Igbo Intelligentsia Forum writes Osinbajo, insists on restructured Nigeria

*Disowns Kanu, condemns all acts of violence, hate speeches

Concerned by the tension across the country and the hate speeches being spewed by many across the various nationalities and groups in the country, the Igbo Intelligentsia Forum, a forum with worldwide membership of Igbo professionals has waded in and written a letter to the Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, disassociating the Igbo nation from all the negative actions aimed at creating bad blood among the people.

However, the group advised the government to start reconsidering its position on restructuring of Nigeria in a manner that grants greater autonomy to the federating units, as they see that as the one single panacea to the myriads of agitation across the country and help douse the mounting tension.

In the letter which the group said was in response to a similar one written to the Acting President by a coalition of Northern youth groups requesting him to set the machinery in motion to allow Igbos actualise their dream of the sovereign nation of Biafra, they disowned and condemned Nnamdi Kanu’s call for the creation of the state of Biafra and disassociated themselves from the move.

The letter was signed by the group’s National Coordinator, Chief Joseph Chukwuma Ikunna; National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Katch Onunuju; Coordinator Northern Zone, Chief Clement Aguiyi; Coordinator – UK, Nze Barr Sympathy Chiboko Nwosu and four Trustees, including Obiora Onyilofor, Dr. E. O. Eke, Mazi Chibuzo Oguoma and Barr Ikechukwu Ikeji.

While faulting Kanu for what they described as his vicious rhetoric, the group said however that it was unfair that the coalition of Arewa Youths chose to engage in selective perception and double standards in castigating the hate speech by Kanu, IPOB and MASSOB.

They also condemned all acts of violence and hate speeches irrespective of its origin, “as we firmly believe that Nigeria cannot make progress through selective tolerance of violence and killings or in the application of double standards in law enforcement.”

Cataloguing activities of persons and groups from other regions, who they said have said worse things than Kanu and the Igbo groups have said, the Igbo Intelligentsia Forum said, “We consider it unfair that the coalition of Arewa Youths chose to engage in selective perception and double standards in castigating the hate speech by Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB and MASSOB.

“While we disagree with, and condemn Nnamdi Kanu’s vicious rhetoric, let us not forget that before him, there were a number of precedents. We crave your indulgence to briefly discuss them, by the regions in which/where they occurred.”

According to them, “There was Alhaji Mujahid Asari-Dokubo of Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, who was more vehement in the use of intemperate language against Northerners in agitating for resource control and self determination for his Niger Delta people.

“In like manner, the Niger Delta Avengers caused the Nigerian state monumental losses in revenue by the consistent blowing up of oil pipelines, but at no point were Niger Deltans given a quit notice from Northern Nigeria. Probably because it was understood that Alhaji Asari-Dokubo and the Niger Delta Avengers did not have the mandate of the Niger Delta people to speak or act on their behalf. Had such quit notice been given we would have stood shoulder to shoulder with them to object to it.

“There was also Chief Ganiyu Adams of the Oodua People’s Congress (OPC), the pan Yoruba socio-cultural group, who agitated and still supports the creation of a sovereign state for the Yoruba people. He was even arrested for violent clashes perpetrated by his organisation against law enforcement agents, which at different times led to the loss of lives. Infact, the OPC got involved in the July 1999 violent clashes between the Yoruba and Hausa community in Shagamu, leading to loss of many lives on both sides.

“Unconnected with the OPC, there was another violent clash in March 2016 between the Hausa and Yoruba community at Mile 12, Lagos, which led to the loss of at least 10 lives. Also in March 2017, Police Force Headquarter in Abuja announced that 46 people were killed and 96 wounded in a lethal clash between the Hausa and Yoruba communities in Ile Ife, the cradle of Yoruba civilization.

“These violent clashes notwithstanding, the Yorubas were never given quit notice to leave Northern Nigeria, neither were the acts of omission or commission of Ganiyu Adams blamed on all Yorubas. At the height of the agitation, we cannot remember any Yoruba leader condemning Ganiyu Adams, neither were Yoruba leaders held responsible for Gani’s agitation for the creation of Oodua Republic. Had any such quit notice been given, we the Igbos would have objected to it.

“Abubakar Shekau, the leader of Boko Haram, levied war against the Nigerian state in the last 6-8 years. Shekau and his group had actually installed an Islamic caliphate in parts of the North East and also declared loyalty to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

“Shekau and his group have caused the country monumental damages in terms of human lives of both Christians and Muslims and the devastation of an entire region (the North East). Their campaign of violence and death has achieved widespread footprints across the North and Abuja. As we speak, people still die every day, including our gallant soldiers, as a result of the activities of Boko Haram, yet no section of Nigeria has given Northerners quit notice to leave their region as a result of the sins of “Abubakar Shekau and Boko Haram, as all Nigerians realise that this would be a treasonable offence. It is also not on record that Northern leaders publicly castigated the activities of Boko Haram, until recently when the Nigerian military degraded them.”

They also alluded to the activities of the Fulani herdsmen across many regions of the country without anyone attacking people from the region of the herdsmen, “Virtually every region of this country has been victim of the violence committed by Fulani herdsmen, including the South East. Yet no region is calling for the expulsion of Fulani herdsmen from their various domains in spite of the wanton destruction of lives and properties they unleash on their host communities.

“Neither have Igbos ever killed members of their host communities in any part of the country, but rather live peacefully side by side, investing and creating jobs and business opportunities for people of all ethnicities”

Insisting that Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB do not have the mandate of Ndigbo to seek for secession from Nigeria, they said, “neither can Ndigbo be held responsible for his/their words or actions, just like the Niger Delta Region, the Yoruba people and the Hausa/Fulani/Kanuri peoples are not being held responsible for the actions of Asari-Dokubo, Ganiyu Adams and Abubakar Shekau, respectively.

“The vast majority of Ndigbo have not confirmed their intention to secede, neither do we believe they will, as they are a major stakeholder group in project Nigeria and have continuously shown it through our investment and migration to and in all parts of the nation. It will therefore be counter-productive to opt out of a country we have contributed tremendously in building, and showcasing on the world stage.

“This vast majority of Ndigbo look forward to a restructured Nigeria that will grant greater autonomy to the federating units in conducting their affairs. This vast majority are open and willing to cooperate and collaborate with all groups who are interested in a restructured Nigeria.

“Igbo is tired of being used as Nigeria’s scapegoats and cannon fodder. One of the reasons fueling the discontent of Igbo Youths as epitomised by the actions of IPOB/MASSOB is the routine killing of Igbo, even for things they have absolutely no connection with. It is inconceivable that any group of people will be happy that the only solution to conflict resolution is the killing of their people. The action of the routine killing of our people is against equity and natural justice.

“Another significant reason for agitation of youth groups in the South East is the obvious marginalisation of the region by the Federal Government. The region is suffering severe infrastructure deficit and the absence of significant federal presence. For example, the only Federal Government commercial venture in the South East is the moribund Nigerian Coal Corporation, while other regions have petro-chemical, steel, aluminum, defence, fertilizer, iron ore, liquefied natural gas, power plant ventures etc.

“The initial national gas pipeline network was designed to bye-pass the South East under the pretext that the demand for gas in the region is low. Out of over 140 non-ministerial agencies, which exclude educational, health and research institutions, only two have Headquarters sited in the South East, namely the War Museum in Umuahia and Anambra/Imo River Basin Development Authority in Owerri.

“The issue with the location of headquarters of major agencies of government is that the capital and recurrent expenditures of such agencies have significant multiplier effect on the local economy. Something the South East is not benefiting from.

“We do not hold the vast majority of good Northerners responsible for the actions of the unscrupulous politicians in their midst, and we wish to extend our hands of brotherhood and fellowship to all Northerners who believe in equity, justice and fair play. The Igbos are not seeking for people to dominate or exploit. Neither are we a violent people as we are not known to kill or maim non indigenes living in our communities. All we seek is a level playing field to coexist peacefully with other Nigerians,” they said.