Democracy & Governance
Chimamanda: Impaired Egocentric and Igbocentric –By Femi Amosun
As an impenitent Igbo woman, Chimamanda Ngozi is Igbocentric in all ramifications. I am constrained to remind her and other cohorts that the same Igbocentric mentality led to the devastated January 15, 1966 Coup d’état perpetrated by a number of Nigerian military officers of Igbo extraction, largely driven by mortification tendency, visceral hatred, and ethnicity-based agenda.
The aftermath of 2023 General Election, without a shadow of doubt, have exposed some politicians and “celebrities” who have been masquerading as patriots and objective intellectuals.
“But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.”– Romans 2:8.
“The way you think determines the way you feel, and the way you feel influences the way you act” (The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren, 2002).
The internationally acclaimed Nigerian novelist and essayist, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, wrote and published an utterly biased piece titled “Nigeria’s hollow Democracy,” without providing any material evidence for her reprehensible and repugnant illogical conclusion. The ludicrous piece under microscope is a display of profligate arrogance which is not borne out of patriotism but embedded in self-serving, self-seeking, Igbocentric, and myopic reluctance to accept her own shortcomings. The totality of the piece, indeed, expose her hollow view of humanity. What is the point of being a much-hyped internationally acclaimed Nigerian novelist when you cannot positively promote, or be a good ambassador of your country of birth where you had your first foretaste of this world? This subliminal fact is akin to allegiance and patriotism. It is of note that there are over 176,000 polling units across Nigeria. In Lagos State, there are approximately 13,500 polling units. The pertinent questions to ask is; What is the percentage of the polling units where violence and malpractices actually occurred?
The unpalatable fact of the 2023 General Election is that the winner, Bola Tinubu, won in 12 States, Atiku Abubakar also won in 12 States, Peter Obi won in 11 States. In numerical strength, Bola Tinubu of All Progressive Congress (APC) scored 8,794,726 votes and came first, Atiku Abubakar of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) scored 6,984,520 votes and came second, Peter Obi of Labour Party (LP) scored 6,202,533 votes and came third, and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) scored 1,496,687 votes and placed 4th. If Chimamanda genuinely have any issues with these election results, she should have directed her letter to our President, Muhammad Buhari, or wait for the Supreme Court final verdict.
It is also doleful that a perceptible writer would advertently, through measured actions, seek to damage our international reputation and heighten the negative perception and downbeat narratives about Nigeria and Nigerians. This preposterous act of national betrayal is not some sort of magical intervention or revolution, it is insane to diminish your Country and fellow citizens because of bread crumbs and half-baked endorsement. This is exactly what her letter to the United States President amount to. At what point do we end our colonial mentality and adoration of foreigners? A rational mind need to be cognizant of the fact that you do not demean your country and then hope to swim in celebrated honour. Eniti o ba ta arale e lopo, kole ri ra lowon.
As an impenitent Igbo woman, Chimamanda Ngozi is Igbocentric in all ramifications. I am constrained to remind her and other cohorts that the same Igbocentric mentality led to the devastated January 15, 1966 Coup d’état perpetrated by a number of Nigerian military officers of Igbo extraction, largely driven by mortification tendency, visceral hatred, and ethnicity-based agenda. The malignant ordnance act destabilized Nigeria and eclipsed the country for more than 50 years. We have also witnessed some primordial belligerence and pugnaciousness exhibited by some of her kinsmen. An Igbo leader, Eze Igbo of Ajao Estate in Lagos, threatened to mobilize and invite members of the proscribed IPOB to Lagos State. The Eze Igbo is now cooling off in DSS custody. Another kinsman overtly called the Yoruba’s “political rascals”. You exhibit malignancy at any slight opportunity while consciously attempting to ignite waning flames, yet you are desperate to rule Nigeria. With this deep-seated ethnocentric mentality, it will take a monumental supernatural occurrence to rule Nigeria again.
As overtly stated in my recent piece, there is no region or tribe in Nigeria that has the monopoly of bigotry and visceral hatred. The South East and South South are not the only composition of Nigeria, there are other four geo-political Zones meaning that Nigeria is a vast country with different idiosyncratic culture, religion and tradition, and blessed with natural resources and human capital by virtue of population and geographical size.
As virtuous citizens, lets encourage Chimamanda Adichie to concentrate on her perpetual hollow hairstyles and fictional storytelling, that is her calling.
Femi Amosun is a UK-based management professional and politico-economic analyst with distinctive zeal for sustainable development through responsible governance and accountability.
