Founder of Igbo Youth Movement, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko is also Secretary of the Eastern Consultative Assembly, and Deputy Secretary of Igbo Leaders of Thought. In this interview, he discusses the ways to Nigeria’s true federalism, the concerns of the Igbo nation, 2027 politics and related issues
You have been very quiet for a while. The country is going through interesting times, the insecurity, economic hardship, politics of decamping to different parties and general uncertainty in the land. What are your thoughts?
I am quiet for two reasons, I proudly played my part. I consciously elected myself, decades ago, to humbly contribute in creating awareness amongst the younger generation of my people in pursuit of justice and a better country for all.
In building construction, everybody plays their part and move away so others can play theirs, some contribute as site engineers, supervising the masons and the bricklayers. Others come in as carpenters to roof the edifice. Some come in as plumbers, others as electricians to wire the house. Yet some come in as painters, others as landscape designers to plant the flowers and the garden to beautify the house. Everybody has a role. I played my role to water the ground for the renaissance, to wake up the consciousness of my people. I left politicking for politicians. Secondly, I don’t play to the gallery. I am not into clout chasing. I’ve done my bit.
Now to your question, yes the country is going through a remarkably uncommon phase. But these are problems we inflicted on ourselves. The unworkable unitary structure, avoidable past errors and mistakes, poor governance, impunity and a self-centered political class who places their personal interest over group interest, are all responsible for our miseries. There’s no reason such a blessed and envied land as ours will still be floundering for decades. Other nations who are jealous of our natural and human resources, wonder why we are yet to get it right. It’s sad really and quite unfortunate.
We must tell our selves the truth. For how long will we continue deceiving ourselves. Our leaders fight for themselves, rather than for the masses. Everyone is blaming everyone else. We are all guilty in someway. The strange and senseless violence, banditry and insecurity challenges, seems deliberately sponsored to discredit the government, that is bad politics, whilst the gains of the bold reforms, are yet to be felt. The decamping you talked about, has been the culture of shameless politicians, who care only for themselves.
The unitary structure made it impossible for the central Government to adequately supervise the very many functions it over-laddened itself with. Creating room for sleaze and poor management of men and resources. Sustaining 250 million people on monthly allocation, when nobody knows exactly how long fossil fuel will continue to pay our bills, is outrightly being unrealistic.
Devolution of powers and true federalism is the way to go. A new people’s constitution anchored on level playing field for all, is the only solution. Delay only inflicts more pain on the people.
The Tinubu administration is being challenged by the opposition who are plotting to form a coalition of parties to stop him in 2027. Do you see them stopping him?
Everybody knows I have no interest whatsoever in partisan politics. I wish all of them luck. They are all the same. There’s no difference between them.
I have no favourite. Nothing wrong with a coalition. I will sincerely tell you that
Atiku will be a very strong candidate in 2027, but Jonathan remains the only person that can shock Tinubu. Jonathan is everyone’s darling. The whole country misunderstood him when he was blackmailed out of office. Today, everyone knows he meant well for Nigeria. He is the opposition’s strongest choice, if those desperate for power will allow it. He will easily mobilise the entire North behind him. They know they hurt him 10 years ago. The South East, South South and North Central are his traditional base. He’s the only one everyone is sure will do only one term. He’s not a desperado. He has on-the-job experience, and no region in Nigeria has anything against him. But I hear the desperados are doing everything to discourage him or frighten him off. Discreetly sending emissaries to weaken him and chase him away. His party that lost power a decade ago remains the strongest, oldest and most solid party in all the 774 Local Government Areas in the country, despite their ceaseless quarrels and disagreements. If they put their house in order and field Jonathan, they may stand a chance. All the other coalition people are mere desperados, who see Aso Rock Villa as their life calling.
I sincerely wish all of them well, I beg them to rein in their supporters, make the votes count, desist from violent campaign and to humbly accept the winner. I have no interest in any candidate or political party.
My interest is in a rejuvenated Nigeria built on devolution of powers and true federalism. A country where all are equal and none are oppressed. The entire political class are the same. There are no saints or angels amongst them.
The South East is yet to fully calm down. The agitation has given the region a totally different image. Is the agitation impossible to quell?
Certainly not. It’s painful the agitation has lasted for 26 years simply because certain powerful and influential leaders have sworn not to address it from the root. They seem to prefer crushing it without addressing the root causes. And also those using it to drive their political relevance do not want the agitators to be constructively engaged. The day those who use the frustrations, anger, bitterness and emotions that power the agitation as fuel and energy that power their own political dreams, choose to repent, and allow engagement of the agitators, then the root cause of the anger that drives the loss of faith in the system which power the agitation will be addressed. They don’t want that addressed because that won’t serve their purpose.
They have successfully blocked every plea to allow the authorities to sincerely engage the agitators and identify their pain and grievances in order to restore faith in the country thereby carrying everyone along. Some smart politicians from the zone, see the agitation as ticket to Aso Rock. Regardless of their pretence and hypocrisy, they don’t want the agitation resolved and closed. They think the agitation grows sympathy and support for Igbo President.
The day the Federal Government will genuinely engage and collate the grievances of the agitators and begin to address them, there’ll be a major shift. For instance, a functional seaport in the region where containers from China, Brazil, Europe, etc are offloaded will automatically tell the youngsters: “Boy! They are now treating us as bona-fide citizens”. Same thing a cargo wing at the Enugu International Airport, receiving freight from all over the world will do. Same thing an East-West railway from Port Harcourt via Aba-Owerri-Onitsha-Benin-Ijebu Ode- Lagos-Cotonou through to Lome, Accra, Abidjan, Free Town etc will change their perception and remove the feeling that they are hated, mistreated unwanted etc. Same thing railway through Calabar to the Cameroon and unto East Africa via the Congo will change everything. The people believe Nigeria deliberately doesn’t want to develop their region because of the Biafra war. They think there are no plans whatsoever to ever address the infrastructural challenges of the region. They believe it is deliberate. They run out of the country to escape the marginalisation their region. They are forced into exile as economic refugees scattered all over the world.
It is actually these economic refugees who are angry with Nigeria for maltreating their region that are contributing 50 Euros and 50 US dollars monthly dues to power the agitation. These fellows, mostly young people, have given up on Nigeria. They believe they will never get justice in Nigeria. They also think that there are no plans ever to address their grievances.
Most importantly, they know that Nigeria will not survive, much less make any meaningful progress under this centralised unitary structure bequeathed us by the military. They know that the 1999 military constitution cannot take Nigeria to the Promised Land. Errors and mistakes in their modus operandi give the wrong impression that they are not genuinely aggrieved. They are.
The real problem is the very young ones in the Diaspora and their frightening mindset. I can tell you for free that I’m scared when I imagine their next move years from now. You see, there are over 50 million Ndigbo. About 10% live abroad, scattered every where. From China to Russia to India to Malaysia, Indonesia, everywhere. All over Europe and to the Americas. All over Africa and Australia, in every African country, everywhere. Their children are toddlers, some are teenagers, while some are young adults. They watch their parents.
Their mindset scare me. They don’t think that the victors of the civil war are ready and willing to live in peace and harmony with other Nigerians. They believe those people are not interested in justice and equity, which are the only prerequisite for harmony, greatness and progress.
They wonder why those people oppose anything that would establish mutual trust and grow the economy thereby healing the country. They wonder why some people make it difficult for mutual respect to grow. They know there can never be peace as some people believe they are born to rule.
So my dear brother, the problem isn’t the current leadership of the agitators. The problem is their children scattered the world over. I know they will never accept to be anyone’s slave. Never. I tremble when I peep into the future in my imagination. The very reason I cry every day. ‘Let’s restructure Nigeria today in order to secure our future’.
You see, those who see only the excesses and mistakes of the agitators, are not helping matters by pretending the agitators aren’t genuinely aggrieved. The agitators are genuinely aggrieved. Stories about their past suffering and humiliation offend them. The despicable pogrom, the starvation during the war and the continued oppression 55 years after the war. They don’t understand it. Especially the opposition to restructuring the country for the good of all. These are the very reasons the agitation seems unquenchable. The pain and humiliation remains in their soul and hurts them even as their grievances remain unaddressed.
Closure and resolution will flow from a sincere attempt to genuinely identify and address the root causes of the grievances that has kept the agitation alive for 26 years, in spite of the fatalities the agitators have suffered.
How do you think Nigeria can move forward in love and unity?
I have been consistent through God’s grace for decades now in my activism in the pursuit for a better country for all. I know Nigeria is a hugely blessed country. The major problem I see is the disturbing fact where compatriots who are yet to see the light, erroneously think that our clamour to restructure Nigeria is either designed to short change him or his region or to confer certain yet-to-be identified advantages on you and your region. Therefore he chooses to oppose the only truthful pathway to a better, greater, more united Nigeria because he misunderstands the truth that we cannot grow under this current unitary structure.
The day everyone understands that we are actually holding our country down by delaying the restructuring of Nigeria, that will be the day. All our sorrows flow from the distorted unitary structure. Unemployment, poverty, high crime rate, unsavoury political climate, insecurity et al. They all flow from the unitary structure.
I plead with my country men and women to come together and make Nigeria truly great by restructuring this beautiful country along the lines of true federalism and devolution of powers.
What is your assessment of the two years of Tinubu’s administration?
Well, he’s been suprisingly very audacious and courageous in taking the bull by the horn, in the very bold and needful reforms that would make any leader unpopular until the positive gains begin to trickle in.
The country was completely destroyed between 2015 and 2023. Rebuilding is very delicate and difficult. It’s destruction that is easy. Our prayers are: May these painful but neccesary reforms yield positive gains. But he needs to rein in corruption under his watch. Needs to understand that equity institutes patriotism, harmony, peace and stability.
We are miffed that of the eight members he appointed into the census committee, there’s no one from the South East. N80 billion just approved for the reconstruction of eight dams, none from the South East. These dichotomy breeds loss of faith in the land and drives agitations. The people of my region desire to be treated right and carried along as bona-fide stakeholders. It’s the continuous mistreatment and injustices that fuel fear of tomorrow and resentment.
Again he is currently seeking Senate’s approval for N34 trillion loan, while we are owing over N144 trillion. What’s at stake here is judicious use. It’s accountability everyone’s worried about. If the impact of the loans are positively felt, then good and fine. Our prayer is: May the loans be judiciously used for the utmost good of the land.
I don’t entertain any fears over the future of the country, except to say that the delay in restructuring the polity is both unhealthy and unhelpful.
Some analysts argue that there’s political colouration in the escalation of insecurity especially in the North. According to them, two years to the 2015 general elections, when President Jonathan was to be pushed out, Boko haram was at its peak. Two years to the 2027 general elections, when opposition against Tinubu is mounting, the killings in the North are escalating. What is your reaction to this?
You are correct that it seems to be so. If it’s actually the situation, then that would mean that the people who want to bring Tinubu down are not only desperate but only vicious and uncaring about innocent people senselessly slaughtered in their bid to have their way.
That’s very disgusting and disturbing. But I pray it’s not true. Manipulating insecurity just to paint the Government bad is evil, especially the needless loss of life. But you never can tell what politicians can do just to have their way. The fierce struggle for central power is fuelled by the concentration of so much power at the centre and the winner-takes-all attitude of past leaders. That’s another reason Nigeria should be restructured without further delay along true federalism and devolution of powers.
