Friday, July 12, 2019

Politics of Escapism: Why Igbos Should Adopt a Broad Strategy in Nigerian Politics

The entrepreneurial spirit of an Igbo person is next to none. They are known for leaving their enclaves in the South East, Nigeria, migrating to Lagos, different parts of Nigeria and all over the world in search of greener pastures and returning to their villages in ONE YEAR with automobiles and wealth. I am not exaggerating; most actually make it in such very short interval. Sui generis to the Igbo people, it is the dream of every one of them who leaves their ancestral homes in the South East to go abroad.

James S. Coleman in his book, ‘Nigeria: Background To Nationalism’ (1963) aptly captured the nature of the Igbo person. He noted that the average Igbo person was more interested in educational development. That “characteristic personality and behavioural traits” of the Igbos as a group makes the “go-getter” admired. The man who has money is recognised and the man “who just sits quiet is not respected”. Life in Igbo societies is highly competitive and there is great emphasis on achieved status, which is captured in Trompenaars’ dimensions of culture as ‘ascription’, Coleman elucidated.

In recent times, an American journalist cum author, Robert Neuwirth noted that the Igbo apprenticeship system is the largest business incubator system in the world. He eulogised the business system in a TED talk about the age-old sharing economies of Africa. Most Igbos who migrate from their village are taken in by masters where they will intern and learn a trade and/or skill after which they will be freed and empowered with venture capital given by the master.

After the war and subsequent alienation from frontline roles in Nigerian politics, Igbos took to politics of escapism with their businesses as the succour to feel less tyrannized by the unfavourable political events of the past five decades. The last time an Igbo man got to the highest echelon of power after the war was during the Shagari administration when Chief Alex Ekwueme was vice-president. The coup, which removed that administration, reinforced the claim that there remains a grand conspiracy to keep Igbo people who are inured to such treatment out of Nigeria’s top political jobs deepening the schism between the major ethnic nationalities.

Igbo presidency has become an inescapable question much more in the fourth republic where the South West, South South and Northern Region have all had the top position in the spirit of North/South rotation of the presidency in political parties. More so in a time of dissent by Igbo youths who have taken to secessionist agitations. There is a general feeling that the Igbo ethnic group as one of the triads of power in Nigeria deserve the top job. Secessionist tendencies are borne out of lack of equity stemming mainly from this exclusion. Many Igbos either take solace in running their business and/or seeking restructuring or outright division of Nigeria since it seems the other ethnic groups are not ready to accommodate them in politics, especially the north.

However, Igbos need to withdraw from abstinence from national politics which is one of the major bane of the exclusion so long as the South East remains in Nigeria. Before the war, Igbos were at the forefront of national politics. For those who earnestly seek restructuring, if their representatives aren’t at the table to discuss restructuring, how will it happen? By fiat? As much as the entrepreneurial spirit of Igbos abounds, it’s necessary to begin to care about Nigerian politics because that politics affects the lives and businesses of every Igbo person. Igbos have outsourced Nigeria’s leadership for many years to other ethnic groups and it has negatively impacted their lives.

Dr. Joe Abah made some comments in regards to Igbos building bridges but his submission was greeted with a barrage of opprobrium because he whittled down the discussion to Igbos desisting from abuses and vituperations on other ethnic groups. As the idiom goes, “don’t shoot the messenger”; Igbos must learn to take the message regardless of the person or medium or mode of delivery. Dr. Joe raised salient issues. Though his framing is argumentum non sequitur, for instance the use of derogatory terms for other ethnic groups is a thing in Nigeria, but it is high time Igbos begin to play strategic politics. Igbo presidency in 2023 is possible but Igbos must champion it. We must begin to caution our youths in secessionist groups who are wont to abusing other ethnic groups and taking extremist positions and expect others to be of good behaviour too.

Notably, Igbos have been loyal to PDP since 1999 because the ideals of the party aligns to the capitalist-business-oriented philosophy of the average Igbo person. Whether the PDP will appreciate this loyalty and field an Igbo person in 2023 is still indeterminate as there are talks of keeping the rotation of power in the north to wrestle power from APC. APC needs to begin to broaden its party philosophy and platform to accommodate Igbo people. It has to truly become a national party not only one that appeals to North and South West regions. The party gained some grounds in the last election in the South East adding senators and House of Representatives members to its ranks.

Igbos must begin to embrace Nigeria. Abdication hurts our businesses. We cannot achieve restructuring if we continue to stay away. According to Keith O’Regan escapism is “inadequate response to the magnitude of the crisis. Escapism is defined simultaneously and paradoxically by both a lack, and superfluity of imagination; both are counter-posed to a rationalist, realist, appropriate response of confronting and coming to terms with the problem directly.”

It is imperative for Ndi Igbo in various socio-political and umbrella groups like Ohanaeze Ndigbo to begin to broaden our participation in national politics. People like Senator Ifeanyi Ubah (YPP) and Senator Orji Uzor Kalu (APC) who have begun to seek for inclusion of Igbos in APC need to be encouraged. This falls under a regional strategy. South East should begin to view national parties (especially APC, PDP) beyond the presidential candidates but with a focus on 2023. Indubitably broad participation is an ingredient for national integration, inclusive governance, equity, justice, peace and unity.

Thursday, June 27, 2019

Afrohighlife: A Review of "Culture" by Umu Obiligbo featuring Flavour and Phyno

It is the biggest song in South East Nigeria and a big hit in the Nigerian music industry. Highlife music stars Umu Obiligbo's (Akunwafor jnr and Okpuozor) latest single "Culture" featuring industry giants Phyno and Flavour (A-list artistes in the Nigerian music industry) is an infusion of highlife, Igbo rap and afrobeat. Despite the rendition of the song in Igbo language, it has the trappings of a song, which brings highlife music to the mainstream.

Big time Nigerian music producer Masterkraft conjured what is the best tune from the east of the River Niger so far in 2019. Take a listen and you will be enthralled in the combination of esoteric and eclectic sound of drums, ogene instrument, plosive aerophone and slit drum; a mix of urbane and modern Afrobeat blended with African high life music. Acoustic sounds of guitar and flutes gives off euphoric feelings which sends downs chills down the spine; eclectic, facile and danceable. That song reflects the true meaning of native Nigerian music. The song is so smooth in the ears that it echos suavity.

Non-Igbos speakers may have a hard time recognising or paying attention to Umu Obiligbo. Afrobeat enthusiasts may not be interested in their highlife music, which is rendered in Igbo language. However featuring Phyno and Flavour and the inculcation of other genres gave it the singe some traction to appeal to a wider audience. Music aficionados would liken this collaboration to that of Lil Nas X featuring Billy Cyrus in "Old Town Road", where country music and hip hop came together to deliver a song which has broken streaming records and reduced the chasm between traditional American genres and mainstream music genres.

Between, there has been a rise of Afrobeat and rap music, which is the dominant tune in Nigeria in the South East which are rendered in Igbo language. Phyno is an Igbo rapper and a hip-hop artist. One of his latest hit, "Obiagu" a soundtrack used in Lionheart movie brings to fore the rising dominance of Nigerian languages in mainstream genres. In the South West, the Yoruba language is the default medium for delivering Afrobeat by the likes of Olamide and Burna Boy. Afrobeat in Igbo language has been gaining popularity with artistes like Phyno, Flavour, Zoro and Tekno among others preferring their mother tongue to English.

This evolution were the foundations on which highlife artistes like Umu Obiligbo utilized to mesmerize fans with their eclectic and danceable song. Previously, they were featured by Flavour in the song, "Awele" in which Flavour's Igbo highlife isn't as deep rooted as the duo who are the progeny to popular highlife musicians like Sir Osita Osadebe, Oliver De Coque, Rex Lawson et cetera, a brand of music that seem to be fading away.

The innovation of Umu Obiligbo in producing a tune, which criss-crosses many genres - highlife, Igbo rap, Afrobeat, hip-hop - is a genius feat. Everyone involved in the production of the song should be applauded, from the writer(s) to the producer. Phyno delivered a grade one Igbo rap. Flavour's beautiful high life voice blessed the track with his brilliance. A critic of the lyrics did not reveal explicit use of words because highlife music teaches people about life matters. An avenue to deliver wise sayings to listeners and this is what makes songs in the genre loved by mature audiences. However, the infusion of various genres in "Culture" cuts across all age brackets and gives the song an allure that is hard to resist.

The success of the song, which has racked over one million views on their combined on Youtube Vevo and over 7m combined (when you include views on Flavour's and other page, is a pointer to the brilliance of Nigerian artistes who are reinventing themselves and asserting the Nigerian music industry as the numero uno in Africa.

ThankGod Ukachukwu, @kcnaija

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

Waiting for Change, Waiting for the Noisemakers

I hope Lai Muhammad is able to draw a line between the acrimonious party job of a spokesman and that of minister of information of Nigeria as he is the most likely nominee to occupy that post. I hope when countries demand information and answers, he won't go about throwing jabs and insults and vituperations all in the name of responses and clarifications. While he can engage in partisan squabbles with Oliseh Metuh and PDP, countries especially those that have clout will not waste time on frivolities but will respond with polices and actions that will be to the detriment of Nigeria and Nigerians residing in Nigeria and mostly abroad. They will send in their spies to do their dirty jobs. I hope like Buhari stated recently, 'if we survived it I want Nigerian to have found out that I was genuine,a real patriot not that I only fought the Civil war but fought corruption to a stand still’. I hope Nigeria survives APC and their tantrums. The signs are not very good. But God help Nigeria.

The change of government, from a patriotic view is a very good phenomenon and omen for Nigeria given that the PDP had an opportunity to pilot the affairs of the republic for sixteen years of our nascent democracy but marginally improved the lots of the masses and created a top 1% who are so wealthy that they can afford the best things in life. However, they did not fail in all aspects, while many African countries have become failed states and war zones, they protected our freedom and bequeathed to Nigerians, President Muhammad Buhari and APC peace instead of war and strife. However, his excellency's pessimistic views and outlook above captures the near comatose situation we have found Nigeria at the moment instead of an ebullient environment charged with optimism and hope which were pillars of the change mantra on which the APC ascended to office. Speaking to the press in New Delhi as the president is wont to, having made every important statement of his presidency from foreign lands a la Chatham House, Germany, France, USA, our surrounding neighbours, and now India, the president alludes that Nigeria lacks direction at the moment. Seems the president and his men at the presidency are bereft of ideas and are likely waiting on the soon to be inaugurated noise makers (ministers) some of who will be without portfolio according to the president to hatch the master plan of change to rescue Nigeria and set the country on the path of greatness.

This depicts a dispensation in which the government is planning to fail as there is lack of vision from the leader and a resort to haphazard planning and absence of an elaborate agenda, lack of policy thrust and direction, ignorance of viable and robust economic plans which are all signs that leadership, that type of transformational, charismatic and authentic leadership that is required to establish Nigeria and improve the living standards of the citizens is not forthcoming from the top.

Our economy is not smiling if I may use that allegory. IMF has asked that we devalue our currency! And I ask, is there a way Nigeria can counter the devaluation through macro and micro economic polices? What can the government and his economic team do to boost the economy in real terms so that we can harness the value that can enable the economy withstand the vagaries of the global economy that is the root cause of this request for devaluation? If I understand correctly devaluing the Nigeria ensures that we have less purchasing parity and we now spend more to import items that were imported at lesser values? Is there a way to produce domestically so we import less? Are there any factors holding the incumbent government from taking steps in this direction? We spent over 100 days in the country chasing the ghost of the past and pursuing a sectional agenda, hunting opposition and tussling for party supremacy instead of settling down to rescue Nigeria. We need answers and solutions that will be made in Nigeria, I wish Buhari will know that he has a huge task for the present and the future and will spend 80% of his time on such ventures and 20% on pursuing the ghost of the past!

According to one media source, Nigerians have called on the soon to be inaugurated ministers to declare their assets but in a swift response, the presidency retorted that ministers won't be compelled to declare their assets but will abide by the existing laws. In their responses, the ministers in waiting have stated that they will abide by the polices of the Buhari's administration. There seems to be a disconnect between the president's utterances and the clarifications of his spokesmen. While the president has insisted that some of the ministers who have been enrolled in a two days retreat in preparation for the tedious job of public administration will not have any portfolio, his hatchet men have in between the two assertions by Buhari within the space of one week, in New Delhi and during his meeting with the Senate President clarified that no ministers will be without portfolio. While this trend has been characteristic of the Buhari's presidency, one begins to wonder if old age has began to set in or the president's men are yet to synchronize with the body language of their principal.

Pondering on the decision to have ministers without portfolio, one wonders aloud if the task of governing Nigeria is a menial task and if so there is no need for senior and junior ministers. However, Nigeria is in a dire situation and as one public commentator stated lately, Nigeria was a pariah and a near failed state in 1999 before the advent of the new dispensation of democracy. I believe that the task of public policy making and administration in the Nigerian context is huge and can accommodate 36 ministers. Given that we do not have up to 36 ministries, I am aware that some ministries composes of different areas that fall under the same sector. For instance, the ministry of transport comprise of land and water. While land comprises of roads and railways. Ability to develop innovative polices that will move Nigeria forward in this ministry requires a senior and junior minister who will work in these different areas homogeneously with instructions from the presidency to find ways of apportioning the work to be done such that no area will be neglected. However, my ideas are only applicable if the motives of the appointees are genuine and ideal and are targeted at developing Nigeria. Else as it is insinuated in many quarters and as can be deduced from the trajectory of the appointments, most of the nominees are political jobbers who invested heavily in the campaign and election of Buhari and as such must be compensated. Nigerians are eagerly waiting for the inauguration of the ministers and their various portfolios assigned to them so that, all motion and no movement of the Nigerian government can give way to progress and change. Things are worsening as we speak, fuel queues are resurfacing, the economy is not smiling and people are losing their jobs. The roads as the Vice president noted recently in the South East needs urgent attention. Nigerians wish the president will deliver the change he so promised.

Lastly, it seems that the task of developing a viable economic agenda lies on the soon to be inaugurated ministers because the presidency has not delivered one. The West who want to control everything have through their usual channels regurgitated everything well meaning Nigerians have been shouting from the rooftops since May 29th 2015. Matthew Page a fellow of international affairs at the Council on Foreign Relations writing in the Washington post presented five ideas the president could adopt in his pursuit of a change agenda for Nigeria. It is in fact ridiculous that at a time when commentators and public affairs analysts should spend time dissecting, deliberating, criticizing and discussing the president's agenda, there is virtually none for that purpose. All we know is that the president wants to fight corruption head on and curb the deteriorating security situation mainly coming from the North Eastern Nigeria where the Boko Haram insurgents hold sway. Any plan on how to achieve these goals remain elusive. No wonder everyone has resorted to providing recipes for the president. To be the president of a democratic government, the head of government being the president must be a visionary citizen, one who can rally other citizens around his visions, visions which are clear and not ambiguous, visions which can be clearly communicated, which can be articulated in plans and policy documents, visions which are subject to debates and criticisms. I severally told my friends that no matter how intelligent, brilliant and experienced the presidents aides, advisers, assistants and minsters are, if the presidents lacks and cannot articulate a documented vision which is a guide and epoch for his platoon of staff, progress and success will be minimal. The president has many people and files to attend to on daily basis and his job entails the highest level of decision making where he should have the propensity to provide direction for all decisions. If the reverse is the case, how does the president know if the plans and decisions communicated are correct. We will then have a situation where the president is no longer responsible for decision making and passes that job to his staff who will not be directly held responsible for their actions and corresponding outcomes by the Nigerian people. That is a recipe for disaster. However, that is the nasty and dire situation we find ourselves in Nigeria today.

One thing I know is that given the foundations and resilience Nigeria has acquired in the last 16 years of democracy, Nigeria cannot fail. However, this government going by its precedents and antecedents are tilting towards failure more than they lean towards success. As we await the noise makers whose absence have kept the various areas of governance in near comatose, we hope that relieve will come in a short while. Our president is a very patient one and it will not be out of place for him to inaugurate the ministers in 2016.

Nigerians deserve better from President Buhari and his party APC.