From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has charged the town unions in Igboland to take the security of their communities seriously and ensure they are fully defended from aggression.
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation urged the town unions to use the December town meetings to reactivate their vigilance groups for homeland security.
Giving the charge in its Christmas address to Ndigbo, Ohanaeze in a five-point statement, which included security, noted that the South East region was adjudged the most peaceful and serene geopolitical zone until April 5, 2021 when hoodlums or gunmen attacked and overwhelmed the Correctional Centre in Owerri and released a total of 1,844 prison inmates.
The statement issued by the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, noted that: “Ohanaeze had interrogated the strategic capacity of the local non-state actors to overwhelm a highly fortified correction centre and discharged a total of 1,844 inmates without any arrest. Since that episode, the Igbo are confronted with various forms of insecurity. Added to the menace of Fulani herdsmen-farmers clashes, we now have Fulani kidnappers and community invaders in many parts of Igbo land. Hundreds of lives have been lost to these recent developments.”
Describing the development as very appalling and unbecoming, Ohanaeze directed that a drastic step must be taken to counter the narrative.
On politics, Ohanaeze said: “Nigeria is at crossroads. It stares all of us in the face; if Nigeria is allowed to continue to swim in corporate malfeasance, corruption, incompetence, moral turpitude, zero patriotism and their likes that have given rise to the ongoing mass unemployment, rising insecurity, poverty and other pathologies, our next generation will suffer irretrievably.
The organisation stressed that although “it does not wax eloquent on partisan politics as an umbrella socio-cultural organisation with a central philosophy to represent and protect the interests of all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria, it owes it a duty to foster peace and cordial relationship between the Igbo and other ethnic groups in Nigeria and stand against injustice whenever, wherever, and however it is indicated.”
Restating that it is the turn of the South East to produce the President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces for the Federal Republic of Nigeria, Ohanaeze said: “Since the struggle for the Presidency commenced, there have been orchestrated intrigues to subvert those age-long, inter-ethnic political mechanisms for national stability by scheming the Igbo out of the process. Staying the course of providence, Peter Obi was able to strategise the best out of the bourgeois corrupt machinations as the presidential candidate of the Labour Party for the 2023 presidential election.
“As it stands, there should be a distinction between the politics we have and the politics we need. The Ohanaeze position is reinforced by the reality that Peter Obi – a moral edifice, democratic archetype and economy game changer-represents the confluence of both the national justice and the politics that Nigeria needs. Ohanaeze, therefore, urges Ndigbo to participate actively in the 2023 general election by mobilising themselves, closing ranks and striving to be the best as our brothers’ keeper.
“The President General of Ohanaeze ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Prof George Obiozor believes that “we can only succeed as a people when we are determined to achieve a common purpose and such a time is now.” He added that “the Igbo have a rendezvous with destiny in 2023 and I am sure history will vindicate us.”
The organization commended the Presidents-General of the Igbo Town Unions led by Chief Emeka Diwe, for lending grassroots impetus to the “irresistible national Peter Obi phenomenon,” and implored them to leave no stone unturned in sustaining the momentum in order to achieve the desired goal.
The Town Unions were asked to also look into the rampant sit-at-home in the South East which has done incalculable damage to the Igbo economy.
“Evidence has shown that the Igbo adversaries are happy that we have chosen to face the barrel of the gun inwards. It is inconceivable that a group of people will decide to cripple its economy. This is an unfortunate exercise and must be addressed at the town’s meeting. That bad men thrive because good men go to sleep is an age-old statement founded on truth, reason and experience,” the statement further said.