Where are Dozie Ikedife’s children?

Dozie Ikedife

By Betram Chibuike

For Biafra Choice Writers

“Traditionally in Biafraland, when an old man gets senile and becomes mischievous and dangerous to community, it is usually the time for his children to lovingly take him away from the public square, guide him home and nurse him.”

Old and senile people can be pain in the neck, and can as well be very mischievous. That is why in Biafraland children of old and senile parents have a way of saving them from themselves, which is why Biafrans are now asking for the whereabouts of Dr. Dozie Ikedife’s children.

The octogenarian has been working against the efforts of Biafrans to restore their country from the evil grip of Nigeria. He has played the quisling to Muhammadu Buhari, the Nigerian President and his Fulani kinsmen. A major reason why Biafrans are asking - Are his children not seeing how he is making mockery of old age – a revered institution in Biafraland? Do they not see that the man’s conduct is opening their family to unnecessary ridicule and insults? Don’t they see their father soiling the names they and their grandchildren with live with in years to come? Do they not know that they are in the best position, and that it is their duty, to make him see reasons?

Bringing his children into this issue becomes necessary because Biafrans expect them to do the needful. Traditionally in Biafraland, when an old man gets senile and becomes mischievous and dangerous to community, it is usually the time for his children to lovingly take him away from the public square, guide him home, and nurse him there. It is nothing new; it is meant to save him from himself.

But if Ikedife’s children refuse to do this, then the Biafran adage will be fully applied, which states that, “If one disregards his earthenware vessel, neighbors will use it for dustbin” – Igbo adage. It will then be a case of “when an elder refuses to do what is expected of him, the children will cover their faces (masquerade) and tell him some home truth.” Indeed, that is already happening. But it could get worse. It is said that the madman running naked in the streets is not the one ashamed, but his relatives. But right now we might well say that it is the children that are ashamed.

At his current age, it is expected that Ikedife should to be a self-actualised man, who would no longer be moved by petty pecuniary considerations, but by truth, equity and justice. But right now, many Biafrans believe he is becoming a disgrace to the revered institution of eldership in Biafraland. Therefore,

In his years in the limelight as an Igbo leader, either with their useless Ohanaeze Ndigbo, or with the numerous social clubs they formed to engage in frivolities, Ikedife and his contemporaries achieved nothing. They only busied themselves playing harlotry with Nigerian governments at the detriment of Igbo interests and wellbeing. Has it not been the erosion of Igbo (Biafra) values and devastation of Biafraland all the way?  This old man, and his likes were there when four regions were gradually and dubiously split into 36 states, and they did nothing. One region (North) was made to be 19 states, and three regions (east, west, mid-west) became seventeen. What did they do if not take contracts and glorified government appointments and kept mute?

Ikedife and his types were there when the so-called Southeast was allocated five states (he least in the geo-political zones) while others had six and seven. They said nothing and they did nothing. They were around answering Igbo leaders while Fulani people (and their Hausa slaves) turned Igbo into a minority ethnic group.

Was Ikedife not there when the Northerners, through government policies and law killed factories in Biafraland, even Nkalagu Cement factory which they have now packaged and delivered to Aliko Dangote, a Fulani from the North? The so-called Igbo leaders, which Ikedife was among, were there when Godswill Akpabio, as governor of Akwa Ibom State spent time, energy and public funds to build a world-class seaport at Calabar. They were also there when it was handed over to one individual, Dangote. Did Ikedife or any of his fellow so-called Igbo leaders utter a word in opposition?

Now, the younger generation has taken their destiny in their hands and Ikedife thinks he can derail it for crumbs from his Fulani masters. He is mistaken! Nnamdi Kanu has formed IPOB and grown it to become a worldwide phenomenon, and he thinks he can engineer a leadership crisis. He is joking! The shameless Fulani slave should stand aside.

Ikedife’s children should act fast! For us Biafrans, the likes of Ikedife have had their chance to better our lives, but they blew it on the altar of selfishness and greed. For this reason, Biafrans are ready and will throw any of them old and spent saboteurs out of the way – by fire and by force!