Thread by @IjeleNnia

There is this calm and ease that envelopes me whenever I travel home. The moment I cross the Niger Bridge into Onitsha or seeing that old signpost saying welcome to Enugu from Benue, I know that I'm home and I relax. Home is where the heart is, after all

Now imagine a SE on fire

Ọsọ chụba mmadu from mgbago and beyond, where would you run to if we allow our brothers set our home on fire?

After the Biafran genocide, our elders declared #Ozoemena because anyị a ma anụrọ ọgụ ọzọ! They believed that ideologically, politically, economically and even

diplomatically, Ndigbo ga enwe mmeli. Hitler fought for a German domination of Europe and he lost. Today, a woman, Angela Merkel has won the battle for the Germans without firing a single gunshot! She has gotten everything Hitler wanted but for the subjugation of minority tribes.

Our place in Nigeria's political arrangement is a sorry situation but we have a good thing going for us which is trade. Trade is critical to Nigeria's prosperity. It drives economic growth, supporting good jobs, raising living standards and helping Ndigbo provide for our families

Trade is equally a wonderful diplomatic instrument which we can use to spread our influence across Africa, and not just within the Nigerian space. There are more opportunities for any group who wields such instrument and influence effectively. Sadly, we haven't even begun to

scratch the surface of what we can achieve as a people if we are deliberate and strategic with the resources at our disposal.

Another key thing working for Ndigbo is the large number of Igbos living in the diaspora. No thanks to the 1966-70 military invasion of Eastern Nigeria.

A major chunk of the over $20bn annual remittances to Nigeria comes from our people living in the diaspora or doing businesses there. One would expect that like the Jews scattered over Europe and America, our diaspora would become intentional and strategic towards the economic

development of the SE.

Kedụ ife a na achọ na ike ite na abụrọ azụ?

Why can't we mobilise this influence and resources to open up our home instead of killing ourselves, burning our businesses and fighting each other? Our enemies didn't do this! We are doing it to ourselves

Individually, we have the intellect and material resources to positively impact our home, and drive the sort of political framework that could benefit Ndigbo in Nigeria. But alas, we have irresponsible political leaders with little legitimacy

and confidence reposed in them.

How did we end up with these set of leaders? Well, we ceded political engagements to people who do not have our interests at heart. They are political merchants loyal to their respective cliques, networks and secret societies. They want the power

and the perks of power without the responsibility that comes with it. And they owe you no real obligations because they kissed a lot of rings to get that power. Whereas, the only ring they should be kissing is the confidence of the people.

This is where Nnamdi Kanu comes in.

MNK has achieved what a lot of Igbos has failed to do in recent time. He has reawakened the consciousness of Ndigbo to the obvious injustices being meted on our people by the Nigerian State. His rhetorics offer a sense of hope to people who were hitherto prevailed by this strong

feelings of frustration. Like him or hate him, he has built himself a solid and influential platform - IPOB.

In Game Theory, we're taught the best way to dismantle a model is to create better alternatives to the existing one and the old becomes obsolete naturally.

We agree that

our experience with this Nigerian experiment is unsavoury to put it mildly, but has IPOB shown signs of better days ahead if they succeed in pulling us out of Nigeria? The answer is a big NO!

Ka ụra dị otu a, maluzie ka ọnwụ ga adị anyị.

IPOB is not a better alternative

to what is happening to Ndigbo in Nigeria. They're compounding an already dire situation with their actions and utterances.

Sadly, when you highlight the counterproductive implications of their strategy, they label you an "otelectual." 😭😭 ajọ ife na asọ amụ indeed.

Give it

to MNK, he has one of the foulest mouths I've seen! But it is what it is, all noise and no serious thoughts. Perhaps he owes his prominence to bad mouthing our useless political leaders. But it is not that simple, he did this consistently with a simple message - Biafran Freedom.

He was able to rally support of our diaspora to fund his activities which are mostly disruptive in nature. There is no alternative system to manage this disruption. It is chaos and Insha Allah! We can do better!

Bring in your serious and intelligent eggheads to run things now!

Every nation state is a political creature. We must understand this. You cannot agitate for a free Biafra from the Nigerian State without major political interactions. You must plan discreetly, mobilise aggressively and implement holistically to get the necessary outcomes needed.

To plan discreetly, you'll need these people you call Otelectuals. They're critical to the success of your agenda. In mobilizing, you'll need local and diaspora support towards this plan. We are strategically placed all over Africa trading and doing businesses. They are assets!

Do not waste resources promoting violence at home. Adị eme ife dike n'ụnọ. When it is time to implement, you'll need allies and sympathisers occupying several political positions. While you can, invest your time and energy in fixing your own in such political positions.

Election will hold across Anambra on November 6th. A new governor will emerge from that process. Mobilise aggressively for that candidate without baggage, who has the interests of Ndigbo at heart, one who has real plans to open up our home.

Until we get a new country, we must

continuously fix the one we have and make it safe and prosperous for our people. We must have a base to stand upon while we push for Biafra. We're not mad people please!

Finally, akụ will not luo ụnọ if our brothers at home are waiting for it with fuel and matches!