When I listened to the curious question by Prof. Usman Yusuf concerning the legendary silence in the Southeast when Nigeria was hit by her worst hardship under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it made me wonder if other regions of Nigeria quite understand what the cry of marginalization from South East is all about.
For the avoidance of doubt, I am not a supporter of hate speech, Tribalism, or ethnic sentiments, nor a separatist ideology. I am a firm believer in Nigeria and her progress because, to me, her UNITY AND PROPERTY are SACROSANCT.
Reacting to this question:
I honestly don’t know why the South East is quiet, uncharacteristically quiet, but the President needs to find out.“
My position is that our successive administrators failed to understand that no part of Nigeria can progress unless all parts of Nigeria are integrated into the scheme of things and carried along. The bulk now falls on President Tinubu to do the right thing and carry South East along instead of treating them as people defeated over 50 years ago who do not have any part or say in Nigeria.
They have endured extreme hardship and suffered amid plenty while other regions basked in the euphoria of riches.
After the Civil War, all their properties in the South were taken from them as abandoned properties.
The South East is quiet because they started life afresh with only £20 after the civil war due to harsh government policy against them.
South East is the only region with the least number of States. It has the least Federal Government presence in almost all areas.
The southeast is the region with one of the largest markets in West Africa based on geographical size and volume of goods, yet has never benefited from the rail project the Federal Government embarked upon during the last administration.
It is the only region with the highest number of security checkpoints on the roads leading into her region. It’s easier to drive through Ukraine than South East WHY? .
No international airports, no seaports, always clamped down upon at the slightest provocation, so even if other regions protest peacefully, they will be shot at sight if they dare protest.
They have built resistance due to disconnect from the system where they are treated like strangers.
My name is Chief Dr. Emeka Kalu, I speak Hope To Nigerians
