Very few subjects can boast of generating the kind of interest the issue of political leadership in the South-East Nigeria has done over the years. The unflagging commentary it spawns every so often bespeaks of the people’s unwavering concern over the issue.

Since the end of the civil war, the issue of political leadership in the zone has remained a sore point in the consciousness of the people. This is evident on account of the people’s loss of privileges and positions in virtually all spheres of national life. The resurgent feeling of loss manifests each time the people’s collective aspiration is threatened by the larger Nigerian interest. One such case was the recent elections to the Senate Presidency and Speakership of the House of Representatives, both of which the zone lost to North Central and North West, respectively. Coupled with that was the loss of the chairmanship of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party zoned to South-East, but which was unceremoniously ceded to another zone when its last occupier, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo resigned the office.

The loss of these positions in quick succession against the background of constant denials quickly pitched the people against their leaders. As a consequence, they (leaders) were perceived as compromised; dismissed as self-serving, and denounced as myopic. Vilified alongside them is the Ohaneze Ndigbo which stance on the last general elections was also criticised. Both got besmirched for failing the zone in its quest to approximate the other five zones of the country, or at least keep a close second in structural development. But how fair are the criticisms in the light of the limited influences of these leaders?

Arguably, there is structural imbalance in the country which places the South-East zone in noticeable disadvantage. Apart from visible lack of federal presence, the zone is a state short of the other five which greatly weakens its political base. Thus, blaming all denials on the leaders instead of the system is a case of obtuse reading of the real political situation. The Federal Government is guilty of policy of containment against the political aspirations of people from the zone. The zone neither gets its dues each time political offices are ladled out, nor attracts corresponding projects. It is the frustration which the people unwittingly visit on their leaders.

But today the South-East governors have geared efforts to reverse the ugly trend. The Governor Peter Obi-led forum has been pedalling to the metal to undo the wrongs of the past. Though a difficult task, but the efforts are yielding desirable results. It is on record that the forum has made importunate requests to the presidency which have led to review of some of the following projects: second Niger Bridge, Enugu International Airport, ecological problems, federal roads, Ebonyi State University, oil reserve in the zone, Enugu coal mine, among others.

Recall that before Obi assumed the leadership of the group not much was heard in terms of effort to address the problems of the zone. In fact, it hardly constituted any major force in political equation of the country. But all that have changed today. This explains why a lot of people blamed the failure to secure either of the two political offices on the group. But those who do this are themselves ignorant of the abiding political intrigue in the country. The decision to cede away those offices alongside the chairmanship of PDP is in consonance with the pervading political culture of the Nigerian state. The culture of treating issues affecting the zone with levity.

The conclusion of the Peter Obi-led governors’ forum to pursue structural equality rather than seek appointment to positions should be seen from the prism of popular action. An international airport in the South Eastern Nigeria is more beneficial to the people than Senate presidency. Those who feel strongly about the loss of those positions are blinded by order of protocol list. That is the absence of people of South-East descent among the first four citizens of the country. The argument being that a Senate President or Speaker of House of Representatives would influence the development of the zone. But our history is replete with tales of failure. The Obasanjo regime alone had five Senate Presidents of Igbo extraction with little to show for the development of the zone.

Infrastructural development of the zone is underway. The stillborn second Niger Bridge contract awarded during the Obasanjo regime has now been re-awarded. There is also the upgrading of the Akanu Ibiam Airport Enugu to an international airport. Other issues raised and which are receiving favorable response from the presidency are: the takeover of Ebonyi State University by the Federal Government, exploration of gas reserve in some parts of Anambra and Enugu states. There was also a pronouncement to the effect that about N11 billion would be voted to tackle erosion menace in the five states of the zone.

It is believed that if effort is sustained in this direction infrastructural development will not only improve, but the people’s political profile would be enhanced. Governor Obi has not rested. He has since made official visits to the Presidency and other relevant ministries as a follow-up. His visit which was widely reported was anchored on the need for Federal Government to expedite action on some of the projects already embarked upon, and to commence actions on the others.

Notwithstanding, the long denials suffered by the zone in the hands of the Federal Government has impassioned the people to impugn the honesty of their leaders. But to indulge in such pastime or make scapegoats of these leaders will only exacerbate the entire situation. It will be the quickest way to remain hitched in the doldrums of underdevelopment and to satiate the political subjugators of the zone.

No matter how tempting it may be to argue that all the problems of the zone are induced from without, some of them are also self-inflicted. The problem of the zone is as much a failure of leadership as it is a reward for mediocrity.

For headway there must be a distinction between holding appointment to positions, making money, and housing the right spirit that is receptive to the demands of leadership. Leadership is not all about the size of one’s pocket, nor is it a function of self-glorification.

Mr. Ejike Anyaduba, a public affairs analyst, wrote from Abatete, Anambra State