Editor’s note: For quite an age, the Igbo people in Nigeria have cried fowl regarding how they are allegedly being marginalized. Though endowed with great skill, strength and talent, still the Igbos seem unable to maximize their potentials. In this opinion, Reno Omokri takes a look at the challenges that prevent Ndi’Igbo From Fulfilling her potential.
Background
It is true that the Igbo are marginalized in Nigeria, however, I am of the opinion that a lot of the blame for this can be laid at Ndi’Igbo’s doorstep.
In my opinion, the major undoing of Ndi’Igbo is their misunderstanding of the term strength.
1. Lack of discretion
As a general rule, to the Igbo, all strength is physical. They do not seem to realize that strength is your ability to assert your will on earth and that that ability may not always be physical.
The proverb-discretion is the better part of valor-is not understood by the Igbo.
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They tend to be reactionary and consider pausing to study a situation before you respond (not react) as cowardice. One or two of them may get it, but as a race in general they do not. They do not consider diplomacy as a first step.
To them it is weakness and makes you an efulefu! If they have an enemy, they are not able to suppress their emotions and work with those they do not like.
Reno Omokri says the Igbo ethnic group is highly blest but has been finding it very difficult to reach its potential in Nigeria
2. They arm their enemies before the battle
They must make their hostility obvious to the person they do not like and being aware of the dislike, the person is armed against them.
In an organization, others may be sublime and discrete in their scheming, but the Igbo are more likely to be obvious and in your face about theirs and end up causing unity amongst their enemies in plotting their downfall.
3. Lack of humility
As a general rule, they have very little humility and are very proud individually though there are few, very few exceptions.
In my opinion, they are also individually more intelligent than their neighbors but they hardly use their intelligence to unite and have one leader, one goal and one destiny.
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Because of this, even though they are more intelligent, they are almost doomed to serve those that are wiser than them because wisdom is superior to intelligence.
4. Regard wealth over wisdom
The Igbo also appear to value leaders because of the leader’s personal attainments in life and so money gives you more leadership credentials than wisdom or age. They forget that a rich man may have more clothes than an elder but cannot have more rags than him.
They overestimate the power of money and underestimate the power of wisdom. It is very easy to spot an Igbo man who has money because it easily intoxicates him.
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They are more likely to see relationships from a commercial point of view whether it is marriage, friendship or politics.
If the Igbo can learn humility and practice diplomacy and discipline themselves to have one leader that they listen to in good and bad times not because he is always right but because he is their leader, their marginalization will end and their dominance will begin. But of course, I may also be wrong.
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of ZENITHBLOG.com.
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