From Ali Abare, Gombe
The national leader of the Ohaeneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo cultural body, Chief John Nnia Nwodo has called on Nigerians to strive to live in peace with one another irrespective of differences in ethnicity, religion or region.
Chief Nwodo made the call on Friday when he led Igbo leaders from across the 19 northern states including Abuja on a courtesy call on Governor Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo of Gombe State.
Chief Nwodo warned Nigerians that the prevailing unusual situation in the country is reminiscent of the 1960s when the country experienced the civil war, as a result of which over 3 million people lost their lives.
He said posterity will not forgive those who witnessed the Nigerian civil war and allowed the present crisis to degenerate to another preventable catastrophe.
His words: “If people of our age can allow this to happen, then we have a question to answer before God.”
Chief Nwodo, who was on a continuation of peaceful consultation across the north, said Ohaeneze conceived the idea to reach out to northerners even before the decision of the 19 northern governors to visit the South east.
“That they visited us and we are now here shows we are on the same bed and dreaming the same dream,” he said.
He assured non Igbos resident in the South east of adequate protection, conveying the decision of governors in the region guarantee the safety of all non Igbos.
“Our traditional and religious leaders are emulating what the Sultan of Sokoto said regarding the killing of any Igbo man in the north. Our governors are saying that any Igbo man that wants to kill a northerner let such person first kill them. And as the leader of the Igbo cultural organization, I am also saying let such person first kill me,” Nwodo said.
While stressing that enough is enough on the recent political impasse as a result of the conduct of a negligible number of unpatriotic Nigerians, Nwodo called on the people not to take the laws into their hands.
He described the ongoing clamour for separatism as the handiwork of the enemies of Nigeria who are envious of the potentials of the country, describing the country’s diversity and population as capable of taking Nigeria to greater heights.
Chief Nwodo urged Governor Dankwambo to convey the message of peace from Ohaeneze to the people of not only the state but the entire north east, adding Gombe is the hope of the political zone with a leader with national exposure who understands national politics.
In his response, Governor Dankwambo assured that Gombe State is home to all, stressing that adequate arrangement has been put in place to ensure that Gombe is home to everyone.
Represented at the event by his deputy, Charles Iliya, the governor disclosed an earlier meeting he held with political, traditional and religious across the state where he stressed on the unity of the coutry, reminding them of the devastating effect of civil war.
“The message has already been given to the people of Gombe. People should stay above sentiments and rumours,” Dankwambo said.
He describe the Igbos resident in Gombe as resourceful whose contributions would be needed to further develop the state.
Chief Nwodo later met with a cross section of the Igbo community drawn from across the state.