Southern Nigeria: We Must Rise To The Challenge Of Developing And Protecting our Region - Eriacy Confidence

Southern Nigeria: We Must Rise To The Challenge Of Protecting And Developing Our Region -  Eriacy Confidence Oba 

The founder and President of Southern Nigeria Development Forum has called on Southern Nigerians to rise to the challenge of developing and protecting the region's interest against invasions. The Nollywood Filmmaker, Writer and publisher of Coneri Magazine blamed southerners for the woes they now face. 

He writes:

"Today, politically and economically, Southern Nigeria has become, to a large extent, a colony of Northern Nigeria.The British occupied and exploited the region for many years and when they were satisfied and sure the region was completely looted and vandalised, they sold or leased it out to THE DEVIL YOU KNOW to continue the occupation and exploitation. And the new Masters instead of being considerate based on a number of factors, have rather deployed more cruelty and political machinery to eliminate the people of the region and take over their lands and properties. And to achieve this purpose, they have become consistent and deliberate in frustrating our frantic efforts for peace, unity, security and development. But while we decry the rate of poverty, hunger, under development, insecurity, marginalization and other social injustices done to the region by our neighbors and their Western collaborators, and the havoc that it has caused over the years, we must however be sincere enough to admit that, give and take, we the people of the south have been highly collaborative and self inflicted. It is the case of shooting yourself in the foot. In fact we share 60% percent of the blame for our travail because nobody has the power to put one into any challenge or opportunity without their consent. Instead of advocating for the good of the region, we are rather aiding our enemies to completely occupy and ruin our territory. Like Chief Barr Johnson Ebokpo succinctly puts it" The key limitation or drawback is that we are yet to fully absorb our environment, identify new visions, recognize the current challenges and opportunities in every sphere of life. Our response to challenges and opportunities is not yet different from our forebears. It is for this reason that instead of organizing and rising a new level of competitiveness, we wallow deeper and deeper in lamentation over self inflicted political and other social injustices, marginalization, suppression, domination...   But the paradox is that while our less educated or less informed forebears did not allow anyone to politically undermine ( Southern Nigeria), we who are more educated or more informed have permitted (Southern Nigeria) to be politically conquered such that those who are to represent us in key public governance institutions are not selected by us but emerge or imposed on us through externally driven processes."

It is sad that, even though we have all the opportunities and resources to challenge our circumstances and use our advantaged strengths to develop our region, we have rather stood with arms akimbo to watch our enemies destroy our heritage and take captive our people. We have rather given our enemies the consent to execute us and our people and take over the assets our forebears laboured to pass over to us. And you know why we are silent and inactive, don't you? It is because, for purpose of greed, ignorance and fear, we have sold ourselves, our families and region to the tormentors for a plate of porridge that only satisfies one momentarily. The leaders and followers alike. We are all guilty of the fact that we been silent because of one economic or political benefit or the other. We have even formed the habit of 'Crucifying our own' while 'lending a helping hand' to people from other regions to continue to oppress us. We are critical of anyone or anything that rises from our region. We follow up with speed with the hope of destroying the source that gives it light. If it is not connected to your paymasters from the other region, it is balderdash. Yet, we lament the deplorable state of things in our region. Yet we claim we want change, peace and development. We cannot get what we cannot give. If we must have the desired change in the region, it must be initiated and sustained by all of us. 

We have to free ourselves from the ties of slavery and rise up to the challenge of developing our region as well as taking over the decision of who represents us at all levels.  We must know that leadership contributes greater percent to the growth and development of any society. 

2023 is fast approaching and we must all come together to ensure that the number one man of the country hails from our region. 

The unity and development of the South is possible 

Happy New Month Southerners.

Eriacy Confidence Oba