Were I in President Tinubu’s shoes I would turn the current religious debate to my advantage by releasing Nnamdi Kanu and using his influence to boost my popularity across the southeast with a masterplan that looks like this

Ayo Akinfe

[1] Before releasing Nnamdi, I would announce the creation of a South East Industrial Directorate (SEID) with a mandate to turn the geo-political zone into one huge manufacturing hub. Kind of similar to Germany’s Ruhr Valley

[2] I would then release Nnamdi Kanu from detention and appoint him as the chief executive of this new agency. I would obviously also drop all charges against him and decriminalise Ipob

[3] As part of this programme, I would also float an Ogbunigwe Industrial Bank that will offer interest-free loans to traders looking to make the switch to manufacturers from retailers. At the moment, too many Igbos are importers and distributors and need to make the transition to being producers. The federal government would take out a 25% stake in this bank

[4] SEID will also help with drawing up a national plan to eliminate ethnic mistrust across Nigeria. Ndigbo have always been at the centre of ethnic tensions in Nigeria because apart from the fact that they are everywhere, their success in the retail sector makes them highly visible. This SEID will publish a social responsibility pact guaranteeing they will always provide social amenities in their host communities

[5] As head of SEID, Nnamdi Kanu will be charged with funding private investors to build two high-speed rail links connecting the southeast geo-political zone with Lagos and Abuja. Travelling from say Enugu to either of these cities should not take more than two hours by rail

[6] Under these plans, Nnewi will be turned into Africa’s Detroit. This SEID will set itself the task of attracting every automobile manufacturer in the world to Nnewi to open a car assembly plant/manufacturing facility

[7] Onitsha port will then be dredged and rehabilitated to a point whereby it can rival Apapa. Other nearby ports like Warri and Port Harcourt should also be expanded. As the SEID head, Nnamdi Kanu will oversee this project

[8] This SEID will also attract private investors to build Africa’s first underground railway tunnel at the Asaba-Onitsha crossing. This facility will be unprecedented as it will include three six-lane overhead bridges, an aquatic shopping mall, a one mile long aquarium and Africa’s first underwater restaurant. A global masterpiece

[9] SEID will also work to convince the Igbos in Rivers and Delta States to create Orashi and Anioma states with Omuku and Asaba as their respective capitals. They should both agree to become part of the southeast geo-political zone, so Ikwerres, Ndokwa, Aniomans, Ikas, Etches, etc for instance can stand as bonafide Igbo candidates in elections. This is vital because of land hunger in the current five southeast states. There is simply no room for economic expansion, commercial agriculture or building new cities

[10] SEID will also get every local government area across the southeast to construct a power distribution plant that can meet local needs. Under this audacious Igbo programme, the provision of electricity will become the responsibility of local government chairmen

ayoakinfe@gmail.com