Delight Chinedum
An elderstatesman, Dr Chike Obidigbo has flayed federal government’s plans to establish Internally Displaced Persons (IDP) Skills acquisition camp in Nzu Community Ehime Mbano LGA, Amafor Community Ohaji Egbema LGA, and Agbala Community in Owerri North of Imo State.
He called on Southeast Governors and stakeholders to resist the plans.
A pro-Biafra group, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, had in a statement on Monday described the project as part of elaborate ominous plan by Nigerian Government to dispossess the communities of their ancestral land and heritage.
IPOB also alleged Federal Government’s plan to import displaced persons from the Northern part of the country, a distance of thousands of kilometres away from their locality and homeland into Imo State.
Addressing newsmen at his country home Umunya in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State, Obidigbo expressed worry over the decision to establish the facility in Southeast where there were pockets of displaced persons, while states with serious security challenges lacked such facilities.
He said, “Nigerian Government is only interested in the desolation of Igboland. Why will the facility be established in the region that never made such demands?
Expressing worry over Igbo stakeholders’ lack of interest in the burning issues concerning the welfare of the regio, Obidigbo, former Anambra Governorship candidate also decried silence of elders in the region to the marginalization of their people.
“Ndigbo must liberate themselves from the oppression going one, as no one can be more interested in their welfare than themselves.
“Ndigbo must have a common front for the pursuit of their collective agenda. They must de-emphasize the individualistic approach, which had faired them no better.
“The Igbos must commit to the Igbo agenda. We must develop a unified approach towards fighting for the rights of the region.
“It is evident that the government at the centre is interested in the desolation of Igboland, considering its numerous policies and actions.
“Igbo elders must begin to lend their voice to issues affecting the Southeast region and not cower in the face of such confrontations because of intimidation or oppression,” he posited.
Regretting inability of media professionals in Igboland to deploy their trade correctly in defense and promotion of Igbo agenda, Obidigbo called for intensified media action towards the pursuit of Igbo cause.