Ohanaeze Ndigbo, who is upset that the Southeast now has fewer states, has threatened to sue the federal government.
Speaking yesterday at the group’s first retreat, themed Ako Bu Ije (Development with Wisdom) in Enugu, its President-General, Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, justified the necessity of creating an additional state in the region in order for it to be on par with other geopolitical zones. However, he regretted that the South-East had lost trillions of Naira to the issue.
The elder statesman warned the central government against spurning the call, stating: “We are assembling Igbo lawyers to pursue it.”
The group reaffirmed its demand that Nigeria be restructured to support the transfer of authority from the federal to state levels of government.
Iwuanyanwu noted that this would provide the states a fair amount of liberty to grow at their own speed.
“It will enable us to build our seaports, railways and other infrastructure to develop the zone,” he said.
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The Igbo leader also criticised the Project Development Institute (PRODA) for being combined with other scientific institutes, pointing out that the organisation was founded as a result of the Nigerian civil war.
Enugu State Governor Peter Mbah thanked Igbos serving in a variety of positions for their support and sacrifice in his remarks. He was represented by his deputy, Ifeanyi Ossai.
According to him, the zone must strive for economic unification.
The governor reminded the leading Igbo sociocultural group that in order to create a common market that would draw in investors, its economic team needed to work with political leaders throughout the zone.
In a paper presentation titled, ‘Education: Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Igboland,” the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Nnenna Oti, sought new hope, equal opportunities, technological and entrepreneurial development in the East.
She urged the Igbo people to embrace their identity and follow their aspirations for higher achievements.
Rear Admiral Allison Madueke (rtd), the occasion’s chairman, stated earlier in his welcome speech that it was time for Igbos to get it right and develop the zone.
Speaking on the theme, the chairman charged: “When you move without wisdom, you get injured,” advising the citizens to ask themselves questions on where they went wrong and make amends.
