing will go right in this nation. So bearing this in mind, the other zones should not wait untill they are told to suport the igbo presidency come 2015. Because man must do what others are not doing. I thank West for speaking out.
It will be much appreciated
Orji Kalu, you are dreaming. Are you indirectly campaigning to be considered as the presidential candidate for south east region or what? you must be dreaming gentleman. Can the igbos in one mind agree to a consensus candidate, and this is where you guys normally have problem because everybody wants it to come from his or her state or for his or her brother / sister be given it. Selfish interest, spirit of hatred for one another and lack of unity among you.
Nke bu eziokwu. http://www.radiobiafralondononline.com
He who dines with the spirits should learn to use a long spoon.
With this article, I can now believe that ‘There is a Country and There will be a Country’ .As @ yesterday it was ‘There was a country’ and today it is ‘There is a country’ Kalu may be the one that will heal the wounds of some Nigerians.He is young and he is doing what an old man should do (Talking Peace) while some old men are doing what the young should be doing (Beating the drum of another war).Let everyone do what is right.
We don’t need their fucking support,now.I see all these things as gimmicks
HONESTLY, I HAVE MY RESERVATIONS ABOUT IGBO PRESIDENCY IN NIGERIA ,KNOWING FULLY WELL THAT, THEY HAVE THIS AIR AROUND AVERAGE NIGERIAN THAT, THEY ARE THE WISEST AND SMARTEST, I WOULD RATHER VOTE FOR A MINORITY IN THE SOUTH EAST THAN A CORE EASTERNER.
WHATEVER, CHINUA ACHEBE HAD WRITTEN OR THE ACTIONS OF AWOLOWO.
THE POLICIES ENDED THE WAR AND NIGERIA CAN NEGOTIATE THEIR TERMS OF CONTINUOUS STAYING TOGETHER RATHER THAN WAR.
who promised him 2015…don’t come back and blame awo when you lose…go and come back in 2028…
Kalu,stop deceiving the Igbos and yourself! I don’t think Prof Chinua Achebe will support your views. How well did you transform Abia state for eight years! How about your name-sake now in power? The bible says,’it shall not be well with the wicked’. Am from Abia state too,but,I prefer Gov Rochas Okorocha to you. A word,they say,’is enough for the wise’!
Kalu is a vulture. He only left a legacy of incompetence for 8 years as Abia state governor. Now he thinks he can fool the entire Igbo nation. The reality is that the Igbos must put their house in order. Ohaneze-ndi-igbo should stand to lead the Igbos. Forget this charlatan Orji-uzor Kalu, he’ll sell the Igbos just like James (Jim) Nwobodo sold his kinsman Alexander Ekwueme to push Mathew Aremu Obasanjo into Aso Rock in the 1999 PDP national convention in Jos.
I’m vry sure ths disunity btw s/east-s/west causes much impediment 2d duo. Although, d Nrth is bhnd in edctn, they rule more thn any othr region. It’s d hgh time 2 dsmiss accusatn and mend d gap otherwise, it’s d rival tht ‘ll alwz flaunt it. Be aware!
Orji,if u dnt knw history pls go me eunice..for igbo n yoruba,i quote u”come 2015,west will elect thr own,north n east thn we match to abuja to choose who rules”..yorubas wil awolowoski every igbo plans..bakasi is here
Orji,if u dnt knw history pls go meet ur mother, eunice..for igbo n yoruba,i quote u”come 2015,west will elect thr own,north n east thn we match to abuja to choose who rules”..yorubas wil awolowoski every igbo plans..bakasi is here
Kalu you are doing a good job. The yoruba’s will support the igbo’s 2015 and we will reciprocate when it will their time.
Kalu you are doing a good job. The yoruba’s will support the igbo’s 2015 and we will reciprocate when it will be their turn.
Nonsense! the yoruba have no reason to support the Igbo in 2015. The Igbo belongs in PDP and Yoruba will never support another PDP candidate afterthe betrayal of Jonathan. Let the Igbo beg their Jonathan to support them
Hmm. This is very pregnant with meaning!! Political posts are not based on moral persuasions or based on sentiments of perceived marginalisations. I am sorry the Igbos will have to do better than that and try to field a candidate that will be acceptable and adaptable to all Nigerians, at the moment I cannot think of one. The funny thing is I do not see why the the incumbent is not suitable for another term. Oga Kalu and his co travellers will have to work a lot harder and know that power is never given on a platter. Enough said let’s wait & see what happens in the next elections.
I for one support Igbo presidency.I did my youth service Imo Abia State when Kalu was the Governor. I watched him give out wheelbarrows in his poverty alleviation progrms in Umuahia. The impoverishment of the Abians he started has been taken to higher dimension by Theodo. The project is sound but the man behind has no track record of service delivery during his tenure….
MR Kalu USE UR POSITION TO FIGHT FOR FREEDOM OF BIAFRA 4GET ABOT RULING NIGERIA OR ANY IGBO MAN RULING NIGERIA ALL WE NEED IS FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA NOT BEEN THE PRESIDENT OF NIGERIA
An Iroko that is useless to his people. He left Umuahia, Abia State without a single structure as a Governor. A state were the dead(Sam Mbakwe) is better than the living!
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An Iroko that ruled from main market Umuahia for 8years without building a Gvt house. The future is now,it has already cut down the useless Iroko.
Orji kalu and his Ibos are dancing in the darkness in nigeria political scene.you are sing Biafra song and same time you to want be president of nigeria.
You people are just sturbon and senseless.you people should to atualised you Biafra. ASO ROCK GATE IS CLOSED FOR IBO PEOPLE.
They have come again with their propaganda , Pls do not listen to this group of people, unity between the south-south and south-east is far more better than the so called presidency , we the entire Igbos should come together and vote for Jonathan , The Yorubas are Chameleon and certainly has a decisive character like Awolowo, they have a covenant with the north. they have come to create division between the south-south and south-east like during the war . If the Ibos own the next presidency then when should be the time for the S-S which produced the 90% of the country’s wealth. even if the Ibos will be giving the next turn is it Kalu and it’s calibar ?. God forbid . shine your eyes, don’t be fool forever. The north and west don’t want see unity between us . pls be wise.
I hav always lovd kalu 4 his bluntnes.he is a man dat has a date wit history.i just wish d igbos could put their act in order so as 2 actualise dis.
Oke osisi the “Iroko”, we are behind you. My fear is our own blood brothers, Ndigabo. They have started an unholy romance with ndiawusa. Good is behind you. you are unstoppable. God help Ndigbo!
your welcome my kalu thiz igbo kalu played good role in time of obj i need igbo man for 2015 of biafra nigera should note that if they peace the should free biafra onless God will nt stop punishing them.