In a passionate commentary, writer Kamen Chuks Ogbonna has taken a firm stand against what he describes as “irritant voices” attempting to misrepresent the Ndi Igbo as people who are easily bought, greedy, or quick to abandon their own.
Ogbonna highlighted that history paints a very different picture, showing Ndi Igbo as resilient, united, and enduringly loyal. He recalled the aftermath of the 1967–1970 Civil War, when Igbos lost nearly everything yet rebuilt thriving businesses and communities through hard work and mutual support, without reliance on government assistance. Ogbonna drew parallels between Ndi Igbo’s post-war recovery and the Jewish community’s rebuilding after the Holocaust.
“Success like this comes from inner strength, not from greed or selling out,” he emphasized.
Ogbonna also pointed to traditional Igbo governance, where decisions were reached collectively through village meetings and consensus, comparing it to the democratic practices of ancient Athens. Core Igbo values such as Igwebuike (“unity is strength”) and Onye aghala nwanne ya (“don’t abandon your brother”) exemplify the community-first spirit he says defines Ndi Igbo.
He further cited historical examples of Igbo resilience, including the Women’s War of 1929, when thousands of Igbo women protested unfair colonial taxation, and the Biafran struggle, during which Igbos remained loyal under extreme hardship. “True loyalty endures through hardship; it does not disappear so easily,” he wrote, comparing the Igbo commitment to the fight against apartheid in South Africa.
Ogbonna challenged claims made by former Governor Isaac Fayose, arguing that opportunism and strategic political alignment exist across all ethnic groups. He noted the 2023 presidential election, during which prominent Yoruba leaders and elders, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo, openly endorsed Peter Obi, an Igbo candidate, demonstrating that political pragmatism often transcends ethnic lines.
He asked pointedly: “Did any Igbo person standing on the Jagaban mandate then tag Yorubas like Obasanjo as sellouts?” Ogbonna said this demonstrates that labeling an entire community based on the actions of a few individuals is misleading and unfair.
Concluding his commentary, Ogbonna urged Ndi Igbo to reclaim their narrative and resist divisive stereotypes. He also criticized Mr. Fayose for what he described as personal hypocrisy, given that he left the Southwest for Orumba in search of an Igbo marriage partner for his children. Ogbonna called for an open apology from Fayose or to be remembered in history as an efulefu.
“Our story as Ndi Igbo is one of endurance, pride, and unbreakable unity,” Ogbonna asserted. “We must stop putting all our political eggs in one basket, and we must reject those who attempt to taunt us for learning from past mistakes.”
