Pete Edochie, the ace Nollywood actor, says a president of
Igbo extraction is long overdue in Nigeria.
The Anambra-born film star argued that top leaders from the
ethnic group can end Nigeria’s socio-economic woes.
Edochie spoke during a BBC Igbo programme highlighting
concerns about political marginalisation and Igbo people.
He lamented that Nigeria has not had more than one Igbo head
of state, more than sixty years after independence.
“Igbo people are
Nigerians. In 1956 when Queen Elizabeth came, it was the vehicle of an Igbo man
Odumegwu Ojukwu that was used to convey her, since he was one of the richest
black man at the time,” the actor said.
“He never asked to be paid. Successful Nigerians in those
early times were people of Igbo extraction: Power Mike in boxing, Chinua Achebe
in literature. Even Ben Enwonwu, the Nigerian who painted the queen at the
time, is Igbo.
“I myself as a successful actor am an Igbo man. Igbo, Hausa,
and Yoruba are the major ethnic groups in Nigeria. Only once in the history of
Nigeria has it emerged that an Igbo person became the head of state in Nigeria.
“That was Aguiyi
Ironsi during the military government and his headship was short-lived. Since
then, the north and the Yoruba have been sharing power between themselves,
apart from Goodluck Jonathan who isn’t even Igbo.”
Edochie, who described Igbos as being resilient by nature,
said Nigeria needs Igbo ingenuity and sound leadership.
“Why has power not returned to the Igbo people? Is there a
plot by the political elites to sideline the southeast? I’ve lived in the
north. I speak Hausa. But it’s long overdue for Nigeria to have a leader of
Igbo extraction,” he added.
“You can’t justify marginalising the Igbo people. Igbo can
deliver strategic leadership that will transform Nigeria. That is the Igbo way.
We’re resilient by nature. The looting of Nigeria’s resources will end with
Igbo leadership.
“The problem in
Nigeria is greed. Leadership is dominated by northerners but, 60 years after
independence, we’ve not ended the electricity problem, when coal-based Oji
River supplied power to the whole east before the civil war.
“It’s true we Igbos can’t fold our arms and wait for power
to be delivered. But we can’t struggle for it all by ourselves.”
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