THE LEADERSHIP OF THE FEDERATION OF NIGERIAN COMMUNITY SPAIN (FNCS) NOT FOR SPANISH CITIZENS

By Uchendu Precious Onuoha

THE LEADERSHIP OF FEDERATION OF NIGERIAN COMMUNITY SPAIN (FNCS) NOT FOR SPANISH CITIZENS.

As the election to the Federation of Nigerian Community Spain (FNCS) comes up in November, it is expedient to draw the attention of Nigerians living in Spain to the manipulations, deceptions and exploitations they have been subjected to out of ignorance by those who claim to be leaders and elder statesmen over them but are nothing but wolfs in sheep skin. These are Spanish citizens of Nigerian extract, who have by virtue of obtaining the Spanish nationality have renounced their Nigerian citizenship. Of what moral, legal and constitutional rights have such people over Nigerians to direct the affairs of patriotic and well -meaning Nigerians in Spain. That amounts to a new kind of colonialism or interventionism by Spain on Nigeria.

“My people perish because of lack of knowledge”. Nigerians in Spain have been wallowing in a state of ignorance and the wolfs in their midst have cashed on their ignorance to pull a veil over their eyes to blindfold them not to see and know their rights or what belongs to them. Hence the leadership of FNCS and NIDO has been hijacked for years by this group for their selfish interest to the detriment of Nigerians in Spain. Until my protest with some concerned Nigerians two years ago, that the last FNCS election should be cancelled or postponed until awareness about the association which has over the years operated as a secret cult unknown to majority of Nigerians who they claim to represent is created. For more than a decade the activities of FNCS has been run as a mushroom and kitchen cabinet by the Spanish citizens who have been calling the shots in the affairs of the association. Not because of their love for Nigeria but for their selfish purposes. Among them is the outgoing incumbent president, Emmanuel Udiebe, whose emergence as the president of FNCS is a fraud by virtue of his status as a Spanish citizen.

Above all is Dr. Joe Illoh, a renowned Spanish citizen who has made himself the ALFA and OMEGA of the Nigerian community in Spain. Joe Illoh is the custodian of the FNCS constitution which he sole handedly drafted and enshrined clauses that favors and enslaved the leadership of FNCS to Spanish citizens like him. Illoh has constituted himself as a demi-god among the Nigerian community that you dare not cough where he is or have contrary view to anything he does or say. Any attempt to see contrary to his opinion is met with acts of intimidation, antagonism and threats, of which I have been a victim and remains as an eternal foe.

The most recent of his flagrant exhibition of his bloated ego as the Sonum bonum of the FNCS was exhibited at the last congress of the FNCS in Murcia on August 28 where he loquaciously said that he purposely came to the congress because of Flourish Arohia. Why? Just because Flourish had the audacity to voice out that it is not proper for Nigerians with Spanish nationality to be at the helm of affairs of the FNCS. Such is the antics of the man whom some Nigerians have been hoodwinked to worship as an elder statesman and these are the caliber of leaders and people Nigerians in Spain are to bestow honors. I think such is devious.

I would like to put certain facts clear to Nigerians in Spain.

Nigeria is a sovereign nation and has not relinquished her sovereignty to Spain.

The constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria supersedes that of the FNCS or any other association on issues that pertains to Nigerians.

Nigeria and Spain do not operate dual citizenship. Therefore it is quiete wrong for someone who needs a visa to travel to Nigeria to champion the cause of true Nigerians in Spain.

I am not against anybody taking up Spanish nationality for best reasons, as far as he stays within the bounds or limits of his status. But the repugnant behavior of our people over the rest of Nigerians has called for cause for concern. And we cannot close eyes to their manipulations anymore. “If an idol becomes too troublesome, it will be shown the stick from where it was carved”

Irrespective of what interpretation or coloration Illoh and his cohorts may give it, the leadership of the Nigerian community in Spain is for Nigerians. And any attempt to subvert that would not be acceptable to Nigerians in Spain anymore. Therefore I call on Nigerians in Spain to resist any attempt by any group of persons to trample on their rights. Also the Nigerian embassy Spain should be informed about this malaise. All those gunning for election to the FNCS executive should be screened to make sure they are true Nigerians. And all those to vote and be voted for should be Nigerians. Any attempt to manipulate that will be strongly resisted by well- meaning Nigerians in Spain.

 According to the lyrics of Bob Marley, “You can fool some people sometimes, But you can't fool all the people all the time. So now we see the light…Nigerians in Spain get up and fight for your rights. ”First fool is not a fool, but second fool is a proper foolish”

I know what I have said might hurt or offend many people, but what I have stated is the abject truth and I have no regrets.