Lagos — Science and Technology is inarguably the vehicle to dream land of greatness and the true insurance to nationhood and sovereignty. President Obasanjo, in his message to the just concluded Eastern Economic Summit held in Enugu declared that Eastern Nigeria is the epicentre and technological springboard of Nigeria.

Whatever Obasanjo is doing to power this torch is left for history to judge him. Igbos the world over have proved their mettle in this indispensable area. The computer world is today the craze of modern man and its story is incomplete without Dr. Philip Chukwurah Emeagwali described by BBC Jan. 1,2000 as the, "greatest living computer scientist and the father of the internet." This great Igboman has won the best scientist award 1991 and 1993 in the United State, the first man living or dead to invent the fastest computer that makes 3.1 billion calculations in just a second! His discovery is said to have helped oil multinationals in exploiting 100 per cent from wells rather that the former 10 per cent. His models are also used in accurate weather forecasting.

This worthy son of Ndigbo has over 40 other patented inventions! He is not alone, Prof. Barth Nnaji is also another computer whiz kid in America. He was also described in a recent publication as the hottest brain in computer robotics. Our leaders and nation may not recognise these fellows but more important personalities recognize them. Meet Clinton for a lecture on Philip Emeagwali. The list is endless. Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu's feat is still unequalled having been certified by both Abacha government and the Nigeria Society of Engineers as the first Nigerian to build the Nigerian car. For the records, Rev. Olaudah Equaino, an Igbo cleric was already an author in Britain as early as the 1790s; Prof. Achebe stands primus inter peres in epic writing; King Jaja of Opobo, an Igboman impacted greatly in the classical struggles against British interlopers.

Nigeria is the only place on the earth's surface where fact is only authenticated based on ones relativity to power base. Hence, if you are not from the "born to rule" tribes your relatively to establishing, making a mark is zero. Dreamers have every right to dream dreams in Nigeria, but dream have no right to bud in Nigeria especially when your relativity is zero. Infact Nigeria is burial ground for dreams.

Modern American greatness is basically attributable to Jewish and German immigrants and others who in the early and mid twentieth century crossed the Atlantic to the USA. These were mostly dreamers. Their dreams budded and became Irokos. What happened to the famed Biafran scientists - Umenyis, Ezekwes etc. who with nothing discovered and built rockets (Ogbunigwe), armored cars, refineries etc? They were chased out or harassed or even killed. American caught German scientists after the World War II, took them home, rehabilitated them and reaped from their cerebral endowments.

It is a known truth that via serial weeding, easing and decapitation or even premeditated blockages, some Ndigbo have been relegated to what Frantz Fanon, the Caribbean intellectual called, "the wretched of the earth," where they struggle for the crumbs that fell from the high table of scampers. Their relegated positions did not however deter the ingenuity and prowess of this breed of human beings as they have effectively taken over the distributive trade with vigour and zest. It is an economic fact that production is incomplete until the goods so produced get to the final consumer. What if the distributor decides to withhold the goods from the final consumers. Micro economics is the basis of every developing economy. In Nigeria over 90 per cent are defined as poor, popularly called "Poor Masses". Inferentially, whosoever controls the micro economy of over 90 per cent of Nigerians, controls the lives of the majority of Nigerians. This can be turned into an effective coercive or bargaining instrument during emergencies. Ask Lagos banks what happened in 1994 during the Abiola crises when Igbos withdrew their monies. Imagine what could happen if Alaba International Market, Trade Fair Auto Parts Market, Balogun and their likes nation wide decide to close shop for just one week.

An Igbo musician sang, "You cannot be both taller and shorter than me at the same time." The secret of growth in a variegated setting like ours is the right application of the power of comparative advantage. The Igbos should take pride in themselves. Having discovered invaluable innate qualities that single him out among the black race as adventurous, scientific, strong, indefatigable, republican, egalitarian, industrious etc. One of the essence of history is conscientisation. It is a virile moral weapon that lets you see through the eye of time and space of your historical past. It reveals to you the personality and achievements of your forebears and thus inspires you to improve on their records. A people with such array of talents listed above should rank among the most gifted few under heaven. Glory be to God I am Igbo.

Finally, a situation where the established media have consistently beamed their search light only on the South-east, her sons and daughters with the wicked intention of casting aspersions and slur on them is unacceptable. Newspapers now sell with derogatory and unprintable titles on Ojukwu, Okadigbo, Ajudua, Nzeribe, Bakassi Boys etc. These are comfortably referred to as Igbos while the Okochas, Ajunwas, Emeagwalis, Odogwus, Power Mikes are Nigerians. A situation where 'Chigaco' and 'bail jumping' is played down and Evan(s) is hyped is evil and wicked. It makes a fun of journalism. Let it be known that the possession of poisonous pen is not an exclusive preserve of any one group as civility should not be mistaken for weakness.