Ever before he became
the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos State, Chief (Dr) Solomon Ogbonna has
been a very kind-hearted man whose passion for human development cut across the
socio-ethnic groups in the country.
Having done series of
empowerment solely to his name in the past, the spirit of liberating man from
anguish of life embedded in him has invariably led him to the lasting solution
for youth unemployment and he as well actualized this initiative.
Strategically, Chief
Solomon has been seeking partnership both home and abroad to drive this
initiative home. Following this, he paid a courtesy visit to German
Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr. Stefan Traumann where they discussed on technical
training, inter-cultural relationship, creating opportunities for
training young artists in wood carving and lot more to be read in this
soar-away interview. Excerpts:
On our part at
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Lagos, we are harnessing all avenues possible to empower the
Igbo youth. Our search for opportunities for Igbo youth is not limited to
Nigeria but across the world. On that vein, we just initiated talk with the
good people of Germany in the areas of technical training plus inter-cultural
relationship to afford our youths the opportunity of displaying our undiluted
cultural heritage. The art and culture relationship will also create
opportunity for training young artists in the areas of wood carving, painting
and exhibition of our works across the world. The quest for Igbo youth
empowerment is the reason we visited the German Ambassador to Nigeria, Dr.
Stefan Traumann.
Well-meaning Igbo
people especially the dignitaries and the well-to-do should support ventures to
empower the youth. These young people need employment and encouragement to
overcome life challenges. Our eminent sons and daughters have the know-how plus
the contacts to guide and assist these young Igbo people. We are all aware of
the Nigerian factor when it comes to recruitment into any sector especially in
federal ministries including the military and paramilitary organisations. There
are many Igbo people serving at various federal institutions, and there are
retired sons and daughters of Igbo with good reach and contacts at those
federal institutions especially the military. These people, both serving and
retired officers are in position to assist young Igbo people secure employment
or recruitment into these sectors.
These Igbo
personalities should make themselves accessible to the youths who need
assistance to secure employment and business opportunities in sectors they have
influence and contacts. Most of these dignitaries benefitted from the
sacrifices of our past Igbo leaders such as Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Akanu
Ibiam, Dr. M. I. Okpara, Sir Louis Ojukwu, Chief R. B. K. Okafor. These people
are no more, but the people they mentored are in various sectors of the
socio-political-economy of the nation.
It is the turn of this
top brass Ndigbo to mentor the young ones and help them find their bearing.
Time has come for them to lead the crusade for the new development in Igbo land
through the empowerment of the youth. It is time for some of our personalities
to stop showing superiority and extraordinary class; but use their wealth of
knowledge and success in various sectors to guide and empower the young ones. I
appreciate the effort of many Igbo leaders who have been guiding and directing
the young ones.
My call to action goes
to some of our personalities who have distanced themselves from the process of
rebuilding the Igbo Empire due to reservations they have about certain issues.
These people should realise that, if we have to win a race, we have to run in
that race. If we have to win an Olympic Gold Medal, we have to compete in the
Olympic game. If some of our personalities continue to ignore the activities
going on in Igbo land especially among the youths; then it is tantamount to a
boxer who entered the ring and started boxing himself to prevent being boxed by
the opponent.
Now is the time to start
encouraging those of us who are endowed with intellectual treasure, great ideas
and even great products without necessarily discriminating on the background of
such people whether or not they are rich, famous or popular. It is high time we
stop being inquisitive about who their fathers are. Queries about what they do
for a living or the name of their companies or establishments including the
brand of cars they drive or other irrelevant issues should be put aside.
What should be of
great importance is that he or she is of Igbo extraction. This is because; God
who put that treasure in such people did not first of all, ask those questions
before giving them that inspiration and peculiarity. Some of the questions of
“Who is the father or parents of someone who has idea, intellect, creativity,
innovation, craft or vision” have not allowed us tap the treasures that abound
within Ndigbos. The United States of America did not ask our own computer
wizard, Philip Emeka Emeagwali who his father was, before they encouraged and
empowered him to great achievement. Emeka Emeagwali went on to invent the
fastest computer in the world that runs at 3.1Billion electrons per second. If
we put class sentiments aside as enumerated above, we will be on the road to
greatness.
Yes, some of them
exhibit I-don’t-care attitude and distance themselves from Igbo affairs and
from Igbo people, especially the young ones who need their help. In the time
past, Igbo was blessed with father figure and legendary personalities in the
likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dim Emeka Ojukwu, Eze Akanu Ibiam, Dr. M. I.
Okpara, Chief R. B. K. Okafor, Dr. Mbonu Ojike and many others. These figures
stood with Ndigbo when the going got tough. They served like the guardian
angels to our people against outside invasion.
They sacrificed their
happiness, pleasure, wealth and time for the well-being of our people. Dim
Emeka Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburu-Gburu) expended his father’s wealth to fight a war
that was not personal. It should be remembered that the father of Ojukwu, Sir
Louis Ojukwu was one of the richest people of his time. Yet his wealth went
with the War.
Why don’t we have
people who sacrifice for Ndigbo today? If, I may ask some of our leaders of
today: If our past leaders held onto power as if it was their personal
property, rendered services and made sacrifices for only their wives,
biological children, selected family members and friends they could control,
where do you think you will be now? In the past when anyone was looking for
business contacts, or job opportunities, and they go to any of these leaders,
they will surely succeed; but today, some of our leaders are even obstacles to
those that need their assistance.
They will collect
their credentials including making other promises, just for the person to turn
his back and they will use all manner of derogatory words against these people
and their families— the son of a carpenter, daughter of palm-wine tapper and
all manner of abusive languages against those who need their assistance. Our
past leaders never abandoned anyone, no matter what. They not only rendered
assistance when needed, they also made sure to sort out whatever challenges
faced by Onyeigbo being it social or political before giving reprimand at home,
if need be.
What we need now is to
spearhead charity works in motherless babies homes, less privileged, physically
challenged and the downtrodden, giving them scholarships, empowerment, hope and
skills acquisition; we should not be busy basking in the euphoria of garlands.
Whenever Ndigbo gather to chart a way forward for our collective aspirations
and efforts to revamp us and strengthen our tribe, instead of facing squarely
the issue at hand, we should not be tempted to indulge in the dome of
individual profiling, churning out armada of certificates of academic
accomplishments, national and international awards, traditional titles,
praise-singing, etc.
Are the benefits of
chronicling personal profiles, awards, achievements and titles more important
than the issue on the ground? Will this ideology solve any of our problems?
Will it be the icing on the cake of Ndigbo’s present predicament? The answer as
everyone knows is vehemently and capital NO. Therefore, we must do everything
possible to discard these obsolete practices in order for us to march forward
to actualising our dreams. It has come to the climax where these profiling
swallow the agenda of the meeting, launching, unveiling and presentation; long
lectures to exhibit persons. The most disappointing of this whole melodrama is
that these accolades do not add value to the agenda of the meeting. These
praise-singing and profiling of accomplishments are better left for high-life
musicians who will make profit from it.
Those who have built
global brands and projects that stood the test of time have no time to
advertise their profiles in events and indeed, anywhere. Yet, they have
made serious impact on the society and indeed the wider world with their brand
which we consume. The founder of Bournvita, John Cadbury was never seen being
chronicled in an event of transformation. Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft
has never been seen profiling his certificates and accolades, yet he has given
away over 40billion dollars to charity worldwide. Michael Dell, founder of Dell
computers and all great minds that have changed the society with their
incredible creativity have no such things said of them. It is time to stop this
unnecessary profiling and title promotion in a meeting where the Ndigbo future
is being discussed.
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