President Tinubu Confers National Honors on Joe Igbokwe and Others: Yet Another Message to Ndị Igbo?
Family Writers Press International
President Bola Tinubu has once again demonstrated how little regard he has for the feelings and opinions of millions of Ndị Igbo across Nigeria.
Among those recently decorated with national honors is Joe Igbokwe, a man whose relationship with his own people has long been a subject of public controversy. Many Nigerians will recall how he was openly rejected and chased out of Ladipo Market by angry traders and youths who accused him of consistently speaking against the interests and concerns of the Igbo people.
One would have expected any leader seeking national unity to ask a simple question: Why was this man rejected by the very people he claims to represent?
But apparently, that question never crossed the President’s mind.
If a man enters a market every week and returns home after quarrelling with the traders, common sense demands that we investigate the man’s conduct. If he visits another market and the same thing happens, then another market, and another, at what point do we stop blaming the traders and start examining the man?
Yet, instead of asking these questions, the Presidency chose to reward him with a national honor.
What message does that send?
To many Ndị Igbo, it appears that the more disconnected one becomes from the aspirations of the people, the more attractive one becomes to the political establishment in Abuja. Loyalty to the ruling class seems to matter more than acceptance by one’s community.
National honors are supposed to celebrate individuals whose contributions unite, inspire, and uplift society. They are meant to reflect the admiration of the people, not merely the approval of politicians.
By honoring Joe Igbokwe despite his well-known rejection in many Igbo circles, the Tinubu administration has once again fueled the perception that the feelings of Ndị Igbo are irrelevant in the calculations of the federal government.
Whether supporters of the government agree or not, one thing is certain: this award will be viewed by many not as a recognition of service, but as another reminder that Abuja listens selectively—and that the voice of Ndị Igbo remains low on its list of priorities.
The question now is simple:
Did President Tinubu honor Joe Igbokwe because Nigerians demanded it, or because Joe Igbokwe said exactly what those in power wanted to hear?
✍️ Family Writers Press International
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