Again, Igbo leaders sue for fairness, equity

Speakers at World Igbo Congress (WIC) summit, yesterday, called for fair and equitable treatment for Nd’Igbo as bonafide and important constituent of the Nigerian federation.

The leaders spoke during the meeting at Ascot Hotel, Enugu, which had none of the governors of Southeast states or leadership of the apex socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Nd’Igbo, in attendance.

However the leaders present maintained that redressing appointments and projects skewed against Nd’Igbo by the present administration would help to curtail rising agitations.

Deputy President of Senate, Ike Ekweremadu, who recreated developments that gave rise to agitations for Biafra, regretted that the trend has continued about fifty years after, even as he asked the people not to be provoked into “armed struggle no matter the intimidation, harassment and marginalization.”

Though Ekweremadu noted that the National Assembly would always uphold the rights of every part of the nation, to equity and fairness, he expressed worries that no Igbo man sits in the commanding heights of the security sector.

Speaking on the theme of the event, “Oganiru Ndi Igbo (Navigating the future)”, Ekweremadu, called on Nd’Igbo in Diaspora to invest at home, as well as, encourage other Nigerians and foreign investors to do likewise.

Former Governor of Anambra State, Mr. Peter Obi, stressed the need for unity among Nd”Igbo, urging the people to jettison the past and invest in the future.

Obi said one area that Ndigbo could overcome marginalization was to invest in the education and training of the children, explaining that “if we don’t rewrite our story and attract attention to our problems by constitutional means, let us achieve that through investment.”

Earlier, Chairman of the WIC, Chief Joe Nze Eto, said for Ndigbo to survive the adverse pressure from the Buhari administration, “ we must discuss lack of unity among Igbo leadership and among the Igbo states, re tool our politics, build capacity, by building bridges with our neighbours and rebrand Igbo ideals to market and protect our intellectual property.”

Other speakers at the event were Prof Uzodinma Nwala of Ala Igbo foundation and Dr. Tony Nnadi, Secretary General of Lower Niger Congress, among others.