Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu The Man Nigeria Desires For Presidency Come 2019

This agitation was started by His Excellency, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu when he was the governor of Abia State. He also coined the slogan which incidentally happens to be the caption of this write-up and he championed it with the heart of a champion and the zeal of a warrior. What is happening today? Nobody seem to remember this clamour any more.

It is imperative that it is resuscitated to keep the Dr. Orji’s brainchild alive and send a clear signal to other geopolitical zones that come 2019, when President Jonathan would have completed his 2nd tenure, we shall produce a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction. Ndi Igbo remain the only race that has not tested reasonable power in Nigeria.

Of a truth, in the first Republic, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was the President of Nigeria. But what type of President was he? Under the Westminster model of Parliamentary System of government, bequeathed to us by our erstwhile colonial master, Britain, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe was just a figurehead President; he exercised no Executive powers. His office was mainly ceremonial, hence he was also called “ceremonial head of state”.

All executive powers were vested on the Prime Minister, who was head of government. Under that arrangement, who was the Prime Minister of the Federation? He was a Northerner, Sir Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa. The Parliamentary System of government was practiced from October, 1960 to January, 1966. When the Nzeogwu military coup failed, an Igbo man, who was General Officer Commanding the Nigerian army and the most senior army officer at the time, Gen. JTU Aguiyi Ironsi, was enthroned as Nigerian head of state.

What happened? On 29th July, 1966, he was assassinated by mutinous Nigerian soldiers of Northern Nigeria extraction and they toppled his government. A soldier from the North in the person of Gen. Yakubu Gowon was enthroned. The rest is history. The question now is: how long has an Igbo ruled this country as a leader in charge with full powers? You will be embarrassed to know that it is just a miserable six months (17th January to 29th July, 1966), a miserable record set by Ironsi. After that miserable era, the Igbo race has remained distanced from the seat and splendour of power in Nigeria. These are people, who made the greatest sacrifice to achieve independence for our nation.

The names of Nigerian nationalists of Igbo extraction ring bell. The roll call is equally intimidating: Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, M.I. Okpara, Akanu Ibiam, K.O. Mbadiwe, Mokwugo Okoye, Mbonu Ojike of the “boycot all boycottables” fame, and a host of others. A Nigerian President of Igbo extraction is long overdue. Let us begin now to look for President Jonathan’s successor from among Igbo welfarists. We may not have to look too far away.

The great welfarist Igboist, OUK, who started the struggle is still very much with us. He has enormous resources and age is also on his side. Endorsing His Excellency, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu for the highest office in Nigeria come 2019, is not a bad idea.