Igbo Youths Back IPOB Ban As Group Moves To Honour Kanu
THE Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) yesterday expressed full support for the decision of the Southeast governors to proscribe the activities of the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
This is coming as the Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA) said it would honour Kanu during the presentation of a book titled: How Nnamdikanurestructured Nigeria next month.
In a statement in Enugu by President and Secretary General respectively Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Okwu Nnabuike, the OYC described the decision of the governors as germane, stressing that it would address the rumours of declaration of state of emergency in the zone.
The OYC said though it was not averse to any actions that would end the age-long marginalisation of Ndigbo in Nigeria, but it was against any actions that could lead to loss of lives.
“We are saddened by the level of confrontation between the Nigerian Army and the Biafra agitators and the death of many Igbo youths in the process.
“We are also sad over the reported death of a policeman during the unfortunate but avoidable incident. We say avoidable in the sense that but for the launching of the Operation Python Dance 2, there was already a reasonable level of discussion between the agitators and us.
“We are equally aware that the South-east Governors were also in discussion with the agitators before the military launched its action.
“However, considering the level of destruction and ruins that could have erupted, we applaud the Southeast governors for rising to the occasion. It was indeed the need of the moment. We cannot afford to continue to lose our people, in addition to over 3 million killed during the civil war, the statement reads.
It, however, warned that proscribing the IPOB would not have achieved its objectives if the root cause of the agitations were not addressed, adding that it would not be any surprise if another group more daring than IPOB springs up in the future.
Meanwhile, the ECA in a statement by its Deputy Leader, Maria Okwor, said the book, which will be released
by the organisation documented the travails, the journey and frustrations in the spirited attempt by good men and women to save Nigeria from collapse, through restructuring of the polity back to true federalism and regional autonomy.
“The book reveals how Nigeria has been crippled by an over-powerful center, prebendalism, unitary structure, ethnic divisions, corruption and ill-fitting military constitution.
“The book also recalls the struggles by the late Anthony Enahoro, Abraham Adesanya, Rotimi Williams and Tunji Braithwaite, among others to reconstruct and redesign Nigeria through a wholesome restructuring of the polity that will throw up a new people’s constitution that would be affirmed at a referendum.
“The book exposes the reasons why enemies of progress have consistently killed reports of past national conferences, just so they can continue to hold Nigerians hostage and deny the people opportunity to take back their country from the vicious cabal that believes they are born to rule and dominate others forever.