It was philosopher Victor Hugo who once said: ‘No force on earth can stop an idea whose time has come’. So is the raging agitation for the Nigerian president of Igbo extraction. Its philosophical and fundamental underpinnings have been articulated in a handy book to clear all grey areas. The book was recently put together by the leaders of Project Nigerian President of Igbo extraction (Project – NIPIEX) who commissioned the research and writing of the book, titled, ”The Philosophical and Fundamental Principles of the Unity and Equity Quest”.
The small book is written for general circulation and consumption, especially for the attention of the Critical Power Stakeholders in Nigeria, Political parties, Regional and Natural organic organizations, Traditional rulers, Faith-Based Organizations, Community Based Organizations, Civil Society Organizations, Embassies, as well as the social media diverse audiences. The book challenges the naysayers to bring their strongest arguments to the table or support the noble pursuit.
The big idea is sustaining the already provoked dialogue or national conversation on big issue – the Nigerian President of Igbo extraction as a win-win for all. The national conversation continues until the rationale is understood and the quest accepted and equity and justice served in the spirit of federal characters which applies to the office of the president of Nigeria by rotating it.
The book states the promoters have God’s assurance that, after 2023, with the election of an Igbo as President of Nigeria, the years ahead shall be years of promise and greatness.
The 10-Chapter book starts with an introductory background that kick starts the whole argument and justification for why Nigerian President of Igbo extraction is most auspicious now. Chapter Two deals with the necessity of rotation and that it is not going to be left for Political Parties alone. It talks about the role of critical power stakeholders who will prevail on the political parties to field candidates from Igbo extraction.
Chapter Three makes a case for sustenance of Rotation of Presidential Power, which has become the preponderance since the return of the country to the current democratic dispensation and Chapter Four deals with Reconciliation, Healing and Nigeria President of Igbo Extraction that electing an Igbo would bring.
Chapter Five is their Criteria for Eligibility of Candidates; they placed so much emphasis on integrity and competence. And Chapter Six flaunts that Ndigbo have an array of qualified candidates. Chapter Seven looks at Merit versus Zoning/Rotation and proves that the two are not necessarily mutually exclusive since each of the 6 geopolitical zones of the country has competent men and women to run the affairs of Nigeria at Presidential level.
Chapter Eight ruefully looks Biafra agitation and mischaracterization of Ndigbo and Chapter Nine emphatically states that what Ndigbo want is a restructured Nigeria, not Biafra and the lastly, Chapter Ten, which is the Conclusion, assures Nigerians that ILDF (Igbo Leadership Development Foundation) is Political Party and Candidate Blind and will ensure level playing ground for all aspirants for president from the South East. The book contains the shortlist of about 15 Igbo men and one woman who they stated are capable of taking Nigeria to the next level as President and dared Nigerians to make their pick from the pool.
The small book has endnotes which deal with who they are, about the authors and acknowledgement of contributors and sources of literature.
The small book exists both in hard and soft copies and offers full insights into the raging campaign for the Nigerian President of Igbo extraction, particularly from the South East. The group says they narrowed their shopping to the South East in order to avoid ethnic connotation and colouration, which has made the matter emotionally charged. Besides, they also believe the Igbos of South-South are already being taken care of by their zone and do not need to be lumped together with their kin in the South-East zone.
The book is succinctly written and answers all the nagging questions about the quest and allays the fears of some and presented the noble quest as a win-win for all and years after electing an Igbo as president of Nigeria as years of promise and greatness for Nigeria and Nigerians.
In more than one sense the authors have managed to condense all the arguments in one little coherent and compelling volume, which can be read by all literate minds. Indeed, the campaign for a Nigerian president of Igbo extraction now has a great work tool in this handy document.
Dr. Law Mefor, A Forensic/Social Psychologist and Journalists is co-author of the book; email: drlawmefor@gmail.com; Tweet…@LawMefor1; tel.:+905-642-4375.
