Youth wing of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, the Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC, has advised those spearheading the agitations of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra that seceding from Nigeria would not be in the interest of Ndigbo.
The OYC National President, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro stated this on Saturday during a press conference in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, while unveiling plans for this year’s Igbo Youths Day slated for Monday in Umuahia.
He stressed that it is better for Ndigbo to remain in Nigeria and struggle for their fair share of the ‘national cake’ than fight for self-determination which is bound to come with consequences.
“It is better we remain in Nigeria and fight for our rights than secede. We have been patient enough and in 2019, it will be our turn to produce a Nigerian President. It will take a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction to heal the wounds of Biafra,” he stated.
Isiguzoro however called on the Federal Government to unconditionally release all members of MASSOB and other Biafran activists detained in various prisons across the country, and address injustices against Ndigbo in the country, which he noted were the major reason for the agitation for self-rule by MASSOB and other pro- Biafran groups.
He maintained that it flies in the face of reason for MASSOB members who are non-violent to continue to be held illegally for years in detention, ‘‘while the same government is busy releasing captured members of violent groups like Boko Haram and Niger Delta militants who have taken up arms against the state.”
“Since the Federal Government is secretly negotiating with Boko Haram terrorists, why can’t it also negotiate with MASSOB, which is non-violent? Since it is releasing some Boko Haram fighters, it should also consider MASSOB members detained illegally in prisons,” he added.
The OYC President however declared support for the anti-corruption crusade of President Muhammadu Buhari, stressing that those responsible for the woes of Nigeria should be brought to book.
He went on to reveal that this year’s Igbo Youths Day would be used to sensitise Igbo governors on the urgent need to invest in agriculture for youth empowerment.
In an earlier remark, Chairman of the organising committee and National Vice-Treasurer of OYC, Dr. Lawrence Dozie, gave the theme of this year’s celebration as “Ndigbo: The Challenges of our Youths.”
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