Ndigbo
OpenLife Nigeria reports that Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos has called on Ndigbo to stay off the planned nationwide protests.
In an exclusive interview, the Ohanaeze Ndigbo President, who is also a United Nations ‘Mayor of Peace’, sued for peace.
As the president, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos and Eminent Peace Ambassador as well as Mayor of the United Nations, what are your views about the planned protests nationwide and what do you have to tell Igbo people in Lagos?
Well, protest is where people express their anger when government is not doing well. But it must be peaceful.
For example, there were peaceful demonstrations yesterday, July 24, 2024, in Washington DC when the prime minister of Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu was addressing the US Congress.
The protest was about why Israel should cease fire in Gaza against Palestine.
But my worry about demonstrations in Nigeria is that the hoodlums will always see it as an opportunity to burgle houses and loot property of those who are part of them in the demonstration.
Most times, their major targets are Ndigbo shops. Worse of it is that the Igbo tribe suffers it more.
Ndigbo are the ones who bring development to every nook and cranny in Nigeria. Ndigbo suffer it more than other tribes.
Yet, Nigeria is not giving Ndigbo commensurate values for their efforts. Some of us, Ndigbo, lose investments we have acquired over so many years. At the end of the day, Ndigbo will still be the one that will suffer more even in the hands of government.
For me, I will prefer we give President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his team more time. Therefore, I call on Ndigbo to stay away from participating in the planned protests.
In the end, Ndigbo will still be the ones people will be talking about irrespective of what Ndigbo has been contributing to Nigeria to make sure Nigeria gets to Western world standards especially in the area of industrialization and other developments.
Ndigbo is among the tribes in the world God can do something good in their out-of- nothing.
That is why no matter how the white people develop cemetery, it is not for Ndigbo because they must go home whether alive or in death.
The only business Igbo men are not first or second or even up to 100 is importation of coffins and caskets or burial accessories or owing burial grounds as property for commercial.
But if they see Ndigbo participate in the planned protests, they will attack them as the only criminals.
But there is nothing to worry about that because there are criminals in every tribe even in families.
That is why there is good and bad.
If you want to describe how orange ripe, you will also have to explain how the taste was.
After the 2023 elections, Ndigbo was denied a lot of things simply because their son also participated in the election.
Our son does not believe in using controversy to achieve position.
If not, if he opens his mouth and mentions protest, there will be automatic revolution in Nigeria.
My people, Ndigbo, we must wait for God’s time.
First, if you talk about the world history without mentioning Egypt as the first civilization, it might not be complete.
But today, nobody talks about Egypt any longer. Also, and at the moment, nobody consults prophets, alfa, prayer warriors to go to Egypt. But you cannot talk anything about the world without mentioning America, United Kingdom, Russia, Western Europe etc. Egypt is no longer among that list of big and developed countries. That is how God works and that is God’s time.
So, one day, Ndigbo will be the one determining the fate of Nigeria just like the way other tribes are determining the fate of Nigeria today. Then, the world will then make comparison. About 90 percent of the law made in Nigeria affects Igbo man.
Importantly, Ndigbo, we must be patient. We have to be patient. The new South East Development Commission, SEDC, which President Tinubu signed into law few days ago will bring developments to our people in all areas.
The President has also given our son, His Excellency, Dave Umahi, one of the most important Ministries for development which is Ministry of Works.
What we need is to support and be praying for our son, Dave Umahi, to succeed in his area of responsibility.
No doubt, he knows how to do the job because he is tested and confirmed in Ebonyi State as a former governor. He is a workaholic. He knows the job. We should also pray and support our other Igbo Ministers to succeed.
Ndigbo, please, don’t participate in the planned protests. The ones you were part of in the past, what are the benefits today?
I also want to use this opportunity to speak to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to look into Igbo stakeholders in APC in Lagos who participated fully and made sure their groups voted for APC candidates in the presidency and governorship elections in 2023 and nothing to show for it till date.
Even if they are not going to do something for me-Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, the apex leader of socio-cultural organization of Ndigbo, Lagos state and President , Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos, who everybody knows as a friend of governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu-I will see it as a sacrifice I made as a leader.
But there are others who also worked with their groups just like the way I worked in the name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo like SoloChuks, Anslem Njoku, Uche Dimgba {Okpetemba’} Joe Igbokwe, Honourable Jude Idimogu, Eze Nwachukwu, Anslem Orobo, Chief Chris Igwilo etc.
They should be compensated if not with appointments but contracts or empowerments.
It will not take anything from Lagos state, being the richest state in Africa, irrespective of the fact that whenever some of these Igbo leaders listed above have opportunity to meet with party stakeholder, instead of talking about what they have offered the party and what they are going to do next, they will be there blackmailing one another.
But I, Chief Solomon Ogbonna Aguene, is not like that. I have never done that and I will not do it.
However, Lagos party leaders should not look at those attitudes because unity has been our problem due to civil war which disorganized our unity. But in a very short time, that problem will be solved.
My people, I have to say it the way it is because what a man sows is what he reaps. That is how a statesman and a good leader speak. In life, it is not how big a tree is but the fruit it produces is what counts.
The sacrifice I made in Lagos politics and the enmity I created for myself by pushing majority of Ndigbo to join APC for the first time in 2019 election for governor Sanwo-Olu with me as a socio cultural leader who is not supposed to openly participate in politics is enormous.
That sacrifice I made attracted jealousy and blackmailing to me in Lagos.
But if I make such sacrifice in my state, Ebonyi, I will be begged to become a commissioner with many contracts. I will also be able to influence jobs for many people.
Leadership is not about how wealthy and educated one is but it is about the fear of God, wisdom, commonsense, sacrifice and interest you have for your people and above all, grace of God upon the leader of any kind.
Leadership is a team work because what you don’t have, others will have it.
Also, I want the President to release Nnamdi Kanu so that we, Ndigbo, will know whether it is government that is using unknown government to destabilize Ndigbo as a tribe or if its criminals that are using Nnamdi Kanu as opportunity to terrorize Igbo land.
Government should also look into how to tackle hunger in Nigeria and provide job opportunities for people.
This is my own peaceful protest, our President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, {Jagaban of the people.}
God bless Nigeria. God bless Lagos State. God bless Ndigbo.
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