The Apex Igbo Socio-cultural Organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, on Friday said it is making frantic efforts to secure the release of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, made this known during the grand finale of the 2023 Igbo Day celebration held at Michael Okpara Square, Independent layout Enugu.
Chief Iwuanyanwu also said that though he believed that there is marginalisation of Ndigbo in Nigeria, he is seeing a bright future for Ndigbo.
He said that after a series of research briefly after his inauguration as PG of Ohanaeze, he saw that Ndigbo are blessed with abundant natural resources such as coal, limestone and gas.
Lamenting against the prevailing insecurity in South East, Iwuanyanwu said Ohanaeze would not sit and watch somebody who is sojourning abroad to ruin Igbo land with thoughtless sit-at-home order.
“The leadership of Ohanaeze and other leaders in South East have been engaging the Federal Government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu whose reported health condition attracts huge sympathy. We will not rest until we secure his release, even though the court of jurisdiction has discharged and acquitted him but the federal government refused to release him.
Speaking at the event a business mogul, Engr. Author Eze, who was the chairman of the grand finale of 2023, expressed the belief that Kanu’s release would check insecurity in the South East and ensure that Igbo economy thrives unhindered.
He said that no amount of efforts put in place to secure Kanu’s release would be too much and therefore urged the Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership not to rest on their oars until the goal is achieved.
“Indeed, no number of meetings with the Federal Government or political consultations on the matter will be too much,” he implored.
Eze who said that it has been established that Ndigbo face marginalisation in Nigeria, pointed out that the marginalisation and injustice should be addressed through dialogue rather than taking up arms.
He said that the only way to achieve this is to continually engage the Federal Government on the need to give Ndigbo their due and fair share in Nigeria, pointing out that when this is done, insecurity and restiveness in the South East geo-political zone will be curtailed.
Eze also called on South East Governors to put in more energy and time to create conducive atmosphere necessary for commerce to thrive in Igboland.
“I urge the newly inaugurated governors as well as the older ones to put more energy and time aimed at creating a conducive atmosphere necessary for commerce to thrive in South East, Nigeria.
“Already, insecurity has unleashed monumental misfortune upon the Southeast economy. If the governor’s fail to do something urgent to arrest the current financial and human capital flight currently experienced in Southeast, the trend will to do an irreparable damage to the posterity of the people,” he said and urged the governor’s to create employment opportunities ” for our teeming youths as a way of reducing insecurity in the region.”
Eze equally called on President Tinubu to accommodate more Igbos in his administration to avoid the cry of marginalisation which most Igbos perceive is prevalent against them in Nigeria.
The ceremony attracted the governor of Enugu State, Anambra State while Ebonyi and Imo were represented by their deputies.
Former Minister, Chris Ngige, Geoffrey Onyeama were among the prominent Igbo leaders that graced the occasion.
