ADELEKE ADESANYA
New President-General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Prof George Obiozor, says Igbo nation will not be separated from Nigeria.
Obiozor, who spoke in Enugu during his inaugural press conference as the president-general of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, said the Igbo people believed in the coming together of all ethnic nationalities to move Nigeria forward.
He, however, maintained that the Igbo nation is in dare need of a true nation where justice and equity prevail.
Obiozor also cleared the air that Igbo are not at war with any other ethnic group in the country.
“The Igbo nation is not at war with the rest of the country and there is nothing that demands our separate existence from Nigeria,” he said.
On the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra, the Ohanaeze president-general said, “Kanu is one of us and must listen to us. The issue of Biafra is beyond his capacity to decide and like him; we are all in this Biafra dilemma together. We have mutual responsibility in this matter and it is sacred in our hearts. All actions or utterances that put us in imminent or present danger must be avoided. Kanu should act and play his part well. There lies his honour,”.
According to Obiozor, after 40 years of involvement in Nigerian politics, the greatest priority of the Igbo nation is security.
He said, “How we are perceived as a people is borne out of our feeling of insecurity in the country. Our leadership will find out how to reduce this vulnerability of our people.
“I am ready to provide leadership and we shall not disappoint.”
Obiozor also commended President Muhammadu Buhari, governors, ministers and National Assembly members from the region, socio-cultural organisations and others who congratulated him after his emergence to lead Ohaneze Ndigbo.
He said, “We must invent a well-defined common course for our people. We must unite our people. We need leadership that will be progressive.
“I, therefore, call on our people to join hands with us to bring accelerated development to our place.”