From Magnus Eze, Enugu
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has declared that the youth were the strength and hope of Igbo Nation.
President General of the apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu who stated this while declaring open Ohanaeze Youth Convention in Enugu, at the weekend, vowed that the body will always defend Ndigbo anywhere in the world.
Represented by the National Publicity Secretary, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, Iwuanyanwu underscored that any nation that failed to prepare its youth morally, mentally, physically and spiritually for leadership, was bound to fail.
He enjoined all Igbo youth to be proud of their heritage stressing that their forebears were men of valour, honour and dignity, which made them achieve remarkable and enviable feats in every sphere of life in Nigeria and across the world.
He was emphatic that the only recognized Ohanaeze youth body mandated to speak for the Igbo youth, is led by Chukwuma Okparaezeukwu.
Iwuanyanwu advised those parading themselves as representatives of Ohanaeze youth wing to desist from such to avoid bringing disrepute to the hallowed name of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
In his opening remark, the Acting National Youth Leader of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Okparaezeukwu said the essence of the convention was to brainstorm, reason together and proffer means to tackling issues and challenges in Igbo land.
He cited the recent killings at Nimbo, Uzo-Uwani Local Government Area of Enugu State as an example, stressing that the Igbo youth had to take a position after discussing issues ranging from insecurity, ranching and other things affecting the region.
Two discussants at the event; Emma Mbalusi and Comrade Chuks Ibegbu, called for the release of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to quell insecurity in the South East as well as provision of employment opportunities to end joblessness which also propelled insecurity.
A communique issued after the session among other things identified ranching as a panacea to control farmers-herders’ crisis, and demanded for a political and non-kinetic solution that will fast-track the release of the IPOB leader, Kanu.
The communique also appealed to President Bola Tinubu to take up the challenge of a quick-fix lasting peace in Igbo land by freeing Kanu while also opening direct dialogue with IPOB and other pro-Biafra agitators to douse the agitations in Igboland.
It said that this will refocus the energy of the youth within the region towards sustainable national development.