Group Blasts Igbo Politicians For Not Speaking Up Against Southeast Marginalization

Posted by Ignatius Okpara African News, Featured, Latest Headlines, News, News Across Nigeria, News From The State Sunday, April 11th, 2021

(AFRICAN EXAMINER) – Worried by the continued economic and political woes bedeviling the Southeast geopolitical zone of Nigeria, occasioned by alleged marginalization of the region by the central government, a socio-cultural group, Igbo National Council (INC), has declared that it’s time for the region to rise up and take its destiny in her own hand.

It posited that most of the federal government’s policies and programs, especially in the Economic and political sectors, particularly under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari are anti Igbos, deliberately designed to make life unbearable for Ndigbo.

National President of (INC) worldwide, Mazi Chilos Godsent, who stated this weekend during the official inauguration of the Comrade Moses Chukwuemeka Eze led Enugu state Chapter of the organization in Enugu, said the time has come for the sons and daughters of Igbo race in Diaspora to also start thinking home.

He added that it is no longer in doubt that Nigeria, and its leaders at the Central level do not see the Igbo nation as part of the entity hence, the alleged continued deliberate marginalization and relegation of the people to the background by the present and successive administrations.

The group according to him, is poised towards reviving the collapsed value system in Igbo land with a view to mobilizing the race for self-sustenance and self-preservation which the people used to be known for.

The INC leader, expressed concern over the recent insecurity situation in Southeast Nigeria, advising the people to be always at alert, as the development has assumed a frightening dimension.

Chilos, alleged that there is an ongoing psychological warfare against the Igbo nation which the political class from the region has succumbed to due to their selfish interest.

The INC helmsman, who was the special guest during the inauguration, stressed that the population of the Igbo nation is estimated at 80 million people while the Fulani tribe in Northern Nigeria is estimated at about five million people in a country of about 200 million people.

He wondered that despite such clear numerical strength, Igbo politicians, including those aspiring to govern their respective states with distinct geography, ideology, faith and creed usually resort to political pilgrimage to the caliphate to seek for political blessings.

Chilos however, insisted that such type of politicians will never speak truth to power and are the reason for the continuous subjugation of Ndigbo.

He further expressed displeasure that in spite of the contributions of Ndigbo in commerce and industry, there is no functional sea or dry port in the region, while the fear to open up the area to the world is the reason for the suppression of international flights at the Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu.

He noted that the Igbo dilemma in the context of one Nigeria requires urgent pragmatic solutions, including empowerment of youths and other budding politicians as well as organising deliberate leadership mentorship programs.

Chilos explained that INC was formed to develop the leadership competence of the people of the area as well as provide solutions to the fast eroding value system in Igbo nation.

“The mobilisation of Ndigbo for self-preservation and sustenance is our priority. INC will support the establishment of cooperative societies and mobilise funds so that we will be able to nurture experts with corporate investments in different areas of interest. Our people must have clusters of investments.

In a remark, a human Rights Activist and Senior Lecturer at the Ebonyi State University, (EBSU) Dr. Jerry Chukwuokolo, said that the way the Nigerian government responds to issues emanating from the Igbo nation has become scary and suspicious. Chukwuokolo described the Fulani as the major problem of Nigeria and heightened by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.

He said that the security of Ndigbo in Nigeria has become a great concern to many, adding “we are the most vulnerable and victims of violence in today’s Nigeria.”

Chukwuokolo, posited that the unprovoked wanton destruction of lives and property by Fulani herdsmen has gotten to a stage where every Igbo man must be security conscious and defend himself.

The University Don added that there is a well-orchestrated and deliberate effort to subjugate Ndigbo due to jealousy and fear of Igbo dominance in the country. He noted that in order to neutralise such plans, Ndigbo need to be intellectually and financially ready, advocating for the liberation of the youths from poverty by supporting them with capital to run their businesses.

Chukwuokolo called on industrialists and investors of Igbo extraction to repatriate part of their investments to Igbo land in order to build the economic and industrial base of the area and ultimately create job opportunities.