More
than that of any other ethnopolitical interest group in the country,
the role of Ndiigbo has defined the history of modern Nigeria. From
the drive to open up most parts of colonial Nigeria, struggle for
Independence, intervention of military rule and the Civil War, the
roles that Ndiigbo played have been pivotal in creating the nation
that we have today. But such roles have collectively put Ndiigbo
at vulnerable positions where they consistently have been made to
bear more than their own share of the agony of nation building in
a multiethnic society like ours. Igbo role in Biafra and thus the
Civil War has defined the course of the Nigerian nation for more
than 3 decades. For their role, Ndiigbo have often been utilized
as the punching bag by the nation’s political leaders as well
as other rival interest groups since the debacle of Biafra.
A
leading think tank on Igbo affairs recently concluded a review of
the future for Igbo nation, taking into account the experiences
of the past 4 decades. The deliberations, amongst other issues,
debated the options for Ndiigbo in Nigeria of the 21st Century.
There were options 1 through 12 which delineated future relations
that ranged from complete capitulation and resignation to the whims
and caprices of rival groups, seeking dominance within the Nigerian
state, revival of separatist struggle a la Biafra or the founding
of a sovereign state for Ndiigbo out of the present Nigeria. Two
camps developed during the deliberations, like thus: (a.) Remain
as part of Nigeria and fight for domination (“Igbonization”
of the country, in the pattern of the current Sharia goals by the
Hausa/Fulani and (b.) Work toward breakup of the country by supporting
the Yoruba-driven "Sovereign National Conference" strategy,
and negotiating our freedom when that goal is achieved.
The
highly emotional debate that tormented participants for days was
eventually concluded by a compromise resolution which was termed
Option 3B, since it was the amended version of option 3 in the list
of 12.
Option
3B, which was unanimously approved and adopted reads: "Remain
as part of Nigeria and fight for self-determination for Ndigbo (Utilizing
all resources available to us to develop Igboland with the expectation
that, if Nigeria disintegrates, an independent Igbo nation will
be at parity with the North and West)".
Option
3B has provided the political template with which the BMP Committee
and other Igbocentric groups are patterning their visions for a
new Nigeria, as far as Ndiigbo are concerned. The choice of this
option is based on the fact that Ndiigbo have made tremendous sacrifices
for the Nigerian nation, especially during the Civil War. The only
way to justify those sacrifices for posterity is to ensure that
the blood of 1.5 million Biafrans, who perished in the struggle
to keep Nigeria one, was not spilt in vain. The evolution of the
novel “Enyimba Doctrine” is in consonance with the basic
tenets and spirit of Option 3B.
