The serial killing of Igbo people in the North and even in their homestead has remained unabated. Just last week, those Nigerians with a modicum of conscience were jolted by the release of Islamic bigots suspected to be killers of an Igbo woman, Bridget Agbanime, in Kano by a magistrate court, which lacks jurisdiction to try the murder case in the first place. This travesty of justice was done in connivance with the Kano State government, which submitted that the suspects had no case to answer. While the Igbo whine and mourn; a shell-shocked world is watching. But surely, after the judgement of man, there remains the ultimate judgement of God.
Such oddities heighten the fears of Ndigbo and it does not seem plausible that they will lie supine and be force-fed with sharia. Currently there is a bill in its second reading in the National Assembly, seeking to introduce sharia throughout the country.
This ominous cloud is obviously in pursuit of agenda to Islamise the country, a prospect I never imagined and had joined in assuaging distraught nerves. That the bill even got this far is surprising and calls for concern. Unfortunately, Igbo lawmakers were moping while this madness is ongoing.
Nobody is against sharia but it must be restricted to the North where Islam thrives. Bidding to stretch it across the country could only mean one thing, trouble. If sponsors of this bill have no ulterior motive, why are they intent on extending the Islamic law to non-Islamic parts of the country, especially the South-East and South-South?
Also, as Nigerians await the particulars of the proposed $29.96 billion loan from the Federal Government, the much relegated Igbo nation longs to know if truly none of the projects for which the loan is sought is sited in any part of South East region.
President Muhammadu Buhari had approached the Senate, seeking approval of the loan for supposed infrastructural development across all sectors.  The Senate had refused to approve the loan because it did not contain details of what the loan is meant for. However, the Presidency has promised to lobby the legislature and represent it with the missing details. But there are reports though that the entire South East was unfortunately blacked out of the project list. Yet, part of the oil proceeds, which will be used to   repay that loan comes from the region whereas non-contributing northern states will be major beneficiaries.
It is worrisome that despite the total collapse of all federal infrastructures in Igbo land, such huge loan is being proposed by the Buhari administration without a single project sited in the entire region.
Actions like these fuel the Biafra agitation. What, if I may ask, is the offence of Ndigbo? Why must they be subjected to an alien law that has no bearing to their beliefs and culture? Why must the Igbo be excluded from developmental programmes of a country they are supposedly part of? That they mostly voted against Buhari during the 2015 presidential election? Must all Nigerians vote for Buhari? Having been duly certified winner and inaugurated, just like he said, Buhari must belong to nobody and to everybody. It is evident that his speechwriters just inserted that slogan in his speech because it sounded apt and exactly what would excite the people. Unfortunately, ever since Buhari discovered mounted the throne, he has done everything to dissociate himself from it and to prove that it was neither his idea nor belief.
It is most disheartening that the Igbo are being so treated because they stood by ex-president Goodluck Jonathan, who, by no means, was kindly disposed to the Igbo. To be fair to Buhari, these impassable roads in the South East and perennial neglect of the region did not happen in the last year or so of his administration. They were there in Jonathan’s time but he chose to ignore them. Even the touted second Niger Bridge was a dummy sold to the Igbo by Jonathan. Naïve Igbo leaders misjudged the man from Otuoke and gobbled his deceit; this has now backfired on the people. However, it is inexcusable if that should transform the president of Nigeria to a tribal lord, who elects to be president of some parts to the exclusion of others because that can only lead to discontent, as being experienced in some sections of the country.
It seems that even this government and the ruling party has no regard for the Igbo; otherwise, it would not be pursuing policies that would further alienate it from the Igbo.
If Buhari so denigrates the Igbo for not voting for him, what are Igbo sons and daughters still doing hobnobbing with APC? How has Governor Rochas Okorocha’s ill-fitting costume of chairman of APC Governors Forum helped the people? What of Senator Chris Ngige, Dr. Ogbonnaya Onu and others? They all seem overwhelmed by the things happening around them they hardly spare a thought for their people under this strange government. Or is it that Buhari barely tolerates them because they are mere noisemaking constitutional impositions on him?
The somnambulant Igbo in the National Assembly must equally sit up and block unfavourable legislations against their people. They should be able to lobby others to their side and also sponsor bills and successfully see to for their passage. There are people of conscience in that Assembly that can empathise with the Igbo plight.
Even if Buhari truly hates the Igbo as portrayed, such will be detrimental to the APC in Igbo land and, so, party leaders have any regard for the Igbo, they should press for change. They should actually be wooing Igbo voters instead of scaring away even the few in their kitty.
And, by the way, why can’t the Igbo build the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, or Peoples Progressives Alliance, PPA, as formidable Igbo party, an impregnable fortress like the Yoruba have always done?
For the Igbo that see Biafra, as a land of hope and promise, there is need for caution.  The Igbo must put their house in order first lest the dream becomes a nightmare. It would be cowardly of the Igbo to chicken out of a country they have sacrificed so much to build instead of bonding together and fight for their own portion of the cake they helped to bake unless all else fail.
As 2019 approaches, what efforts are the Igbo making to ensure the region gets a better deal from succeeding government. Is it the ruckus among the distrusting Igbo elite that will help the people? Is it the obvious pulling in different directions that can secure Igbo interests? It is not by denying the bitter truth that the Igbo hate the Igbo the most that they can reach the Promised land. Rather it is the Igbo realising that igwe bu ike (unity is strength).

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