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The Enduring Myth Of Igbo Marginalisation By Dr. M. R. Bello This article is not intended to annoy the rather vociferous online Igbo community but to share a few home truths. Of all the myths that feature in our national discourse in Nigeria, I dare to say that the one of Igbo marginalization has been the most formidable. It has featured in the media and other forums for as long as I can remember. The central message has been that the Igbo are deliberately being kept out of key roles in central government. However, the people who are allegedly behind this marginalization are not usually identified. I have always been very saddened by the fact that Nigerians hardly focus on what is important but instead waste an inordinate amount of time discussing which tribe is given this or that. For example, while other countries discuss how to improve policing and crime-fighting, Nigerians would rather use the time to discuss the ethnic group of the new Inspector General of Police. We are extremely unfocussed as a people and our leaders know that, and they use it to their advantage. Going back to the issue of Igbo marginalization, let me list the people in prominent roles in the current government who I believe are Igbo and then recall some historical roles played by Igbos in order to see if the charges of Igbo marginalization would stick.
The following personalities in the current government are Igbo: 1. Inspector General of Police, Igbo from Rivers State 2. Central Bank Governor 3. Head of the Federal Civil Service 4. Head of Immigration Service 5. Head of Federal Road Safety Commission 6. Head of NAFDAC 7. Head of Bureau for Public Enterprises 8. Minister of Commerce 9. Minister of Education 10. Minister of Foreign Affairs 11. Minister of State Defence 12. Minister of State Transport 13. PDP Chairman - reserved for Igbo
Historically, Igbos held the following posts: 1. Governor-General / President 2. Military Head of State 3. Elected Vice-president 4. Speaker House of Representatives 2nd Republic 5. Chief of General Staff (No. 2 to President Babangida) 6. Senate President for 8 years in Obasanjo government
I wonder how anyone can conclude that members of a group who are holding or have held the posts I have listed above are being deliberately marginalised. We all remember in the last regime how we had Oby Ezekwesili, Prof. Soludo, Dr. Okonjo-iweala and Irene Chigbue all in prominent economic portfolios around the same time. I can’t see how Nigeria can be accused of marginalising Igbos if it can place them in these positions at around the same time. An Igbo man (George Obiozor) just held what you could call the most prominent diplomatic posting in the country i.e. Ambassador to the U.S. So, why are there all the cries of marginalisation from the Igbos? Well, I think I know the answer: there hasn’t been an Igbo Head of State or President since 1966. But, is this due to marginalisation or it just happened? There are two ways through which Nigeria has produced its leaders in the past 41 years. These are coups d’etat and democratic elections. Let me begin with military coups. Any military officer who is able to organise troops and put his life at risk can, theoretically, overthrow a government and make himself Head of State. The fact that Igbo military officers did not try to do that since 1966 is nobody’s fault and it is not suggestive of marginalisation. Igbo officers were free to undertake coups and become Heads of State but they decided not to do so. Generals Murtala, Buhari, Babangida and Abacha did so and they became Heads of State. I can’t see any marginalisation here; anyone can plot a coup any day. The second means of becoming Nigerian leader is through democratic elections. In all the presidential elections held in the past 41 years, there were Igbo candidates on the ballot except the June 12 elections which did not see the light of day anyway. There was no presidential election in Nigeria where Igbo candidates were specifically barred from contesting. In all the elections, they contested and lost. I can’t see any marginalisation here; Igbos were free to contest, they did so, and they lost. One thing that Igbos ignore is that this is quite a young country; only 47 years old. I don’t think it is so abnormal if, in a country of 250 ethnic groups, and which is only 47 years old, there is an ethnic group that has not yet produced a civilian president. It appears even less abnormal if you consider that the group in question has already produced a Governor-General / ceremonial president, a military Head of State, a civilian vice-president and a military government number-two man at various times. It is just not as bad as it is being portrayed by the marginalisation whistle-blowers. After all, we all know how long it took a catholic to become the President of the U.S. I’m sure the time will soon come when Nigeria will have an elected Igbo president for 8 years. Before the time comes, Igbo’s would do well to stop poisoning the minds of their children by teaching them that there is someone out there who hates them, is marginalising them and is preventing them from becoming president. It is a MYTH.
Dr. M. R. Bello, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Maiduguri.
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