The dust raised by the Oluwo of Iwo, Abdulrasheed Akanbi, on the state of the Ndigbo about the 2023 Presidency has continued to generate debate.
This is because the Oluwo has stuck to his position that the Igbos would need to do more to win the trust of other Nigerians while reacting to the response of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to his remarks.
He, however, denied the allegation that he said an Igbo man could not be President.
He insisted that for Igbos to win the trust of Nigeria, they must make efforts, to put an end to the sit-at-home order and ge a fair treatment to others from other tribes in political and economic spaces in the south-east.
The monarch in a response to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Wednesday, noted that the sit-at-home order was a self-affliction on the south-east, and needed to be brought to an end by the collective efforts of the Igbos.
He had also accused the Igbos of debarring non-Igbos from acquiring lands or shops in Onitsha market, a privilege he said Igbo businessmen were enjoying in other parts of the country.
“No Nigerian will feel secure in the hands of a leader whose ethnic attachment deprived other Nigerians of their rights,” the monarch had said in a statement issued by his media aide, Alli Ibraheem.
Oluwo’s earlier statement was met with a rebuttal from Ohanaeze Ndigbo, which accused the monarch of divisive tendencies.
A statement by the National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chiedozie Ogbonnia, said the monarch needed “royal tutelage.”
“The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor, is a civilized cultural organisation and by its prospectus, Ohanaeze has a profound respect for the culture and traditional rulers,” Mr Ogbonnia said.
“We will therefore restrain from hoisting the monarch with his own petard, rather we advise that he should undergo some tutelage under some more experienced cosmopolitan urbane intelligent monarchs such as his neighbour, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, the Oni of Ife.
“This is because it is self-evident that Nigeria is a beleaguered country that urgently needs nation building; inflammatory and incendiary remarks from monarchs and the highly placed are antithetical to peace and unity of Nigeria.
“One of the qualities of a well-adjusted traditional ruler is to be open-minded towards all, especially people of other ethnic groups that may be found in his domain.
“The wild claims that the Igbo prevent people from the other parts of the country from acquiring properties in their domain or have an obnoxious policy of depriving other Nigerians of their rights cannot be substantiated.
“On the other hand, it is inconceivable that a group that builds modern houses in all parts of the country will prevent other ethnics from building in their homestead.”
‘Misunderstood, misrepresented’
However, the Oluwo’s statement on Wednesday noted that his intervention was misunderstood and misrepresented by the media.
” I have watched the activities of the IPOB and ESN on television and social media.They should stop hurting us by attacking our own (Igbo)people,” the statement said.ⓘ
“Igbos should give equal opportunity to non-Igbos on their land. The Ohanaeze Ndigbo has to convince us by speaking to the IPOB and ESN regulating and enforcing sit-at-home order.”
Oluwo said he never said Igbos can’t produce the president, but that they needed to restrategise.
“For hasty conclusion and unguided vituperation, the respected throne of the Paramount Ruler of Iwoland deserves an apology from Ohanaeze Ndigbo,” he said.
“As rich as the statement was, few read with sentiment. Oluwo will keep talking unless the IPOB and ESN stop killing our own (Igbo) people the same way I keep antagonizing ritual killings in south west.
“At the same time, I look forward to seeing Adekunle in Ibadan buying land conveniently in Awka or Onitsha market, Usman from Kano buying a land or owing a shop in Onitsha market the same way Emeka owned a house and many landed properties in Iwo. I reiterate, that Igbos have to soften their stance on access to land by other Nigerians.
“I challenge the former Governor of Central of Nigeria and incumbent Governor of Anambra State to appoint a Yoruba or Hausa man as one of his cabinet members as done by Lagos, Osun, Kano, Kaduna and Sokoto state governments.
“The stakeholders in the zone should address their subjects to promote mutual coexistence. People should be allowed to go to work and transact business. Sit at home order will harm people’s means of survival. Secession is an abstract concept in modern Nigeria.”
Credit: Premium Times