By Chidiebere Nwobodo
I am not a fan of Nnamdi Kanu neither am I an IPOB member but as Igbo man who will never deny his tribal identity, even at gun point, I have to strike a balance between IPOB’s extremism and Wike’s undeclared war against southeast extraction of Ndigbo. In the heat of #EndPoliceBrutality protests, Nnamdi Kanu—in the quest cum overdrive to own a struggle he did not initiate, committed strategic blunder with his inciting and thoughtless utterances that nearly pitched other Nigerians against Ndigbo.
But thank God for Igbo elders who saved the day by putting the narrative in its proper perspective. Nnamdi Kanu doesn’t understand that there is a time when silence is golden; you don’t talk for talking sake, especially at a time of national crisis. Kanu said he was misconstrued and had apologized for that senseless comments that were inflammatory enough to provoke genocide against Ndigbo.
EndSars movement had nothing to do with tribal chauvinism or secessionist agenda of any kind. It was a mass revolt of frustrated Nigerian youths against kleptomaniac political elites; that cut across Nigeria. The whirlwind of the protests were palpable, especially in the south and middle belt states. The jolted and panicked political establishment, in an attempt to use their greatest weapons of enslavement, which are ethno-religious proclivities, found Nnamdi Kanu’s irrational outburst at that moment a willing tool for their divide-and-rule propaganda. Thanks to Nigerian youths for not falling for that parochial and outdated antics.
After the unprovoked massacre of unarmed youths at Lekki Tollgate by daredevil soldiers, violence erupted across the country. Many lives and properties were destroyed by rampaging youths tagged hoodlums. Not even Southeastern states of Abia, Enugu, Ebonyi, etcetera, were spared. It was a season of national anarchy and chaos. But Rivers State incidents took a different turn of ethnic cleansing, because Wike was waiting for this opportunity to deal with Southeastern Igbos; just to impress the Caliphate north and position himself for 2023. He is still angry with southeast politicians for voting for Atiku Abubakar in the PDP presidential primary instead of his preferred choice.
Governor Wike found IPOB’s excesses as a facade to masquerade his devious and vile agenda and unleashed sadistic attacks on southeast people living in Rivers State. As much as I am not an advocate of violence and barbarism, Rivers State was not the only state where soldiers, police officers and civilians were murdered during the crisis. Wike, blinded by ambition, teetering on the path of self-destruction, has sanctioned bloodletting against Igbo youths in the state. People are being dragged out of their homes, shot at, just because their were perceived as Igbo youths from the East.
And I ask: who do we blame for destructions in Lagos, Abuja, Taraba, Adamawa, Plateau, Cross River, Enugu, Ebonyi, Abia, etcetera? IPOB I guess? very laughable. I saw pictures of Rivers State youths that led protests in the state. These were not IPOB members, but aggrieved youths clamoring for a new Nigeria. How come Wike is scapegoating IPOB alone for the destructions in the state, if not for political reasons to rubbish and victimize Igbo youths of southeast extraction?
When Wike addressed protesters on the first day of protest, after his ill-conceived ban collapsed, he alluded to some politicians from southwest sponsoring the protests. And stated that he would not play second fiddled. His anger was that when Akin Fakorede—then Rivers State SARS commander, was his nightmare that no came to his rescue. All of a sudden, it has become IPOB. And ask: can phantom politicians from southwest bankroll IPOB activities in Rivers State? that’s how fallacious Wike’s flawed narrative is.
These were the same youths who risked their lives to defend Governor Wike’s mandate when the so-called Federal Might was unleashed on him in 2015 and 2019 elections. Wike never bothered whether they were IPOB members or Igbo youths from the east. In fact, I can remember the same Nnamdi Kanu giving instructions to Igbo youths to defend Wike’s election against riggers. Wike never refused that offer of support. IPOB was not a terrorist organization then, until Wike started nursing ambition for 2023.
Mind you, Fulani herdsmen have killed a lot of people in Rivers State since Wike mantled the saddle as governor; he never raised an eye brow—nor proscribed them as terrorist organization, because he is in bed with Gov. Aminu Tambuwal and seat of Sokoto Caliphate. The Caliphate north is preparing to use Wike and Rivers State resources in 2023 like they used Rotimi Ameachi in 2015 to dethrone his fellow South-South brother from Aso Rock Villa. They have started dangling the same carrot of vice presidency to him like they did scammed Ameachi. Hegemonic caliphate north has seen another instrument of divide-and-rule in Gov. Wike. The Ikwere son has foolishly yielded.
Gov. Wike has found IPOB as a pawn in the political chess game. Unfortunately, our neighbor under the cloak of governor, has been supervising albeit sadly, the gruesome killing of our people in Obigbo, just to send a message to his slave masters up north that he should be trusted with power than Igbos of southeast in 2023. He thinks he is in competition with the east as regards presidential aspirations. Wike needed N79 billion naira refund from Abuja to kick-start his campaign. So he must show how much he detests his neighbors just to win the hearts of the cabal, to enable them release this “blood money” to him.
Gov. Wike like a buffoon and megalomaniac in power, doesn’t learn from history. Ken Saro-Wiwa ordeal can serve as great history book for him. You don’t kill your brothers to please a stranger whose sole agenda is to perpetually enslave you—he is only dividing you to weaken you more. Like a bull in the China shop, Wike is set to wreck a lot of havoc on the psyche cum sensibilities of his eastern brothers, just to prove how far he can go as a stooge of the north. Unfortunately, he is swimming in the pool of reveries and hallucinations. Wike is a fly that thinks himself a bird.
IPOB is not as deadly and bloodletting like bandits, Fulani herdsmen and Bokoharam, yet those slave masters urging Gov. Wike on, have not openly criticized the heinous activities of these groups, even in their own domain. Wike, remember these words: power is transient and blood of Igbo youths being spilled in Obigbo will forever hurt you. We WILL NEVER FORGET! #ObigboBleeds
