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The South East A Hot Bed Of Crime By Uzochukwu Okafor
The South East has of recent become the hot bed of crime especially kidnapping. It is increasing in sophistication and its impact has begun to reverberate all over the country. The kidnap of some journalists in Aba helped to draw more serious attention to this menace. But nothing is as disgusting as the kidnapping of the fifteen school children. This singular action has brought to the fore the need to address the root causes of crime in the South East.
It is difficult to narrow down any single cause of crime in any society. But there are certain factors in our society that support the breeding of criminals. These factors include cultures (family values), system (educational, political, endemic corruption, law-enforcement...), economy, peer pressure, etc). At the individual level, the causes could include destructive emotions and detrimental attitudes: fear, ignorance, hatred, worry, revenge, envy, attachment, greed, lust, selfishness, doubt, prejudice, pride, vanity, impatience, sloth, discrimination, arrogance, ambition, addiction, gluttony, criticism, blame, anxiety, frustration and so on.
While every individual is ultimately responsible for his/her own action, I believe that the society as a whole should take a lion share of the blame and therefore a significant share of responsibility in transforming the conditions in which criminal minds thrive.
The crime rate in Nigeria and in the South East before the year 2000, was not as worrisome and daring as it is today. We therefore need to ask ourselves, why the escalation? Most of these criminals have been there. What has led them to go this far and so low as to kidnap innocent school children? In answering this question, I will limit myself to the institutional causes and spare the individual criminals for now. I have taken this approach in consonance with my belief that our society is mostly responsible for this escalation, either by acts of omission or commission. I will therefore be looking at the contributing factors by the State, called Nigeria and the Igbo society.
The Role of the State The end of the civil war and the defeat of Biafra marked a discernable period when Ndiigbo have been treated as villains and who are barely being tolerated. This is in spite of the much touted policy of “No Victor No Vanquished.” But by the actions of the Federal Government so far, it is clear that there is a vanquished and this is the Igbo nation. I totally agree with the second Republic Vice President. Dr. Alex Ekwueme, who at a recent launch of books written by Mr. Femi Ogunsawo on statesmanships of General Gowon and Chief Awolowo, described the “No Victor, No Vanquished” policy of General Yakubu Gowon as an economic failure for the people of South East. One does not have to search far for evidence of a classical marginalization.
In the report of the feasibility study for the establishment of a steel industry in Nigeria, a location in the South East was viewed favourably. But this was not to be. Instead, the first steel complex was located at Ajaokuta. The South East was not even considered worthy of having the subsidiary plants. These were for more “deserving” locations like Katsina and Aladja. The South East was eventually given a token metallurgical school that has remained redundant.
As at today, there is virtually no significant federal presence in Igbo land. The South East is the only zone without a functional international airport. This is in spite of the fact that Ndiigbo are one of the most travelled in Nigeria. Every other indigene of other zone can arrive in their zone from overseas but not Onye Igbo. Onye Igbo must first land outside the South East, patronize commercial outlets in that zone, suffer the harassment of the uniformed officials on his/her way back, before reaching home. A functional airport in Igbo land will expand the economy of the South East, create jobs and reduce unemployment.
The dredging of the River Niger and the construction of a second Niger bridge have become political tools to be used at every election period to deceive Ndiigbo. The Vice President has once again promised that the dredging of the River Niger will be completed on schedule. This has always been promised since 1979. The impact these two projects will have on the economy of the South East is significant. But the vanquished should not have the privilege of having a habour in its own domain. Ndiigbo must clear their imports from outside the South East and suffer the extortion of money from the uniformed men of the Federal Government before getting their goods to their respective destinations in the South East. The South East has the largest concentration of those engaged in trading and by extension importers of goods. To be denied a harbour is inexplicable. The obvious explanation is a punishment for daring to assert their rights of self determination and being vanquished in the process.
The roads (the federal roads) in the South East are one of the worst maintained all over the federation. The State Governments, especially Anambra and Enugu have done commendable jobs in rehabilitating State roads. But this is not complimented by the Federal Government. There has been serious neglect of federal roads. Contracts for federal road projects in the South East are predominantly awarded to dubious companies. As a result, these roads remain perpetually under rehabilitation. The Enugu-Onitsha and Onitsha-Owerri roads have been in the state of rehabilitation for over ten years. They are never completed. The improvement of infrastructure in the South East is essential in creating small and medium scale enterprises.
The potentials of Aba, Nnewi and Onitsha to generate small and medium scale manufacturing industries on the scale of the Asian tigers are not in doubt. But this cannot happen with the state of infrastructural neglect in the South East. The ingenuity of Ndiigbo is never in doubt. The fabrication and manufacturing sectors can benefit from this ingenuity if adequate power generation is supported in the South East. Again the South east is being marginalized in the distribution of power plants. Most zones have of recent witnessed the commissioning of power plants. The President has just commissioned the 2X30/40MVA, 132/33KV transmission sub-station in Zamfara State.
The marginalization of the South East cannot be justified. The prevalent marginalization of the South East, and consequently the slow growth in the employment market has contributed to the creation of a large pool of youths ready for the devil’s employ.
It is important to state here that Nigeria cannot reach her full potential until Ndiigbo are fully rehabilitated and treated equally in the distribution of infrastructure. A body cannot function efficiently and effectively when one part is continually incapacitated. Ndiigbo are not asking for any affirmation. Ndiigbo are just asking that what is good for goose is also good for the gander. Give Ndiigbo a harbour, give Ndiigbo an international airport, provide Ndiigbo with similar power capacity enjoyed by other zones, maintain federal roads in the South East and Nigeria will witness an industrial and economic revolution that Nigeria will be proud of.
Ndiigbo are not asking for token appointments, no matter how significant they are. No Onye-Igbo should be appointed to any position without being adequately qualified for that position. The appointments of the then Inspector-General of Police and the current Chief of Army Staff, while significant, symbolically, does not begin to address the economic and infrastructural marginalization Ndiigbo have suffered so far. The Federal Government must allow Ndiigbo to chart their own destiny. The Federal Government must be ready to accept that Igbo views could be different from theirs. The lock out of respectable Igbo leaders few weeks ago from a venue that was legitimately secured for a meeting to discuss Igbo agenda is quite instructive. The only discernable reason for this show of shame is that it was perceived that this meeting may not chorus the endorsement of the incumbent president. Otherwise, why was a similar meeting that took place in Enugu allowed to go on uninterrupted? Why must the coercive force of the State be used against respectable leaders of Ndiigbo. We are talking of an assembly, consisting of former Vice President, Alexander Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme, former Ministers and former Governors. Perhaps, I should repeat the questions asked in the vanguard editorial, “Who gave the orders to stop Ndiigbo from meeting? Is this treatment meant only for Ndiigbo? Do Nigerians from other geo-political zones consider themselves safe if one zone could be denied its fundamental rights?” The Presidency cannot just deny involvement in this flagrant abuse of authority but should demonstrate in concrete terms that freedom of association is protected.
The Role of the Igbo Society There is a saying in Igbo “Onye a juru adighi aju onwe ya.” (the rejected should not reject himself also) But Ndiigbo seem to be adding salt to injury in the way we condone crime and exacerbate it through our conduct. It is quite amazing that there has not been a concerted effort of Ndiigbo to address this menace. One would have loved to see a conference of Ndiigbo that will explore the root causes of crime in Igbo land and proffer long lasting solutions. There are, for sure, some causes which have its origin in the current culture of the Igbo society. There are as much internal causes as there are external causes. We cannot lay the blame entirely on the marginalization of Ndiigbo, irrespective of the fact that marginalization has a significant contribution to the crime rate in Igbo land. The two excerpts below situate the role a society could play in fueling crime or preventing it.
"Society prepares the crime, the criminal commits it" - Henry Thomas Buckle "Society prevents the crime, the criminal omits it." - Talidari
I was privileged to attend some functions of recent, and I cannot but express my disappointment at the conspicuous consumption that I witnessed. Expensive champagnes and spirits were flowing like “pure water.” Different types of food were available, and one could request for the different types of food, and as many times as possible. It was gluttony all the way.
Organizing a party or having a get-together is not bad. It serves as a forum for communion. The colanut ritual that precedes it also offers an opportunity to commune with our forefathers and the God Almighty. But like the communion we have in our churches, it should not be an avenue for flaunting our wealth and rubbing it in on our less privileged neighbours. Throughout my stay at those functions, I kept asking myself, what effect such lavish parties could have on our youth who are struggling to survive.
The provision of scholarships and soft loans to our various communities are better ways of announcing that we have arrived. Having moderate parties, as I stated above, is not being discouraged entirely. It has its place in our society. It is a veritable avenue for social gathering and felicitations. But like all good things, excesses have the adverse effect and should not be encouraged.
Borrowing again from Talidari, who looked at the human weakness in the face of societal conduct, one can appreciate the impact that such offensive extravagance can have on our youth. Talidari has this to say:
Humans are good by default, but not everyone is made of steel so as to defend themselves against the demonic forces - destructive emotions and detrimental attitudes: fear, ignorance, hatred, worry, revenge, envy, attachment, greed, lust, selfishness, doubt, prejudice, pride, vanity, impatience, sloth, discrimination, arrogance, ambition, addiction, gluttony, criticism, blame, anxiety, frustration and so on. We all get attacked by those faulty ethereal goblins of our minds and hearts, but most of us succeed to resist them. It's easy to act on anger, greed, revenge or any of highlighted above, but it takes courage and strength to determine that there is something more important than that.
It is also disappointing that Ndiigbo have not shown enough repulsion at the crime rate. The reaction of the Oba of Benin to the spate of kidnapping in Benin, while it may just be symbolic, shows a measure of repulsion at what is happening in his domain. The moral gauge of a society contributes significantly to the amount of crime prevalent in that society. Where the standard is high and public opinion severe against crime, less crime is committed than where public opinion is non committal.
Having explored the root causes of crime in the South East, one will like to suggest some solutions. These will also be categorized into two, solution by the State and solution by Ndiigbo.
Solution by the State. Nigeria needs to build her actions on justice, fairness and integrity. No part of Nigeria should be treated as an orphan. All parts of the federation should be proud of our fiftieth independence anniversary. Unfortunately, while other Nigerians might be celebrating the 50th anniversary of Nigeria’s independence, Ndiigbo are agonizing over the forty years of marginalization in a country they love and are committed to seeing take its rightful place in the comity of nations. Nigeria cannot stand up while it is pinning Ndiigbo on the floor. Nigeria needs to release Ndiigbo from the ground in order to become a true giant of Africa in all its ramifications.
There is an urgent need to address the infrastructure deficit in the South East. This should start with fulfilling the promises made since 1979 by President Shagari’s administration to dredge the River Niger and have a harbour in Onitsha. This promise was also made by the PDP administration. Having a functional harbour will create employment and expand the economy of the South East. The rehabilitation of the federal roads and the power stations in the south East will create an environment that will enable the ingenuity of the Ndiigbo to blossom. The small and medium scale industries that these infrastructure developments will generate will significantly address the unemployment problem. Unemployment contributes to crime as the youth explore ways to earn money by any means possible including kidnapping.
The Federal Government needs to establish a comprehensive policy framework to combat crime in a coordinated and focused manner and which draws resources from all government agencies, as well as civil society. Nigeria could borrow from a policy framework devised in South Africa. This policy proposes the creation of a dedicated and integrated crime prevention capacity which can conduct ongoing research and evaluation of departmental and public campaigns as well as facilitating effective crime prevention programmes at provincial and local level. South Africa, like Nigeria, has serious challenges with violent crime. The strategy should be developed at the national level but with adaptation at the state levels.
The South East will need the help of the Federal Government in addressing this serious problem by tackling the root causes and not just at the reactive level. Prevention, they say is better than cure and it also costs less. Some South East Governors have advocated and even passed laws for capital punishment for kidnappers. I am afraid; this will have minimal effect as it is addressing the symptoms rather than the causes. Besides, Nigeria should not be expanding the scope for capital punishment when other democratic countries are abolishing it. It is also difficult to justify that a white collar criminal who steals billions of naira is jailed for 18 months to be spent in the comfort of a hospital, while a common criminal is executed. The corruption and embezzlement of public funds are instrumental to depriving our country from the funds required to create employment for our youth and these should be viewed more seriously. Research has shown that criminality always seems to increase, following the enactment of a strong prohibitory law. That seeming increase, however, is often due solely to men's reaction against a new and unpopular law. Armed robbery did not decrease with execution of offenders but has increased since the law was enacted.
Solution by Ndiigbo I will start by borrowing an admonition of a Yoruba author in which he wrote “Yoruba ronu,” (admonition for introspection). In the same manner, I will say “Ndiigbo ronu.” Ndiigbo should have a serious introspection and determine if we are not our worst enemy. Are we taking appropriate actions to address our challenges or we are part of the problem?
I am not sure when we began with the obscene lavishness and flaunting of wealth. The days were when Ndiigbo were derided as people who stash away thousands but go about in D34 khaki shorts. Ndiigbo are often referred to by our Yoruba brothers as “Ajaokuta ma mu omi.” We seem to have now gone from one extreme to other. Quite often, we hear of the owambe parties by the Yorubas. But the modus operandi of these parties are in no way near what is happening in Igbo land today. At owambe parties that I am familiar with, friends contribute foods and drinks to the host. Those going to come with a sizeable number of friends come with their drinks and food, leaving the host to just provide seats, canopies and few drinks.
It is time for all Town Unions in Igbo land to address the obscene and conspicuous consumption that is becoming pervasive in Igbo land. It breeds greed, envy and anger, emotions that drive violent crimes. We should discourage this obscenity in the face of abject poverty and want currently prevailing in Igbo land. We were able to address this in the context of traditional marriages. We must address this also as a moral imperative.
There is an urgent need for an all Igbo conference to address our major challenges, prominent among which are, the intolerable rate of crime, and our acquired culture of lavishness.
The Southeast Governors need to harmonise their crime fighting strategy. The Governor of Lagos State was able to neutralise the “area boys.” I was in Balogun of recent, and was pleasantly surprised that I was not harassed by the ubiquitous area boys.
The level of crime in the South East needs to be matched with adequate technology and equipment. Cooperation with the telecommunication industry is imperative. The use of CCTV cameras and combat helicopters is essential. The legislators from the South East should be in the forefront of those moving for the re-establishment of a State Police. It is incongruous for the Governor to be the chief security officer for his State, while the zonal DIG’s and Police Commissioners defer to authorities outside the State. Nigeria must be a federation in words and in deeds. May God Bless Nigeria. May God bless Ndiigbo. *********** Uzochukwu Okafor Surveyor-General Ministry of Lands and Resettlement 45 Robert Mugabe Street Private Bag 13343, Windhoek Namibia |