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I Watch and Cry

The Painful Reality of Ebonyi Sons and Daughters in Distant Lands

By: Comr. Chukwu Abia C.

"Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."  Martin Luther King Jr.

The Silent Tears of a Watching Soul

"I watch and cry."
That is the heartfelt expression of every Ebonyian who has seen, heard, or experienced the unimaginable suffering of our brothers and sisters scattered across different states and foreign countries. From Anambra to Lagos, from Ghana to Togo, the stories remain the same, exploitation, ridicule, overuse, rejection, and sometimes even death. The dignity of our people is gradually fading, not because they are weak or unskilled, but because of long-standing neglect, lack of empowerment, and systemic failure.

This article is a wake-up call. A call to action. A cry for justice. A passionate appeal to the Ebonyi State Government, stakeholders, community leaders, and every well-meaning Nigerian to see what is happening to our people and act fast before we lose an entire generation to slavery in a supposed free society.

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The Everyday Reality: What Ebonyians Are Going Through Outside Their State

The cries of our people are not fictional. They are raw, real, and unfiltered. Take a walk around major cities in Nigeria—Lagos, Onitsha, Awka, Aba, Owerri , Umuahia, Abuja, Port Harcourt, etc. And even in neighboring African countries like Ghana, Libya, and South Africa, and you will be amazed at the number of Ebonyi youths engaged in the most demeaning jobs:

  • Hawking in the hot sun
  • Pushing trucks in markets
  • Working as house helps, cleaners, and barrow pushers
  • Victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking
  • Daily arrests and harassment by local authorities

These people, our own flesh and blood, carry the label “they are Ebonyians”, a term now used as both stereotype and insult in many places due to the degrading positions our people have found themselves in.

The worst part?
No one is talking about it seriously. No strategic plan has been laid down to end this cycle of shame.

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The Psychological Impact: The Damage You Don’t See

Being treated as sub-human comes with a cost. While some may endure, many are broken emotionally. Our sons and daughters grow up with:

  • Low self-esteem
  • A sense of rejection from their state of origin
  • Anger and bitterness toward society
  • Inferiority complex in professional or social spaces

They begin to question their identity:
"Is it a curse to be born in Ebonyi?"
"Why didn’t my state prepare me for a better life?"

These silent questions morph into dangerous actions, crime, substance abuse, and in some cases, suicide. It’s not just about poverty. It’s about losing hope. And when people lose hope, they lose their humanity.

The Root Causes: Who is to Blame?

To address this epidemic of suffering, we must examine the root causes:

1. Neglect from Government and Leadership Failure

Successive administrations in Ebonyi have failed to create a sustainable plan for empowering its citizens beyond political appointments. Industrialization remains a dream, and vocational skill development is largely underfunded and directionless.

2. Poor Education and Skills Development

Most Ebonyi youths who migrate for survival are barely equipped with marketable skills. The school system focuses on certificates, not empowerment. The result? A generation that cannot compete or negotiate better working conditions.

3. Lack of Employment Opportunities at Home

With very few industries, tech hubs, or viable agribusinesses, young people are forced to leave their villages in droves. The local government structure is often asleep—no internships, no incentives for startups, no enabling environment for creativity.

4. Poor Representation at Federal Level

What are our federal lawmakers doing? Why are Ebonyians underrepresented in federal parastatals and ministries? The absence of Ebonyi voices in national decisions continues to marginalize us further.

What Must Be Done: If Repatriation Is All You Will Do, DO IT RIGHT

With two years left in the tenure of the current government, if bringing back our suffering children and empowering them is the only legacy to be left behind, it will be enough—IF IT IS DONE RIGHT.

Here is a proposed roadmap:

1. Immediate Data Collection and Documentation

Before bringing anyone home, we need a proper Ebonyi Diaspora Data Bank (EDDB) that captures:

  • The number of Ebonyians in other states/countries
  • Their current jobs
  • Their skills
  • Their challenges This helps in planning tailored support.

2. Organized Repatriation and Rehabilitation

Use diplomatic and interstate relationships to organize the return of abused or stranded Ebonyians. Collaborate with NGOs, churches, traditional rulers, and embassies. But don’t just bring them back, rehabilitate them.

  • Provide medical check-ups
  • Offer counseling and reintegration workshops
  • Assign them mentors and trainers

3. Create Empowerment and Skill Hubs

Establish empowerment centers across the 13 LGAs. Let these centers offer:

  • Tech skills (coding, data analysis)
  • Vocational training (fashion, welding, carpentry)
  • Agro-processing (cassava, rice, snail, etc.)
  • Creative arts (music, film, photography)

Make these hubs functional, not ceremonial.

4. Provide Start-up Capital and Tools

Every trained returnee should be given starter packs, sewing machines, laptops, farm kits, etc, with monitoring to ensure usage. Partner with banks to offer small-interest loans and grants.

5. Create a “Made in Ebonyi” Market Platform

Promote and market products and services created by Ebonyi youths under a strong brand. Help them register their businesses, get NAFDAC/NCC, CAC approvals, and access to online stores like Jumia, Konga, and Amazon.

6. Appoint Special Youth Advisers from the Street

Don't appoint only educated elites. Get advisers who have lived the street life. Let returnees be part of the planning. They understand the struggle better.

Time Is Running Out

Dear Ebonyi Government,
You’ve done roads. You’ve built schools. You’ve erected flyovers. But none of these matter if Ebonyi children continue to die of poverty and shame in foreign lands.

Let your name be written in gold. Let history remember you not for how many contracts you awarded but for how many lives you restored.

If in the next two years, the government focuses on this singular mission of bringing back Ebonyians and empowering them, the legacy will speak louder than any infrastructure.

To Our Sons and Daughters in Diaspora: We See You

To the girl hawking pure water in Aba, Onitsha, Awka, Owerri, Port Harcourt, Lagos, 
To the boy pushing barrow in Aba, Onitsha,
To the housemaid silently weeping in Lagos
We see you.
We hear you.
We are coming for you.

Don’t give up. Your story is not over. A new dawn is possible. Stay alive. Stay hopeful.

This Is Not Just Politics; It’s About Humanity

“I watch and cry.” These words echo the pain in the hearts of every concerned Ebonyian. Enough of watching. Enough of crying. It’s time to act. Let us return our people with honor. Let us empower them with purpose. Let us restore the dignity of Ebonyi State.

If we can do this and do it well, then truly, our tears will dry and our souls will rejoice.

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