By Izuchukwu Enewali
Dr. Jude Nwachukwu’s piece “Herdsmen and Enugu Politics”, in the ‘Daily Sun’ issue of Wednesday 14th August 2019 made an interesting reading. In an apparent reinforcement of the Chuba Okadigbo theory of Bikini in political discourse, what it revealed are quite interesting, even more so, what is yet hidden in it! It undertook a deep introspection of the political dynamism of the Coal City State, and the forces that regulate the temperature. With the benefits of hindsight, especially against the backdrop of recent happenings, one is tempted to conclude that some facts inherent in the piece are too immanent and immutably unassailable. He noted that beyond the prevailing specter of banditry, what was unravelling in the state was a war of the godfathers. He insists that it was quite unusual for the Coal City to have suddenly lost her traditional cool and “tranquil ambience” and adorn a new toga reminiscent of the dark days of the original godfather war between 1999 and 2007. He describes the recent security breaches in the state as “contrived banditry” employing the bogey of the pervasive Fulani national menace, but which ultimate underlining purpose was to tar the peaceful profile of the state, create frictions and possibly blackmail the governor to toe some certain lines outside his avowed convictions, especially as it relates to the 2023 governorship contest in the state. He concludes that the localization of this mayhem in a certain part of the state, may after all not just be a coincidence but a carefully woven and piloted onslaught targeted at certain goals.
Enugu is however an unusual state and her political and social history still remain that of an over-pampered being! Her cities are arguably the most organized in Nigeria, comparable only perhaps to what was envisioned for Abuja, the federal capital territory. The streets are well laid out and congenially paved, with purpose-built drainage systems and structural developments that tell much about the intelligence and industry of a certain specie of the Nigerian tribes. In its tranquil culture, what may generally be considered as “normal” in other parts of the country, (or even the other South East states), are often seen as abominable in Enugu. It is still an idealistic setting oblivious of how much the Nigerian state has been challenged and hobbled in the past few decades. Thus, every well-placed Igbo who cherishes peace, refinement and class plans to have a home in Enugu. He could well ply his businesses in other cities around, but would not mind to have his wife and children domiciled in the Coal City where he would regularly return to spend the weekends and other holidays. To underscore this idyllic profile, the state has an uncommon cluster of very standard luxury hotels and recreational facilities far in number of over 300! The residents are so pampered such that they loathe such normal challenges even as trifle as the traffic snarl (hold-up); complain bitterly when there is no water from the public tap and blame the governor of the state when there is power failure! It does not matter to an Enugu resident that the Police Commissioner in the state is not by command structure, answerable to the governor of the state per se! As far as he is concerned, the governor is the ‘Chief Security Officer’ of the state, and therefore he is expected to be literally omnipotent, omniscient and omnipresent! Remind him that security has grossly broken down in several states around in the country, and he would quickly ask you why Enugu should not be an exception? That is the story of the Coal City State; that would also continue to be the burden of whoever governs the state!
Therefore, without the political conspiracy theories around the recent security situation, one can safely say that there is actually nothing quite peculiarly unusual about what is presently happening in Enugu State vis-à-vis the rest of the country. The security situation in the country has been so challenged that it is already an issue of concern to everybody. As heinous and despicable as kidnapping is, it is a fact that this has unfortunately become the most “lucrative” crime in the country now. Apart from the yahoo-yahoo scam, it is easily the most widespread crime in the country today. There is no state that does not witness it almost on daily basis such that we give God the glory that Enugu has greatly been spared of it. In spite of the social media blitzkrieg, Enugu still remains one of the most peaceful states in the country. During the last gubernatorial campaigns in the state, it was an unassailable truth that the state was the most peaceful in the country and much of this success story was attributable to the affable and congenial character of the governor of the state.
It is perhaps the conspiracy theory around the crisis that should concern every one of us. Dr. Nwachukwu hinted that at the root of all these new dimensions rest the politics of 2023! Although I do not agree with him that the localization of the heist in a particular zone is evidence of this theory, I am however minded to caution that our security should be well above pecuniary politics. It is important to note that all the administrations since the inception of the present political dispensation, also had certain seasons that challenged the security architecture of the state. During Chimaroke Nnamani’s tenure, the state was literally at war with all manner of killings and other cult wars. During the Sullivan Chime’s regime, the notorious Ngwu Egereomu, the dreaded armed robber and his gang that terrorized the whole state and defied security surveillance for several years, defined that era and incidentally also operated from that axis. The Ihe caves hold the notorious distinction as the historical, howbeit unintended sanctuary to dreaded criminals and therefore need to give way. However, the crucial difference between those days and now, is that whereas politicians in the state considered those security challenges as a common burden, and joined hands with the state in tackling same, this time around some well-placed people who ought to know better are seemingly playing politics with our collective security and seem too determined to stoke and sustain it. Even more compelling is the suggestion that the zoning template which had guided the state politics and guaranteed peace in the state is at the root of it all. It is therefore important to caution all those dissembling schemers to note that this state is bigger than every one of us. The quantum development that the state has witnessed in the last 30 years can easily be traceable to the functionality of this unwritten code. Interestingly, this template has been adopted by other states in the country including the South East. To therefore imagine that anyone would seek to truncate it and force the state into unimaginable crisis is not only selfish, but a classic case of ingratitude especially when it is realized that some of the figures been fingered in this hate scheme all owe their current political heights to the benevolence of an Nkanu man which turn they allegedly seek to truncate.
But beyond all these, Enugu is without doubt, in safe hands and still remains in the hands of God. We are lucky to have a very responsible and responsive governor who keeps awake so that we can sleep. Seeing the way he has been personally involved in seeking out palliative measures in the face of this challenge, including entering some hideouts of these criminals, one is bound to feel his personal pulse and concern. He has equally enunciated certain functional measures including the recruitment of some thousands of forest guards across the 17 local government councils of the state. We must acknowledge that the times have changed, security is now the central issue in governance and therefore no longer an exclusive preserve of the government. It calls for the involvement of everyone notwithstanding the political configurations we individually fancy. The criminals themselves do not know which party or godfather you are beholding to and their modus operandi defy reason. Thus while some of us choose to play this vile politics of blackmail, and recklessly employ the social media to certain destructive ends, we must all acknowledge that the society is beyond our individual complexes and foibles. Fortuitously, the Police Commissioner whose laxity was generally acknowledged as a factor in this degeneration has now been changed. We can only hope that the new helmsman live up to the challenges of the moment and bring the state back to its enviable peace.
As for the Governor, I would charge him not to relent in his efforts at keeping the state as peaceful and safe even as he was able to achieve before the current challenge. There is need for an urgent institution of a Security Trust Fund to be managed by people outside the purview of the state government. Given that Enugu is a gift to the generality of the Igbo, I have no doubt that the trademark Igbo can-do spirit, which had seen them triumph over several odds would easily be mobilized and deployed to tackle this incipient threat. He should bear in mind that there is perhaps none so loved by God that does not go through some baptisms. This is perhaps his own season of baptism as a governor. There has never been a road so straight it doesn’t have bends; just as there would never be a road so smooth it doesn’t have bumps. No matter how much we may try, man by nature is often vulnerable to such vagaries and funny quirks of destiny. I am sure that this is yet another phase vile scheming and it will still pass away. But I also expect him to quickly balance his usual faith in consulting widely before taking crucial state actions with the reality of the times and set up the structure of governance of the state. Some of these desperations could be cured by the interventions that could come from officials of the state who must perform to be approved.
Barr. Enewali writes from Lagos.
