A retired military officer with whom I usually share easy moments called me last week. I was expecting him to blame me, as he always does, for his occasional dalliances with Victorian blue stockings. This time, however, he did not. He was preoccupied with a more serious matter. The urgency in his voice was palpable. “Amanze, why aren’t your people declaring for the presidency?” he thundered as I struggled to adjust to his new mood. What’s the matter with your people? Look, if you don’t push for it, no one will give you the presidency.”
Without hesitation, I responded. “Anyim has made his declaration. Ohuabunwa has made his declaration. Others, such as Peter Obi, are getting warmed up. “There’s also Moghalu in the picture.” The man, on the other hand, was adamantly opposed. “Anyim has not made a declaration.” But I was adamant that he had. My friend, on the other hand, was not convinced. He then stated that he would call Anyim to speak with him directly. He said nothing about the other names I mentioned.
I understood my officer-point friend’s of view. He was simply reiterating the widely held belief among many Nigerians that the Igbo are pursuing the presidency half-heartedly. Such Nigerians wonder why, despite their strong desire for the presidency, no one is willing to declare for the position. Many Nigerians believe that the Igbo are agitating for the presidency in the abstract, that they are not putting their blood and sweat into the campaign. “Where are the aspirants?” they frequently inquire. In their agitation, the overarching impression is that the Igbo are not matching words with action.
However, I have always maintained that the Igbo are not timid in this regard. It’s possible that the lack of a large number of candidates is a strategic decision. A large number of Igbo aspirants could pollute the air. It could be used as a weapon by those who will stop at nothing to criticize the Igbo approach to the presidential campaign. As the situation unfolds, however, we must begin our investigation with those who have stood up to be counted. Former Senate President Anyim Pius Anyim is one of these individuals.
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I had portrayed Anyim as a man with highly developed intuitive abilities for a long time. As an analyst and commentator, I watched him sift through the banana peels that littered the office of the Senate President at the time he held the position. He persevered in the face of adversity. Anyim took a step back after that tense ride. He isn’t a slacker when it comes to politics. He bides his time, waiting for the right opportunity. That’s why, after serving as Senate President, he remained in the background for two election seasons. Then, as the year 2011 approached, Anyim said, “Count me in.” He had completed his homework. The eight-year political slumber was well-rewarded. He was appointed Secretary to the Government of the Federation when he stepped forward.
Anyim is well-versed in the art of beating a tactical retreat and standing up to be counted. That was my greeting to him as I welcomed the diverse group of people who attended my book launch last month. The event was chaired by Anyim. “Anyim Pius Anyim, the wary politician who knows when to be in and when to be out of politics set the tone for what turned out to be a huge intellectual and political fiesta,” I had said of him in BROKEN TONGUES of October 18, 2021, when recounting the event. Anyim isn’t one to squander words. He has a quick wit that matches his actions to his words.” That was my assessment of this squeamish politician.
There is, however, a lot more to say about Anyim. The man is always on the lookout. He is cautious, circumspect, and always on the lookout. Many people associate him with the sixth sense because of his intuitive abilities. But I’m not going to come across as a lunatic. I have a strong suspicion that the man has a second eye. He has the ability to examine things critically. He has the ability to see beyond the obvious. That is why I believe he made a well-considered decision to run for president at this time. Anyim must have completed his homework, as he usually does. He had to have given the situation some thought. In his ratiocination and analysis, he must have used the second eye. And after a thorough investigation, Anyim is convinced that this is the best opportunity.
The reasoning behind Anyim’s decision to run for president is inextricably linked to the Nigerian situation. The country is engulfed in a raging debate. After Buhari, where does the presidency go? Individuals and interest groups have gone back and forth on this issue. However, the pull continues to pull to the south east. The zone has every advantage going for it. If Nigeria is still concerned about equity, power is set to return to the south. We don’t need to say how much the south east, more than any other southern region, deserves that position. This will occur if justice and fairness are included in the equation. This combination is the key to the country’s peace and progress.
Anyim has been selling this idea to Nigerians as a man with a strong sense of justice. Anyim was one of the strong voices that pulled the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) back from self-destruction when certain hawks within the party tried to railroad the party into zoning the presidency to the north in 2023. The PDP is still undecided on the issue. However, it is hoped that in the end, wise counsel will prevail.
When Nigerians realize that having a president of Igbo descent will benefit the country, people like Anyim will benefit. The Igbo are more open-minded than any other majority ethnic group. Given their cosmopolitan outlook, they are more Nigerian than the rest of the flock. Because Nigeria is their canvas, the Igbo man is the ultimate brush tool who, if given the chance to serve the country, will leave no space unmanned. This Igbo tendency is exemplified by the Anyims of the south east.
Anyim has built bridges of understanding as a man who has always operated at the center. Friendships with his companions spanned multiple zones. His friends from outside his ethnic group, for example, believe in him. Nigerians believe Anyim when he says he will bring disparate groups together for the good of the country. They believe him when he says he will provide the leadership that Nigeria sorely lacks. They trust him because he has been put to the test. Now is the time to put your complete trust in him. Sifting through the rubble is this man with a second eye. He promises to locate the woods’ tree.
