Opinion | By Paul Ejiofor | 06. 04. 2022
Wherever Igwe Edward Nnaji must be now, he must be turning in anger over development in his native Enugu state. Several years ago when he was alive he made the point that most of the people who constitute the present Isi Uzo Local Government Area are native Nkanu people who migrated to the border with Obollo and Ekwegbe in today’s Nsukka zone. As one of the most respected traditional rulers of the past in Enugu, his words were received as truth and so nobody doubted it when he told the Federal government committee seeking to redraw the political constituency of Enugu that “we are one”.
Today, Enugu is in tatters over perceived attempt by Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to influence who becomes the candidate of his party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the coming governorship election. Through the forceful campaign of some young idealistic men, the campaign “ka isi uzo jee” has gained the level of traction never experienced in Enugu political struggles. In addition to the effort of the “ka isi uzo jee“ tigers, the senator representing the Enugu North zone Senator Chukwuka Utazi has consistently said that the zoning argument should remember the old configuration where old Enugu zone enjoy two portions while Nsukka, his own zone, with bigger space continue to retain the old one slice. Because of Ka isi-uzo jee effort, many with a sense of entitlement are venting a rejection of Isi uzo political ascendancy. Unfortunately the most vociferous of the rejection come from Nkanu land.
One of Nkanu voice of defiance is Chief Ray Nnaji, an old war horse who has been chosen often to say the things that should not be said. Two weeks ago he granted a newspaper interview essentially calling the iIsiuzo stock outcasts, a minority and threatened hell should the governor impose an Isi uzo man on the Nkanu nation. For a moment, right thinking people of Enugu state are begining to wonder whether truly our revered Igwe Edward Nnaji was right in claiming kinship with the people of Isiuzo. A sense of fairness and equity which initially greeted the position of the government that zoning remain active and operational during the selection process for the coming election has given way to anger, rejection, anomie and outright desperation. Ray Nnaji’s outburst was a daring act of desperation meant to scare the governor in the exercise of his influence. No man in authority should take it. Infact, the attitude of men like Nnaji should spur the governor and his political allies to seek to protect the Isi uzo stock and other minorities like Oji River, and Uzo-uwani local governments from the intimidation of the big ethnic clans..
Should Nkanu land reject Isi Uzo because of politics? I don’t think so. Nkanu people have an opportunity to build a special relationship with the Isi uzo people now or forever plant a hateful political relationship. And it does not matter if the marriage between Nkanu land and Isi Uzo was conceived in politics, a trade where deception is an art.
For reference purposes, the people of Ayamelum were excised from Uzouwani local government area of present day Enugu state during the Robert Akonobi military governorship of old anambra state. What Anambra has done in Ayamelum today is to buoy up their presence in all of the state’s politics that in less than two decades, Ayamelum people can post several top appointments, infrastructure and government programmes. Ayamelum network of roads is a jealous spectre for some of us who travel that road to Onitsha for business or pleasure. Unlike the Ayamelum example, Isi Uzo is a sore reference of under development and poor recognition since they joined Enugu East zone. In its eight years, the Chimaroke Nnamani government did not consider the people for any good road or serious appointment. The Sullivan government has done their most important road linking Nike to Ikem, the council headquarters, while Ugwuanyi government has just recently done the Nkalagu to Ehamufu road linking the local government with the beautiful Ebonyi roads.
Antagonising Governor Ugwuanyi because he seemed to like the idea of ka isi uzo jee is a bad omen that will throw dirt around in the future. Isi Uzo has a fundamental right to seek to be governor in the land of their birth. Isi uzo has right even in the present campaign for zoning to aspire to the highest office that has been given to its area. Not even the anger of Ray Nnaji and his supporters will change that.
And that lies the lesson for other minority clans like Uzo Uwani and Oji River local governments. The battle just began.
•Paul Ejiofor writes from Abuja.
