2015: Igbo’s stand on presidency uncertain

By Dele Anofi.

Chief Ezeife

WHERE will the Igbo stand in 2015? Will they back an Igbo candidate or align with President Goodluck Ebele Azikwe Jonathan – if he decides to run?
Three questions implex at the weekend, with  Igbo traditional rulers from the 19 northern states pledging to join forces with President Jonathan.
Former Anambra State Governor Chukwuemeka Ezeire spoke for the Igbo leaders when he told reporters that “2015 is a very big thing (project), we are going to play a game of co-operation with Jonathan forces”.
Chief Ezire spoke as Movement for the Actualisation of Survival of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) leader Ralph Uwazuruike reiterated the determination of the Igbo not to carry out reprisal attack on Northerners for attacks on Igbo in the North. 
The duo spoke in Abuja at a meeting of Ndi-Eze Igbo in the 19 Northern states hosted by the Chairman of the group, His Royal Highness Nwobu Ibe, Igbo 1 of Abuja.
At the meeting were the Eze Nri and custodian of Igbo culture and tradition, Eze Obidiegwu Onyesoh; Eze Cletus Ilomuanya of Obinugwu in Imo State who is the chairman of the Southeast Council of Traditional Rulers; Chairman, Ndi Eze Igbo in 19 States, the host, Dr Ibe, the former governor of old Anambra State, Dr Ezife.
According to the MASSOB leader, the meeting was at the instance of the security and welfare of the Igbo in the North. “As you can see, we came from Igbo land and we are here to see what has been happening to our people here in the North to talk with them, know their feelings and know the areas we can be of help to them,” Uwazuruike said. 
He declined comments on the Federal Government’s measures aimed at curbing the attacks, saying: “This is not for me to say here, if I’m not satisfied with what is happening. I have a way of communicating with them,” Uwazurike nonetheless assured that the Igbo would not embark on reprisal.
He said: “I have said it before, our people will shun reprisal attacks because we don’t believe in killing someone just because another person was killed. We shall continue to advise our people to refrain from reprisal attacks and ensure that we do not encourage that.
“However, governments should accept their responsibilities by making sure that people ‘s lives and property are secured”.
Ezife who noted that the forum would also explore means of seeking the government’s proactiveness of government in curbing the incidents, regretted that the Igbo were adversely affected by the attacks.
He said: “We are here to also find out how we can develop a response to it in terms of pleading with the government to do more.
“How much affected the Igbo were by the attacks does not matter because we all know that when you go and bomb a church, you are bombing the Igbo; when you go and bomb a spare part-markets, it is the Ndigbos that are more affected.
“This is not to say that we are the only target but we are involved but as Christians, we are the dominant people, so anybody attacking Christians is invariably attacking us also though not necessarily because we are Igbos but because we are also Christians.”
On the way forward, Ezeife said: “Nobody knows we are ever going to get to this level because suicide bombing is alien to us. How do you relate to person that has made up his mind to die.
“The long term solution is enlightenment, public education on religious matters that will make it certain that our brothers, Christians and Muslims, know the meaning and limit of what their scriptures are saying. 
“You do not just go out of it and start to brain-wash people into committing suicide. Do we even understand the meaning of suicide? He who commits suicide goes to hell straight; no trial. Though the person that brin-washed you will go to hell but since he wasn’t dead yet, he can seek forgiveness for his sins.”