NNPC's Pro-North Shakeup; Another Provocation of Ndigbo

NNPC's Pro-North Shakeup; Another Provocation of Ndigbo

By Nwobodo Chidiebere  

“There really can be no peace without justice. There can be no justice without truth.”
  ---Louis Farrakhan

President Buhari's 97/5 per cent policy was grossly implemented recently at the NNPC Tower, Abuja. In the nepotism-driven shakeup; Fulani oligarchy had their way. Shaibu Musa was appointed MD of the NNPC Medical Services, Ibrahim Birma was named new Group General Manager, in charge of Audit Division, of which was renamed Governance, Risk and Compliance Division. Ahmadu Katagum was appointed Group General Manager, Shipping, in Downstream Autonomous Business Unit, Kallamu Abdullahi was made Group General Manager in charge of Renewable Energy Division in the Downstream; Dr Bola Afolabi as Group General Manager, Research and Development Division; Adeyemi Adetunji was confirmed as Managing Director, NNPC Retail Division; Usman Yusuf nominated as Group General Manager attached to NNPC's group managing director's office; Bala Wunti was asked to be in charge of Corporate Planning and Strategy.

In furtherance of his Northernization of NNPC, President Buhari in collaboration with the infamous Aso Rock Cabal, appointed Umar Ajiya as new Managing Director of Nigerian Products Marketing Company, NPMC; Muhammed Abah as Managing Director of Warri Refining Petrochemical Company; Malami Shehu mandated to take over the affairs of Port Harcourt Refining Company as its managing director, while Adewale Ladenegan was made Managing Director of Kaduna Refining and Petrochemical Company. The Niger-Delta region—the goose that lays the golden eggs of crude oil was compensated with two non-strategic cum inconsequential positions: Diepriye Tariah appointed Managing Director; Integrated Data Services Limited and Roland Ewubare made new Group General Manager of National Petroleum Investment Services. Maikanti Baru retained his plum job as the NNPC's group managing director. It's now official that the new definition of NNPC is Northern Nigeria Petroleum Corporation; thanks to President Muhammadu Buhari's ethnic bigotry!

Whither Igbo nation? This was my question after reading the development in the news like every other Igbo person. Not even one Igbo son or daughter was considered competent or loyal by President Buhari and his Fulani brothers! This is certainly not the best time to be born Igbo, but like the children of the Most High God; we will prevail. The million-dollar question is: where is the so-called unity President Buhari told us that were not negotiable in his ill-conceived speech? From this anti-Igbo appointment, I can deduce that what Buhari meant in his venom-filled cum un-presidential broadcast, was that the continuous domination of his kindred in this Fulani-Estate called Nigeria, was not negotiable. Is this the type of unity President Buhari claimed that he ‘discussed and settled’ with Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Emeka Ojukwu in 2003? Wonders shall never end!

This article is not for the consumption of President Buhari and the born-to-rule advocates, but for every Igbo individual who had in the past, advertently or inadvertently attacked Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB, and other freedom fighters in Igbo land, for the sake of non-existent one Nigeria. The implication of this development is that Igbo nation will not have any representative in the management staff cadre of NNPC for the duration those appointments will last. Mind you, there is no drop of crude oil in the North but her sons and daughters call the shot in the affairs of Nigeria's highest revenue-generating agency. Woe betides any applicant of Igbo origin who is dreaming to secure a job in the NNPC under the Fulani-structured management of the corporation.

Between President Buhari and Nnamdi Kanu, who is dividing Nigeria? Who is heating up the polity? Who can be justified now? Where are Joe Igbokwe and his co-travellers in APC from Igbo land?  Is the rabble-rouser called Rochas Okorocha still prostrating before his salve-masters at Aso Rock? With this pro-North vis-à-vis anti-Igbo shakeup in NNPC, President Buhari simply told Igbo nation to go to hell! Igbos have been told, proven and shown severally that we are not wanted in Nigeria—unless we will be comfortable with third class position, but our political leaders, elders and elite have been living in denial. Any Igbo person who fails to stand up now for his or her freedom, will be judge harshly by history, when our stories will be told to future generations of Igbos.

Henceforth, those Igbo leaders who cannot speak in the face of unprecedented marginalization of Ndigbo by President Buhari's government will forever remain mute in Igbo land. Our ancestors will never forgive them for turning their backs on Igbo nation, at a crucial moment like this. Even the dumbest in the world of the dumb, will attest to the fact that President Buhari and his Fulani brothers are the ones winning millions of supporters for Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB via their eccentric lopsided appointment against Igbo nation. And no imbecility should try bringing up the flimsy excuse that Igbos did not vote for Buhari again. In a democracy, there is always freedom of choice. What we demand from Buhari is not favour but constitutional right of Ndigbo. All men and women of goodwill and conscience of Igbo extraction should rise up, before it is too late. I thank Ohaneze Ndigbo for finally waking up from their slumber and urge every true Igbo to do same because evil triumph as a result of nonchalance of good men.