Biafra: Soludo Calls for Intellectual Debate, Advocates Structured National Dialogue

Anambra State Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo has passionately called for a structured, intellectual examination of the "Igbo question" within Nigeria. Speaking in Awka after a stage performance titled "The Tale of Two Nnamdis," which depicted the struggles of historical figures Nnamdi Azikiwe and Nnamdi Kanu, Soludo urged stakeholders to shift from agitation to robust, empirical debate.

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That conversation must begin in a very structured manner.

The governor expressed concern over the lack of structured intellectual engagement concerning the challenges faced by the Igbo people and their place in the Nigerian state. He commended the students of the Theatre Arts and Film Department at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, for initiating a conversation he believes has been absent from academic and political discourse for too long. "That conversation must begin in a very structured manner," Soludo stated.

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I saw the war very clearly. I am a Pan-Africanist and a proud Nigerian. Ndị Igbo need Nigerians, Nigerians need Ndị Igbo; same for the world. Our prosperity will accelerate if we take advantage of a wider space.

Reflecting on past agitations, Soludo cautioned against tactics like the "sit-at-home" order, which he noted harmed the very people the agitators aimed to support. Drawing from personal experience, he recalled the trauma of the Civil War, during which his mother died and his father carried a bullet wound for 11 years. "I saw the war very clearly," he said. "I am a Pan-Africanist and a proud Nigerian. Ndị Igbo need Nigerians, Nigerians need Ndị Igbo; same for the world. Our prosperity will accelerate if we take advantage of a wider space."

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Zik helped us; he bargained in the First and Second Republics. He taught us the politics of bargaining.

Soludo also challenged the Igbo populace to address what he termed a "dual personality" paradox in their engagement with national politics. He questioned the viability of aspiring to the presidency while simultaneously expressing deep reservations about the Nigerian project. "As a people, where do we stand? How can you govern a people who don’t know your stand?" he queried. The governor reiterated his willingness to engage in civil dialogue, including direct engagement with factions led by Nnamdi Kanu, emphasizing the importance of tolerance and the political legacy of Nnamdi Azikiwe, who he said "bargained in the First and Second Republics."

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It is true that Ndi Igbo want the presidency, but the paradox has to be addressed. As a people, where do we stand? How can you govern a people who don’t know your stand?