LAGOS — National convener of Igbo Nationality Rights Assembly, INRA, Chief Sam Okey Nwosu, has said that unless the Igbo nation indulged in self cleansing and evaluation, it will continue to play second fiddle in the scheme of things in the Nigerian project.
Nwosu, who spoke with journalists at the recent summit of ethnic nationalities of the South held in Lagos, insisted that instead of the Igbos to blame others for their marginalisation in the scheme of things in the country, the Igbo elite must do deep soul- searching and evaluation to locate the cause of the marginalisation.
Noting that the average Igbo man was marginalised because the elite that were supposed to stand and protect their interest had become commercial merchandize with a price tag on their heads, Nwosu blamed the Igbo elite, Ohanaeze and political leaders for keeping quiet while their kinsmen were being murdered daily in the North by the terrorist group,Boko Haram.
He said: “As an Igbo elite, I must confess that unlike others like the Yorubas, Ijaws, Hausas and other smaller ethnic nationalities, we have failed to chart the path of greatness for our race in the scheme of things in what I call the Nigerian project.
“While the elite of the Yoruba, Hausa and other nationalities sacrifice their personal interests for their tribes, the Igbo elite trade their race for personal gains. Today our kinsmen are being slaughtered daily in the North and yet not a word of protest from our so called elite and Ohanaeze. If this happened to the Yoruba, Hausa or Ijaw, they would mount a strong campaign and put pressure on the Federal Government until the families of the victims are adequately compensated.
“It is painful that at political meetings, when others are scheming to project the greater good of their people, the Igbos are looked upon as people with a price tag. Look at what is happening to MASSOB and its leaders. While violent and very destructive groups are offered amnesty, MASSOB leaders that have always preached non violence are to be tried for treason and I have not heard any of the so called Igbo leaders raise a voice in defence of them, meanwhile compare it to the media blitz in defence of Asari Dokubo by the Ijaws,you will understand what I’m talking about. ”
Nwosu said the talk of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction shall remain a mere talk unless the Igbo elite come together to define the interest of Indigbo in the Nigeria project.
