By Nwanosike Onu, Awka; Chris Oji, Enugu and Emma Elekwa, Onitsha
The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on Monday urged Southeast governors to immortalise the late Biafran leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu
It said they should do this by establishing mechanic villages in his name to create employment and boost technological innovations by youths.
MASSOB, which marked Ojukwu’s 86th posthumous birthday, said another way to honour Ojukwu is to fix decaying infrastructure in Igboland.
Also yesterday, former Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu said the greatest honour that can be done to Ojukwu is to restructure Nigeria.
He said the presidency should rotate among the regions for the sake of equity.
Ekweremadu spoke at the second Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Lecture organised by the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu University, Igbariam, Anambra State.
MASSOB’s leader Uchenna Madu urged Igbo leaders to push for the region’s emancipation from “anti-Igbo policies”.
He said: “Igboland has been abandoned by successive governments to decay and rot. All the federal roads in Igboland and few infrastructure that promote social stability in Igboland have been abandoned, neglected, caused to perish by the Federal Government.”
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MASSOB said the Igbo are also academically disadvantaged, compared to other regions, due to neglect.
“Though the Nigerian government has deliberately abandoned and neglected Igboland and Ndigbo to suffer, why must Igbo political, religious, traditional and economic leaders complement our oppressor’s deliberate and constant government policies against our people’s survivals in Nigeria?
“Why should elective and self-acclaimed leaders in Igboland continue singing praises of our oppressors and political enemies?” MASSOB asked.
The group listed the Second Niger Bridge, Onitsha seaport, Aba dry port, Onitsha-Enugu Expressway, Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway, Onitsha-Okigwe federal highway, Umuahia-Arochukwu-Ibibio-Ikot Ekpene-Aba federal highway as some of those that have been neglected.
Others are the Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene-Uyo federal highway, Onitsha-Orlu-Mbano-Umuahia federal highway, Owerri-Mbaise-Umuahia federal highway, and the Onitsha-Adani-Nsukka federal road.
The group decried as devastating erosion in Igboland, such as those in Nkwoagu Amuda Isuochi and Uturu Isuikwuato in Abia State, Nanka Orumba North and Ozubulu Ekwusigo in Anambra State, among others.
MASSOB said: “Ndigbo have committed more harmful, dangerous and sacrilegious crimes against Igboland with their nonchalant attitude and selfishness against our ancestors.
“Ndigbo have abandoned the legacies and visions of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu). Even his image, personality and name are no longer respected or regarded in the political and social lives of Ndigbo. Ojukwu and our ancestors are not happy with Igbo leaders.
“We also demand and mandate that Igbo governors must start naming prominent institutions, roads and public squares after Ojukwu. We also hail the Anambra State government for naming its state university after Ojukwu.”
Speaking at the lecture, Ekweremadu stressed that the dissatisfaction among the Igbo has led to calls for secession or restructuring.
He said: “This state of affairs has effectively reared two schools of thought in the Southeast region on the way forward.
“There are those, mostly the younger Igbo generations, which believe that the best way forward is total separation from the Nigerian state and the actualisation of a sovereign state of Biafra. This has resulted in agitation, which got to its crescendo in recent years.
“On the other hand is the school of thought, to which I belong, and which believes that Ndigbo can indeed blossom, actualise their potential, and be happy in a restructured Nigerian state.
“This position resonates with the thoughts of Ezeigbo Gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, in the lecture, entitled: Nigeria: “The truths that are self-evident”, which he delivered on February 22, 1994, and was affirmed in the Awka Declaration where Ndigbo affirmed their commitment to a united but restructured and just Nigeria.
“Ndigbo also presented a 10-point restructuring template that includes fiscal federalism, devolution of power, structural balance, rotational presidency, among others”.
Enweremadu, who chaired the event, said the presidency should rotate among the regions for the sake equity.
He said: “Whereas it is important that the Presidency of Nigeria rotates to promote justice, equity, and national unity, it is even more that every Nigerian President sees the entire country as his or her constituency and ensure that every part thereof is fairly treated to build national loyalty.
“If this becomes the case, the agitation for the Presidency of Nigeria by various parts of the country will abate.
“Ikemba came ahead of his time; he lived ahead of his time, and he died ahead of his time because the laudable visions he longed for are yet to be realised.
“Therefore, our nation and her leaders owe it to the memory of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to strengthen Nigeria as a political entity where justice, peace, love, and unity reigns; where national interest is supreme; and where every Nigerian and every part thereof are free and able to actualise their legitimate dreams and aspirations unmolested and irrespective of religious, political, and tribal affiliations and origin.
“This is indeed the greatest honour and tribute he can get from us.”
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