A former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi state, Prof.Chigozie Ogbu, has declared that the agitation for Biafra by youth groups in the South-eastern region was a genuine struggle.
He noted that the struggle was against injustice meted against Ndigbo in the Nigerian federation.
Ogbu said this when he spoke to newsmen at his residence in Abakaliki, the state capital, where he insisted that since after the Nigeria Civil war, the constitution of the country was drafted to have oppressive tendencies against Ndigbo who are seen as a conquered territory.
The Igbo leader who is also the incumbent Vice President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo stated that as a result of the frustration among young people arising from these injustices, agitation for independence became imperative, stating that the situation has left the country with two options of restructuring or be ready to face agitations which could degenerate into uncontrollable conflict in the country.
Ogbu expressed dismay that the objectives of the 1999 constitution, which was to provide a constitution for the purpose of promoting good governance and welfare of all persons in the country on principle of freedom, equality, justice and for consolidating the unity of the people, is at variance with the content of the constitution whose provisions are full of injustices and inequality that do not promote unity and good governance.
He further posited that no amount of good governance could cure the current agitation for self-determination resulting from marginalization.
He said, “What good governance can remedy the anomaly that Kano with a population of 9,401,288 has 44 local governments while Lagos with 9,11,605 has 20 local governments and Bayelsa has 8.In sharing local government allocations, Kano gets 44 parts, Lagos 20 and Bayelsa (the source of the revenue with terrible environmental degradation from oil) will get 8 parts?”
“Ndigbo cannot have a true sense of belonging in the federation until this anomaly is corrected.”
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