Ohaneze Embraces Diplomacy, Says Igbo will Never go to War Again

Ohaneze Embraces Diplomacy, Says Igbo will Never go to War Again

The Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said that the Igbo will never again go to war to resolve conflicts in the country.

This was the position of the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo, at the 2018 Igbo International Leadership and Good Governance Retreat held at Abagana, Anambra State, where he stated that they would rather use diplomacy as a tool for peace and conflict resolution.

The retreat was organised by the World Igbo Leadership Council and the World Igbo Information and Communication Network, and was attended by renowned Igbo scholars from Abia, Anambra, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo and Rivers states.

Commending the organisers of the annual retreat, Nwodo said though it is not in doubt that Igbo were facing large scale marginalisation in Nigeria, the way to overcome it was not through fighting another war but by adopting peaceful means and dialogue, Punch writes.

“The military created states and local governments and gave the North the highest numbers, not because our population was the smallest but was just part of marginalisation,” he said.

“But we should be patient and continue to do what we have already started, knowing that the battle is no longer the type that will be fought with guns but with intelligence.

“We have suffered so much and that is why we should apply diplomacy. One of such diplomatic moves is the planned handshake across the Niger in which Igbo leaders will be negotiating with Yoruba leaders in Enugu in the coming week.”

In his address, a former president of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Anambra State chapter, Chief Chris Eluemunor said as someone who fought in the Nigeria -Biafra war of 1967-1970, he would not like another generation of Igbo to experience such war again.

Eluemunor said Ohanaeze had nothing against the Indigenous People of Biafra but was not comfortable with its approach to the issue of Biafra.

“What the Igbo people want is restructuring because if you restructure properly, it is as good as being independent in your country. You cannot declare independent in an enemy territory and expect him to allow you to go just like that,” he said.

“What Ohanaeze is saying is that it is restructuring that will give us what we want. Our people are doing business in all parts of the country and in a restructured Nigeria; Igbo will have a good base. We learnt our lessons during and after the civil war and we would not like our people to make another mistake.”