It is time to avoid those who promised power to the people, but use the same power to enslave the people. Umuibe, look at our very dear Enugu State: In the last seven years, the Coal City state is now competing with one of its neighbours as the poorest state in the South East.
By Frank Nweke
Let me start by thanking the state executive and entire members of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, Enugu State chapter, for welcoming me to this meeting today.
In line with APGA’s constitution, I have registered my membership at my ward in Ozalla, Nkanu West Local Government Area and obtained a membership card. I was also subsequently presented to the local government executive of the party in Agbani, I am therefore humbled and elated to be formally recognised as a bonafide member of this great party. Thank you all for this warm welcome.
One of the many wise teachings I gained from my father is the need to document pivotal milestones for posterity. So, I have decided to put on record my reasons for joining APGA, which are anchored on some core principles and ethos as outlined below:
I. Why does government exist?
Governments exist for the purpose of establishing order in society, based on laws. These laws are meant to guide human, social-cultural, political and economic interactions, among other things.
Rule of law is a key development index. A society degenerates into chaos when there is an absence of law and order, or where there are laws but they are observed more in the breach. Lack of accountability and selective enforcement of rules and laws are recipes for the implosion of any society. These entrench the notion that citizens are unequal, erode public trust, promote corruption and endanger society. Such societies will not be any different from a jungle where it is the survival of the fittest – Ike kete Oli’e.
Thomas Hobbes, a philosopher and author of the book ‘Leviathan’ in 1651, described life under such circumstances as ‘solitary, poor, nasty, brutish and short.’
Umunne m na Umunna m, bikonu is there any difference between the jungle life described by Thomas Hobbes over five hundred (500) years ago and what is happening in our country and state today?
Just as many of you know the answer, I also know, and not merely on a theoretical level. My family has experienced the direct impact of insecurity as attempts have been made in the past to kidnap some of my relatives. Many of my kinsmen have also been kidnapped. I have had to work with some close friends to secure the release of their siblings who were kidnapped and released only after ransoms were paid.
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I have also experienced some burglary attempts. I fast and pray anytime I have to go out, for God to bring me back safely. Some of my kinsmen have died simply because they were in the right place carrying on their legitimate businesses yet, they got hit by stray bullets. I am sure that many of you here have had, or heard of, similar experiences. The totality of these often traumatising and sometimes fatal experiences that citizens are subjected to, convey that the government has failed in its most fundamental responsibility – the security, welfare and wellbeing of citizens. Without security, all other attempts at development is an exercise in futility.
II. What is the purpose of political power?
Political power derives from the system of government that is put in place, which may be democratic, autocratic or monarchy. Whatever political system is adopted by any society, the power and authority that emanate therefrom, should not diminish the responsibility of the designated sovereign authority to provide service and public goods to the people.
In most democracies, political parties are the platforms for political organisation and mobilisation. And in more advanced democracies, electoral contests are done on the basis of ideas, plans, and strategies documented in a manifesto, which basically outlines the founding values, principles and philosophy of the party, and the key thrust of their development agenda.
The Igbo World View – Values, Cosmologies and Principles
Nduka
Political parties and the government that they form must therefore take full responsibility for their performance while in office. Based on the current realities in our society, the government at all levels – the national (centre) and the subnational (states), of the federation, including Enugu, must take full responsibility for the dismal state of affairs in their respective domains.
It is obvious that these parties have failed in their primary responsibility – to protect all lives and properties. They have chosen to prioritise self-interests and politics over the rights, supremacy, respect, dignity and value of human life. They have also failed to improve access to basic human needs – water, sanitation, healthcare, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and jobs, especially for our teeming youth.
It is also apparent that the youth bulge and restiveness are fallouts of leadership vacuum. As a demographic, our youth are now vulnerable to substance abuse, deployed as political thugs, criminality (terrorism, cultism, kidnapping, armed robbery, ritual killings) etc., and dangerous and illegal migratory practices.
There is a pervasive sense of hopelessness all over the place. Only a new approach that values all lives and treats every citizen with dignity can radically transform the status quo. This is part of what I believe APGA offers.
Onye aghana nwanne ya
This speaks to the deepest essence of Igbo social cosmology and worldview, which is founded on ijiko onu, communality and igwebuike. These concepts recognise a unique solidarity in political economy; it affirms individual rights and achievements. However, it also situates the individual as a part of a bigger whole – that true well-being and prosperity are only sustainable when they are shared, inclusive, and recognises that we are stronger together.
Umunne m, these words now ring hollow because we cannot be “stronger together” when majority of our people cannot afford even one square meal and do not have a roof over their heads, while those put in charge of our public affairs live in unconscionable opulence and are disconnected from the ravaging poverty all around them.
The founding philosophy of APGA is anchored on the egalitarian principles of fairness, equity, justice, being our brothers’ and sisters’ keepers, and giving everyone a sense of belonging, all of which are important components of the Igbo worldview.
It is instructive to note that the late Dr. Michael Okpara, premier of the former Eastern region, anchored his development agenda on the core principle of Onye aghana nwanne ya. This anchored and propelled the transformation of the Region, with Enugu as the Capital. It is time to reimagine and rebuild our Enugu.
Nke’a bu nke anyi
I often wonder how extensively many members of our party and other Ndigbo reflect upon the deeper meanings of “nke’a bu nke anyi.” This phrase can be used in several valid contexts – in terms of collective ownership, responsibility and accountability. APGA being ‘our’ party, founded on core inclusive values, principles and uniquely shared history and experiences.
In other instances, “nke’a bu nke anyi” has been used to refer to an individual as “an authentic choice of the people” – one who is a servant-leader and a custodian of collective power, and embodies our shared values and criteria for leadership – empathy, excellence, credibility, capacity, competence and courage.
Being antithetical to marginalisation, it speaks to the collectivist approach to leadership, life and living. Nke’a bu nke anyi therefore refers to a political platform deliberately constructed to promote the ideals of integrity, accountability, responsibility, fairness, equity and justice, amongst other things.
Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of Anambra State, succinctly captured the APGA Ideology in his recent inaugural speech. This is an excerpt: “Our ideology is a combination of Zik’s neo-welfarism, Awolowo’s scientific socialism, and Aminu Kano’s democratic humanism, to form what we see as the Pan African market progressivism. It is an Africanist ideology that integrates the social democratic values with the principles of competitive markets.”
Onyeaghana Nwaneya, which is the antidote to growing insecurity and uncertainty in the land. It is time for us to identify with the problem solvers and avoid the pretenders who promise change and leave everybody in chains.
It is time to avoid those who promised power to the people, but use the same power to enslave the people. Umuibe, look at our very dear Enugu State: In the last seven years, the Coal City state is now competing with one of its neighbours as the poorest state in the South East.
While states like Anambra are enjoying prosperity through the operation of Igbo ideology, Enugu has continued to grow in poverty and squalor such that our people have turned to begging as a means of survival. Ndubayi, Ndigbo adighi ayo ife. We can no longer afford to be quiet. I can no longer afford to be quiet. I have therefore stepped forward to be counted among the progressive and prosperous Igbo.
This is why I have decided with all boldness to declare for APGA to help move Enugu State forward as the capital of prosperous Eastern Nigeria rather than the propagators of poverty for the people.
Time is running out. It saddens my heart that every night, hundreds of thousands of our fellow citizens go to bed hungry. This does not have to be the case. This situation will be reversed with the right leadership and good governance that APGA offers.
In conclusion, to all my supporters and well-wishers, my central message to you is this: if you do not have a voter’s card, please get one as soon as possible. The Permanent Voter Card (PVC) is the most powerful tool we need at this time. The PVC is our weapon to chase away the oppressors and self-serving leaders. This is not a time to sit on the sidelines. It is not a time to agonise, but time to organise both online and offline.
Nke a bu nke anyi. With APGA, this is time for the people to reclaim their agency, voice, vote and power. Nke a bu nke anyi; it is time for us to take ownership of, and responsibility for the future of Enugu State.
- Speech by Frank Nweke II on joining the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State on Thursday, March 31, 2022