Author: Agha Egwu
I was watching a video of Nnamdi Kanu amongst his people. It was staggering. They said a million youths thronged the streets of Umahia to sing the praise of theirhero, their Messiah, our liberator. Get the videos and watch. It will humble you.
Then I think of the noise I hear on social media from so many about how he should behave, how he must talk, how he is destroying what he built with his own mouth. I kept shaking my head at the incongruity, the lack of reality. How many would this my essay touch, influence, challenge? With my 1500 followers perhaps one third of that. Just 500. Yet in the video, Nnamdi was out there before a million strong and all he had to do, like the Pope, like the Queen of England, was step out, raise his hands in the air, then the
crowd would go delirious. And yes, millions of Igbos world-wide, skilled professionals like me, not just jobless riff-rafs are following him. We are completely dumbfounded, completely shocked, completely
dwarfed by his miraculous achievements in such a short time.
Should I be honest? I once dreamed I would be a mega
messiah like Kanu leading my people to uhuru. So why
should this little man, this nobody do it instead of me?
Should I be angry, should I be jealous? Let's face facts -
should I be envious? My best hurrah is not even the flap of
a mosquito in a hurricane, when I compare my Facebook
presence to this raging inferno called Nnamdi Kanu.
And I thought...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
I think many others that lambast him feel this envy, until like
mine, it converts to respect, then reverence.
I think of other Facebook vuvuzellas - messiahs and
messengers of their individual gods to whom only they
celebrate on the altar of their personal egos - just like me -
and I marvel.
Let me remember some of these for they are my friends
whom I love and most adore.
First, Donald Ekpo who persuaded himself that he will build
the bridge between South South and South East, then in a
moment of momentary madness and pique, he began to
tear down the bridge he built with his very hands - and did
not really realise it. Donald broke my heart and I wept deep
for he bore his illusion well, totally convinced and convincing
he was the bridging Messiah and that his Facebook
tantrums will not demolish his bridge.
I called Donald in consternation and pleaded with him not to
rip his bridge with his hands. He gave me so many reasons
why it was alright, till weeping in my heart I let him be, still
loving him and hoping he can repair the damage he did to
his bridge.
Donald told me that the South South and South East had to
be together. He said both cannot go it alone. That the tribes
of South South will reap themselves apart. I thought - right.
That they need the Igbos to unite them. I thought,
Whaaaaaat? Why the hell does Nnamdi need to drag us into
this maelstrom of the South South. We really do not need
the bickering and their suspicion. It will hold us back.
Donald then said the Igbos can't do it alone. They need the
South South I thought, WRONG. The only reason we are
hanging around for you is because of Nnamdi. And the only
reason Nnamdi want to include everyone from Benue to
Bayelsa is because he hopes to save them all from the
wrath of Islamic hordes from the core upper North.
First Donald had launched an assault on the name Biafra.
He felt we Igbos should ditch it for the sake of the South
South. I could not make him understand that we would
happily forgo the South South for Biafra. I could not make
him undersrand that just that single suggestion had started
burning the South East side of his bridge. Donald believed
that IPOB with millions of Igbo followers world-wide in over
80 countries should give up their world-wide radio and TV,
their very potent identity of Biafra and collapse into Lower
Niger Congress. I thought, my God, this my friend is no
longer connecting with reality.
Finally, Donald impaled himself by letting either jealousy or
anger get the better of him by attacking Nnamdi Kanu. He
said Nnamdi was becoming like a Hitler, a megalomaniac,
Lord of lords. It was no longer Donald speaking but a
malevolent spirit of envy. Nnamdi is famous for his
gentleness, his humility, his iron will. The nearest
descriptions are Gandhi, Martin Luther King and Mandela.
They too were messianic and had mlllions of worshippers
but they never became Hitler.
I wept inside me for Donald my friend who had inspired me
so much. Somehow Donald imagined his Facebook teacup
party will dent Kanu. I thought so too till I saw the millions
baying for their Messiah - Kanu, Kanu, Kanu...
And I thought..
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
I have another friend I love so much. I have followed him on
Facebook avidly. Prince Henry Nwazuruahu Shield is
charismatic to say the least. He is intelligent, resolute and
probably has 100 times more following than me.
Once I was very ill in Pankshin. I could not get dollars from
the bank because of Buhari crazy policies. I had dollars in
my account but no access. I had to get Naira. I started
calling Facebook friends. I just called Shield and he sent me
N30,000. Just like that. I promptly paid back in deep
gratitude. What a kind lovely man.
Shield presents himself as a strong youth leader but
sometimes he does funny things. He mobilised people in
defence of a pastor that was fighting El Rufai. Hardly
anyone came and that really struck me. He was working
with Babasola Kuti and I was looking up to their leadership.
Suddenly they were fighting themselves. Once Shield
supported mad Sheriff and defended him. I had to plead
with him to give up on Sheriff. He at first said it was party
decision. Some party decisions you just don't support.
Nevertheless I believe Shield is eloquent and a great leader
and I keep urging him to take that leap forward to lead us,
but he seems never to make that leap. He seems to be most
active on Facebook.
Imagine my shock when I saw Shield warning and advising
Nnamdi Kanu because he said a little truth about GEJ. He
advised Nnamdi to get a Media Outfit to manage him and
IPOB. This really confused me. Who is a bigger media
personality than Nnamdi Kanu who is the master of
disruptive media publicity. Nnamdi is the head of one of the
world' 's biggest Radio, TV and Internet network. Nnamdi is
bigger than Channels and TVC and all Nigerian newspapers
rolled into one.
I tried to conceive the incongruity of a Facebook Champion
advising a Global Media Publicity guru. Is it not clear
enough that Nnamdi is a super professional publicist. Does
Shield want media PR experts that will dress him in suit, say
the nice things like I love GEJ and not ruffle feathers? I did
not get it.
And I thought ...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want..
I had written a little article about Facebook Vuvuzellas. Viola
Okolie suddenly concluded it was about her and called me
an idiot. It was not about her. It was about Facebook
Vuvuzellas who presume they are such experts they can tell
Kanu how best to run the IPOB Civil disobedience campaign.
I saw my article on Nnamdi Ukasanya wall. What got Viola's
back up was that Nnamdi Kanu had called for a boycott of
elections. Viola declared that Nnamdi Kanu needed strategic
thinking and that boycotting elections was dangerous. Now
other Facebook champions had said similar things.
There are so many who are so sure that their puny following
on Facebook translates to some form of pervasive
influence. Victoria Ohaeri who initially failed to spot the
Buhari disaster till she went to America, is still weighing in
her mind whether or not to support Nnamdi Kanu, then gives
her weighty advice as if it mattered. Perhaps 1000 readers
might read it, yet millions read kanu everyday. Tchidi
Chiemeziem is so totally convinced that Kanu boycotting
elections elections is a disaster. He cannot see the power of
disruptive civil disobedience used by Gandhi and Martin
Luther King to powerful effect.
Yet, we arrogate such arrogant beliefs in our own powers.
We think we know better than this man who is mobilising
millions on the internet and on the streets.
For me, the noise on Facebook started sounding like those
noisemaking, blaring trumpets of South Africa that make so
much loud noise in one key - all sound and fury without
rhyme or rythm - Vuvuzellas - Facebook Vuvuzellas. All
sound and fury that gives us so much sense of popularity, of
importance, but how can it compare to the millions that
howl the name of Kanu willing to die for their Messiah.
And I thought...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
Then I hear the Facebook Vuvuzellas from the South South
splitting their spleen that Nnamdi called Jonathan a weak
leader. Whether Kanu said it or not is no longer an issue as
it has been said severally he did not. But what matters is
that the South South Vuvuzellas thought he said it and
unleashed a barrage of insults on Kanu exposing what they
really are. It was not Kanu that was the issue but the
venomous suspicion of Igbos in many of the South South
that merely found an excuse to burst out.
The facade that covered this deep divide in many of the
South South, whilst Igbos supported GEJ, had been ripped
open to show that many will still support those that exploit
them most (Hausa-Fulani) than those that have not
exploited them (Igbos). Even Julie A Dyer whom I respect a
lot, went as far as saying that the Fulani exploitation was
more polished. Perhaps it was a joke but it surprised me.
To me the South South mind is a strange mind subsumed by
ancient war propaganda. One of the strangest experiences
of slavery was that slaves were willing to defend their
masters against those that sought to liberate them from
slavery.
This is the truth about GEJ. Like Zik he was a great leader.
Zik was the great emancipator that crushed the British as a
freedom fighter but in Governance he was weak and made
many poor choices, that failed to recognise the nature of
Jihadism. Jonathan was a great achiever, probably the best
leader Nigeria ever had. But in the Nigerian context of brutal,
tribal vampires he was weak and unrealistic.
For Jonathan, for whatever reason, not to read the true
deadly intentions of Buhari, and use everything in his power
to stop such a brute from taking over power and destroying
his legacy, is at the very best, outrageous naivety or at the
very worst unforgiveable stupidity and weakness. There
were enough opportunities to arrest him so a better Northern
leader emerges.
If he handed power to Buhari knowing what he represented,
then his level of cowardice and foolishness is unforgiveable
despite his achievements, for which we loved him but which
has been destroyed by Buhari. He was warned, he was told,
yet he did nothing.
I remember when we gathered in Prince Henry Shield 's
house with evidence of Jega's betrayal, desperate to make
sure Jonathan used his power to stop Jega and his pre-
election manipulation of PVCS. When he lost we called him a
hero because we were heart broken, but as Buhari destroyed
his excellent achievements, we also became realistic about
the enormity of Jonathan 's naivety or stupidity or
cowardice or all of the above, and slowly the hero worship
died.
Nnamdi Kanu specialises in speaking uncomfortable truths
as he swore to use the truth to break up Nigeria. As the
South South Facebook vuvuzellas heaped their insults on
Nnamdi, a strange thing was happening on the ground -
leaders of South South youth and elders were trooping in
humility to Umuahia to pay obeisance to whom our
Facebook vuvuzellas mocked as lord of Lords, Jewish
messiah, megalomaniac.
And I thought...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
The Yoruba vuvuzellas are the funkiest and funniest. They
pontificate, postulate, pronounce and promulgate without
knowledge whilst projecting and omniscient presence and
personality. They are always so sure in their ignorant
arrogance they know better than the Igbo and the best
advice and prescription to give them. It would be so
hilarious, if it were not so serious..
The Yoruba Vvuzellas seem to be in cahoots with the
Hausa-Fulani or Islamic supremacists who have become so
sure of their destiny or control that they try to use
intimidation and bad language to terrify and subjugate.
In the ultimate madness, a group of their youth purported to
give notice to Igbos to quit the North. They also called the
January 15 coup an Igbo coup and heaped so many faults
on Igbos. They were here making the same mistakes of
1966. Because some Igbos were involved it became an Igbo
coup. Now because Nnamdi has asked for referendum it
became the fault of Igbos in the North and they must vacate
the north.
Still we do not have the date of referendum but they can
sack Igbos. Still they are part of ECOWAS and forget that
Biafra will be an ECOWAS country, and we can be in any
part of ECOWAS. Yet they don't realise that the stupidity and
violence coded in that quit order is greater proof of why we
MUST have Biafra. Oil and Water just can't mix.
The North to West alliance is very funny. They say Nnamdi
is a small boy then launch the most hideous propaganda.
They say we are landlocked, that we will fight each other,
that it can't work and worst of all that Nnamdi will betray the
course. They arrogate so much power to themselves, so
sure they would finish Nnamdi till you see the videos of the
millions who stand beside and behind him.
And I thought...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
Then I think of our modern exploiters in garbs of civility
concealing their corruption, our modern Neros, fiddling while
the nation burns - our politicians.
APGA wrote a letter to IPOB warning Nnamdi Kanu not to
parade himself as an Emperor, that he does not speak for
Igbos.
I laugh. Does Obiano who actually parades himself as an
Emperor speak for Igbos? Do they not know that they have
become the enemy of the igbos and like pigs of animal farm
are their only for themselves?
I went to see Obiano to plead for support for a great Igbo
man and Biafran war hero, who had fallen into penury. He
immediately recognised me from our student days when I
was a student leader, but I had not known him. I thought I
could apply that leverage. He would not help, out of fear of
the Gambari, which was bad, but then he did something
truly hideous. The conversation fell around Nnamdi Kanu,
and the hundreds of IPOB youth that died, and Obiano
described them as miscreants - and expected me to agree
with him!
The disgust that went through me, made me feel like
vomiting. I do not know how I managed to remain polite.
Perhaps it was wisdom to keep quiet in the lion's den. All I
could do was get up abruptly and leave, completely
disgusted and outraged with the psyche of our Igbo
Governors. There is none with Fayose's courage.
From Okorocha, the outright traitor of his people, to
Ugwuanyi, the joker that dressed up in the robes of his
enemy to celebrate with the mass murderer of his people. In
one of my most painful experiences on Facebook,
Ikechukwu Iroha one of the boys I loved and respected most
on Facebook, who went to work for ikpeazu, has been so
corrupted that he now refers to Nnamdi Kanu in the most
derogatory tone in defence of his masters.
Nnia Nwodo whom we thought had arrived to clean up the
old Ohaneze, recently proved that Ohaneze was beyond
redemption, publicly condemning the only man that millions
of Igbo are committed to trust to lead them to Uhuru. With
that gaffe Nwodo dismissed himself out reckoning.
Whether Nnamdi Kanu will succeed is for God and the future
to decide - but for now he is the only kid on the block that is
willing to dare. The motto of the British SAS is 'Who dares
wins'. He is daring. He is winning.
Kanu has already succeeded beyond our wildest dreams.
That is why the dragon and dinosaurs that rule our land are
now talking about restructuring.
Nnamdi Kanu is a master of disruptive civil disobedience
and that is why he has targeted Nigerian elections beginning
with the Anambra elections. It is a high stakes game in
which he is pitching his popularity against the entrenched
Igbo ruling class and the Nigerian State. He will totally
disrupt and destroy them on that day.
Kanu's campaign has already begun as he receives millions
of his followers. As he campaigns across Anambra, APGA
and Ohaneze and all the other parties will totally fade into
insignificance. On November 19 the streets of Anambra will
be empty. Any Igbo man that goes to vote will be voting
against the spirit of his ancestors and his Chi. Let Igbos
understand. No man fights his ancestors and personal chi
and survives.
Some Igbos are so afraid that the Federal Government will
then impose an APC candidate. This is so amusing. The
best thing that would happen is for them to declare state of
emergency and appoint a military Gambari from Daura. That
will have a bigger effect on Igbo determination and unity
than Buhari had in galvanising IPOB.
However, if they are clever and put an Igbo Governor from
APC, it will still be bad for them but not as wonderful as an
Hausa- Fulani military dictator. That would be pure golden
gift for Nnamdi. That will be ultimate proof to all
Southerners of their agenda to conquer. By 2019 the whole
South will boycott elections and begin the process of
Nigerian dismembership. No more elections until
referendum. It does not matter whom they put to rule us.
Those of you that think you know better than Nnamdi Kanu
amuse me.
It makes me think...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
Re-arrest Nnamdi, the resolve will grow. Kill Nnamdi and the
armed revolution will begin as the restraining hand of
Nnamdi is withdrawn. Those that criticise and resist Nnamdi
are like patients who think they know better than their
doctors.
They call him all sorts of names, even though he is here to
create the disruption that can liberate the whole South or at
least restructure and free the regions and zones.
Most Nigerians are like American slaves who fought for
their masters against their liberators. Nigerians have gone
through such debasement that most can no longer
recognise goodness. That is why the hordes of the North
and the West rejected the best President we have ever had
in Goodluck Jonathan.
Why? The leader of any organisation permeates and
pervades the organisation with their nature, character and
ethos. The people that ruled Nigeria since after the Biafra
war were brutes who mudered, raped, pillaged and stole in
genocidal proportions. They have turned most Nigerians
into evil monsters like themselves. That is why Nigerians
can remove the great achiever Jonathan and replaced him
with yet another blood drenched, criminal warlord.
That is why many Nigerians cannot recognise the character
of Nnamdi Kanu which was honed in the UK. The ruling
class think they can bribe him off which is normal for
Nigeria. They think he wants political office. The depraved
Nigerian character cannot understand Nnamdi Kanu so they
project their evil nature on him.
They make me think...
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want...
However, the Nigerians and igbos that have come to realise
he is different are so shocked with his character they fall
down before him in obeisance, like Russell Bluejack,
overwhelmed by his purity of heart, quietness, humility and
strength of character.
My friend Donald Ekpo thinks Nnamdi is like Hitler because
of his 'zombie' followers, his worshippers, that call him Lord
of Lords. However, he forgets that Gandhi, Martin Luther
King and Mandela also had 'zombie' followers and
worshippers but never became dictators. Only Mandela ever
ruled after much pressure from his people, and that for one
term.
I think Nnamdi is more like Gandhi and Mandela than Hitler.
I am willing to take the risk and bet that he is more like
Gandhi. If he turns out to be like Hitler, well I am sure he will
be stopped. But in so far as he maintains truth and non -
violent civil disobedience as his only weapons I lay myself
before him for the cause.
No true Prophet is ever welcome by the ruling class. They
will continue to criticise and seek to destroy as if they have
superior knowledge and ability, but I continue to wonder, to
ponder:
How do I compare
The rant of an ant
To the trumpet of an elephant?
I can't rant
I can't pant
I can't want
To be a sycophant
Of Nigeria's illusion
This vision of a false federation
This impossible mission
Of restructuration
Like the old Biafran deception
Of Rehabilitation
Reconstruction
Reintegration
That fictional restoration
That was so much delusion
Of the Victor and the Vanquished...
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