From: Desmond Mgboh, Kano
The leadership of Ohaneze Ndigbo, on Thursday, in Kano State, assured the people of the North that no harm would befall any Northerner resident in the East and in any part of Igboland.
President General of the Igbo socio-cultural organization, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, gave the assurance during a courtesy call on the acting Governor of the state, Prof. Hafiz Abubakar.
He was accompanied on the visit by the leaders of the Igbo socio-cultural organisation, including a delegation of Igbo leadership in Kano, Jigawa, Niger and Katsina states.
According to him, “We have the assurance of the governors of our respective states that no harm would come to any Northerner resident in the East”
“As President General of Ohaneze, I borrow a piece from the Sultan of Sokoto. He said that any Northerner who desired to kill an Igbo man should first kill the Sultan. And I say to my people today that any Igbo man who desires to kill a Northerner should first kill John Nwodo” he added.
Saying that no nation survives a second civil war, he noted that, “Our country must develop a capacity to resolve our difference by dialogue ‘
He expressed delight that President Mohammed Buhari was back and recovered while hoping that at some time in the future he would find time to sit with the Igbo leadership to address some of the concerns that had been raised.
He also appreciated the strength of the diversity of Nigeria , saying that, ““Our country enjoys enormous potential for its population, it size and its capacity to bring together people of different cultures and backgrounds, different religions in one political entity”
He assured that he was going to hold a meeting with the Igbo community in the state to entreat to be law abiding and to respect the laws of Kano State
“I am sure that your people in the South East had been spoken to by the governors from the North who visited them only recently” he stated.
He disclosed that he was going to hold a meeting with the Igbo community in the state to entreat to be law abiding and to respect the laws of Kano State
“I am sure that your people in the South -East has been spoken to by the governors from the North who visited them only recently” he stated.
He regretted that sometime when we had problems, “we forget the sweet part of our history and the things that bind us together” while charging Nigerians to live in peace and love of one another
The ag. governor Abubakar, in his remarks, said that the government and the Igbo community in the state had enjoying cordial relationship while noting that their government had always been proactive in dousing tension in the state.
He described the Igbo people as ‘peace-loving’ and said that Kano people had accepted the Igbo people as part of them. He stated that even in trade and commerce, the people of Kano had not taken over the businesses which the Igbo people had dominated for so long , saying this was indicative of the level of acceptance that existed between the two communities.
“There would always be concerns and agitations, there would always be agitations but we must find a peaceful way of resolving the challenges in a peaceful manner: he stated.
“Our diversity is a blessing” he added, saying that great nations in the world tapped their diversities to achieve positive outcomes,.