“Our political class, especially those from Igbo land has not encouraged the advancement of education, health or infrastructure. They’re only interested in their welfare and that of their children and relations. They’re there to acquire, acquire and acquire wealth to the detriment of their kinsmen; they’re all 419 people.
“I challenge any of them to tell me the quality thing he/she has attracted to Igbo land that’s not personal to him”, the second republic Minister of Health under the administration of late President Shehu Shagari offered.
Madubuike, it will be recalled, resigned from Shagari’s government in 1981 following the collapse of the Accord between the ruling National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and the Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP).
The former Minister, a member of the NPP, was appointed into Shagari’s government following the policy of inclusive governance by the then NPN-led federal government which resulted in the formation an Accord between the ruling party and NPP, an opposition party then after the Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN).
The Former Health Minister spoke at the just concluded special World Igbo Congress (WIC) sponsored and hosted by the Gregory University, Uturu (GUU). The Congress end last the weekend.
Said he, “When I served under Shehu Shagari’s government from 1979 to 198, I facilitated the enthronement of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) which is immensely being enjoyed today.
“I attracted the Psychiatric Hospital in Enugu, moved doctors from Enugu to Ituku Ozara, Enugu. I facilitated the conversion of major state general hospitals to Federal Medical Centres and recommended for their proper equipment.
“I stopped doctors from incessantly embarking on strikes by fulfilling their demands of good conditions of service in my short spell in office as Minister of Health”.
he continued, “The present and past political leaders are self-serving, people without address; 419 people have taken over our political landscape, they’re not credible at all; no Igbo spirit in them, all they think is their pockets and their pocket alone”.
Professor Madubuike chaired the closing ceremony of the SWIC where the Chancellor and proprietor of Gregory University, Uturu, Professor Gregory Ibe; foremost politician and businessman, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu; Professor Epiphany Azinge; former Governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; former Senate President, Senator Ken Nnamani; Professor George Obiozor; former Deputy governor, Old Abia State, Chief Francis Oji; Chief C D Orike were conveners and also made useful contributions.
A professor of Modern History, Professor Chima Okolie who also made a critical appraisal of history of the Igbo at the event, observed that the Igbo shaped the present day world because 90 percent of slaves exported to the Americas from the Bight of Biafra were Igbos. He stressed that these slaves were the people that set the standard for development and modernization of North and South America through their hard work and perseverance.
The don also informed that over 90 percent of the populace of Caribbean including Haiti, Jamaica, Bahamas are Igbos and declared “For more than 500 years, the Igbo have continued to shape the world and steer it towards development particularly in the Americas”.
Prof Okolie expressed worry over the non inclusion of Igbos in the scheme of things and wondered why they have not been allowed to rule Nigeria in order to set things right. “I therefore urge Ndigbo to go all out and seek for the President of Nigeria of Igbo extraction in 2023. Go to other zones and ethnic groups and seek for their support for 2023. If it means begging, beg; if it means prostrating, prostrate”, he admonished.
Similarly, Professor Joakin Okoroafor of the Gregory University, Uturu, asked Ndigbo to put their acts together towards the pursuit of the Nigeria’s President of Igbo extraction. He warned that if they continue to sing discordant turns in their quest for the top seat, the seat may elude them.
“Henceforth bring your investments home”, the university don counseled.
Uche Nwosu is a two time Shell Petroleum PLC award winner in the year 2000;
He won the Shell Award on Investigative Journalism and Environmental Cleanliness.
