After civil war, God uplifted Ndigbo out of poverty and penury — Igboezue

The Igboezue International Association of Nigeria and the Diaspora, or IIAND, advised Ndigbo people Friday not to lose hope despite the difficulties they are facing in Nigeria since God is with them and will never leave them.

Speaking to reporters in Onitsha through its National President, Pius Okoye, IIAND urged Ndigbo to maintain the qualities for which they are renowned: working hard, abiding by the law, living in peace and harmony with their neighbours, and refraining from the killing of innocent people. They also emphasised that the God who brought them out of poverty and hardship following the Nigeria-Biafra civil war would always be by their side.

IIAND, however, warned organisations and individuals dragging the name of Ndigbo to the mud to rethink or end the way people who have maligned the name of Ndigbo ended.

He said: “We are hearing a rumour that a group and its members have been paid and that they are planning to apologise to a particular ethnic group that has been killing Ndigbo and others in Nigeria for the killing of one of their own as a way to atone to the hardship against Ndigbo and we ask the question: who should be apologising to who?

“We in IIAND believe that Ndigbo have not sinned against anybody and have nothing to apologise to anyone in Nigeria. Rather, it is Ndigbo that should be apologised to by Nigerians and that particular ethnic group that has caused pains to families in Igboland.”

Reacting to the recent attack against the person of Mr. Peter Obi and bringing Ndigbo to the matter that does not concern them by Minister of Works, Dave Umadi, IIAND said it is unfortunate that Igbo sons and daughters in politics are the ones bringing Ndigbo into matters they have no business with because of their hatred against each other and their political leanings.

“Yes, Peter Obi criticised the Federal Government’s planned construction of the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Road project, which former Vice President and PDP stalwart, Atiku Abubakar first criticised, and the Federal Government replied Atiku on point not against him as a person or his ethnic background.

“We are shocked that Umahi instead of replying to Obi on point as the Federal Government did against Abubakar, attacked the person of Obi, accusing him of trying to incite Ndigbo against President Tinubu.

“The matter, Obi’s criticism of the project, neither concern Tinubu nor Ndigbo, and we wonder why a man of such calibre, a former Governor of Ebonyi State, should bring Ndigbo into such a matter that does not concern them if not for trying to retain his job.

“We think that Ndigbo deserve an apology from Umahi. If he had stopped at just attacking Obi and accusing him of incitement, we would not worry, but bringing Ndigbo in his comment is lack of respect for the Igbo nation. We demand an apology from him.”