Foremost industrialist, Chief Dr Ajulu Uzodike, yesterday said that Ndigbo can still do better and live above their obvious marginalization in Nigeria if they refrain from actions that also worsen their marginalization by the Federal government of Nigeria.
Speaking with Vanguard in an interview in his house in Otolo Nnewi, Anambra State, Chief Uzodike also said that Igbo do not depend on government for their sustenance, survival and upkeep, adding that government is more or less a hindrance than a help to Ndigbo and the Igbo’s should bear that in mind and live above their feeling of obvious marginalization to better their situation in Nigeria.
Chief Uzodike who also pointed out some cases where Igbo’s have in spite of their obvious marginalization by the Federal government of Nigeria, shot themselves on the legs, appealed to those who are behind the insecurity in South East and those still enforcing the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB’s suspended Monday weekly sit-at-home to halt their action because it is against Ndigbo and amounts to another shooting themselves on the legs.
He said that while it is clear that the Federal government of Nigeria has continued the obvious marginalization of Ndigbo in Nigeria, the Igbo’s should be blamed for some actions that have worsened their marginalization because of the selfishness of the present and past leaders whose only target is the largesse from Federal government.
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While totally accepting that the cause the IPOB is agitating for is right and cannot be faulted, he said that the pro-Biafra group should review their current style of civil disobedience because rather than hurting the Federal government who is their target, it is rather hurting the Igbo’s and worsening their obvious marginalization in Nigeria.
“What Ndigbo should be doing now in Nigeria is to capitalize on what is happening in the North to better their situation, the current Nigerian situation would have been a fantastic opportunity for the Igbo race to move forward, the North has been unified all along but they are in disorder now, it would have been a nice opportunity if we are unified to get many things to our advantage and move a lot of the marginalization out of us but instead we are shooting ourselves on the legs.
Although the cause IPOB is fighting for is right but the action they are taking will worsen the situation Ndigbo already found themselves in Nigeria. This IPOB style of civil disobedience where South East is constantly locked down and people made to sit-at-home will worsen the situation of Ndigbo who are already marginalized.
“We should however realize that in not just enough to tell the IPOB that their approach is wrong, leaders have to work out something that will work, it is lack of thinking and vision by Igbo leaders that the youths are doing what they are doing because of no good direction from elders.
“Instead of saying that we will secede from Nigeria, it is rather the other people that should be demanding for secession from us, what we should do is to define marginalization in concrete terms and seek redress from the Federal government.
“What IPOB and every person in South-East should be singing as a song is for us to be given our fair share from the federal government if they are federal appointment, infrastructure, allocation of admission in the Universities, military facilities, anything at all we demand our fair share otherwise we will not cooperate with Nigeria.
“We should equally set a system to prevent further marginalization which will include protection of any Igbo person anywhere found in Nigeria and in the world, not to tell people who by dent of hard work have made some form of success out of their life to sit-at-home on Mondays and any other day. Anybody who is attacking that Igbos means of livelihood, ostensibly is fighting the rest of the people and it is very wrong.
“So whether it is IPOB or any other group that is ordering people to sit-at-home on Mondays, the most important workday, they should rethink because it is not in the interest of Ndigbo, we know to be hardworking and do not depend on government for our sustenance, survival and upkeep, in fact, the government is more of a hindrance to Igbo’s than help.”
Vanguard
