Veteran Nollywood actor Kanayo O. Kanayo predicted that Nigeria would advance as a nation the day an Igbo person was elected president.
He claimed that the “Igbophobia” that has led some parts of the nation to exclude Igbos from running for president is purely theoretical.
In the most recent episode of the podcast “The Honest Bunch,” the actor discussed what it means to him to be both an Igbo and a Nigerian.
As per Kanayo’s statement, “Igbo culture refers to my origin from a region in the country where the Hausa, Fulani, and other groups speak a similar dialect.”
It also implies to me that I was a unique individual and that whatever I touch thrives. It means a great deal to us [the Igbos] to be referred to be the Jews of this region. And much is required of those who receive much. The tree with the knife wound is the one by the road.
“We always perform lovely dances in the marketplace. The Igbo people are like that. People start to look down on us as a result.
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“An Igbo man opens a kiosk for business today; after a year, he converts it to a shop. From stall to store.
“This is it. We refer to the force that spit into our hands as Chukwu Abiama. It is not negotiable. Thus, we would never stop making other individuals jealous.
“I recall hearing during the previous year’s elections that some Igbos wanted to conquer Lagos. How do we conquer Lagos? For what purpose do we have our ancestral home?
The majority of us, though, don’t want to go back. And it only takes place in Nigeria. No matter where they are from, a person is a New Yorker.
Nigeria will thus be a better nation if state of origin is eliminated. When you hire someone, what does their country of origin matter? What we’re searching for is IQ.
Thus, Igbo identity is now endangered. Because of this, people now evaluate me based more on my background than my qualifications.
“What needs to be examined is the content. Thus, nepotism has caused fragmentation within the broader nation of Nigeria, which has been planned by a number of individuals for political, economic, and religious motives.
For me, being Igbo and being Nigerian are like running in different directions. The [civil] battle seemed to have never ended.
For example, I saw an interview with Prof. Yusuf, who was formerly with the NHIS, on Arise TV a few months ago.
“‘These are our Igbo brothers, why are they not talking?’ he exclaimed. Why don’t they participate in the demonstration? The following day, I responded to him by saying, “Prof, you said we didn’t have the capacity to be president during the elections, so we don’t have the capacity to protest.”
“You mentioned that we shouldn’t be given authority. I mean, they are quotes from publications, so I’m not stating something that isn’t relevant.
“I told the Igbos that they were targets while other Nigerians were demonstrating from one area to another. The only people in Nigeria who build houses in every village are Igbos.
“We are the only individuals. We call every place we go home, therefore give it to us. We are not searching for a president who is Igbo. We are seeking an Igbo-American president who will offer Nigeria everything he has and all that God has given him.
“It is unfounded for the Igbo man to fear that, as Ojukwu declared a succession in 1967, “if you give them the opportunity again, they will secede.”
As I already stated, we are the only individuals in Nigeria who own real estate, even in the most remote regions. Thus, fear is generated.
“On the day an Igbo man is elected president of this nation, Nigeria will realise why it is Nigeria.” People would start to rejoice economically.
