The leading Igbo organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned the recent allegations made by Chief Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser on Information and Strategy to President Bola Tinubu, against Mr. Peter Obi, the 2023 Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party.
Onanuga had accused Obi of orchestrating a rumoured nationwide protest set to begin in August, a claim Ohanaeze Ndigbo has denounced as Igbophobic and deeply hateful.
Dr. Chiedozie Ogbonnia, the spokesman for Ohanaeze Ndigbo, issued a statement on Monday in Enugu, highlighting that this was not Onanuga’s first instance of making derogatory remarks about the Igbo.
He recalled a previous instance during last year’s presidential election where Onanuga made an unapologetic ethnic slur against the Igbo community.
Ogbonnia described Onanuga’s behavior as “unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth, repugnant, inflammable, and full of deep-seated hate.”
He criticized Onanuga for not recognizing that the current hardships faced by Nigerians transcend ethnic boundaries, affecting people from all regions equally.
Ogbonnia emphasized that the presidency should focus on implementing policies and programs that address the widespread suffering rather than issuing threats.
“It is necessary to inform Onanuga that this is a time for the Presidency to initiate policies, programmes, activities and a body language that will appeal to or assuage the downtrodden, dispossessed, oppressed, the deprived, including Obidients,” Ogbonnia said.
“And to also inform the Onanugas that issuing threats to masses, the hungry and angry, the vulnerable and indeed those who no longer fear any fall is the most inconceivable line of action for any government in a fragile society. In other words, instead of broadening the minds to creative thinking and welfare programs for the masses, the Onanugas are chasing rat when the house is on fire.”
Ogbonnia reiterated Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s stance, urging all Igbo not to participate in any protests against President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
“When youths from other tribes of the country are involved, they are reprimanded and forgiven; but when the Igbo youths are involved they are arrested, incarcerated and even charged for serious offences. For example, the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu generated a lot of problems for the Igbos” amongst others.
He also argued, “Emphatically, the current hardship in Nigeria is the comeuppance of Igbophobia. It is an unavoidable outcome of an orchestrated injustice, marginalization, callous conspiracies, corporate shenanigans and ethnic bigotry against the Igbo. Ohanaeze Ndigbo stands on a firm wicket based on reason, history and experience, to state that there can never be peace, progress and national development when there is a deliberate government policy of injustice, tantrums and brimstones against a vibrant, capacious, resourceful, resilient and populous ethnic group such as the Igbo.”
Ogbonnia also referenced former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s condemnation of the persistent marginalization of the southeastern people, which he termed Igbophobia.
“Obasanjo added that unless Nigeria throws its doors open to merit and full inclusion of the Igbo in national affairs, the country will continue to flounder and grope in the dark.”
In conclusion, Ogbonnia urged the Igbo to refrain from joining the upcoming nationwide protest, arguing that participation would only lead to further mistreatment and injustice against the Igbo community.
“Finally, the Igbo are once again requested not to join the forthcoming nationwide protest. When President Muhammadu Buhari appointed about 15 service Chiefs in Nigeria and Igbo was secluded, did the lopsided policy abate the security situation in Nigeria? And have we died? And many more…?”