By Chioma Ebubedike-Igbokwe
MY mother was a maths teacher in a government school in Rivers State, a first class maths/ statistics graduate who served Rivers State for many years. Yet, even with a principal grade 1, she couldn’t become a principal because she was not a Rivers indigene. Sadly, this is the harsh reality we face as Nigerians today. When the Obi movement started, I was impressed to see Obi garner support from youths all over Nigeria. It was a different movement. It was like a wild fire burning from the east to the far west, and even the north. There was no question as to his ethnic group; all we saw was a beacon of hope for the youth. When the campaigns kicked off, I was always excited when my friend Zubair from Kano shared with me pictures from the rally in Kano. I was impressed, and I asked my self, could this be the peaceful revolution that would birth a new and more united Nigeria, where an Igbo man can become a governor in far away Oyo State, or a fulani man can become a commissioner in Imo State?
I saw pictures of Obi being received and welcomed by the Emir of Kano, the Oba of Benin, and other royal fathers. It felt really good to see different ethnic groups unifying. The elections were not different. On election day, the masses trouped out enmasse because of one man who had given them hope for a new Nigeria. Unfortunately, the Nigeria factor kicked in and jerked us back to reality. The elections were far from free and fair, and at the end of the day, the incumbent government did everything possible to ensure that the voice of the people was subdued. Some voters were disenfranchised, while some got attacked by thugs. At the end of the day, although the Labour Party lost the presidential election, it won an impressive number of seats at the National Assembly, and even won Lagos State.
Today in Lagos State, we hear of a young man called Gbadebo Patrick Rhodes-Vivour, the gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party. A Yoruba with an iIbo mother and wife. Also, we hear of Ireti kingibe who won the senatorial seat for Abuja, born of a Muslim father, who is half Yoruba and half Fulani, and a Christian mother with links to Delta and Bonny in Rivers State. An okada rider, Mr Donatus Mathew, was also declared the winner of the Kaura federal constituency of Kaduna State. I strongly believe that this is indeed the birthing of a new Nigeria where a nobody can become a somebody, where an Ijaw man can become the governor of Lagos State irrespective of whether he is an indegene or not.
Where a Tiv man can become a principal in a secondary school in the far East. This is the Nigeria of our dreams, where we shall surpasse tribal sentiments and ethnic divides towards the betterment of a non-divided Nigeria just like the United States and other developed countries, and we as a nation can also begin to explore and attain global relevance. This is the aftermath of the Obi movement, and the birthing of a new Nigeria.
Obi may have lost the presidential election, but he has started something deep that will bring social change and economic development to our country Nigeria. A Nigeria where your qualification will determine if you will get the job, not your tribe, religion or ethnicity.
- Ebubedike-Igbokwe, a lawyer writes from Abuja.
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