Daniel Kanu
The founder of Igbo Youth Movement (IYM), Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko has faulted the communiqué issued recently by the southeast Governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, and other Igbo leaders on why agitation is on the increase and the zone under siege.
Ugochukwu-Uko, who is also Secretary, Eastern Consultative Assembly ECA, and the deputy Secretary, Igbo Leaders of Thought (ILT), said the communiqué did not expose the real truth on why violence has been on the increase rather than abate in the region.
In a release he sent to Daily Sun titled “The Ideal communiqué”, the activist articulated the issues he said was missing in the message by the Southeast governors and other Igbo elders, insisting that there is an urgent need for inclusion of the region in governance for a sense of belonging as well as restructuring the country.
He said for the zone to achieve the anticipated reconciliation, healing and peaceful resolution of the situation, the whole truth must be told for a holistic solution to be applied.
Part of the statement reads “This is what the Southeast governors, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo elders should have presented in their communiqué but they merely scratched the truth.
“I hope that the truth I present here will be of some use in the search for harmonious agreement that will heal the land.
“They condemned the violence, especially the wanton wasting of precious lives. They are in order. Also, our leaders have shown the desire to reach out, engage and collate grievances to present to the central government. This is encouraging and commendable.
“However, the issues are about the anger of the younger generation Ndigbo and their desire to opt-out of Nigeria. In that regard, the meeting failed to sincerely inform the world why the agitation continues to grow in leaps and bounds. That would have been the honest thing to do.
“How I wish their communiqué sounded something like this: After deliberations on the situation in our land today, we humbly plead with Mr. President to note our findings on the origin, cause, and reasons the unrest in the land is growing instead of abating.
“The unitary structure of the government has over the years, created a feeding bottle arrangement that cannot be sustained any longer.
“This unitary arrangement has given birth to many social, economic and political problems, that are directly responsible for sleaze in the system, inability to pay salaries and pension as at when due, unemployment, overpopulation in the cities and the rise in the level of violent crimes and drug abuse.
“These issues include poverty, inflation, weak electoral process, impunity, hunger and inequality; etc has festered for long and created cleavages and agitations that have unfortunately remained unaddressed over time.
“That our investigations and inquiries have confirmed that the feeling of exclusion and marginalisation, which has grown unchecked in recent time, is largely responsible for the loss of faith in the system, especially by the younger generation and this inspired the agitation for secession.
“That unless these issues are addressed from the root, there seems no likelihood to see an early end to the agitation.
“That we, as leaders of the region, believe that granting listening ear to the pains, frustrations and fears of the agitators and applying non-kinetic strategy in resolving the issue will much better produce lasting results.
“That the agitators are of the argument that the dichotomy applied in the day to day life of the average youths, including state-of-origin dichotomy and unkind disparate school admission cut off marks for different regions, creates unfair inequalities and grave injustices that retards their growth and development and hinders their aspirations, whilst eroding their desire to remain in the same unkind condition.
“They believe that the hostile attitude towards them makes it very difficult and almost impossible for them to be proud of their country, let alone bequeath such humiliating condition to their own children.
“Finally, as leaders of this region, we stand whole heartedly with the people and leaders of all the regions of this country, who believe that a wholesome restructuring of the polity is the way to go”.