Nigeria is our country and we believe in one Nigeria. Ndigbo have contributed a lot to this country and we cannot afford to put the lives of millions of Nigerians into jeopardy. No sane Igbo man should pray to see what we saw in the civil war.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the umbrella body of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, yesterday disassociated itself from the pro-Biafra agitation being championed by Igbo youths, under the auspices of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOD) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Addressing a press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital yesterday, the Chairman, Forum of the State Presidents of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Mr. Chris Eluemuno, said after a critical look at the agitation for a Biafra State, it came to the conclusion that Biafra died in 1970 after it was denounced by Gen. Philip Effong (rtd), whom late Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu handed over to during the Biafra-Nigeria Civil War. Eluemuno, who is also the president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra State chapter and a member of the recently concluded National Constitutional Conference, told journalists that he was speaking on behalf of the seven Igbo speaking states, including Rivers and Delta states. He said: “Ohanaeze has been silent on the Biafra pro-agitation, although the youth wing has been speaking.
We think it is the appropriate time we make our stand clear. Ohanaeze as a cultural organisation cannot afford to associate with Biafra insurgence. We cannot support it. Anybody who is aggrieved of anything should resort to dialogue and channel it appropriately. “Nigeria is our country and we believe in one Nigeria.
He said the group cannot apportion the blame on the present administration because the infrastructure had been so bad since former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s regime, down to the last administration of Dr. Goodluck Jonathan. Eluemuno said Ohanaeze believed that the agitation was borne-out of marginalisation of the region and once such lapses were addressed anybody who was agitating, would be on his own.
He said Obasanjo never believed in the Igbo nation pointing out that Anambra State alone spent over N29 billion to maintain federal roads in the state and the money had not been refunded to the state government up till today. He said the neglect was not caused by President Muhammadu Buhari who was just some few months in office and appealed to the president to forgive the agitators and enter into dialogue that would bring lasting peace and progress in the region.
But differing with Eluemuno, the Campaign for Democracy (CD), yesterday lashed out on some selfish Igbo elements, who were crucifying the group for their peaceful approach to the demand for a Biafra State, urging them to shut their mouths, if they do not know what to say.
The CD through its South-East Chairman, Uzor A. Uzor, argued that there was right to peaceful protest, whether the protesters were reasonable in their demand or not and whether what they are demanding for is feasible or not. “We are calling on Igbo Christians to also boycott Rev Mbaka’s Ministry, he is a disappointment to Igbo race.
He has not for one day criticised or condemned the brutal killing and open murder of Igbo’s people in the North by the Boko Haram insurgents, or ever criticised their activities which are more dangerous and life wasting than what MASSOB and IPOB are doing.’’ Meanwhile, one of MASSOB’s and IPOB’s leaders, Mr. Ndubuisi Igwekani, has said no matter how the political marginalisation of the Ndigbo was redressed, the mass protest would continue until self actualisation was achieved.
Igwekani, who warned some prominent Ndigbos, who have attributed the protest to political marginalisation of the South-East by the Federal Government, that the groups resolved that the protest would continue until the Director of Radio Biafra, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu, is granted freedom.
Speaking with Saturday Telegraph, Igwekani said the groups met in Asaba, Delta State where it agreed that Kanu should be given the opportunity to defend himself in a competent court of law. He said: “I am totally committed to the struggle and if I lose my life so be it, posterity will not forgive me if I relent in the face of all the injustices being meted to my people in the country.”
