Clark, Adebanjo and Iwuanyanwu: End of an era

By Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia

The death of Chief (Dr.) Sen. Edwin Kiagbodo Clark, OFR, CON, the Ijaw National Leader, Leader of the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF) and National Leader of the Southern and Middle Belt Leaders Forum (SMBLF), on Monday, February 17, 2025, marks the end of an enviable era in the political discourse of Nigeria. The death of Clark followed closely after the death of yet another Titan, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, the National Leader of Afenifere and the Deputy Leader of the SMBLF on February 14, 2025. The two deceased had late last year mourned the death of Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, MFR, OFR, CFR, FNSE,FNICE, FNSE, FNIST, KSC (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) the former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. The SMBLF comprises the PANDEF, Afenifere, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, and the Middle Belt Forum, with Clark, Adebanjo, Iwuanyanwu and Dr. Bitrus Porgu as leaders, respectively. The meetings, which attracted the prominent dignitaries of the South South, South East, South West and the Midddle Belt, always held at the Asokoro residence of Chief E.K. Clark.

The major ideology of the SMBLF is to enthrone a restructured prosperous Nigeria where the rule of Law, equity and justice shall thrive. The SMBLF laments the socio-economic condition of Nigerians; a country well-endowed with abundant natural, material and human resources yet the citizenry are in abject poverty. The SMBLF expresses deep concern that if the rate of corruption in Nigeria and the concomitant borrowings by the federal government continue unabated, the Nigerian masses and the generations unborn will be exposed to the worst of human conditions on earth. Amongst the issues that agitate the SMBLF are the self-aggrandizement, display of obscene wealth, and all forms of impunity by the powers that be. The scariest of the problems is the destruction of farms and the violent invasion of communities by the Fulani herdsmen. The release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu by the federal government has remained a constant agenda in the SMBLF meetings. 

Nigeria is a bizarre country that thrives on abnormalities and contraries. It is a country where the votes cast in any election are more than the accredited voters. It is a country where the public office holders pillory the state with impunity; and where the rogues in power are celebrated even the Churches. And the Pastors impoverish the laity and go ahead to flaunt opulent lifestyles. It is a country where a bank account can grow from One Naira to a Billion Naira in one day, and nobody cares. It is a country where the reptiles swallow billions of public funds. Perhaps, the only country where the opposition party abdicates its responsibilities; a polity where the politicians win elections into the state and national assemblies on the platform of an opposition party only to join the ruling party without scruples; and where the conscience of the legislature, the organ of the government that should checkmate the executive excesses, is mortgaged with exotic flashy cars and mind-boggling humungous money. It is a country that the first class university graduates are denied employment in favour of school dropouts, on account of ethnicity. It is a country where the leaders of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC)-an organization charged with the responsibility of enforcing all economic and financial crimes in Nigeria and the recovery of loots from the unconscionable looters- will turn around to steal the recovered loots. Yet, a country the security operatives connive with criminals to inflict mayhem on the citizens. A country where the most corrupt are sanctimoniously preaching against corruption. It is also the country where a federal system of government was converted to an absurd unified federal system through a military fiat, and so on.

At a point, the SMBLF was the only strident voice, the only opposition, against the President Muhammadu Buhari extremities and indeed the conscience of Nigerians.  The SMBLF rose against the clandestine moves by Buhari to install another Northerner as a president after his eight years tenure. The Forum called on the Buhari government to embark on the Eastern rail line with a standard gauge; and queried the essence of the $1.9bn Kano-Maradi rail project at the expense of the poor infrastructure in Nigeria. When President Bola Ahmed Tinubu assumed Office, the SMBLF “warned Tinubu against treating the organized violence in Northern Nigeria the same way his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, did”. The Forum in an open letter to Tinubu, plainly “accused the Buhari administration of allegedly indulging the bloodletting in the northern part of the country, etc.” Furthermore, the Forum has insisted that the Nigerian constitution is a faulty document which does not enjoy the legitimacy of the citizenry; and that the founding fathers of Nigeria envisaged a country that can only survive on a true fiscal federalism.  It is convenient to add that it was the only group that spoke truth to power. In other words, any communique by the SMBLF was a wake-up call to the government and Nigerians.

During the 2023 general election, the forum stood vehemently for Mr. Peter Obi on two major reasons. The group maintained that, for any country to have a sustainable development, its foundation must be anchored on equity and social justice. The group argued and maintained that going by the rotation and zoning principles which have been entrenched in the Nigerian democracy, it was the turn of the South East to produce a President for the Federal Republic of Nigeria. The second reason was that Mr. Peter Obi presented an attractive blue print and manifesto that will transform Nigeria from a consumption to a production economy.

Without any fear of contradiction, the resolute unwavering supports of the likes of Chief E K Clark, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Engr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Dr. Bitrus Porgu, Chief Nnia Nwodo, etc lent enormous credence to the Obi-Datti political hurricane wind that blew across Nigeria. Pa Adebanjo in one of his remarks stated that “the survival of Nigeria is tied to Peter Obi of the Labour Party winning the presidential election in 2023” To draw closer his point, Pa Adebanjo warned Nigerians, saying “you will suffer the consequences if obi is not the next president of Nigeria” He added “as you already know, I am 94 years old. I will be enjoying in my grave soon and you will suffer, particularly the youths of this nation if you fail to vote for peter Obi”

On his side, Chief Clark maintained that “Obi would unite the country with his move to restructure it, if he wins the presidential election” Clark added that “the Niger Delta people wish to see a Nigeria where there would be true federalism, especially in the areas of devolution of power and resource control, and that this aspiration has been presented by the PANDEF to Obi”. In one of the public statements, Clark urged the rest of the country “to either vote an Igbo as president of Nigeria or allow them to go, instead of the persistent injustice against the Igbo”.

Like the Three Musketeers, Clark, Adebanjo and Iwuanyanwu, believed in one for all and all for one. Iwuanyanwu, not only was in full support of the presidential ambition of Peter Obi, of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election but was in constant touch with all the men that mattered in Nigeria. The Musketeers believed that the only option that can guarantee the corporate existence of Nigeria is through restructuring of the polity. They were committed to restructuring Nigeria, fiscal federalism, rule of law, constitutionalism, prudent leadership, impeccable judiciary, genuine separation of powers, social justice, cordial inter-ethnic cultural relations, and curbing wastes in governance, amongst others.

Any patriotic Nigerian should know that the exit of Chief Edwin Clark, Pa Ayo Adebanjo and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has created a huge vacuum. In the absence of a credible opposition to the government, the death of the three Musketeers will trigger a down ward spiral for the country. I weep as I write. I weep that Nigeria may not be able to produce the likes of Clark, Adebanjo and Iwuanyanwu in years to come. I weep that the voices of reason are gone. It is sad that those we tried to emulate in character, courage, fidelity and integrity are gone.

In my mind’s eyes, I can see the palatial living room of Chief Clark and the members of the SMBLF all seated. I can hear the voices of the three musketeers. I can as well surmise a guess that with the death of Chief E K Clark, it is nunc dimittis, the end of an era.

• Ogbonnia, immediate past National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, writes from Enugu.