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Tag: Igbo’

  • Igbo quit notice: Why we haven’t  arrested Arewa youths, by Fed Govt

    Igbo quit notice: Why we haven’t  arrested Arewa youths, by Fed Govt

    The Federal Government has explained why it has not arrested the architects of the Coalition of Northern Youths’ quit notice issued to the Igbo living in the North.

    The explanation came on the heels of calls by United Nations (UN) experts for the arrest of those behind the June 6 quit notice.

    It also came on a day the Independent Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) lashed out at the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) over the pan-North group’s warnings to Ohanaeze Ndi’ Igbo, a pro-East organisation.

    At a news conference in Abuja yesterday, Attorney-General of the Federation & Minister of Justice Abubakar Malami (SAN) said they did not go after sponsors of the quit notice due to the “security implications”, adding that the Federal Government was being strategic in handle the issue.

    He said: “The way the government works is that a lot of considerations naturally come into play. One is investigation, which is not time-bound; two, security consideration; three, expeditious determination and consideration of public interest.

    “But one thing that is certain is that the government is ever alive to its responsibilities and whoever is found wanting, regardless of the length of time, will definitely be brought to book.

    “That is the way it works. I assure you that the government will, within the context of its responsibilities, work to ensure good governance, justice, peace and fairness in the nation.”

    The Northern youths have withdrawn the quit notice on the Igbo to vacate the North on October 1.

    ‎Their spokesman, AbdulAziz Suleiman, said the withdrawal was as a result of consultations and pressure from various groups.

    Also yesterday, the IPOB, through its spokesman, Emma Powerful, warned the Federal Government against re-arresting its leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

    It said doing so will have dire consequences.

    The IPOB spokesman was reacting to what it called an attack on the Ohanaeze. Some ACF elders had berated the Ohanaeze leaders for trivialising a criminal matter.

    According to Powerful, Kanu has not committed any crime that could warrant his rearrest.

    He said: “If Nigeria ever had a case against our leader, why have the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) not commenced the trial since October 2015 when our leader was first arrested?

    “Instead, the Arewa North thought they could intimidate this present Ohaneze Ndigbo as they did to previous executives, into allowing Nnamdi Kanu to be arrested.

    “The idea of wanting to use baseless trumped up charges to justify the extra-judicial detention of Kanu will be resisted by all men and women of good conscience.”

    The UN human rights experts called for the prosecution of those behind the ultimatum issued to the Igbo.

    The experts,  Mutuma Ruteere, Special Rapporteur on Contemporary Forms of Racism, Racial Discrimination, Xenophobia and Related Intolerance; Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on Minority Issues and Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination, described the ultimatum as a “grave concern”.

    They also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on the social media targeting the Igbo.

    The UN experts said: “We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence.

    “The government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”

    The human rights crusaders said that though some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, other officials still needed to follow suit.

    They added: “We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators.

    “We call on the government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”

    The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished.

    “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added.

     

  • Igbo never mandated anybody to talk about secession – Iwuanyanwu

    Igbo never mandated anybody to talk about secession – Iwuanyanwu

    A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has said that Igbo never mandated anybody to talk about breaking away from the country.

    Iwuanyanwu said this in Abuja on Saturday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

    He expressed worry over agitations by some groups calling for the nation’s balkanization.

    Iwuanyanwu, however, said that the call for restructuring was appropriate to address the numerous challenges confronting the country.

    According to him, restructuring doesn’t mean division of the nation, adding ‘‘let us forget about the talk of secession by some young people.

    ‘‘I am an Igbo man and a leader.

    ‘‘I was the Chairman of Planning and Strategy of Ohaneze Ndigbo, so when you talk of any decision on the Igbo, it must have my consent.

    ‘‘Igbo have never mandated anybody to go and talk about secession.

    ‘‘We have heard that some youths reversed the call for the exit of the Igbo form the north.

    ‘‘l am happy that Nigerian leaders as well as the governors are coming up to say that Igbo are safe in their places.

    ‘‘Iwuanyanwu assured Igbo of their safety in every part of the country.

    ‘‘Many Igbo in the north have been coming to me asking me of what to do; I want to assure them that nobody is going to hurt them.

    ‘‘We all stand for one Nigeria and in future if anybody makes a statement, nobody should generalise and say it is Igbo,’’ he added.

    According to him, there are good and terrible people amongst the Igbo as it is in other tribes.

    ‘‘People should stop generalising individual’s comment as if it were the general Igbo who made the comment.

    ‘‘I am happy that the President (Muhammadu Buhari) has said that anyone who made threatening comments would be disciplined and he has said he would put security measures to protect them.

    ‘‘Therefore, Igbo shouldn’t go anywhere.

    ‘‘I just want everyone to accept this restructuring and by the way, this restructuring issue is not a complicated one.

    ‘‘We have had two constitutional conferences during Chief Olusegun Obasanjo and Dr Goodluck Jonathan civilian governments. We don’t even need to have a sovereign national conference.

    ‘‘If the National Assembly members can be honest with themselves, they should form a committee of the whole which include both chambers and call it a restructuring committee.

    ‘‘Call for submission by people then include it with the submissions from the conference by Obasanjo and Jonathan, then they will know that we want to restructure to give more autonomy, money and development to the region and avoid people running to Abuja for everything.

    ‘‘We need a system where people can stay in their states, create industries and get jobs,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Northern youths withdraw Oct 1 quit notice to Igbo

    Northern youths withdraw Oct 1 quit notice to Igbo

    The Coalition of Northern Groups, which asked the Igbos to leave the North by October 1,  has withdrawn the quit notice.

    The withdrawal of the notice issued in what the coalition described as the “Kaduna Declaration”, was announced yesterday at a news conference attended by Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima.

    Others at the conference included: a former Kano State governor, Kabiru Gaya, former Agriculture Minister Sani Zango Daura and some Igbo leaders across the North.

    The coalition’s spokesman, Abdulaziz Suleiman, said the group took the decision in view of its members’ interest in a united and peaceful Nigeria.

    The group, however, urged the Federal Government to allow Igbo to hold a referendum to determine their future.

    It also urged the immediate closure of open drug markets across the North, which they claimed the Igbos were using to sell fake and adulterated drugs.

    The coalition called for the immediate revocation of landed property, where such fake drugs are sold.

    Suleiman said: “Mindful of the concerns generated by the clause in the Kaduna Declaration that advised the Biafran Igbo to relocate from northern Nigeria and for northerners in the Southeast to do likewise, and our commitment to the unity of our dear country, we immediately opened channels for dialogue and interaction with government agencies, national and international groups, institutions and figures.

    “Admittedly, we came under intense persuasive pressure from genuinely concerned national, political, traditional, religious and cultural leaders prominent among which were: a section of the Northern Governors’ Forum under its Chairman and Borno Governor Shettima, northern traditional rulers and the Directorate of State Security (DSS).

    “We also had several fruitful interactions with various concerned individuals and groups. Most significant was our correspondence with the then Acting President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo and most recently our interface with the Presidency through the Special Assistant to the President on Political Matters.

    “As a consequence of these vigorous engagements and as cultured people with a tradition of respect for our national values, leaders and elders, we are today pleased to announce the immediate suspension of the relocation clause, otherwise referred to as the quit notice from the Kaduna Declaration.

    “This suspension we are proud to say, is also out of respect for and in reaffirmation of our allegiance to one, united, peaceful and prosperous Nigeria and in our unshaken confidence in the political will and sincere commitment of our dear President Muhammadu Buhari to take a holistic look at all the concerns we raised.

    “We are also pleased to announce here that the Kaduna Declaration has achieved most of its major objectives, chief among which include forcing the hitherto deliberately neglected dangerous Biafran issue to the front burner of the nation’s discussion agenda.

    “In the meantime, we shall firmly pursue our petitions to the United Nations and the Nigerian federal authorities calling for the appropriate sanction of Nnamdi Kanu, other IPOB leaders and their sponsors in addition to labeling them a terror outfit.”

    He stressed that the withdrawal of the quit notice was based on certain terms.

    Suleiman went on: “As we honour and respect the above genuine search for a solution, it is important to also point out that a simple conversation or some form of window dressing without getting to the crux of the matter will only end up as a temporary solution that leaves the nation and the younger generation with a burden of dealing with the problem in the future.

    “Taking all other issues raised in the Kaduna Declaration over the past few months, vis a vis the effort by various government and non-governmental bodies to engage us in dialogue, we submit that there is the need to look at the following issues holistically as safeguards against future ethnic tensions.”

    “Allow the Igbo and support them to hold a referendum to decide their future either as Nigerians or as Biafrans in view of the fact that the population of the Igbo that supports Biafra is far larger than the few who appear to be against it.

    “Failure to do that will only douse this tension temporarily while they regroup to prepare for the war, they have always craved and openly called for. We are opposed to war with any part of this country and we are opposed to any situation that will lead to war.”

  • Quit notice: Northern leaders back unity

    Quit notice: Northern leaders back unity

    Northern traditional leaders in the Southeast and Southsouth regions of the nation gathered in Umuahia, the Abia State capital, to distance  themselves from the quit notice given to the Igbo in the North months ago.

    But more than washing their hands off the offensive directive, the leaders also pointed out that they were for a united Nigeria.

    They cited intermarriages among the ethnic groups as a major reason why no one should seek to divide the country.

    The leaders said there was no need for hate speech and that Nigerians should live peacefully with one another.

    The northern traditional rulers said that they have lived most of their lives in the Southeast and Southsouth.

    Some of them also said that their mothers were either from the Southeast or Southsouth, adding that they could not stand and watch some persons who represent the interest of few deny them the love and happiness they have enjoyed with their maternal relations.

    Danladi, while addressing newsmen, said that the peace and unity of Nigeria is not negotiable, stressing that the traditional rulers and their subjects would not be part of any call against the unity of the country.

    Danladi said, “We are saying that we are not in support of what is happening in this country today. Our stand is that we want peace in Nigeria. Irrespective of your tribe, ethnicity and religion, we are one.

    “For instance, most of these Sarikis in south east were born here. Some of us, our mothers are from here, their wives are from here. Likewise some of our brothers from south east who are in the north, most of them were born there and also married to people from there. Some have stayed there for close to 60 years. Where will they go? Like me now, if you ask me to go, where do I go to? All my life I’ve lived it here. We want this country to be united as it was before us.

    “Number one thing, I must not fail to say is that, the quit notice our brothers gave to non-northerners in the North is wrong. We are totally condemning it and ask them to reconsider that they have people down here in the Southeast too. The hate speeches coming from both sides, we condemn it and ask our traditional rulers here in Southeast and South-south to always liaise with the government of their states. We are appealing to the 11 state governments of the Southeast and Southsouth to also work with their Sariki because they are the leaders and representatives of our people here.

    “For instance, you all know the role I’ve been playing on issues concerning herdsmen. There was a time such issues were high here in Abia, but as you can see, it’s calm now. That’s how these Sariki can also help in states where they dwell.

    “We came out here, you should know we must have done some works. We are not children. We have spoken to them and we are still begging them. We know we have elders and Emirs that can talk to them. In the North, one Emir can do what 100 persons cannot do. Unity of this country first. I repeat, we are not in support of the quit notice that was issued to non-northerners.”

    He said that they were happy that President Muhammadu Buhari returned to the country healthier than he left.

  • Igbo community resolves leadership tussle

    Igbo leaders in the North have resolved the leadership dispute between two factions of the Igbo Community Association in Zamfara State.

    News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the resolution of the dispute, which lingered for 20 years, was achieved after intervention by leaders of Igbo community in the 19 northern states and Abuja, at Gusau.

    The two factions agreed to work together at a meeting convened by Chief Chikizie Nwogu, president-general, Igbo Delegates Assembly of 19 northern states and Abuja.

    Nwogu told reporters in Gusau the leadership of the Igbo community in the 19 states intervened in the crisis and resolved it.

    He said: “Today, we are happy to announce that after a reconciliation meeting between the two factions, we have achieved a great success, because both factions signed a peace agreement and promised to work together.”

    Nwogu hailed the factions for the maturity, understanding and respect, describing it as a “welcome development.”

    Commenting, Eze Pampas Ngozi-Ahaiwe, chairman of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Eze of the 19 states and Abuja, urged the Igbo community to be law-abiding.

    “You should maintain peace. You should cooperate with the government and security agencies for peace to reign in the state and Nigeria.

    “The Igbo are peace-loving people. You should desist from anything that will tarnish our image,” he said.

  • Industrialist advises Igbo traders

    An industrialist, Mr. Emmanuel Adaelu, has advised the Igbo to be upright in transactions, to sustain their business and grow them internationally.

    Adaelu, chairman of Chemlap Industries Ltd., Aba, Abia State, spoke while addressing guests at the launch of an Aba-based e-Commerce platform, Comfort Stevens Nigeria Ltd., in Aba.

    He said uprightness in business included repaying loans, adding that it brings trust and it’s the backbone of international business.

    Adaelu hailed the President of Comfort Stevens, Dr. John Nwankwo, for bringing to Aba a new system of merchandising, to improve perception and patronage of Aba products.

    Adaelu, chairman of the occasion, said it was time Aba products were showcased and sold worldwide.

    “If Nigerians will tell the world they are exporters, the world will open its doors to Nigerian products.”

  • Atiku flays hate song against Igbo in North

    Atiku flays hate song against Igbo in North

    FORMER Vice President Atiku Abubakar has condemned a song in circulation in the North, which allegedly disparaged and wished people of Igbo origin dead.

    He warned against comments, songs and actions that might lead to the infamous Rwandan genocide.

    The genocide led to the death of thousands of people in the East Africa country.

    Atiku urged security agencies to apprehend, try, convict and severely punish those behind the “ungodly song which incites racial hatred”.

    He commiserated with the people of Ozubulu in Anambra State, who lost family members in the church fatal shooting that also many injured.

    In a statement yesterday, Atiku said: “This song is reminiscent of the beginnings of the Rwanda genocide. Nigerians need to be aware that the Rwanda Genocide was believed to have been ignited by a song titled: Nanga Abahutu (I hate Hutus), sung by Rwanda’s then most popular musician, Simon Bikindi. God forbid that we should have such a déjà vu in Nigeria.

    “I call on the security agencies to thoroughly and decisively swing into action and apprehend, try, convict and severely punish those behind this ungodly song which incites racial hatred.  Simon Bikindi was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for igniting and aiding the Rwandan genocide. Thus, let those who think they can treat their fellow citizens so unjustly know that within and outside Nigeria exist mechanisms that will ensure they answer to their crimes.

    “I call on all men of goodwill to remember those immortal lines from our former National Anthem “though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand”.

    He added: “The effects of hate in any shape or form were made even more evident over the weekend, in a mass shooting incident that left many of us reeling with shock.

    “I commiserate with the people of Ozubulu in Anambra State, who lost family members in the fatal shooting that also left almost a score injured. I pray that peace will return to their minds and their community soon, even as the police work hard to get to the bottom of the matter. May God comfort them as no man can.

    “The difference between us as Nigerians is not a difference in our tribe or our religion. It was and remains a difference based on whether we are good Nigerians or bad Nigerians, and I am very certain that the good Nigerians far outnumber the very few bad ones.

  • Quit notice: Igbo, Arewa youths set up 10-man peace committee

    Quit notice: Igbo, Arewa youths set up 10-man peace committee

    Arewa youth  and Igbo leaders appear to be moving closer to the resolution of the angst triggered by the recent quit notice issued to Igbos residing in the north.

    The Coalition of Northern Groups and Igbo leaders in the North met yesterday Kano on the issue and formed a 10-man committee to work out terms for  the suspension of the quit notice.

    The committee’s assignment is expected to be accomplished within 72 hours, convener of the meeting, Alhaji Ali Tijani,said at the end of yesterday’s meeting.

    Its terms of reference include coming up with the best modalities for the suspension of the quit notice.

    Each side is represented by five members in the committee.

    They are: Chief Chi Nwogu, Eze Ngozi Nwaiwe, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe, Mr. Magnus Ihejirika and  Mr. Chris for the Igbos,and  Mr.. Abdullahi Toro, Dr. Abba Bukar Kagu, Dr. Yima Sen, Dauda S. Shamakuri, and Ado Mohmoud for the Arewa group.

    Meanwhile, the Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG), in Kano, said yesterday that the quit notice in the Kaduna Declaration was not part of an agenda to use force to eject  Ndi-Igbo from the Northern part of the country

    In his remarks at the  Zonal Town Hall Meeting of the North West Zone, the spokesman of the  coalition, Suleiman Abdulazeez, alongside  Ambassador Shettima Yerima,  who is the co- chairman of the group, said that the goal of  the ongoing  agitation was to save the integrity and the unity of this country, as well as to ensure a peaceful society.

  • North’s youths to withdraw Igbo quit notice

    North’s youths to withdraw Igbo quit notice

    •Shettima persuades groups

    The Arewa Youths Coalition is set to withdraw the October 1 quit notice handed Igbo in the North to leave.

    The youths were waving the olive branch after a meeting  with Borno State Governor Kashim Shettima in Abuja yesterday.

    Arewa Youth Coalition spokesman Abdulaziz Suleiman told reporters that consultations were ongoing among members with a view to withdrawing the quit notice.

    Suleiman ascribed the decision to withdraw the quit notice to what he described as “positive developments” that came out of the meeting with Shettima and persuasions from the Northern Governors Forum.

    On the actual date for the withdrawal of the notice, Suleiman said: “You will hear from us this week.”

    He added: “What we can say is that there has been a major development. Now the chairman of the Governors’ Forum has taken the initiative and invited us to start negotiations. This is the first time we are meeting publicly with any leader and we believe that it is a major step forward in our ongoing consultations.

    “We hold the governor in high esteem and we have the unity of the country at heart”.

    Suleiman said: “You see, I wonder why you talk about quit notice. We only issued a Kaduna declaration, quit notice is just a part of it. Let us do the recounting of the successes of our declarations first. We are sill going on with our consultations”.

    Shettima said his discussion with the group was fruitful and that members of the executive of the coalition demonstrated a lot of courtesy and respect during the meeting.

    The governor said he was able to impress it on the youths to appreciate the enormity of the challenges facing the country and how the quit notice they issued had compounded the situation.

    Shettima, who is the chairman of the Northern Governors Forum, added that the governors have also been in discrete consultations with the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa ‘ad Abubakar on this and other issues.

    Confirming the decision of the Arewa Youths to withdraw the quit notice, Shettima said they had agreed to review their position and that he was expecting the good news from them in the next few days.

    The governor said: “We met with the leadership of the coalition of Northern Groups in my capacity as the chairman of the Northern Governors Froum.

    “We had very fruitful discussion with them and they have shown a lot of courtesy and respect for the establishment. This is the first time that they are sitting down with the leadership of the forum.

    “They were having interactions with His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto. I started conversations with them right from Kaduna yesterday and we continued the discussion today and by the grace of God, it is going to yield fruits.

    “We are trying to have understanding of the challenges confronting us as a people and solutions to those challenges. I have to commend them for honouring our invitation because a political problem needs a political solution”.

    Shettima cautioned against criminalising the group, adding that harassing and intimidating them would not bring solution to the nation’s challenges.

    “They have agreed to revisit their decision and we will follow it up to its logical conclusion and I believe that in the next couple of days, we are going to get the good news from them.

    “I don’t want to preempt them by saying that this is what will happen or not. But definitely, they have shown responsibility and commitment to the national cause and they have wider plans to promote the cause of national unity and cohesion.

    “It was a very open, free and frank discussion, we heard their reservations and I gave them my reasons and believe me, by the time they hold their meeting this week, I think Nigerians will heave a sigh of relief.

    “I wish to call on the leadership of our brethren in the South Eastern part of the country to equally pick the gauntlet, because it takes two to tango, to take the gauntlet and rein in the excesses of Nnamdi Kanu and his group”.

  • Igbo language must not be allowed to die – Okorocha

    Igbo language must not be allowed to die – Okorocha

    The Imo State government has forbidden traditional rulers from speaking English or any other foreign language at public functions or in their palaces while conducting affairs of their communities.

    Governor Rochas Okorocha, who gave the directive, said the Monarchs could use interpreters if the need arises.

    Okorocha spoke while handing over letters of recognition and staff of office to 19 traditional rulers.

    The governor noted that “Igbo language must not be allowed to die, as being predicted in some quarters”.

    He urged the monarchs to be agents of peace and prosperity in their domains “instead of being tools of disunity and destabilisation”.

    Okorocha warned that any traditional ruler who cannot show genuine leadership in his community could have his Certificate of Recognition and Staff of Office withdrawn.

    He said: “Today, history is made that light has come and darkness would not comprehend at all. The truth has surfaced and the right people have finally become the custodian of the traditional rights of their people. You are not permitted to speak English at functions. This will help to keep our culture and Igbo language alive.

    “For many years, most of you have been looking for a day like this. Some of you were victims of injustice and never believed that this could be possible; most of you have been waiting without knowing your fate. But today, it is a manifest of truth that your people have chosen you, and the government of Imo State has approved.

    “I took the bold step of reconciling people, to ensure that truth came to be, and voided the rancour that existed in various communities over Eze title. This has equally affected the Community Government Council (CGC) negatively because every community requires an Eze to function effectively as the head of the Community Government Council.

    “Today, that responsibility has fallen on you. I urge you not to fail, as failure is not an option. I encourage you to help the government in developing the resources of our land. Posterity will only remember you for your positive contributions in the development of your communities and not in how much wealth you amassed as an Eze.”