Chairman Igbo Stakeholders Forum, Prince Okwara Speaks On APC In Amuwo Odofin

KEYNOTE ADDRESS DELIVERED BY PRINCE NIXON N. OKWARA, (ON THE OCASSION OF SYMPOSIUM/FUND RAISING DINNER, ORGANIZED BY NDI IGBO CAMPAIGN ORGANIZATION FOR APC, AMUWO ODOFIN AND IGBO STAKEHOLDERS FORUM, LAGOS STATE. SUNDAY, JULY 18TH 2021.

THEME: WHAT DOES IGBO WANT?

It is an honour for me to deliver this keynote address, on behalf of Igbo stakeholders, Ndi Igbo in Amuwo-Odofin and our incoming vice, Mrs Maureen Chika Ashara, at this very auspicious occasion. Let me start by congratulating all of us (NDI IGBO). Our vice chairmanship position in Amuwo-Odofin is one but too many wins. I would also, thank the All-progressive people’s congress party, APC Lagos for this kind gesture, we will not take it for granted.

Often, a lot of people keep asking this question, including some of us, Ndi Igbo.  Before I proceed to answer this question, permit me to use a little of your time to appreciate some of those who made today possible.

First, I must commend the committee members/organizers of this event, for this wonderful job they have done today. Honestly, am impressed, I believe everyone one here is. I will want to appreciate My age-long friend, brother and dependable ally, Hon Dipo Olorurinu, I call you Mr integrity, many times your integrity came on test and many a time you have lived above everyone’s expectation. Posterity will surely be fair on you; History will never forget you. All the party leaders both in Amuwo Odofin and state; Hon. Adegeye, the Amuwo Odofin house member (LAHA) Hon. Mojisola Mercurley, Hon. Sultan  Adeniji Adele, my brother Hon. Jude Chukwuemeka Idumogu, member, LAHA representing Oshodi-isolo constituency 2, the party executives both at the state and local government levels, especially, the state and local government chairman, chief Tunde Balogun, the state secretary, xxxxx and Dec. Ayo ogunbiyi.  I will not fail to appreciate chief L. Ik Onyemaechi (ochiagha), my reliable ally, and the foundation rock of Amuwo-Odofin and Oriade L.C.D.A, chapter of Igbo stakeholders.

To my political father, in-law, friend and mento, Otunmba, Henry Ajomlale, you remain a precious asset to mankind, many years after your meritorious service to the party in the capacity of state chairman, you have remained a reoccurring decimal in Lagos and Nigeria politics. History will honour you greatly, and all other political leaders who God used to make this happen, may God bless you.  Finally, our political iroko, JAGABAN of Africa, our national leader and the detribalized leader per excellence, you have again scored another goal which demonstrates what Ndi Igbo want in Nigeria. Thank you, sir, Asiwaju, HE Bola Ahmed Tinubu. Your temerity, astute leadership, dexterity and political sagacity built and still building Lagos.   Today, Lagos is a typical example of how Nigeria state can function. Under your watch, Lagos has progressed in democracy, you were able to manage the multi-cultural, multi-religious and multi-ethnic differences of one of the largest cities in Africa. Lagos state today is running on one of the best institutional frameworks in Nigeria, a typical example of what Igbos want in Nigeria. We Igbo stakeholders trust and passionately believe that Nigeria under your watch, will flourish.

I will like to answer the question; “WHAT DOES IGBO WANT” with this little story which reflects who we are and what we stand for: THE IGBO LANDING STORY: according to Wikipedia. This  is a historic site at Dunbar Creek on St. Simons Island, Glynn County, Georgia. In 1803 one of the largest mass suicides of enslaved people took place when Igbo captives from what is now Nigeria were taken to the Georgia coast. In May 1803, the Igbo and other West African captives arrived in Savannah, Georgia, on the slave ship the Wanderer. They were purchased for an average of $100 each by slave merchants John Couper and Thomas Spalding to be resold to plantations on nearby St. Simons Island. The chained slaves were packed under deck of a coastal vessel, the York, which would take them to St. Simons. During the voyage, approximately 75 Igbo slaves rose in rebellion, took control of the ship, drowned their captors, and in the process caused the grounding of the ship in Dunbar Creek The sequence of events that occurred next remains unclear. It is known only that the Igbo marched ashore, singing, led by their high chief. Then at his direction, they walked into the marshy waters of Dunbar Creek, committing mass suicide. Roswell King, a white overseer on the nearby Pierce Butler plantation, wrote the first account of the incident. He and another man identified only as Captain Patterson recovered many of the drowned bodies. Apparently only a subset of the 75 Igbo rebels drowned. Thirteen bodies were recovered, but others remained missing, and some may have survived the suicide episode, making the actual numbers of deaths uncertain.

Regardless of the numbers, the deaths signalled a powerful story of resistance as these captives overwhelmed their captors in a strange land, and many took their own lives rather than remain enslaved in the New World. The Igbo Landing gradually took on enormous symbolic importance in local African American folklore. The mutiny and subsequent suicide by the Igbo people was called by many locals the first freedom march in the history of the United States. Local people claimed that the Landing and surrounding marshes in Dunbar Creek where the Igbo people committed suicide in 1803 were haunted by the souls of the dead Igbo slaves. The story of Igbo, who chose death over slavery which had long been part of Gullah folklore, was finally recorded from various oral sources in the 1930s by members of the Federal Writers Project.

In September 2002, the St. Simons African American community organized a two-day commemoration with events related to Igbo history and a procession to the site of the mass suicide. Seventy-five attendees came from different states across the United States, as well Nigeria, Brazil, and Haiti. The attendees designated the site as a holy ground and called for the souls to be permanently at rest. The Igbo Landing is now part of the curriculum for coastal Georgia schools.

 In a nutshell, the Igbo want an egalitarian society; we thrive in a merit-based society, the reason a lot of us do better in western word, including other ethnic Nationalities in Nigeria. we are republicans who will always fight for their oppressed kits and kins. We are builders and developers, dependable and reliable partners in progress. The Igbo man want inclusiveness, progress, growth, freedom, liberty, equity and justice. The Igbo want a well-managed diversity.

The reason for civil war is virtually the same reason there is wide agitations and insecurity today in Nigeria. The difference between the western world and the acclaimed owners of Nigeria is, while the western world abolished slave trade at a time it would have either consumed them or the world all over, the Nigeria owners are re-inventing primordial and barbaric practices without minding the dire consequences. The challenges of Nigeria is not  our diversity, as India and Austria and many other countries who managed their diversity well, have progressed and developed to the extent India today is no more a third world country.  While other countries try to do things differently, Nigeria has insisted in the old ways of doing things, yet we want a deferent result.

Its sad to note, that igbo believe in egalitarianism has always made us the sacrificial lamb. As stated in the story of  Igbo landing, the agitation against slave trade took the blood Ndi Igbo, same was the Nigeria civil war, and to come home to our domain here in Amuwo-Odofin, we lost and Igbo-man during the last local Government elections. And we the Igbo stakeholders, say, “never again”.

 A cursory look at the political disposition of our host community, through the prism of social policy, reveals similarity in ideology. Then, one may wonder why the “voting pattern” in most Igbo dominated areas has always swung contrary to the choice party of our host community, irrespective this similarity of political ideology?  Further study revealed to us that there is lack of strategic engagement of the core Igbo leaders at the grassroot. Also, we discovered that political merchants may not want this problem solved so that they will remain in business. This is a bitter pill, but will surely heal  the party.  Like they said, a problem identified is halfway solved. We identified this in Isolo and experimented it and the voting pattern changed. We, the Igbo stakeholders, have adopted this,  through a more peaceful, and strategic approach to ensure we are carried along, and one of such is the reason We are here in Amuwo-Odofin, to change the narrative. For the party considering us worthy for the post of vice-chairman, Amuwo-Odofin LGA In 2023, we shall see a total change in the voting pattern of Ndi igbo in Amuwo-Odofin. This is our word and is our bond, you can take this to the bank.

Igbo kwee xxxxxxx

Long leave Ndi Igbo

Long leave Amuwo-Odofin

Long live Lagos.

Prince Okwara chairman

For : Igbo Stakeholders

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