Alleged 'deportation' of Igbos by Lagos state government - Beyond ethnic bigotry and politics

You know that you are in a mess when religious and ethnic bigotry take center stage and determine both the present and the future of a people.

Unfortunately, some of us are straight talkers and as such we don't know how to say A when we mean B.

I am not a politician and I don't pray to be one.

With time, we will know those that are genuinely interested in the progress, development, safety and dignity of the Igbos and those that are deliberately misleading and misrepresenting facts just to achieve their selfish interests.

Why should a politician remote control you and make you focus on what they want you to focus on instead of what you should focus on? And you still think you have complete control of your thinking faculties?

A section of the Nigerian constitution was reproduced by some people claiming that the constitution guarantees every Nigerian the right to live in any state of the federation.

I suppose that guarantee applies when you are law abiding and not constituting any security risk both to yourself or to other people.

Someone without a home in a state other than their state of origin could be attacked, raped or even murdered. These are direct risks to self.

The same person could be used to perpetrate crimes.

Some even stated that it is the job of every state to provide jobs for the people in the state regardless of where they come from and that homeless and destitutes should be provided accommodation, clothing and feeding by the state and I assume they expect the state to do this for life.

My question to such people remains - if that is correct then why do people need to leave their own states and come to Lagos state to have such benefits when their own states could also do same? Put differently, why Lagos and not Anambra, Enugu, Imo, Ebonyi or Abia?

When some of us pointed out that Anambra state deported Nigerians from Akwa Ibom and Ebonyi states they responded by saying that Lagos state deported Igbos because of tribalism and Anambra state deported Akwa Ibom indigenes because of tribalism.

I then asked - if that is the case why did Anambra state deport Ebonyi state indigenes even when both Anambra and Ebonyi state are Igbo states? The response till this very moment remains 'your question is not clear'.

Liaison offices - what are they and why do they exist?

The fact that Lagos state deemed it necessary to contact Anambra state liaison office concerning the affected Anambra state indigenes and actually exchanged correspondences with them including an invitation extended to the Anambra state liaison office to come and see and interact with those that claimed to be Anambra state indigenes and the liaison office didn't bother should make any honest Igbo man to ask why?

Is this not the same thing our brothers and sisters complain of concerning our embassies abroad?

If you cannot come to the aid of your own even when that is pat of your official job responsibility then why are you there?

Be that as it may, if the people Lagos state government took down to Anambra state were dropped off by 2.00am or 3.00am as alleged without handing them over to Anambra state officials or office then it is very wrong and wicked considering the fact that they could have been attacked or even killed by criminals at that time.

The time and manner of dropping them off remain the problem I have with the whole deportation issue. I would rather focus my attention on what the government of Anambra state did to save, defend or help their own citizens that were arrested and in danger of being 'deported' than choose to play politics on a sensitive issue like this.

Interestingly, those who claim that the people involved were targeted because they were Igbos also claim that Igbos make up at least 40% of the population in Lagos state.

It then means that it is either Lagos state government is very bad in mathematics if they can arrest and deport only 14 or 72 people (don't know the exact number with all the conflicting information out there) out of a possible 6.4 million Igbos in Lagos or that the claim that Igbos were targeted is nonsense considering the fact that Hausas have been deported in large numbers by the same Lagos state in the past so the issue cannot be ridiculously reduced to Lagos state vs Ndigbo affair as some people would rather have us believe especially those that have things to do with politics.

If the truth hurts or makes you uncomfortable then it means you still have a conscience which is a good thing.

Anyone that believes that what it takes to be a lover of Igbo people is for the person to hate, abuse and curse other tribes is sick, very very sick!!!