"Who are the current Igbo leaders? Ohaneze whose cry of marginalization in appointments leads people to remind them of how Ndigbo were favoured in GEJ's govt and how the whole country is suffering from one form of marginalization or another? Is it the people demanding Igbo Presidency as if the Presidency is anybody's right?"
- Toyin Adepoju
Toyin, not that it mater, but Jonathan did not "favour" the Igbo in his government - either in his appointments or in his government's allocations for zonal projects. This is part of the myth that has been circulated to amplify this national onslaught against the Igbo in Nigeria, and a fraudulent argument often raised to explain so-called Igbo "support" and "defence" of Goodluck Jonathan. The Igbo did not support Jonathan because of any favours, or any sense of influence they exerted from any association with him. They supported him because they believed that he was a better alternative for them than Muhamed Buhari, and they have been proven right. But it is true that relative to other administrations, the Igbo had better visibility under the administration of Jonathan, who treated them relatively better than any previou administraton since 1983. This very fact drove folks crazy and created a terrible myth! Now, let me give you a breakdown of Jonathan's administration from 2011. Of the 31 ministers in his government from 2011- 2015, 6 were from the South East. In July 2011, after the start of his second term, Jonathan appointed a new cabinet. Members included:[6]
| Ministry | Minister | State |
|---|---|---|
| Agric and Natural Resources (State) | Bukar Tijani | Borno |
| Attorney General, Justice | Mohammed Bello Adoke | Kogi |
| Aviation | Stella Oduah-Ogiemwonyi | Anambra |
| Defence | Bello H. Mohammed | Kebbi |
| Defence (State) | Erelu Olusola Obada | Osun |
| Education | Ruqayyatu Rufai | Jigawa |
| FCT (State) | Olajumoke Akinjide | Oyo |
| Federal Capital Territory | Bala Mohammed | Bauchi |
| Finance | Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala | Abia |
| Finance (State) | Yerima Lawal Ngama | Yobe |
| Foreign Affairs | Olugbenga Ashiru | Ogun |
| Foreign Affairs (State) | Viola Onwuliri | Imo |
| Health | Onyebuchi Chukwu | Ebonyi |
| Information | Labaran Maku | Nasarawa |
| Communication Technology | Mrs. Omobola Johnson | Ondo |
| Interior | Comrade Abba Moro | Benue |
| Labour | Emeka Wogu | Abia |
| Mines and Steel Development | Mohammed Musa Sada | Katsina |
| National Planning | Shamsudeen Usman | Kano |
| Niger Delta Affairs | Godsday Orubebe | Delta |
| Niger Delta Affairs (State) | Zainab Ibrahim Kuchi | Niger |
| Petroleum | Diezani Alison-Madueke | Bayelsa |
| Police Affairs | Caleb Olubolade | Ekiti |
| Power | Chinedu Nebo took over from Bart Nnaji | Enugu |
| Science and Technology | Ita Okon Bassey Ewa | Akwa Ibom |
| Sports | Yusuf Sulaiman | Sokoto |
| Trade and Investment | Olusegun O. Aganga | Lagos |
| Trade and Investment (State) | Samuel Ioraer Ortom | Benue |
| Transport | Idris A.Umar | Gombe |
| Women Affairs | Zainab Maina | Adamawa |
| Works | Mike Onolememen | Edo |
| Works (State) | Bashir Yugudu | Zamfara |
| Youth Development | Bolaji Abdullahi | Kwara |
Of those six only Onyebuchi Chukwu ran one of the big ministries. Viola Onwuliri was a junior minister in the Foreign Ministry under Gbenga Ashiru. Which means, she could never raise a ministerial memo without the support of Ashiru. Now, here is the breakdown of the allocation to the ministries starting with 2011: Defence (N380. 47 billion), Education (N365.88 billion). Police (N296.56 Billion) and Health (N203.3 Billion). The pattern is largely consistent through the terms from 2011-2015. As a matter the consistent bump of expenditure was in National Security/Defence.
Of President Jonathan's Presidential Advisory staff, there were only two Igbo: Joy Emordi and Sullivan Nwakpo. Here is breakdown of the Presidential office:
- Mr. Pius Anyim - Secretary to the Federal Government
- Mike Oghidome - Chief of Staff to the President (replaced later by Jones Arogbofa)
- Eng. Mohammed Kachalla Abubakar – Deputy Chief of Staff to the President
- Col. (rtd.) Sambo Dasuki - National Security Adviser (he replaced General Owoeye Azazi in 2012)
– Hassan Tukur – Principal Secretary to the President,
– Dr. Tunji Olagunju – Special Adviser to the President on NEPAD,
– Mr. Oronto Douglas – Special Adviser to the President on Research and Strategy
– Hon. Kingsley Kuku – Special Adviser to the President on Niger Delta Affairs.
- Prof. Abubakar Sambo – Special Adviser to the President on Energy,
– Mrs. Sarah Akuben Pane – Special Adviser to the President on Social Development
– Mrs. Sarah Jibril – Special Adviser to the President on Ethics and Values
– Senator Joy Emordi – Special Adviser to the President on National Assembly Matters
-Pius Olakunle Osunyikanmi – Special Adviser to the President on International Relations.
– Prof. Dan Adebiyi – Special Adviser to the President on Special Duties
– Dr. Reuben Abati – Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity
– Mrs. Asma'u Abdulkadir – Special Adviser to the President on Gender Issues
– Nze Sullivan Akachukwu Nwakpo – Special Adviser to the President on Technical Matters
– Yakubu Abdullahi – Special Adviser to the President on Political Matters (Office of the Vice President)
– Barr. Bashir Sufyan – Special Adviser to the President on Legal Matters (Office of the Vice President)
– Senator Isaiah Ballat – Special Adviser to the President for Special Duties (Office of the Vice President).
The most powerful figures on the President's staff included Pius Anyim, Mike Oghodiome (later ), Hassan Tukur, Dan Adebiyi, Oronto Douglas, Sambo Dasuki, Rueben Abati. In what ways therefore did Jonathan favor the Igbo more than any other part of Nigeria in terms of his appointments? It is still a wonder to me. But take aside the issue of appointment, and breakdown government expenditures zone by zone under the Jonathan administration, and it would be very clear who had been favored by Jonathan, who was actually busy appeasing his foes rather than helping his friends. All the talk about Igbo "influence" in Jonathan's office had much more to do with the fact that for the first time, Jonathan appointed an Igbo, Chief of Army, and it drove many people around the bend. Just as Anyim's job of Chief Secretary of state, the first time for an Igbo, and the designation of Okonjo-Iweala, who by the way replaced Nenadi Usman in that same role, as Minister of Finance and "Coordinating Minister of the Economy," gave many people the goose bumps. It is basically the situation that once these people see more than two Igbo in a place, they'd usually say, "Igbo are too many here" - because they see double. I am still waiting for someone to show me, in actual ways, that Jonathan favored the Igbo more than any part of Nigeria in his appointments. The tables above suggest different truth. And you're absolutely right, although there are strategic implications in it all given the state of Nigerian politics, these appointments do not matter as much as direct programs that favor ordinary people.
Obi Nwakanma
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2017 8:00 PM
To: usaafricadialogue
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - Re: What is the roe of scholars?
Toyin,
These are rhetorical questions.
Kanu never made any real efforts to activate even the preliminary process of achieving the sovereignty of Biafra. He rather prefers to rouse the rabble with lies and half-truths.
It may interest you to know for instance, that Kanu did not found IPOB as he claimed, he is not even the spokesman of the group, he was made the Director of Radio Biafra. As I write, the real founders of IPOB have taken back their organization, leaving Kanu with his original position of Director of Radio Biafra.
Kanu has potentials and can emerge as an Igbo leader in the nearest future if he can put his present manners in check.
CAO.
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