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By Chidi Nkwopara
Friday, October 01, 2004
OWERRI—SUCCESSIVE Federal Governments in Nigeria were Wednesday tongue-lashed by virtually all speakers at this year’s Igbo Day Celebration in Owerri. Chairman of the occasion and retired judge of the Supreme Court, JusticeChukwudifu Oputa, lamented that nobody would have been contesting the position of Ndigbo in contemporary Nigeria, if we had a country where peace and justice reigned supreme. ”If we built the Nigeria we dreamt of in 1960, a Nigeria of equal brothers, a Nigeria where no man is oppressed, a Nigeria of equal opportunity for all, a Nigeria where peace and justice reigned, no one in1998 should be considering the position of Ndigbo in contemporary Nigeria”, Oputa said.
He noted that Ndigbo should learn to put their house in order, learn the lesson of self reliance, form support for one another, become their brothers keeper, as well as unite with a view to achieving their collective goals."The challenge before the Igbo here and now is to appreciate the gravity of the situation and take positive and immediate collective action to improve the lot of Ndigbo in Nigeria,” Justice Oputa pleaded.
In his own contribution, the Governor of Anambra State, Dr. Chris Ngige, said it was very disheartening that in spite of the enormous contributions of Ndigbo, both in human and material resources, they still face brazen marginalization and gross inequities in the distribution of the nation’s resources and political dividends."The situation calls for Ndigbo to look inwards to tap and harness fully, our enormous human and material resources. We should also strive to identify our strengths and weaknesses as major steps towards our general rebirth and salvation”, Ngige reasoned.
He urged Igbos to take advantage of the objectives of this year’s Igbo Day Celebration to properly articulate their collective aspirations, especially in the political leadership of the country, and galvanize actions that would advance the Igbo cause within Nigeria’s polity. "There is also the need for economic empowerment of Ndigbo, to enable them participate fully in the political and economic transformation that is now taking place in Nigeria and Africa. Our people need everything to fit into the global economy”, Ngige said.
Speaking also, the Governor of Ebonyi State, Dr. Sam Egwu, expressed confidence in the dynamic leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, hoping that the vast experiences of the leadership would bear on the attainment of the much desired reconciliation and unity of Ndigbo, as well as her proper integration in the socio-economic and political affairs of Nigeria."I pledge our unrelenting support towards the realization of the national objectives, hoping that the celebration will provide a veritable opportunity for stock taking, and reflection on the place of Ndigbo in Nigeria and the way forward. I call on Ndigbo to rededicate themselves to the cause of theNigerian nation,” Egwu pleaded.
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