Igbo summit advocates autonomy for South East

Leaders of Igbo extraction across the South East region at the weekend rose from the maiden edition of the Igbo national summit on peace, security and development, organized by a coalition of Igbo groups and stakeholders, advocating for autonomy for the region to enable the region autonomy and control of its resources,.

At the summit, stakeholders expressed concern over the deliberate action of the colonial masters who through manipulation of the federal structure and census, left power in the hands of the Fulani minority.

A communiqué issued in Owerri, the Imo state capital at the end of the summit, observed that Nigeria as presently constituted is a phantom political state, which has lost all basic principles of the rule of law, justice, equity, and humane values, as anarchy now prevails in all spheres of the society.

Presided over by the Chairman, Enugu Traditional Rulers Council, Igwe Lawrence Agubuzo, the summit decried the militarization of the region by extortionist police and military agents of the state and the senseless and conscienceless killings of the people by marauding Fulani herdsmen with the tacit support of the federal government.

The communiqué said that the people of the region have lost confidence in the Nigeria federation to guarantee their safety.

The communiqué reads in part: “That the endemic instability in the federation has been due to an inherent incompatibility of values between the dominant religions, traditions and cultures of its indigenous ethnic nationalities.

“But, this has been made worse by the deliberate act of manipulation by the British colonial authorities who through manipulation of the federal structure and census left power in the hands of the Fulani minority

“What is more, political stability is anchored on fundamental principles of democracy, rule of law and equity. Unfortunately, the Fulani minority does not understand, let alone believe in these basic norms of coexistence among peoples.

“This truth has been brazenly asserted by the Fulani National Movement (FUNAM) when in a recent statement in which they declared their resolve to fully conquer the rest of the federation.

FUNAM referred to what it called irresponsible western notion of democracy, which it said was imposed in order to undermine their territorial ambition.”

The summit further observed that the country has been seized by one ethnic nationality, the minority Fulani which has not hidden its intention to wipe out the indigenous population and turn their territory into an Islamic state.

“Against this background of worrisome escalating insecurity, fear and horror in our homeland, threats to our continued existence as a people, more so in the face of mounting pressure of occupation by alien terrorist Muslim Fulani herdsmen, we hereby declare that our people are no longer willing to live a life of meaningless existence in Nigeria.

“And therefore, urge that Ndigbo and her willing neighbours to be regarded as an autonomous region, with the right to full control of her territory, resources, executive, legislative and judicial institutions.

“Consequently, we are compelled to call for a plebiscite to secure our God-given homeland, propelled by our collective will to self – determination,” the communiqué added.