It is no longer news that at last, one of the long expected desires of the people of South East has been met. The recent signing into law of the South East Development Commission (SEDC) bill by HE, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is a huge plus, not only to Ndigbo, but to all manner of people who detest injustice and marginalization just the way the people of Southeast have been subjected ever since the end of civil war which left the region battered and shattered, 54 years ago.
The people of the Southeast of Nigeria have been disadvantaged decades after the Civil War. The 3Rs vision of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Re-construction by the General Gowon regime aimed at addressing the plights of the region was without success. Unarguably, it will not be out of place to say that the lack of implementation of the 3Rs program by the past regimes (especially the military), may have contributed to poor infrastructural development which might have directly or indirectly affected the high level of insecurity in the region. This apparently has resulted in the overbearing and intimidating presence of security road blocks in the Southeast.
Judging by the ever increasing number of military check points and the resultant effects of untold hardship facing the people of the region, it has continued to remind them that although the civil war ended 54 years ago, the siege of exploitation, intimidation and neglect on the people have continued ad infinitum.
It is obvious that the relative improvement in southeast since the end of the civil war came out of individual efforts of the people that started with only twenty pounds. That federal government’s policy to provide the said twenty pounds, despite the proclaimed “no victor and no vanquish” by the then military regime was even seen by many as a more subtle plot to further impoverished the region that lost over 3 million people. Regardless, the ingenuity and innate hard-working characteristics of the people surprisingly transformed the region without the effective implementation of the 3Rs.
Thus, the past 54 years had been painful with the constant struggle of people to attract the attention of the federal government.
But all thanks to our amiable Deputy Speaker, House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu, who has finally given us something to cheer in our years of jeer. The birth of the SEDC will no doubt help in addressing the huge infrastructural deficit in the region and bring it back to its peaceful nature. Indeed, with the signing into law of this all important Commission, it will definitely address development deficiencies in the area, provide quality education, advance our school infrastructure and its standard by offering teachers continuing education as well as providing scholarships to indigent students, skills acquisition, employment opportunities to the people, including the restive youths, provide quality healthcare, tackle ecological challenges, improve socio-economic activities and curtail the ever increasing military presence in the region. If all these mentioned can be tackled, it will equally add fillip to the aims and objectives of Peace in South East Project (PISE-P) vision, which is also a brainchild of the Deputy Speaker.
Just like its sister organizations, the South East Development Commission should live up to its mandate to which it was established and must not fail the people who are desirous of a better region after many years of siege and neglect.
Thus, to avoid failure, the Tinubu administration must ensure collaboration with stakeholders of the region who were instrumental to the birth of SEDC. Therefore, the pioneers who will lead the Commission should be patriotic Nigerians who would not compromise the 54-year-old hard fought vision.
It will be recalled that the bill was stalemated in the 8th and 9th assemblies. It subsequently created an impression of a culdesac for the development of the region. But in the 10th assembly, Kalu dusted the bill, expanded it appropriately, lobbied and pushed for its passage.
Anyone with keen understanding of the legislative proceedings in any parliament would know that passing a bill in an accelerated manner has always been a function of intense lobbying, love and confidence reposed in the sponsor of a motion. It is also a product of the degree of concerns displayed by the lawmakers. And this is the case in the 10th House as the members clearly showed they understood the plights of the region. No bill ever passes by coercion or undue influence or on self will. The members saw in Kalu a man of deep knowledge, one with utmost altruism to better the lot of region and then, unanimously passed the bill into law.
This was also the case in the Senate when the bill was sent there after its passage in the House. The Senators gave it an accelerated hearing and subsequently, passed it into law.
This therefore raises an appeal to the authorities to consider giving an opportunity to the Deputy Speaker who championed the bill to assemble some of the drivers of the commission to help realize the desired vision and mandate in line with the objectives of the bill.
To say that the presidential assent didn’t come as a surprise to many people would mean hiding the truth from the public.
President Tinubu, by that singular action, etched his name in gold and for many years to come, the south east will remain grateful to the president. Oh! yea, it is not in totems of typical Igbo man or woman to be ungrateful to anyone who does his or her any good. President Tinubu has done good to Ndi Igbo and history will be fair to him.
There is a saying that when you appreciate your benefactor, he does more for you. Our next plea is that the President will release our brother, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Ndigbo are eternally grateful to him for this great feat, and with this, the vision of reconciliation, rehabilitation, and reconstruction and may I add, reintegration is gradually being realized after many years of neglect and injustice to the region.
Mike Ukoha, former Minority Whip, Abia State House of Assembly, writes from Umuahia.
