The attack on Ekweremadu, truly a wake-up call

The issue at stake is actually about the heart and soul of the agitation for justice and equivalent for the Igbos, whether such agitation takes the form of sovereignty or other forms. I said whether sovereignty or other forms because there are still other options including reviving the Aburi Accord.

But we need not address the final status yet. We just need a roadmap. Without any roadmap yet, it will be difficult to jump to the final status question.

Who should lead the Igbos on the National identity quest? This is the question the Igbos should answer. What role will the Igbo elites play? Are they going to stand on the sidelines and watch in concealed panic as their less informed, and yet the most deprived, brothers seek to provide leadership?

All over the world, there are Igbo medical doctors, Igbo lawyers, Igbo scientists, Igbo academia, etc in top positions in their fields. Where are those Igbos? They must not sit back and allow thugs and rabble rousers to lead the Igbo National identity project.

Unless the Igbos are led by their best hands, the Igbos will not come out with the best results. Instead, there will be crisis and failure of the dreams.

What happened to Ekweremadu is a clear wake-up call. The Igbos could do much better than that. The mob cannot lead the Igbos. But it is difficult to blame the mob or to stop it from assuming leadership if the Igbo elites continue to stay on the sidelines.

It is quite shocking watching the reactions of the Igbos over what happened to Ekweremadu in Germany. More than 90% of the best educated Igbos and their professional class all over the world condemn the incident, while the less educated Igbos and the less privileged jubilate. It was also noticeable that those that support the assault were to derive support and validation from the likes of Femi Fani-Kayode, rather than the likes of Professor Charles Soludo. This means that the Igbo elites are not engaged. They left leadership to the mobs and rabble rousers.

The fact is that the Igbo elite do not have a choice. Their indifference is dangerous – dangerous to the Igbo cause and dangerous to the elites themselves. As the mob leaders turned on Ekweremadu, they will turn on anyone else they believe is more privileged. As they blamed a Senator for not stopping the Fulani herdsmen attacks, they also will blame the lawyer and the doctor for not condemning those attacks. When they are done attacking the Senators, they will continue indefinitely to attack anyone perceived and presumed to be ahead; only because he supported the enemies of the Igbos.

It is a wake-up call for the Igbo elite to step forward to avoid a looming disaster.