Pat Utomi and Igbo Nationalism, by Remi Oyeyemi

“Extremism in the defence of your heritage is no vice. And moderation in the defence of your civilization is no virtue.” – An adaptation of Barry Goldwater’s quote by the author.

pat utomi

I had just finished reading Professor Pat Utomi’s lamentations in his piece “Unreason in a Season of Emotion.” (http://sunnewsonline.com/new/?p=116258). Through the piece, one could feel the pains and agonies of a nationalist of the Igbo Nation. Professor Utomi, a nationalist who has done his utmost in building up his people, supporting them and paving ways for them is in shock. He obviously, has over the years played, and is still playing the role of pathfinder for his Igbo people in the Yoruba land of Lagos, where he has himself blossomed and prospered. I can’t claim to know him but I have followed him for several years. I know that as an Igbo Nationalist, he believes in Nigeria and in good neighbourliness. This has been the way and manner he has lived and taught his people to live.

But unfortunately, when a teacher teaches a class of about thirty students for example, some would comprehend very well, some would be of average and others would have no clue at all as to what the teacher is teaching. As a pathfinder and an Igbo nationalist, Professor Utomi has just found out that not all his students have an understanding of what he is trying to put across. And the danger in his own case is that he is marked by some of these students for vilification and malice. A development that is flabbergasting to Professor Utomi.

Professor Utomi was obviously perplexed that his own people whom he is trying to protect in his Tweet that raised the hell, would accuse him of having taken a bribe from Asiwaju Bola Tinubu to make light of the comments of the Oba of Lagos, His Royal Highness Oba Rilwan Akiolu on Igbo people who were threatening to vote against Akin Ambode, the APC candidate. Professor Utomi could not fathom the low to which some would go to make such allegations after contributing so much to the progress of Igbo in Lagos state and proved his mettle as an Igbo nationalist over several years.

Though, it was obvious that he did not appreciate the comments of Oba Akiolu on the Igbo that they should be consumed by the ocean, he admitted that he had a better understanding of the Oba’s position after having conversation with an Asaba Chief, Chuma Okolo, who pointed out the “hypocritical quarrel” with Oba’ Akiolu’s remarks. Chief Okolo had posited that the Asagba of Asaba could have said the same thing to champion his own cause and that any traditional ruler from the East who fails to do same would be “unnatural.” Still Professor Utomi could not understand the unreasonableness of his Igbo brethren about his comments on the issue at hand and the venom being poured on him for trying to protect them.

A friend who is very upset about the Igbo’s attack on Oba Akiolu had sent me a message around the time I was concluding my reading of Professor Utomi’s article. He felt that most of the things President Jonathan did or allowed to happen during his tenure were very irresponsible and destructive to the survival of a united Nigeria. He acknowledged that he was aware that I did not believe in the country called Nigeria, but at the same time it would be wrong not to pay attention to events that could cause xenophobic crisis across country. I sought to know the basis of this anger and concern. He then sent me the Roll Call of Nigeria Communications Commission (NCC) Chief Executive Officers since 1993. Below is the message verbatim edited for spelling:

ROLL- CALL OF Nigeria Communications Commission’s (NCC) Executive Vice Chairman/CEOs:

1. Engr. C. IROMANTU (1993 to 1999)-6 yrs from S/EAST…he employed 168 new staffers.. 149 from S/EAST
2. Engr Emmanuel NNMA (1999 to 2000) 6months; from S/EAST…he employed 79…66 from S/EAST.
3. Engr Earnest NDIKWE(2000 to 2010)10 yrs; from S/EAST…he employed 310…288 from S/EAST
4. Dr. Eugene JUWA (2010 to date)5 yrs; from S/SOUTH..he employed 188ppl..110 from S/SOUTH, 60 frm S/EAST!
5. From 1993 to date ALL major Contractors, Consultants, Contracts & Interventional Capital Projects are 90% tilted in favor of S/EAST & S/SOUTH
6. This is a case of NO justice, neither fairness nor equity & lacking in good conscience.

Reading through the above, I believe this is not fair to the other constituent units in Nigeria. I decided to forward the message to all friends of different nationalities on my list. I did not discriminate on the basis of ethnic nationality or religion. I just sent it out. The reason for not discriminating was that I believe that human beings are innately fair despite their often manifested inhumanity to others. I was banking on the sense of fairness of everyone who would receive this message and be able to condemn it and express hope for a fair treatment of all. Then, one of my Igbo friends identified as UC responded. Below is the conversation we had
:
[9:03AM, 25/04/2015]
Uc: Remi I hope your not one of them. Shocking roll off my feet. You yorubas better back off from Igbos. The hatred is too much. You can never break us. We are blessed in everything we touch.

[9:04AM, 25/04/2015]
Remi Oyeyemi: So, you think it is fair to take everything to the exclusion of others?

[9:06AM, 25/04/2015]
Remi Oyeyemi: I sent the information to you hoping that you’re a fairminded person who believes in the accommodation of others.

[9:06AM, 25/04/2015]
Uc: You cannot compare it

[9:07AM, 25/04/2015]
Remi Oyeyemi: Don’t tell me you’re one of those who think Lagos is no man’s land?

[9:07AM, 25/04/2015]
Remi Oyeyemi: Compare what?

[9:07AM, 25/04/2015]
Remi Oyeyemi: Wow!!!!! You’re making me to begin to see things differently.

[9:08AM, 25/04/2015]
Uc: ………..My sister is married to half yoruba.

[9:08AM, 25/04/2015]
Uc: I believe in true love but the hate is becoming glamorous by the day.

[9:10AM, 25/04/2015]
Remi Oyeyemi: That is not an excuse to claim everything to the exclusion of others and claim another man’s land as yours then begin to insult them, humiliate them, threaten them and harass them in their land. Wow!!!!

After reading Professor Utomi’s lamentation and having the above conversation with my Igbo friend, I felt that I have been proved right that the Yoruba are on the path to becoming slaves in their own land through their own making. The fact that the Yoruba have an accommodating culture and give foreigners unrestricted access to the flowing honey in their land does not mean they should go to sleep and allow their land to be contaminated with foreign values that are antithetical to the progress of their land, and the advance of their over 1,200 years of civilization.

The vilification of Professor Utomi on social media is an attestation to the fact that a section of Ndigbo has constituted itself into “the enemy within” for the Igbo Nation. This section is giving the good ones among Ndigbo bad names and negative reputation. Imagine if Professor Utomi had the kind of understanding he later had after speaking with the Asaba chief and Tweeted something differently than what he earlier tweeted, only heavens know what could have happened to him. Even, then he was shocked beyond belief at the vitriol and venoms that came his way from a people he was defending. The constant attack of the Yoruba people in Nigeria by this section of Ndigbo has no moderation that the likes of Professor Utomi are championing. It is a kind of blind hatred for the Yoruba people and as a result devoid of reason, understanding and fairness.

Unknown to this section of Ndigbo, they are sensitising not just the Yoruba of Lagos and Nigeria, they are also waking up other nationalities as to Ndigbo’s idiosyncrasies of denigrating and disrespecting their hosts across the country. They are constantly stirring up hatred towards the Igbo generally. They are fueling xenophobic feelings against themselves and their people living in other lands. They are abrasive, insensitive, loud, inconsiderate, selfish and ungrateful.

For someone like me, it is very difficult for me to hate the Igbo. This is because my only younger brother is married to one. My favourite brother-in-law is married to one. My guardian in my High School days is from Owerri and he was my father’s Caretaker for about 25 years. His children, Charlie, Rose and Stella are my brother and sisters. I almost married an Igbo myself from Item in Abia State before the dowry did its damage. This is apart from several friends of Igbo extraction across all settings in my life.

But it is unacceptable for this section of Ndigbo to continue to assault and insult the sensitivities of my Yoruba people because we are accommodating, tolerating and considerate. This section of Ndigbo started their current round of insult to the Yoruba by claiming that Lagos is “no man’s land.” They come up with a lot of ridiculous explanations that are not worth repeating here. They are so loud and abrasive that one wonders if this set of Ndigbo have elders in their families who can reason with them and caution them. The Secretary to the Federal Government under President Jonathan, an Igboman, Pius Anyim Pius was reported to have engineered this ridiculous controversy to give his Igbo people the courage to take over Lagos and dominate it.

Other nationalities have been able to accommodate and treat Ndigbo with respect. But there is a group of Igbo that is always abusing their hosts and insulting them. They have no idea of what gratitude means. As a result they are always fanning the embers of division as well as denigration and domination of others. The constant braggadocio of this group of Igbo that they own most of Lagos and Abuja should be instructive for and to the rest of Nigerian nationalities. I don’t know if this is true in Abuja, but I have evidence that this is far from being true in Lagos.

But this section of Ndigbo believes in Chinua Achebe’s genre of lie peddling from the school of Joseph Goebbels – repeat a lie so many times and it would become a truth! But one lie that could be repeated as many times as its purveyors might want but would never become true is that “Lagos is no man’s land.” Lagos has ownership. And the owners are the Yoruba people. At a point, the Yoruba would resist this continuous insult and put a stop to being taken for granted. This section of Ndigbo should learn from the reasonable ones like Professor Utomi and exercise caution, restraint and consideration. And by the way, what happened in the NCC as shown above also happened under Chinua Achebe when he was appointed the Managing Director of Radio Nigeria in 1966 shortly before the Civil War. In his six- month tenure, the Igbo’s percentage as staff went from 24% to over 80%!

Accommodating others is not and should not be a crime. It is a mark of civilisation. But any civilisation that is not able to guard its history and gains would become history itself. This is the challenge for and to the Yoruba Nation. The need to sustain the Yoruba civilisation in lieu of the deliberate assault on their heritage by this section of Ndigbo in Lagos and across Yoruba land could never have become more imperative. It is time for the Yoruba leaders to wake up and protect what is bequeathed to them. The Yoruba has a principled way of life and our leaders cannot and should not allow our culture of moderation and accommodation becomes our Achilles heel. This is because as Thomas Paine pointed out, “Moderation in temper is a virtue, but moderation in principle is always a vice.”

The fact that my Igbo friend could not see the unfairness in the above roll call of the NCC shows the unreasonableness that the majority of the Igbo have been unceasingly manifesting on constant basis. This is why it is easier for the likes of Professor Utomi who are among the reasonable few to be maligned and be intimidated. This section of Ndigbo, as pointed out by Professor Utomi, often would invade the social media and spread hatred not just against the Yoruba in whose land they are prospering, but against the few reasonable ones among them who understands what it means to be sensitive and considerate in another man’s yard.

This section of Ndigbo, on constant basis, has been insulting the Yoruba, relentlessly abusing our leaders, disrespecting our heroes, denigrating our institutions, disregarding our culture, laying claim to our land and threatening our civilisation and our safety. They are odiously loud and obnoxious in their attitude. Their “in your face” braggadocio is nauseating. They have no sense of moderation or fairness. They are conspicuously apolitical, economically egregious and socially contaminating. They call us cowards because of our culture of caution, consideration and accommodation. They are constantly provoking. This section of Ndigbo should be reminded by their more reasonable brethren the words of the great American, Alexander Hamilton (1757 -1804), that “When the sword is once drawn, the passions of men observe no bounds of moderation.”

The calamity of the last six years as represented by the Jonathan administration is of tragic proportions for the Yoruba Nation in particular and Nigeria in general. It is hoped that as my friend from Nigeria observed, the incoming administration would take quick actions to prevent xenophobic crisis across the country because of the unguarded greed and disrespect of others, especially in their own land being exuded and engineered by this group of Igbo people across Nigeria. This is of paramount importance because when the crisis breaks out both the innocent and the guilty Igbo would become victims. This should not be allowed to happen. A stitch in time, so they say, can save several others.

“In the long history of the world, only a few generations have been granted the role of defending freedom in its hour of maximum danger. I do not shrink from this responsibility – I welcome it.” John F. Kennedy, in his Inaugural Address January 20, 1961.

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10 Comments

  1. I pray that we open our eyes to see the plan of the devil to use the bitter utterances of a few to light the fire of hatred and division. Let us bite our tongues and find respond only in ways that will shame to the devil and bring healing to all. Love thy neighbour as thyself is the Lord’s greatest commandment. Let us understand the in obedience we need to mutually respect each other and use our collective God given abilities to better unite ourselves and truly be ONE nation in all we say and do.

  2. NEITHER CAN ANY EVIL WISH, HOPE OR PRAYER, EVER EVEN HAVE THE REMOTEST EFFECT ON WHOM YOU WISH IT ON . PLS GET A LIFE AND STOP RESORTING TO ALL THESE SENTIMENTAL TALK

    • Its hurts to hear the truth right. There’s really no excuse if folks like you believe in God or not but his words are non negotiable. I dare you to challenge God on this one; take you hate to the next level lets see how you’ll end up. I look forward to seeing the supposed yoruba clan defend you before the gates of heaven. There is a thin line between ignorance and inanity.

  3. NEITHER CAN ANY EVIL WISHES, HOPES OR PRAYERS EVER EVEN HAVE THE REMOTEST EFFECT ON WHOM YOU WISH IT ON . PLS GET A LIFE AND STOP RESORTING TO ALL THESE SENTIMENTAL TALK

  4. As i read all the hate comments, speeches and editorials during this election period, i am filled with nothing but sadness and absolute disappointment at the level of hate in our country today. It is so easy to judge others without judging yourselves. One thing is for sure, it shall never be well with you if you feel so strongly about another human being. God has employed us to love our neighbors as ourselves” – UNCONDITIONALLY!!! Be your brothers’ keeper or I tell you most solemnly that you will not make heaven.

    Who really cares what tribe or religion anyone is from, we are all affected by the same issues. Who cares who owns Lagos or Abuja or the moon; you cannot take any of those to your grave. A lot of Nigerians do not truly understand how the cycle of life works. No matter how much money you have amassed, no matter how powerful you are and even if you have the C of O for the whole Lagos ; you CANNOT escape being food for maggots when you die. And it gets worse when your hate takes you straight to hell. There is no power + fuel scarcity; I have been carrying a petrol can in my booth for the past 2 days – no fuel!. So today my family and I get to keep the usual vigil due to the immerse heat, how do I explain this futility of the Nigerian system to my 2 yr old who will be sweating profusely and crying due to the hopeless discomfort at night. No public service institution works in this country and it affects everybody. These corrupt politicians use certain imbeciles to spread racial tension just to divert attention from their looting and degradation of this country.

    With the number of churches in this country, one would expect a very high level of spirituality but No!, its one hate spat after another. Thanks to my late father, I have been fortunate to travel the length and breadth of this wonderful country and I can say it with all the pride that I can muster that this country may actually be the garden of Eden in the bible. Why can’t Nigerian tribes be identified along the lines of their wonderful foods, dressing and rich heritage. Nigerian people are truly wonderful people in their hearts and the truth is that we all need each other. God bless the statesmen that came up with the idea of the NYSC.

    Enough is enough! This hate has got to stop! No more hate! It is drowning our country and dumb hate comments and opinions are just fuelling it. We all need each other!!!

    May God have mercy on your souls with all your hate.

    Long live my wonderful country NIGERIA!

    • NO AMOUNT OF EVIL WISHES FROM YOU OR YOUR ILK, CAN HAVE ANY EFFECT EVER ON THE INTEGRITY AND FABRIC OF YORUBA CIVILIZATION WHICH I AND MY PEOPLE STAND FOR TODAY.
      ITS HIGH TIME YOU IGBOS STOPPED CRYING ABOUT MARGINALIZATION. RISE UP AND DEVELOP YOUR STATES, AND STOP BEGGING TO BE LOVED. NOT EVERYONE IS A CHRISTIAN, OR IS RELIGIOUS. THE MESSAGE OF LOVE HAS BEEN DISTORTED AND ABUSED BY YOUR CLAN. WE HAVE WELCOMED YOU, BUT YOU HAVE TURNED OUT TO BITE THE FINGERS THAT FED YOU. ITS ABOUT TIME YOU PEOPLE STOPPED BEING CHILDISH AND UNREASONABLE
      DO THE RIGHT THINGS, AND ALL OTHER THINGS WILL FALL INTO PLACE.

  5. The Yoruba race have been rubished despite high literacy levels because we have weakened our political walls especially by indoctrination in the name of religion. This is something we should learn from the northerners… they are builders of political stamps and seals. Just see presidential election results.
    They unite in one voice and decreee while we divide into political weakness. Yorubas don’t vote and hence, could be threatened even at home…

    However, when you intimidate your host… it’s a matter of time, you will soon overstay your welcome!

  6. I have always thought the same. It’s quite good to know that Yorubas are waking up now to this rubbish they had obviously not considered an issue and were totally oblivious to.
    I have always considered Femi Fani kayode’s opinion that igbos are “collectively unlettered, uncouth, uncultured, unrestrained and crude in all their ways” to be true though restricted to the village-raised ones. (though a few enlightened ones too would rather choose to practice tribalism , being usually unreasonably ‘nonobjective’ in all matters relating to a Yoruba association or tie, yet they consider it an achievement to marry a Yoruba person.
    THIS IS A CLEAR CASE OF INFERIORITY COMPLEX, which Yorubas have also been oblivious to. Most of us especially raised in the comfort of Lagos, didnt consider Lagos ‘special’ until we had the ‘opportunity’ of having to leave our bases in our latter years. mMst Igbos grew up in their undeveloped rural states and at the quickest opportunity would throng to Lagos for the better life. They grew up knowing Lagos to be the promised land they would one day step. and dreamed of they day they would live in Lagos. Yorubas were not within their reach, nor in their radar. So, Yorubas were and are quite superior to them.
    Fast forward several yeARS, THE BITTERNESS IN THEM from the progress, education levels and sophistication of the Yorubas who in their (Igbbos) fickle minds are the cause of the genocide that hit them during the civil war (which a weakling called Ojukwu caused and abandoned them in). It is eating at them on a daily basis. I still wonder for heavens sake why they find it difficult to build their own states which are now ghost towns – and keep crying about the fact that they ‘built’ Lagos.
    Its absurd, its stupid. Its the reasoning of a bitter lot.

  7. After reading this article, I felt so great to be called a Yoruba man. A Yoruba man with dignity and respect, considerate and full of compassion. As the writer stated, the Yorubas are not timid,stupid and dumb but we’re brought up with humanly love towards all and not because someone is ibo,hausa or white but to all but still Yoruba ro nu oooooo.

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