A governorship aspirant in Anambra State on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party , Dr Obiora Okonkwo , has said the trouble with Igbo is love for pecuniary gains.
He said the problem of Igbo in Nigeria was self -afflicted .
He said the Igbo had abandoned their traditional “ consensus meritorious ” method of selecting leaders for material and pecuniary consideration .
Okonkwo stated this while delivering a lecture at the 5th annual Umunri Colloquium at Enugwu Ukwu , Anambra State , themed , “ Ndigbo in contemporary Nigeria: A social, cultural, political and economic reflection .”
He decried the development in Igbo where materialism was placed above meritocracy in selection of leaders .
He recalled that in the traditional Igbo society , people would sit and discuss the pedigree of any person who would lead them before selecting such people , adding that often , such leaders were wooed by the people because of their manifest good character and capacity .
Okonkwo said , “ That is selection before election .
That was how people like the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe emerged as leaders . These days , many Igbo have seen leadership as a means to attain wealth and not service to the people .
“ Today , what is the qualification for leadership ? Tell me if you know? Leadership has no qualification now .
“ It is for this reason that people who have retired from their business, who are no longer strong to render quality leadership , join politics and contest elections. Others simply buy the position because they have wealth.
“ If we must get back on track in this country , Igbo must learn to send their first eleven for leadership . We know ourselves , we can sit and select those we will send to leadership positions, even before the election , and that was what our people did in the past ,” Okonkwo said .
He urged the people of the state to elect only those they knew their track records.
“ We all know ourselves . We know our capabilities. And if we are sincere with ourselves , even in the coming Anambra election , we can select our governor before the election .
“ So, I am advocating that we go back to our old style of leadership selection process. That is what made us who we are. This system of all -comers affair is not working and will continue to throw up bad leaders .”
Copyright PUNCH .
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