2023 Presidency: Igbo Group Decries 56 Years Of Marginalization
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Edith CHUKU
The Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has attributed the agitation for the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra to an alleged denial of a Nigeria President of the Southeast extraction.
The apex youth socio-cultural organization of Ohanaeze Ndigbo World-wide, said that for the past 56 years, the Southeast has been utterly denied presidency. They lamented that Biafra agitation was incited by the alleged protracted injustice and marginalization against the Igbos.
National President of the Igbo group, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, sited that Biafra agitation took a new dimension with the leadership of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in the custody of the Department of the State Services, DSS, on the directive of President Mohammadu Buhari.
According to him, “it would be recalled that the said agitation which has evidently taken a swift turn began since the year 1998 when Barr. Raph Uwazurike led the movement for actualization of sovereign of Biafra.”
He claimed that “today, there are over fifteen strong secessionist groups in the southeast region agitating for Biafra, which includes IPOB, led by Barr. Emeka Emekasiri, IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Biafra Government in exile led by Engr. Innocent Amadi, Eastern People’s Congress led by Comrade Okechukwu, MASSOB led by Uche Madu, Biafra Independent Movement, BIM, led by Raph Uwazurike.”
Others he said includes “Lower Nigeria Congress led by Tony Nnadi, Biafran National Council led by Asari Dukubo, Biafra National Guard led by Comrd. Innocent Orji, Biafra National Youth Guard led by Comrd. Obinna Ude, Biafra ZOINIST led by Benjamin Onwuka, Biafra Shadow Government led by Engr. Iwuagwu Iwuchukwu.
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“Biafra Strikers Force led by Chidi Owu, Eastern People’s liberation movement led by Nnanna Kalu and many are coming up as a result lack of inclusiveness of Ndigbo in national politics and governance.”
Igboayaka described the choice of Nigeria president from Southeast in 2023, as a perfect solution to what he termed political differences and errors, allegedly perpetrated by Gen. Yakubu Gowon and Gen. Odumegwu Ojukwu, from 1967 to 1970.
He said: “it’s obvious that the new generation of Igbo extraction, those below 57 years old didn’t experience the Nigeria-Genocide against Ndigbo, but they have inquired and feel aggrieved why an Igbo person has not governed Nigeria since 56 years.
“This prolonged marginalization, injustice and economic strangulation against Ndigbo have formed the opinion in over 80 million Igbo people between the age of 15 to 57 years that Nigeria is not their country. Therefore, they seek secession for actualization state of Biafra.
“A Nigerian President of Southeast ought to be a patriotic call for all right thinking members of the Nigerian society, to pave the way for a new Nigeria, where tribalism will be buried with resurrection of national patriotism instead of ethnic patriotism.
“It’s not in doubt that south east has creams of credible and competent presidential aspirants that can unify Nigeria to the path of ethnical reintegration, economic development and political stability.
“Nigerians should come into the path of present political reality that Biafra agitation is opposite of Nigeria President of Southeast extraction, which the likes of Ogbonna Onu, Orji Uzor Kalu, Anyim Pius Anyim, Sam Ohuabunwa, George Moghalu have the patriotic capacity to unify Nigeria and integrate all parts of ethnical national to national consciousness.”
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