The Igala socio-cultural group has
described the inclusion of Igala land as part of Biafra as an insult to the
sensibility of the people. Igala land is in the Eastern part of Kogi state sharing
border with Anambra state.
The group at a press briefing in Lokoja
on Wednesday said that including Igala land on the paper was not only insulting
but also provocative to the Igala race.
Chief Barry Idakwo who addressed the
conference said that the declaration of Igala Kingdom as a clan by the Biafra
agitators is definitely a product of ignorance of history and mischief. “It is
therefore unthinkable to annex the Igala kingdom without consulting us.
Probably this may be due to the
erroneous belief that Igala kingdom is a clan thus not important to consult the
people of the great Igala kingdom before being annexed as part of the
agitation.”
“This is against the spirit of
fairness, sovereignty, equity, peaceful cohabitation and democracy to forcefully
and falsely claim that a great kingdom as the Igala kingdom, which was never
defeated in any war is part of Biafra,
” Idakwo explained. The group
unequivocally pointed that the ethnic nationality is not part of the Biafra
agitation believing that every Nigerian citizen has the constitutional right to
freely live where ever such an individual or group so chooses within the ambit
of our laws and in the interest of peace and security.
The Igala social cultural groups
however urge their Igbo brothers to engage the Nigeria nation more purposefully
for quality governance rather than agitations for separatist state.
They equally extended their message to
the Northern Youths to embrace the oneness of Nigeria as a Nation. Idakwo
further underscore why Nigeria must remain an indivisible nation
“We, as a
people in the Middle Belt crave for peace at all times because when war breaks
out, we will be at the receiving end as the theatre of war.
The last civil war holds very
unpleasant testimonies”. On the issue of marginalization being canvassed by the
agitators, idakwo expressed dismay that there is minimal federal presence in
terms of infrastructure and economic activities in igala kingdom, even when
their allegiance and commitment to the stability of the federal government is
total.
The group however drew the attention of
the federal government to look into issues that may threaten the peace and
development of the Igala kingdom.
Some of their demands are; the need to
continue urgently the construction of Bagana-Guto bridge to ease access to the
Federal Capital Territory as this will encourage economic activities, unity and
proximity to the centre of governance; establishment of a full fledge Naval
Base at Idah, and establishment of an army barrack in Olamaboro Local
Government Area; and swearing in the minister from Kogi State, Prof Stephen
Ikani Ocheni, immediately to enable them have sense of belonging and input to
national affairs.
By Moses
Ibrahim
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