How Igbo Communities Are Coping With The Lockdown -By Anozie Ebirum

1. The argument against a shutdown not working in Nigeria is strong. Our folks lead a subsistence lifestyle.
   That said, this has exposed the problems of a united Nigeria again.

One group of people shouldn’t hold others hostage.

The declaration by northern governors that they can’t lock down is telling.

If we have an outbreak in the north, gradually their citizens will run down south and infect those here.

A week ago, people were insulting Gov. Wike. However, tell me who is more reckless: the northern governors endangering the whole country or Wike protecting his people?

I do not love Wike, but I’ll choose him a million times.

1. What isn’t public is what Igbo communities are doing at the ụmụnna level. This is another reason the Nigerian experiment isn’t good for Igbos and many southern people (I’ll let others speak for themselves).

For centuries, we’ve had a system that prioritizes the many while encouraging competition. The Igbo system is similar to what you have in European social democracies: individual freedoms and pursuit of wealth while providing as much respite for the poor and downtrodden as possible. Everybody thinks of the welfare and development of the community.

Over the years, mixing with Nigeria has watered this down. Nigeria wants to be a Marxist haven (I don’t hate Marx, in fact I love him, but I am not also a communist and wouldn’t support authoritarianism) but her elite practise American free market capitalism worse than the Americans.

Across Igbo land, communities are coming together, providing relief for their people.

In my community, Obinuhu Nkwerre, the relief material being shared out today (well coordinated with names and proper documentation household by household) will last months for the recipients. No struggling and fighting. No looting a bread van. It’s not exactly hampers on your doorstep but it is as close as it can be.

And it is enough. In fact it is so much that even those who do not need it are being called to come and take, so it won’t waste, and they are declining, insisting it be given to only those who need it.

This is the strength of the ụmụnna. It was easy to organize. Simply announce that donations are needed in the village ụmụnna. The info is immediately relayed to all the ụmụnna associations across the world. Think about how beautiful and effective this is. (Next time you criticise those monthly ụmụnna meetings you see folks attending in Lagos, UK, NYC etc, remember how it paid off bigly).

Within a week massive funds are being mobilized from America, UK, Spain, Abuja, Lagos, Kano, Brazil, even Wuhan, etc, anywhere our folks are, the ụmụnna holds.

In this instance, the folks in the USA, I heard, are footing the total bill. But knowing how folks are, the UK folks, the China folks, the Lagos folks etc won’t be outdone. In fact, usually the Lagos and Abuja branches outdo everyone. Expect another massive haul soon.

And this is why I scoff at the “Igbos hate themselves” narratives from disgruntled elements who can’t meet up with their peers in the ụmụnna and run away with the long tales.
This is also why I scoff at the “we can’t go it alone” jokers. Tell me, where else are you seeing such organization?

Back to the lockdown.

You can see that an Igbo country would have had a lockdown that would have worked and protected her citizens better than Nigeria… Tell me why I should prefer a Nigeria over a united Igbo homeland? No reason.

What’s the job of a nation again and tell me why Igbos can’t go it alone?
In fact, in a purely professional forum peopled by doctors from my place all across the globe, this was brought up too… The group was ready to do this but decided to concentrate on our primary mandate of healthcare, since others have taken up the mandate of relief.