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From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Founder of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM) and Secretary, Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), Evang. Eliot Uko has tackled South East leaders for allegedly ignoring the root cause of the agitation in the region.
Uko who spoke on the heels of South East Governors’ Forum’s meeting in Enugu last Thursday, said that it had become impossible to keep quiet while the authorities consistently addressed only the symptoms of a much bigger disease.
According to him, the approach was equivalent to political, religious, traditional and economic leaders of Southeast treating symptoms of a sickness while paying no attention to the cause of the ailment.
He recalled in 1999 how Ralph Uwazuruike was able to gather some few Igbo youths in his Lagos residence and formed the Movement for Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) which later metamorphosed into IPOB and other pro-Biafra groups while regional leaders ignored the issues he was raising.
He stated that as long as the issues of marginalisation of the Ndigbo in Nigeria remained, there would be individuals who would cease the opportunity to successfully promote separatist agenda due to the frustrating situation Ndigbo had found themselves since the end of the civil war.
For him, the sit-at-home and indeed, insecurity in the zone, was a consequence and symptom of the anger and frustration in the heart of aggrieved people.
Uko said: “We are only addressing the symptom while dutifully ignoring the root cause of the problem. We have been doing just that with the agitation ravaging the South East for 24 years. The hype in the land today is only addressing the symptoms. Not a word is mentioned on how to address the root cause of the agitation.”
He described the suffocating unitary structure of the country as retrogressive, anti growth, adding that it retards positive development, while encouraging sleaze.
Uko noted that when Uwazurike appointed Nnamdi Kanu a decade later to handle their new radio in London, the authorities resolutely refused to address the root cause of the problem.
He regretted that nothing was done to restore the faith of the youths in the system or reassure them that their fears would be addressed. Instead of deploying a non-kinetic strategy in resolving the issues fuelling the agitation, he said that the authorities and their advisers only chose military offensive in containing the agitation.
“As long as compatriots refuse to devolve powers to the federating units, very few folks will continue to determine the destiny of over 200 million citizens, engendering fears of marginalisation and domination, and inspiring agitation.
“Both the insecurity and sit-at-home crippling the region are consequences and symptoms of a much deeper malaise. Yet, we seem interested in tackling only the symptoms while dutifully ignoring the root cause of the agitation.
“I do not endorse the agitation nor do I approve their style. But the marginalisation is real and the constant humiliation they experience grants them followership.
“When will we face the truth – that resolution and closure will remain difficult to attain, until we begin to address the root cause, in search of lasting solution,” he stated
