• Urges govs, security agencies to end insecurity in Igboland • We must rediscover our economic potential -Mbah
From Magnus Eze, Enugu
Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yesterday, demanded the devolution of power in the ongoing constitutional review by the National Assembly.
This is as Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah, charged Ndigbo to rediscover their innate economic potential and avoid acts capable of self-destruction.
President General of Ohanaeze, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, who stated this at a retreat for Igbo leaders in Enugu, also reiterated the call for creation of additional state for the South East.
Noting that the Igbo were not happy with the skewed nature of the 1999 Constitution, he stated that the group still stood by its Awka declaration on constitution review after the 2018 special summit.
“We stand for a restructured Nigeria where power will be devolved from Federal Government to the States to enable the State Governments to have reasonable autonomy to develop at their own pace without any hindrance from the Federal Government.”
Iwuanyanwu used the occasion to call for prayers for the release of leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu who is facing treasonable charges and being detained at the Department of State Services facility in Abuja.
He said: “We still hope and pray that President Bola Tinubu will use his powers to release our son, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. There is the case of His Royal Highness Eze Nwajioagu who is being held in detention in Lagos for no justifiable reason. There are other Igbo held in various detention facilities across the country for no justifiable reason.
“We, through this medium, appeal to Nigerians to treat us as their true brothers and sisters and do to us as they would do for others.”
On the theme of the retreat, “Ako Bu Ije (Wisdom is the watchword), the Igbo leader said that their people would not be swayed into dabbling into issues that did not concern them in Nigeria.
He noted that Igbo had suffered enough in their trajectory in Nigeria and would be wise and tactful in future engagements.
He commended Mbah for supporting Ohanaeze projects since his assumption of office. He said the governor’s support had affirmed the status of Enugu as the headquarters of Ndigbo worldwide. He recalled that Enugu hosted the likes of the first President of Nigeria, Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe; former Governor of Eastern Region, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, the Premier of the region, Dr Michael Okpara; former Military Governor of the region, Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, among others.
He noted that Mbah has maintained the trajectory by ensuring that the activities of Ohanaeze are domiciled in Enugu.
Represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai, Governor Mbah lauded the Ohanaeze leadership for championing the progress of Ndigbo globally.
“Governor Mbah commends those who sacrifice for Ndigbo, including those living and dead. The Biafra War is over. I believe in Biafra, but the Biafra I believe in is economic Biafra. Let us seek ways of reviving the Igbo economy. The past administration made the rail system a part of the concurrent list. South-East states should key into this.
“Why are our seaports not working? Oguta ports, Ibom seaport, among others, can serve a huge purpose. We must think economy. We can’t after about sixty years of the civil war continue to be talking about marginalisation. Let’s unleash the potentials in us. I’m not saying that the nation’s political configuration is in our favour, but if the Jews broke away and liberated themselves, we can replicate the same. We can use our rich coal deposits to open up our rural communities and farms.
“In Enugu State, we consider education as a tool to fight poverty and create jobs. That is the concept of our Smart Schools being built in all the political wards of the state. We need Ohanaeze to intervene. Our Smart Schools initiative equips our children with both formal and vocational skills. Skills are essential.
“We see the role Ohanaeze is playing in Igboland as a thankless job. Those piloting the affairs of Ohanaeze acccepted the roles not because they do not have other jobs, but their desire to bring us together. Other regions have their bodies championing their cultural values. Ohanaeze is the flagship of Ndigbo.”
In a communique issued at the end of the Retreat signed by its National Secretary, Amb. Okey Emuchay, and National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, the group urged South-East governors and security agencies to redouble efforts to end insecurity in the region.
It noted that insecurity in the South East was a major hindrance to the development of the region and urged the southeast governors, security agencies and civil society organisations to redouble efforts in the security sector.
It added that the general consensus was that the provision of security would unlock our great potentials, especially in agriculture.
The retreat also harped on the capacity of Igbo for self-sufficiency in food production and urged the Igbo Governors to key into the vision as well as ensure tight security in the region to earn the confidence of intending investors.
According the communique, the retreat resolved to intensify its drive for the unconditional release of the detained leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
It noted that Igbo had enormous human and natural potentials to initiate a “made-to-fit” regional development agenda that aligns with the current global reality.
“We also observed that Ndigbo have not exploited the opportunistic media space to identify the power centres in the region and galvanizing them for collective action.
“The various specialized Ohanaeze Committees were therefore urged to swing into action to ensure the realization of the new Igbo agenda in sync with 21st Century socio-economic realities,” it said.
It said Igbo leaders emphasised the imperative of collaboration between Ohanaeze leadership and Igbo Governors for the realization of Ala-Igbo Transformation Agenda.
The communique further said Igbo leaders endorsed the proposed N10 billion Endowment Fund from Igbo in the Diaspora to give Ohanaeze a reasonable degree of financial stability.