By Ugochukwu Alaribe

CHIEf Emeka Diwe, an Aba-based industrialist and President General, Imo State Association of Indigenous Town Unions, spoke to South East Voice on town unionism and how President Muhammadu Buhari can engage town unions to actualize development projects in the South East zone. Excerpt

ABA—WHY are you so passionate about town unionism?

Chief Emeka Diwe

The Town Union is the only development-driven identity of the Igbo man that has stood the test of time.   It predates the colonial era.   The town union structure is an exclusive product of the Igbo man’s genetic configuration of unrepentant republicanism. It is the only genuine democratic structure in Igbo land with indisputable credible leadership. It is the only structure that has total coverage in the whole of Igbo land.   In fact democracy started from Igbo land in Nigeria via the town union leadership.

In my community, Akpulu in Ideato North LGA, for instance, the first documented meeting proceedings (minutes) of the town union was in 1936, when they produced the first person who could read and write.   The modern version of the Igbo man’s ancient republican system of governance is what we are celebrating world over today as democracy.

Americans who are the father of modern democracy have just embraced the town hall meeting as a democratic mobilization process under Bush regime but town hall buildings and town hall gatherings (meetings) originated with the Igbo man long time ago.   Every living Igbo man today cannot say when the town union meeting of his town/community started. He grew up to see it. The age grade (Ebiri),  nnoko umunna/otu umunna, nze na ozo,umuada,  etc, were all forms of town unionism that existed in the past which metamorphosed and developed into the present modernized town unionism.

The two most important things about the town union are that it drives development to the grassroots people mainly through self help effort.   80% of rural development in any part of Igbo land is through the town union leadership – the schools, hospitals, roads, churches, market squares, scholarship programs, etc. Secondly, the leadership is the willing choice of the people by all democratic and credible standards.   The president generals are men of integrity with credible mandate of majority of the people.

What is the organization of this town union like, beyond the local community?

Besides the communities, there is a coordinating body at the local government level where the presidents -general meet to discuss the affairs of the town unions. It is headed by a President of Presidents. There is also the zonal structure for instance at Orlu where the local government presidents-general meet from time to time to discuss the affairs of the zone.

Then, there is the state structure where the 27 presidents-general representing each local government plus the zonal heads who form the state executives of the town unions which I am privileged to be the leader by God’s grace, meet. And recently, we have an amalgamated structure comprising the town union leaderships of all the Igbo speaking states under the umbrella of association of South East Town Unions.

What is the difference or relationship between the town union and  Ohanaeze  Ndigbo?

Ohaneze is an elitist Igbo pressure group. I am a member too and I think all state leadership of town unions in Igbo speaking states are statutory members. But the town union, in addition to being an Igbo pressure group has a statutory function. There is only one town union) involved in the day to day administration of the communities to maintain peace and order via various vigilante groups, etc. They are the closest to the grassroots and as such, the structure is the most effective agent of mobilization in Igbo land.

Every genuine Igbo man including members of Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a member of his town union. Any Igbo man who is not a member or is expelled from the town union has a questionable character. In fact, the phenomena oftown unionism are deeply rooted in the psyche and culture of the Igbo man both at home and in diaspora. Besides the mother unions that are based at home, all the major cities in Nigeria- Lagos, Kano, Ibadan, Onitsha, Aba etc, all have branches of their various town unions. In US, UK, Germany, etc, there are Igbo town unions too.

Is this town union political, does it actively participate in partisan politics?

The town unions are political but not partisan. The town union is a father and welcomes all political parties. That is to say that town union as a structure does not belong to any political party even if it has Igbo tribal coloration. Individual members and groups could belong to various political parties of their interest. However, the union can come out and take a definite position when the collective interest of the Igbo or that community is at stake. It can also be described as a non governmental organization.

What is the relationship between the government and town unions?

The association of Imo State indigenous Town Unions as registered with Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) is independent just like its counterparts in other states like Anambra.   It is not an arm of the government.   However, the structure should on mutual discretion support and partner with government in relevant areas to drive development to the grassroots.

For instance, Anambra State especially under the administration of Peter Obi and Willie Obiano have partnered with the Town Union structure to develop the rural communities in the state.   These town union structures both at the state level and zonal level in the South East are all duly incorporated with Corporate Affairs Commission, Abuja with approved board of trustees and as such, are legitimately entitled to function and operate as registered.

I advise President Muhammadu Buhari to partner with the town unions to achieve his development plans in the South East zone. If he can do this, I assure you that he will discover how efficient the town union structure can be in mobilization of the grassroots. .   Therefore, if Buhari wants to tidy up the governance of Nigeria based on integrity and credibility to fight corruption and ensure quality governance, this structure of town unions leadership must not be neglected at least in the Igbo speaking part of Nigeria.

There is this adage that says “Ihe yiri ite ka eji ekpuchi ite” that is, you cover the pot with an identical diametric lid”.   If you are looking for the eye of an animal, it is only in the head that you can find it.   Buhari has to look beyond his nose to see credible characters, remember  “na only when you bend down, you go see Aba well well”. It is only through this town union structure that relevant government programmes and policies could be marketed and communicated to the grassroots and interpreted in the language they will understand.

To  what extent do you think the voice of the town union can be heard?

First, we have established that the town union is a generic and indelible identity of the Igbo man.   It is one language every Igbo man understands.   Its administration covers all nooks and crannies of Igbo land and cuts across all political, religious, demographic barriers.   We have also established that it has a credible leadership of president generals and their various executives who are selected by their various communities based on their integrity profile and genuine leadership qualities.

No bribery, no lobbying, no thuggery, and no snatching of ballot boxes.   There is this genuine and patriotic willingness on the part of the leadership to serve their people and they are generally not paid. I therefore want to state without fear of equivocation that this town union leadership as far as Igbo land is concerned has more integrity and credibility than the political party leadership we have today.

I dare any Igbo man to challenge this fact.   The only thing is that this leadership is not loud and does not have sufficient resources to be noticed; you know the Nigeria factor

There are fears that Buhari may marginalize the South East as he got the least support from the zone?

Who told you the Igbo didn’t vote for him?   You see, there are two types of voting and political support; one is active, the other is passive.   If one deliberately refuses to vote for his brother who is your opponent, it’s a form of passive or latent support for you.   If you compare the voting pattern in 2011 with that of 2015, especially in the South East, you will realize what I am talking about.

President Muhammadu Buhari chairs the meeting of the Peace and Security Council at the 25th AU Summit in Johannesburg on Saturday

Even at that, the Igbo voted for Buhari both “actively” and “passively”. However, we have passed the stage of election politics; we are now in the politics of governance.   Buhari has won the election, he needs to also succeed and win in governance.   The two stages and scenarios are quite different.   A set of people relevant for a successful election might not necessarily be the set relevant for successful governance.   Buhari like himself must bluntly appreciate this obvious fact.

Do you think Buhari can handle corruption?

I want to tell you that Buhari’s perceived integrity made him to win the presidential election. Before now, he has fought corruption and indiscipline to a standstill and can do it again. The most effective armour to wear in the fight against corruption is integrity – being corruption free; that is leadership by example.   He who comes to equity must come with clean hands.   Buhari is widely known for having this armour. I’m aware he can wage the battle against corruption.

Buhari should be very careful because most people around him are all corrupt and disqualified from participating in this war.   Corruption cannot fight corruption; when corruption fights itself, the result will be compromise.   But there are Nigerians who are not corrupt or whose level of integrity is within acceptable range.

Buhari must look for such people.   He can take his time to do this instead of hurrying into calamity.   He must look beyond his party and tribal environment.   Buhari should constitute credible search committees at all levels so that this reformation will happen simultaneously throughout the federation.   Credible and potent anti-corruption task forces must be put in place.

Buhari has just appointed Service Chiefs and no Igbo man/woman made the list.   Some Igbo leaders are crying marginalization, what is your take on that?

I think it is still not yet time for a loud suspicion.   There are many other appointments yet to be made. The Presidential spokesman said the appointments of the Service Chiefs were purely based on merit.   Let’s watch.   Luckily, the Igbo are known for merit and have achieved a lot by merit.   There are many appointment areas where the Igbo will excel on merit.   Let’s see whether merit will turn to de-merit.

Critics have described Buhari as too slow and sluggish. Can we attribute his age at 72 which he openly admitted as a challenge?

I don’t know why people harp on irrelevancies. Buhari made an innocent, realistic observation about his natural limitations and some busybodies are making unwarranted issues about it. Tell me who doesn’t have limitations?   Do we prefer a young energetic but corrupt president to an old president with sufficient integrity profile?   Nelson Mandela was older when he gave South Africa the best leadership in history.

Buhari, Osibanjo and some state governors have either said they won’t take salaries for now or slashed their salaries by half.

This has no impact on the economy or payment of salaries to workers.   Even if you put together all the official salaries of the President, governors and National Assembly members, it won’t create any significant impact on the economy.   If they want to sacrifice, let them sacrifice all the allowances including security votes and retain their basic salaries.

A labourer is worthy of his wages.   That is the essence of basic salaries.   We are talking of mountains of money and resources that corrupt officials stole and removed from the treasury and you are talking of salaries.     Let them take their salaries, but institute an enduring solution to corruption, that is the only the country can prosper. Even if they forfeit their salaries but do not confront corruption frontally, corrupt officials will hijack the forfeited salaries and it would defeat the essence of such forfeiture.