How Buhari can woo Ndigbo — Aghanya
Since the coming of President Muhammadu Buhari in May, 2015, there have been renewed clamour for self-determination by the people of the Southeast. Chief Dennis Emeka Aghanya is a founding member of The Buhari Organisation (TBO), and in this interview, he
How are you coping with the challenges of anti-corruption efforts?
The biggest challenge is funding. NGOs basically depend on donor agencies. But in this part of the world, organizations, individuals or government agencies always think that they are raising fund for your personal use. To some extent they are right because of the bad image most portfolio NGOs have created in Nigeria. But, there are still committed ones like ARDI. In less than one year, we have developed and rolled out over 30 anti-corruption awareness programmes in partnership with some international organizations and some government agencies. We have exposed corruption in some government establishments and at some point, gone to court for the protection of the fundamental human rights of some Nigerians that have been abused mostly by the police. Currently, we have filed a suit which is coming up at Federal High Court 10 under Hon. Justice Abang. Our main relief is a judicial declaration that the National Assembly cannot unilaterally tinker the budget by adding or removing items without the consent of the executive. We also appraise every government policy as it affects the common man, generate feedback and convey same to relevant agencies for necessary action.
You were the pioneer national publicity secretary of the defunct Congress for Progressives Change (CPC). As a politician from the Southeast geopolitical zone, what is your take on the current agitation for Biafra and the accusation of marginalization and neglect of the region by the government?
The agitation for the state of Biafra is an innermost expression of a convinced desire, premised on a conflicting history passed down from earliest generation to a generation that is driven by emotion rather than articulation.
Whether they have the right to agitate? Yes, except that the underlined emotion has beclouded the reasoning that would have enabled an ideal and reasonable bases for negotiation. Whether the anger is properly channeled? No, because the immediate past administration of President Goodluck Jonathan did not do the needful that would have doused off the current tension and castigation of the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari by Ndigbo.
And what are those needfuls? Former President Jonathan did not reward the goodwill he enjoyed from the Southeast appropriately with infrastructural developments, which are the fundamental requirements for the Ndigbo to develop into the technological giant of Africa, as they are naturally made to be, instead of the political appointments he made. He appointed their sons and daughters into juicy government positions for their personal aggrandizement rather than a collective interest.
For instance, Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, who is a former House of Representatives member who represented Obingwa Ugwanagbo Federal Constituency between 2003-2007, and a two-term senator who represented Abia Central Senatorial zone from 2007 -2015, had expressed pains on the manner Ndigbo are misplacing their anger against an innocent man (Buhari).
I agree with her completely because President Buhari is not the problem of Ndigbo. Infrastructural decay in the Southeast was not addressed by the previous administration, including former President Jonathan, who is perceived to be our own. He appointed many Igbos into juicy positions during his administration but had more projects executed in the North.
But under this present administration, constructions have commenced on the Enugu-Onitsha road, Enugu-Port Harcourt road and the 2nd Niger Bridge. These projects were there all through the tenure of Obasanjo, Yar’adua and Jonathan. However, this did not justify that Mr President should not accommodate Ndigbo in meaningful positions in his government.
So what is your advice to Mr President now?
My candid advice to him is that he should not be temperamental with the agitation; rather, he should concentrate and give necessary infrastructure that would bring development to the zone. That would naturally calm nerves and engender support. The likes of Senator Nkechi Nwaogu, who understand the rudiments of grassroots politics, should be reached out to and not all these ‘grab and chop’ politicians who bring false report back to Abuja. Also, Nnamdi Kalu should be released unconditionally and ignored. When people begin to see that the man you are castigating is giving quality leadership, the agitation would gradually fizzle out.
Do you support elaborate military engagement in the Southeast?
Engaging the agitators with military might is not a good strategy; rather it flames up the situation and that is what the 5th columnists want.
Then what agitators? is your call to the
To my brothers and sisters, we have to redefine our strategy and objective. The Biafra I look up to is the concept of ‘Think Home Philosophy’ within the context of a one and united Nigeria. We have the capacity to develop our zone to the envy of other zones.
In the past few weeks, an image of a skyscraper located in a rural community in Anambra State called Umuchukwu, in Orumba South Local Government went viral. This 15-storey building, which is about 80 percent completed, is being built solely by Dr. Godwin Maduka, a billionaire NigerianAmerican doctor based in the United States of America.
The edifice, which is expected to be equipped with state-of-the-art facilities in medical science, will be the first of its kind in Africa. It will also be used to assist students in clinical training and provide resource materials for lecturers and researchers. It is also expected to serve as the temporary site for the Anambra State University, College of Medicine, when completed. This is my perception of Biafra dream.