Muodum Nick Obi, the Igwe of Nnobi in Anambra state, says he agrees with Wole Soyinka, the Nobel laureate, that Nigerians of his generation who witnessed the First Republic are “a wasted generation”.
The renowned author and playwright made the remark in a 2019 interview on BBC’s ‘Hard Talk’.
Obi revisited the comment during an interview with Rudolf Okonkwo on 90MinutesAfrica while reflecting on the state of the nation.
He said that while individuals in his generation made progress, collectively, they failed to deliver.
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“I agree with Professor Wole Soyinka that my generation was a wasted generation,” the monarch said.
“I remember as a student in London, we protested when Tafawa Balewa was passing through London to the United Nations.
“But Nigeria still retains the same type of foreign policy that Prime Minister Balewa had in the ’60s, and I don’t think we would go anywhere with that, really.”
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The traditional ruler criticised Nigerian politicians for embracing sycophancy and bootlicking. He said many of them have no profession outside politics and are unwilling to build a society governed by the rule of law and transparency.
Obi, a devout Catholic, also addressed concerns about his faith and his role as a traditional ruler. He said he does not see a conflict between the two.
“I went on a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, and I discovered that some of the things they are doing and the things that our forefathers were doing in their traditions,” he said.
“As the traditional ruler of the community, I am the traditional ruler of both the Christians and non-Christians. I don’t think being a traditional ruler is against Christianity. Perhaps you can draw a line on what you can accept as a traditional ruler who is a Christian.”
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Obi called on sons and daughters of Nnobi, both at home and abroad, to invest in productive ventures in the community to boost the economy and create jobs for young people.
