The Igbo race and inferiority complex, Who Will Save Them?

Recently, the Lagos state government through the ministry of environment ordered the closure of the Ladipo market in Mushin for allegation of environmental degradation against the inhabitant of the auto- spare part market.

The market as expressed by regular visitors to the market is describes as an eyesore because of the level of dirt and unhygienic environment people decides to stay to carry out their business activities.

However, since the closure of the market Igbo indigene around the state have been heard screaming blue murder saying the government closure was a deliberate act against the Igbo race in the state.

Some other set were also of the opinion that the closure of the market was a sinister technique of sending them out of Lagos because the government believes that is the only way they can do that, and whole lot of other illogical theories.

Truth be told, the Igbo’s constitute a very large number of business men and women in Lagos but that does not mean that the government is after them, because if I may ask for what? And why will the government be after their business rather they should know that no responsible government will open its eye and allow his citizen die an unnecessary or avoidable death.

What will the essence of making money when the large chunk of it will be spend on treating disease one contracted at his or her place of work, or should the government have waited for an outbreak of disease or virus before making any drastic decision to nip the atrocity in the bud or what.

Also, While the restructuring of Oshodi was going on, the Igbo were seen around the state shouting on their voice  saying the Lagos state government is  doing the demolition and restructuring because they are uncomfortable with the rate at which the Igbo race are making progress in the state.

But the question I kept asking them was whether they were the only one selling there were there not Hausa/ Fulani or Yoruba even we have the ijaws and the Idoma selling at Oshodi then and the restructuring affected everybody or were the other tribe left to continue their street trading or business and the response was in the negative.

Also, when the governor fashola paid an unscheduled visit to the market to assess the situation of the market, following pleas by the traders and the leadership of the Igbo Council in Lagos State led by Professor Anya O. Anya, who visited the state House, Ikeja.

At the market, the governor said, “It is a massive degradation of a section of Lagos and this is not acceptable. People should not carry on like this. But what is, perhaps, worthy of note is that those who are involved have seen the error of what they had done here and are ready to work with us to clean-up and I have said here that they must take the lead.”

Speaking particularly about the Canal in the market blocked by refuse from the traders, Fashola said: “The blockage of the canal poses a lot of danger and we are expecting heavy rains this year. I don’t want to come back here to pick any dead body. We built the canal and we must make it work by not trading on it or dump refuse in it.

“People told me that they picked engine parts, spare-parts and other things from the canal. It must stop.”

Also addressing the leadership of the Ladipo Auto Dealers’ Association led by its President General, Mr. Ikechukwu Animalu, Fashola made it clear to them that before government will reopen the market, the traders must clean-up the place and put measures in place to ensure that there was no trading on the roads in the market and no reversal to the old situation that led to its closure.

Reading meaning from what the Governor said, he was just trying to be proactive instead of being passive, waiting for the rains to come and wash everybody away before necessary things are done.

Also, I think if other governors in the country are being proactive as the Lagos State governor has been the loss of lives and the level of destruction of farm lands and property which was caused by flood in the country last year will not be as much as it was.

And with the fact that it has been predicted that the rains of the year will be much than that of last year should a responsible leader leave his followers to die before doing something expedient about their well being.

The Igbo race should move away from being inferior to see a force to reckon with and never see the policies of any government as a plan to relegate them to the back in the country.

So, instead of playing ethnic card with their life, the Igbo should face the reality and move on with their lives by allowing the governments do its job because the market belongs to every Nigerian and not to a particular set of tribe or people who always feel marginalize any time things are done to right the wrong in the country.