The struggle for proper attention to be given to the People of South-East of Nigeria who were engaged in a 4-year fratricidal war with the Nigerian Government, 1966-70, by the Federal Government of Nigeria was a very long one.
Not minding that the Nigerian Federal Government, under General Yakubu Gowon as Military Head of State, had, at the end of the war, popularly referred to as Nigeria/Biafra War, on January 15, 1970, pronounced a supposedly 3 Rs; Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction, that promise only ended up as an illusion.
Except the Government of President Shehu Shagari, 1979-83, that had a very illustrious Igbo Son in the person of Dr Alex Ifeanyichukwu Ekwueme as Vice President, no other Nigerian Government made any sincere effort to address the collateral damages and ruination that the 4-year calamity that was Nigeria/Biafra war deposited on South-East and her People.
It is, indeed, an irony of fate that despite the holocaust that the Igbo, that is South-East, suffered for four years, 1966-70, and very devastating punitive measures taken against them immediately after the said war, such as the Policy of reducing all their savings to a paltry Twenty Pounds, (£20) and Indigenization Policy, the Igbo are obviously still the most enterprising, and, by every realistic assessment, wealthiest tribe in Nigeria. What God can not do, does not exist!
It was, therefore, a thing of special delight that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had to give approval for the establishment of South-East Development Commission. The Commission shall, by law, act as an Interventionist Agency, with the objective of addressing economic, infrastructural and social challenges in the Region.
The South-East Development Commission is one initiative, no matter what interpretation any quarter may like to give it, for which the People of South-East will, for a very long time, treasure President Tinubu in their heart. This development can only be compared to what former President Olusegun Obasanjo, 1999-2007, did for the Peoples of Niger Delta Region through the establishment of Niger Delta Development Commission, NDDC.
As could be reliably inferred, what renders an Interventionist Agency useless and ineffective can not be far from the calibre and quality of individuals chosen to preside over her affairs. In such a situation, no matter the good intentions of Government, once characters whose antecedents are shady and nothing to write home about are erroneously appointed to man any Agency meant to carter for the welfare of the masses, that would amount to an automatic yet avoidable termination of expectations and hope.
In realization of this golden truth, President Tinubu must be commended for, not just giving approval to the establishment of South-East Development Commission but also for laying a very strong foundation for the effectiveness of the Commission by nominating individuals whose characters can be vouched for.
The nomination of a former Minister of Labour and Productivity, Dr Emeka Wogu, Esq, as Chairman of South-East Development Commission, a former Speaker of Abia State House of Assembly and, later, Member of House of Representatives, Rt Honourable Stanley Ohajuruka as Executive Director, Finance, and others whose personalities have never been any source of doubt and worry to People that know them directly or indirectly, is a clear indication that President Tinubu means well for the very industrious People of South-East.
It is also important to acknowledge the altruistic patriotic disposition of a very worthy son of the South-East, Member representing the very good People of Bende Federal Constituency, and Deputy Speaker of the 10th House of Representatives, Rt Hon Benjamin Okezie Kalu, CON, for, not only initiating the Bill for the establishment of the South-East Development Commission but courageously taking the bull by the horn in making sure that dependable Characters, with good pedigree, were recommended to the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federation, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for consideration and eventual nomination.
The President of the 10th Senate of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, His Excellency, Most Distinguished Senator Godswill Akpabio, GCON, and all Members of the 10th National Assembly equally deserve gratitude and commendations for standing in solidarity with the Deputy Speaker in making sure the Bill he conceptualised and systematically pursued did not suffer defects in its course of undergoing through legislative scrutiny. It is hoped the Senate would also fast track and smoothen the process of screening so that the Nominees could quickly get into the business of their nomination without any avoidable hiccups.
Since Mr President has shown sensitivity to the deplorable plight of the People of South-East, which has lasted for about fifty-four (54) years, 1970-2024, it is reasonably believed his Administration will be magnanimous enough in funding the South-East Development Commission adequately.
On a final note, it will be quite essential to remind Dr Emeka Wogu, Esq, and his fellow Nominees that ‘to whom much is given, much is expected’. The development of the South-East will now rest in their hands. This is more so as some of the State Governors in the Region, since 1999 to date, have performed abysmally poor, leaving the Region in a very despicable state of overall infrastructure and development decay.
The in-coming Chairman and Board Members of South-East Development Commission should make strategic rapid development of South-East their topmost priority, strictly based on Honesty, Vision, Selflessness, Transparency and Public Accountability. The worst disaster that could befall the Igbo again after the Civil War can only be failure by the Dr Emeka Wogu- inaugural Board of South-East Development Commission. May God forbid!
Sir Don Ubani, Okwubunka of Asa and Oke Amadi Gburugburu, is a former Commissioner for Information and Strategy in Abia State and writes from his native Asa land beautifully situated between Aba in Abia State and Port-Harcourt in Rivers State.
