Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the foremost Igbo socio-cultural organization, has stated that it is unfortunate that President Muhammadu Buhari has called on Western nations to label the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) as a terrorist organization. Buhari made this request in a recent speech.
Ohanaeze reminded the President that his actions fueled the agitation for a separate state by members of IPOB and others in the South-East, referring to IPOB as a product of injustice, in a statement titled “IPOB As a Product of Injustice.”
The President urged “international allies to take additional step to proscribe IPOB and designate it as a terrorist organization” in an interview given to Bloomberg.
However, Ohanaeze stated in a statement on Wednesday that IPOB’s demand was very clear: “Treat us as partners in the Nigerian project or allow us to go.”
“It is most expedient to enlighten the general public that what IPOB is asking for is the parting words of a Nigerian titan, the Maitama Sule imperatives to President Buhari when he led the Northern Leaders Forum to congratulate him shortly after his victory in the 2015 general elections,” the statement said in part.
What IPOB is requesting, in my opinion, is crystal clear: either treat us as partners in the Nigerian project, or let us leave.
On the other hand, how can one account for the obvious lopsidedness in the appointment of military and paramilitary personnel to head the following organizations with little or no consideration for the people of the South-East region; Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Security, National Intelligence Agency, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, and numerous others.
“On the other hand, as Maitama Sule foresaw, the cause of the unrest in the region was the planned alienation of the South-East region from the center of power.
A people who are denied justice might not be interested in peace, according to the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor.
“The request from Mr. President to the West is utterly impractical because the West observes the nation’s pathetic governance model with keen interest and complete resignation. To be clear, democracy requires justice, equity, tolerance between people, and institutional forbearance, all of which are lacking in the nation right now.
