By Charles Ogbu


Ndigbo, I understand that in a period of heightened emotion, it is difficult to look at issues logically and DISPASSIONATELY but let me say this, just for the record,

Insulting Buhari following that atrocious threat he just tweeted against us will not solve this problem. It will only give us emotional orgasm at best. Nothing more.

When the violent attacks by Unknown Gun Men in the southeast started, I recall writing in condemnation and calling on all of us to join hands to condemn any attempt to turn Ala-Igbo to Somalia under whatever guise. I added that only a foolish son will fight a war in his own home because head or tail, na you lose. I remember I was attacked on that post by those who think being Igbo is all about wearing ishiagu and being drunk on empty emotion while being low on reason.

Today, we have all seen that Ndigbo and Ala-Igbo are the ultimate loser from this whole violence. Most of our towns are now deserted. Businesses closed. Our people are scared and living in fear. Today, I heard that the house and cars of a prominent man in Ohofia was burnt. That is a private citizen ooo

Let me say this again, anyone attacking security operatives and govt infrastructures in the southeast is actually looking for trouble from the govt and seeing as the govt is headed by a dark-hearted man with a generational hatred for Ndigbo, he will not fail to use that opportunity to try and do what he and his gang couldn't do in 1967.

Buhari is a known hater of Ndigbo, why give him the excuse to kill our people?

Before now, the problem was Buhari/Fulani versus the rest of Nigeria and we were already building a strong pan Nigerian alliance to isolate them until some of us went and monopolized and essentialized and converted a Nigerian problem to an Igbo problem. And the attacks on govt facilities and security operatives/formation began with the attendant celebration of the attackers - the same attackers whose identities we all claim we don't know.

The solution is to halt the ongoing madness in Alaigbo.

THOSE ATTACKING GOVT INSTITUTIONS AND SECURITY OPERATIVES IN ALA-IGBO, WHOEVER YOU ARE,  PLEASE STOP. THOSE OF YOU CELEBRATING IT BOTH ON AND OFF-LINE SHOULD ALSO STOP.

That is, assuming we have any love for Ala-Igbo.

As long as the attacks continue, Buhari will have reasons to flood the entire East with soldiers and police and in the eye of the international community, he would be justified because he could claim he was maintaining NATIONAL SECURITY. Even if his troops commit gross human right violations, nothing much will come out of it. The world is such an amoral place and the international communities are guided by interest, nothing more.

We cannot afford an armed conflict with the Nigerian state. NOT NOW! So even if the state is trying to draw us into one, we should do all we can to resist it. This is not cowardice. This is wisdom. We cannot be shouting Ozo-emena while doing things that will provide an excuse for ozo to mee.

I have heard the argument that it's better to scatter everything and everywhere so we can all start afresh to build a better society. I understand this logic but I respectfully disagree with it because quite frankly, Ndigbo are not ready for this. When a formidable opponent is baiting you for a fight, wisdom demands that you buy time to enable you prepare before taking the bait, else, you will just end up committing suicide. According to Chinualumogu Achebe, it is good to be brave but sometimes, it is better to be a coward

Dear Unknown Gun Men and their enablers both on and off social media, please, for the sake of our people who can no longer do their businesses, make una pity us by marching break bikonu. Na beg I dey beg. Ala-Igbo is bleeding. Please, for the sake of God, make una stop.

Ndigbo, We Should Not Use Our Head To Break The Nigerian Coconut AGAIN. This country is already collapsing under the weight of her internal contradictions. Don't let Ala-Igbo collapse alongside. If we cannot stop an evil rain from falling, we should at least stop ourselves from being beaten by the rain.