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From George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Erstwhile Africa Union Force Commander and Secretary-General of the Niger Basin Commission, Major General Collins R. U. Ihekire (rtd) has said that creating a new state out of the existing South East does not confer any real advantage to the Igbo nation.
Ihekire spoke exclusively to Saturday Sun at the weekend, while reacting to the approval of both chambers of the National Assembly to the creation of an additional state in the South East for equity and justice.
He said he does not support the splitting of the existing states in the South East for an additional state, stressing that, that in itself does not confer any real advantage to the South East. Rather, he canvassed for the creation of Anioma or Igweocha state which he said would be part of the South East.
“I am not an advocate for the creation of an additional state from the present South East. I am not using the geographical coordinate they describe. I am talking about the Igbo nation. I have always said that if we want to do well in this country we need to restructure.
The restructuring I am talking about is not along the old lines left to us by the British colonists where they threw disparate people into one region and created animosities between the various ethnic nationalities in that region. This has been one of the reasons Nigeria has not really made progress in the real sense of it. The restructuring I am talking about should be based on ethnic nationalities. Igbo should have their own region, likewise the Yoruba and Hausa. Other tribes in the North Central can come together following what we call the principle of collective security where no single group should be more powerful than the other groups. This is how it is in India and look at the progress (made) because of healthy competitions.”
The former Commandant of the National War College, also pointed out that in Nigeria, Federal allocations are primarily based on land mass and population before derivation. He reasoned that splitting the present South East in a bid to create an additional state does not in any way confer an advantage to the South East or Igbo nation.
“Why don’t we have more Igbo states like Anioma, Igweocha (Port Harcourt) and its environs? I’m sure their maritime resources are enough to sustain them.”
