Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, the only majority under the leadership of the minority. Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, the only people who live the saying that, the prophet is without honour among his own people. Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, the only people who have no value for their own. Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, the only people who claim liberality when supporting the course of others against their own.
The Ezzas of Ebonyi, and the Igbos of Nigeria have been seen by united minorities as the typical example “useless majority”. We always have more reasons to support outsiders more than our own. Please permit me to sound tribalistic here for a purpose. Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, the only people who have undermined their God-given strengths. Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, a people, busy-doing-nothing when something worth doing is taking place. Like the Ezzas, like the Igbos, the leaders, comfortable in followership.
In Nigeria for example, the Igbos are resident in all the 36 states, and the capital. They have reasonable numbers in every state capable of making political statements. In most states, they are the second majority after the indigenous people. The Igbos are the only tribe most marginalised politically, yet with the highest numbers. Why is it this way? We hardly support our own, especially in politics. We are too comfortable in following when we should be leading. We cry of marginalisation yet we marginalized ourselves more. The Igbos have always been the major causes of the falling or failing of Ndigbo. Uneke Anayo on Facebook commented “For the first time an Igbo man (Obi) is receiving support from all quarters of the nation except his region (Ndigbo).” This is the sorry state we found ourself as a people. A careful look at the other candidates, will make you belive with me that, they will get bulk votes from their own people, and still get from Ndigbo, while Obi may likely struggle for votes in his own place and may even get more outside.
Check the number of people that have attacked him directly, and see if Igbos are not more. When his fame struck the internet, the only celebrity driving it was Peter Square, the rest were comedians from other regions. Our celebrities were too afraid to identify with him. Ofcourse, we all have choices but……
Now, what about the Ezzas in Ebonyi state? They are the majority that have never led. They are the majority that have never occupied any tangible political position in Ebonyi. They are the majority with which others win elections but have never won. They are the unmade majority that make others. Some call them stupid majority. The Ezzas live in almost 80% of Ebonyi state. They have presence in close to 10 LGAs yet, have never won any election to lead the state. They are the most marginalised, yet the most in number. The ezzans love outsiders more than themselves. They are their own enemies, and their own village people. They are not cursed, they are the cause. The Ezzas alone can win election but where is the unity? Where is the solidarity? For the first time since the creation of Ebonyi state, opportunity is presenting itself for the Ezzas to lead, but majority, especially the stakeholders are better with what they can gain from others than what they can give to their own. Prof Benard Ifeanyi Odoh is the only Ezza man in 2023 contest for the first seat of Ebonyi, but, surprisingly, his major support will come from other tribes. The Ezzas are the richest yet, under the leadership of others. Logically speaking, all other candidates will get 90% of their tribe’s supports but the Ezzas won’t for Odoh. We are not cursed we are the cause. Professor Odoh is not supposed to lack support with the kind of big people that the Ezzas have. If he’s not competent, the case would have been different.
This is a wakeup call to Ndigbo and Ndu Ezza. I am talking to Ndigbo and Ndu Ezza, If we have led before I wont be saying this for justice sake. We have been marginalized enough that we can’t blow these opportunities to lead for once. It’s not just our turn, we have also presented the best candidates. What will be the reason why we should support another person when it’s both our turn, and we have better candidates. If you are not a student of ‘OUR TURN’ like me, at least be a student of competence like me. If you talk about whose turn, its ours. Talk about who’s most competent, it’s ours. Now, what on earth is your excuse for not supporting Obi as an Igbo, and Odoh as an Ezza? We use to claim that other tribes hate us but its not true with this huge supports from other tribes to our own. Imagine where other tribes are the ones telling us that their problem is the Igbos. The Igbos and the Ezzas shouldn’t be the reason why we should continue to be on the floor. It’s our turn and we have the best candidates, let’s give them 100% supports to win and write our name in the political history of Nigeria and Ebonyi.
God bless you for reading.
