On Wednesday the National Youth Leader of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Engr Damian Okafor, said that President Mohammadu Buhari can’t come to Igboland and hear all the problems of the region and still leave without providing a solution especially to the killings of citizens by herders.
The group made this known through a statement signed by the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo youths and forwarded to newsmen in Abakaliki, the Ebonyi State capital.
The statement reads in part: “The August visit of the President Muhammadu Buhari GCFR to Igbo Land in Imo State. I would like to appreciate the Almighty God for keeping us alive in the face of daunting security challenges that have affected our dear nation.
“Our region (south east) has survived one of the most gory and grisly civil wars in the history of mankind. Based on the realities of unfolding events, the war was suspended but not ended. The Marginalization of Ndigbo has proven to us that we are enjoying a virtual relationship with the people that have promised to put the past behind.
“A situation where an Igbo Man is not considered worthy to be appointed into key security structures (Service Chiefs) of this country even when the region has fallen under a constant attack, Basic infrastructural development of the region has been neglected by the central government at the peril of our Governors, when the federal character commission that is supposed to ensure the equitable distribution of job opportunities to all nooks and crannies of the country appears to be working against the Igbo nation.
“We are constantly accused of such crimes that we don’t have the capacities to commit; the worst of it all is when it has been established that the Igbo nation is living in existential threat, we did not only put our only hope on God but we also believe that this golden opportunity with your Excellency, the President will help us address some of the issues.
“It is believed that Mr President cannot come to the Igbo Land, hear all our problems and leave us without a solution especially in the carnage being perpetrated by the herders, the exclusion of the IGBOS in service chiefs appointment, the underdevelopment of Igbo Nation, the high rate of unemployment among Igbo Youths, the socioeconomic war against the Igbo nation; among other things.
“Let us once again rekindle our hope and believe in the word of God which says that “To the living, there is hope”. Ndigbo should have a better bargain than secession. A situation where our brothers and sisters in the northern communities especially the city of Jos that was recently under ruthless attack have refused to return back home even when the delegations from the southeast have approached them to come back should be a thing of concern to all of us.
“Continuing the violent agitations is endangering millions of Ndigbo living outside the Igbo Land. Every IGBO man’s life Matters in this critical time that the enemies of Ndigbo have sworn to invest heavily to ensure that the ever growing population of Ndigbo is commuted and abated.”
