ORI MARTINS
In the First Republic, the Great Zik of Africa led Ndigbo under the aegis of Eastern Region and on the platform of NCNC, to form a rewarding political alliance with Balewa’s Northern based NPC.
Zik was not alone in that voyage. He had other enterprising Igbo and non Igbo leautenants like Michael Okpara, Nwafor Orizu, Aja Wachuku, Jaja Nwachukwu, K. O. Mbadiwe, Mbazulike Amaechi, Raymond Njoku; Mathew Mbu, A. U. Akpabio, Imoke, etc, who assisted him in that regard.
Expectedly, that well planned and beautifully executed idea bountifully paid off. Zik was the governor general, later president and commander in chief. Orizu was senate president. Wachuku, received the indipendence flag from the exiting colonial masters as speaker of the federal house of representtaives. Another Igbo whose career was stuffed with firsts, Aguiyi Ironsi, was the GOC.
Of course, Mbadiwe was minister of commerce, Amaechi was of aviation, Nwachukwu was of education and Njoku trade and industry.
Zik’s biggest move was the appointment of Okpara as premier. Okpara built Adapalm across Eastern Nigeria, established Golden Guinea Breweries in Umuahia, constructed several roads, built many primary and secondary schools and followed it up with scholarship schemes. He went on to establish textile mills, paper mills, glass industries, shoe industries, hotels as well as industrial layouts in the region. He was exceptional in performance and superb in delivery.
Zik himself influenced the setting up of University of Lagos in view of the Igbo’s big presence in Lagos and an Igbo, the late Prof Eni Nkoku was the pioneer vice chancellor. Before that Zik had also worked assidiously for the actual take off of University of Nigeria Nzukka. UNN was established to correct the academic and structural defects of University College Ibadan. Majority of Igbo inteligentia persons were products of Ibadan,UNILAG and UNN. The Niger Bridge at Onitsha was built by the NCNC, NPC coalition of the First Republic and was commissioned in December 1965. It was Balewa’s last official public function before the January 15,1966 coup.
The import here is, Zik, visionary and ingenious, understood the importance of East, North political unity. He went for it and that chemistry worked miracles in the First Republic. Zik still flew that alignment in the Second Republic, leading to Chief Umezuoke’s emergence as speaker of the Federal House of Representatives. The Igbo nation in grand fashion benefitted from that arrangement consequent which Mbadiwe described that NPN, NPP marriage as “Accord Concorda”.
When democracy returned in 1999, the Igbo elements among those that established PDP still toed Zik’s path by looking up to the north. It was another wonderful as well as exciting political journey for Ndigbo now clearly Known as the South East zone. And this is where the current reunion of His Excellency, The Rt Hon Emeka Ihedioha, His Excellency, Distinguished Sen Enyinnaya Abaribe and His Excellency, Dr Sam Egwu comes to the fore.
All three men, including His Excellency, Chief Achike Udenwa and Chief Ben Obi among others who are currently ADC members, played one role or the other in the 16 years of PDP that brought democracy devidends to the Igbo country. The late Dr Alex Ekwueme was the leader and he was supported by virtually all the prominent Igbo politicians of that era, including Chuba Okadigbo, Echeruo, Uche Chukwumereije, Evan Enwerem, etc.
Ihedioha, after serving in various capacities in the office of two senate presidents and the vice president, was elected member representing the Aboh Mbaise, Ngor Okpala Federal Constituency where he eventually rose to sixth position as deputy speaker of the federal house. He was a presiding officer. Abaribe won election in his Abia South senatorial district as senator, while Egwu and Udenwa were governors.
These men and other ebulient politicians in the South East were a part of the PDP epoch that produced five Igbo presidents of the senate, deputy senate president and deputy speaker of the federal house. The PDP of East, North collaboration where Ihedioha, Abaribe, Egwu, Udenwa and others functioned in various capacities, had Igbo wards as both chairmen and secretaries of the then ruling party. That was in party structure.
In appointments, the PDP of East, North understanding gave Ndigbo ministries of aviation, education, finance, interior, as ministers. The Igbo was at the helm of customs, army, police, prisons, pilgrims, sovereign wealth fund, and for the first time, an Igbo was the Secretary to the Federal Government of Nigeria.
At the same time, the PDP led federal government made Enugu an international airport, established a police zonal command in Umuahia. Prior to that Imo and Abia used to Calabar, Enugu and Ebonyi went to Makurdi, while Anambra headed for Benin! It was the PDP led federal government which was established on the premise of East, North ubderstanding that made Alvan Ikoku a federal university.
With Ihedioha, Abaribe, Egwu, Udenwa, Ben Obi and others like Victor Umeh now in ADC, surely the East, North political alliance which Zik opened up and which made the Igbo country politically strong, economically vibrant, socially stable, without any form of insecurity or religious molestation, in the the past will be revived and restored in due course.