Rotimi Amaechi, Rivers state governor, on Friday declared that he was Igbo and could speak the language while President Goodluck Jonathan whose other name is Azikiwe could not.
Speaking before a crowd of supporters at the All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential campaign in Aba, Abia state, Amaechi said: I am a bona fide Igbo man.
“My name is Amaechi, but President Jonathan who says his name is Azikiwe cannot speak the Igbo language.”
“He says his name Ebele; let him speak Igbo and let us see.”
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Meanwhile, Muhammadu Buhari, who was given the title of Ogbuagu 1 by the traditional ruler of Aba, emphasised that security and the economy remained the key issues in his campaign.
He extolled the entrepreneurial abilities of the Igbo, assuring them that his government would create jobs through farming and mining for the unskilled youth while local entrepreneurs would be encouraged.
“The Igbo people ARE hardworking and my government would do everything possible to ensure that the people are empowered,” he said.
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“The main concern of the APC is to make sure there are no idle Nigerian youths roaming the streets without jobs.”
7 comments
Amaechi’s argument is baseless as it’s irrelevant. Naming convention does not require the named to speak the language of origin or culture from which the name sprout. Many names have been adopted for one reason or the other; as in simulation, motivation or role modelling et cetera. That Jonathan can’t speak Igbo is immaterial in this process.
For example, I am named and or adopted the names “Kallys” “Albert,” both names are foreign – English and French flare – I can’t claim fluency in both languages (although I speak both). My father – one of the earliest educated or who embraced foreign civilization and influence brought foreign medical doctors to “ULI” in then Orlu dioceses to eradicate ravaging diseases, smallpox (Akwuma), leprosy (ekpenta), and other threatening maladies. It happened that the then district officer (Nwa DCO) in Orlu bore the name Albert Donalson, while one of the doctors “nwadibia” was Kallysten Lucralie. Due to their impact in the lives of Ulians and their interpersonal relationship with my family, including buth not limited to their selfless contributions, my father Chief Albert Okolie Unakogu (Ozuome 1) chose to name me after those wonderful people. Now, it’s going to be an appeal to ignorance for anyone to challenge me for whatever reasons or insinuate that I can’t speak English or French. In the world we live in, you can only KNOW as much as you are exposed. The level of our knowledge, or learned behavior is limited to what we know. Thus, to judge Jonathan on whether he can speak Igbo as a pre-requisite to being voted by Igbos solely on the basis of his chosen name hits below the belt, a reflection of idiocy.
Likewise, there are thousands of millions of people who name their kids, or who chose to adopt names; Cassius Clay (Mohamed Ali). Perhaps Jonathan’s parent were motivated by the exceptional qualities of our revered Nnamdi Azikiwe to have so named him.
I have always respected Amaechi for some other qualities other than his street smartness – but those respect waned after he began calling for mutiny in the armed forces and advocating to form a parallel government in Nigeria should APC lose the forth coming presidential election. In Nigeria, neither the APC, nor PDP is the problem – it’s our inability to individual change. There is no one, certainly neither Jonathan, nor Buhari seems the awaited messiah. Everyone, from the street sweeper who expects tip when you cross his/her area of duties, to my humble self, to the Senators, the House of reps, to the president are all fallible.
Amaechi has claimed not to be Igbo, but Ikwere in the past. He should be ashamed of himself.
I have always committed to heart, Babajide Alabi’s “Nigeria will change, when there is individual rebirth” and wish we all can cherish our dilemma from same perspectives.
Amaechi is one chicken that fails to know where and when it began to rain – will not know where and when the rain stopped.
Kallys Albert Sr.
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I think you fail to see his point deliberately or otherwise. His point if I point out was that if you say you love me by any means you try to understand me. Yes you can show lovee by several means, one of it is by learn the language of the people ypu claim you love or come from.
Amaechi, an Igbo man? Wonders shall never end. We are not deceived.
Just want to say that all that is childish address/ talk; Amaechi goes by name Rotimi is he a Yoruba man or probably his mother is! But does it reslly matter in this event, folks? In this feature we learnt Obasanjo stripped his Governor’s post to give to Omehia and he Amaechi had to go to Court before he was declared the rightful winner! Now he invited obj TO LAUNCH HIS COMPLETED HIGHWAY TO AIRPORT OR SOMEWHERE IN RIVERS just to slight the President and was in office under PDP ticket – this is the stupendeous thing happening in Nigeria! I want Amaechi to tell us how his town’s name has changed to Rumu- Rumuepirikom in Obio/Akpor, Rumu-okoroche, Rumu- Eleme etc, etc and who done it and why? Amaechi is not thinking about all these and how it now impacts on his people image! He forget that he got to his post with PDP ticket what in U.K he’ll have to go for by-election and his other cross-carpetters to test their chances – it is part of the problems in Nigeria whoever is advising!
I f you had done this as in United Kingdom you’ll not be in the position you’re today in Nigeria politically! they will all be sorted before now and you’ll be laughing, folks!
Just want to say that all that is childish address/ talk; Amaechi goes by name Rotimi is he a Yoruba man or probably his mother is! But does it reslly matter in this event, folks? In this feature we learnt Obasanjo stripped his Governor’s post to give to Omehia and he Amaechi had to go to Court before he was declared the rightful winner! Now he invited obj TO LAUNCH HIS COMPLETED HIGHWAY TO AIRPORT OR SOMEWHERE IN RIVERS just to slight the President and was in office under PDP ticket – this is the stupendeous thing happening in Nigeria! I want Amaechi to tell us how his town’s name has changed to Rumu- Rumuepirikom in Obio/Akpor, Rumu-okoroche, Rumu- Eleme etc, etc and who done it and why? Amaechi is not thinking about all these and how it now impacts on his people image! He forget that he got to his post with PDP ticket what in U.K he’ll have to go for by-election and his other cross-carpetters to test their chances – it is part of the problems in Nigeria whoever is advising!
If you had done this as in United Kingdom you’ll not be in the position you’re today in Nigeria politically! they will all be sorted before now and you’ll be laughing, folks!
It all about politics,wait,after the elections,they will never never know you,talkless being IBO,all is rubish animal talk,just win your hearts in deceit that they are Ibos,but you ibos too are very naiv and easy to cunn,what on this earth convinced you that they are ibos?
What rubbish and Childish talk!!!!!!