The Igbos have been advised to stop blaming Hausa, Fulani or Yorubas for their problems in Nigeria.
Her Royal Majesty, Obi Igwe Martha Dunkwu, the traditional ruler of Obodogba village, Okpanam in Oshilili North Local Government of Delta State, gave the charge yesterday in Enugu during the 4th anniversary of an Igbo interest group, Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF).
The female traditional ruler, who said that the Igbo men had failed to better the lots of the ethnic group, emphasized that they should not blame anybody for their failure to put their place in order.
Dunkwu, who hails from the same town (Okpanam) with the late Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, also said that Ndigbo were marginalising and under developing themselves as she blamed the governors of the South East for not using the resources at their disposal to develop their lands since 1999 till date.
She said: “The Igbo men have failed colossally. Is it the Fulani, Yoruba or Hausamen that are governors, senators, House of reps members or local government chairmen in Igboland? What have they done with with the monies they get from Federal allocation?”
Dunkwu, the Omu of Anioma, said that Ndigbo abandoned their place for supposed greener pastures in other places in Nigeria thereby neglecting to develop their own towns.
She cautioned that for Ndigbo to have their fair share in Nigeria, they must marry more wives, bear more children “because it is population that determines political equation,” adding that Ndigbo should send their youth to school for academics and skills acquisition.
The traditional ruler said: “Stop talking about Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba people. We should focus on our lands. Talk to our youths to go to school and to learn skills. Igbo’s should not be subservient to other Nigerians. It is not Hausa that asked you to abandon your land to invest in other lands. We should think home.”
While speaking on the theme of the anniversary: “The rebuilding and development of Alaigbo and the advancement of the spirit of her culture and civilization,” the President of ADF, Prof. Uzodinma Nwala, said that they held their youth dearly and will always protected them.
Nwala condemned the manner the youths in Igboland were hounded and hushed for agitating for a better Ndigbo, pointing out that other areas had their youths but never condemned them.
“Any nation that does not value her youths is ruined. We shall not let Ndigbo down. We shall always represent Ndigbo and Igbo interest,” he added.
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