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By Tony Udemba
Stakeholders in Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Lagos chapter has added its voice to the wide spread condemnation of the fire outbreak that occurred recently at the Akere Motor Spare – parts Market, Ajegunle in Ajeromi – Ifelodun Local Government Area of Lagos. At a press conference at the Ritalori Hotel, Surulere, the group gave kudos to the Labour Party’s gubernatorial candidate for Lagos State, Mr. Gbadebo Rhodes – Vivour for his prompt and timely visit to the scene, as well as his gracious financial donation to the victims to alleviate their huge losses. The group also acknowledged the empathy shown by Governor Babajide Sanwo – Olu when he visited the market, and tasked him to make good his promise to arrest and prosecute those responsible for the fire outbreak.
Speaking on behalf of the group at the press briefing, it’s leader, Chief Fabian Onwughalu said, “ while we commiserate with our brothers who lost their goods and resources in the fire outbreak which occurred recently at Akere Motor Spare-parts market, Ajegunle in Ajeromi – Ifelodun Local Government Area, we are greatly saddened by the incident which is obviously man-made. More worrisome is the fact that we lost a man who in his bid to stop the hoodlums from burning the market sacrificed his life”.
Onwughalu, a former Chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State, stated that it was unfortunate that the Police who were severally informed by the traders of plans by hoodlums to attack the market, failed to prevent the situation from happening, even as they dismissed the fears of the traders and urged them to carry on with their businesses. According to him, “ strictly speaking, from information gathered from the traders and residents of the area, the Police were severally informed about plots by some hoodlums to attack the market, but regrettably did nothing to prevent it. Rather they assured the traders that nothing would happen, and that they should go about their business. But unfortunately, this ugly incident is obviously as a result of the failure of security”.
While laying the blame of the fire incident on desperate political actors, he said “ taking a dispassionate view on this fire inferno, we lay blame on desperate political actors, and anybody who says that we should not give political undertone to the fire incident is simply not being sincere”.
He maintained that the market has been there for a long time until after the presidential election, when the traders started experiencing threats, insisting that, “ the fire outbreak has something to do with politics, and it is not unconnected with what has been happening across the state, since after the presidential election, which the traders reported to the Police, but nothing was done, and now it has resulted to this ugly situation”.
The Ohanaeze chieftain averred that the outcome of the election was propelled and ignited by long years of sufferings of Nigerians, by the brutal attacks on EndSars protesters by security agents and the obvious failure of the government to provide the dividends of democracy, as well as the biting effects of cash crunch and perennial fuel scarcity in the country.
His words, “ in view of the long years of suffering meted to the Nigerian masses by the ruling APC government, a lot of Nigerians cutting across all tribal groups such as the Hausa/ Fulani, Yoruba, Igbo, Ijaw, Ibibio, Effik, middle belters, and others, out of frustration, were unanimous in voting against APC during the presidential elections. “Therefore, it would be wrong and foolhardy for some tribal bigots and trouble mongers to now turn around and accuse the Igbo nation of being the cause of the defeat of APC or plotting to take over Lagos or some other mischievousness. I’m quite sure that there are some Igbos who voted for APC, just as we have people from other tribes. I don’t really know why the blame for the defeat of APC should be placed on the door steps of the Igbos”. Onwughalu called on the Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo – Olu, to fish out the arsonists without delay and specifically address the political actors in APC to call their street urchins to order, even as he bemoaned the way people were injured and many shops looted and destroyed in different parts of Lagos, including Ijadodo, Maryland and other areas.
On the issue of endorsements by various factions of Igbo groups, the former Chairman, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Lagos State, emphasized that, “ Ohanaeze Ndigbo is a socio – cultural organization, and non partisan. While its leadership has a right to chart a political direction for Ndigbo in the state, such right in Lagos State, must be premised, contingent and supported, by the decision of Ohanaeze Worldwide in Enugu.
“Therefore, if any leader of Ohanaeze in the state has made any endorsement now or even in the future, of any candidate whatsoever, that person is obviously doing so on his or her own personal accord. The person does not have the mandate of Ndigbo to do so”. He added that the only credible and authentic endorsement from the group must be in accordance with what was written, agreed and signed by Afenefere, South South, Middle Belt and Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
Speaking at the occasion, Amaobi Moghalu, leader of the Igbo Leaders Forum, reiterated that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide and it’s chapters are socio -cultural organization and non – partisan, even as he noted that it was an aberration and baseless for any chieftain of the body to embark on the endorsement of anybody irrespective of his or her status without following the rules and regulations of the parent body.
