
From: Madu Ezenoha, Enugu
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, a youth arm of Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has described as barbaric and uncultured, the call by some northern youths for Igbos to vacate the north because of their call for self determination.
Ohanaeze youths warned their northern counterparts to steer clear from hard earned property of Igbos or face “dire consequences”.
Reacting to a statement credited to some northern youth organisations in Kaduna on Tuesday, which gave Igbos residing in the north up to October 1st to quit the north or have their property seized, the Ohanaeze youth body in a statement signed by Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Okwu Nnabuike, president and secretary respectively, stated that such call was barbaric and uncivilised.
The Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council is peeved by the recent provocative, barbaric and uncivilised so -called Kaduna Declaration by a group of rabble rousers , deviants and uncultured almajiris who call themselves Arewa Youths who threatened Igbos residing in the North to leave the North before the 1st of October this year.
The Ohanaeze youth leaders in the statement made available to journalists in Enugu on Wednesday stated further, “We are very much aware from the text of their statement that their aim is to seize Igbo hard earned properties and wealth in the North since they are unable to work hard and get their own.
“They are used to vandalism and reaping where they did not sow over the years so we are not surprised. Its in their blood and fibre.
“It is regrettable that at this age when other Nations are going to the moon and advancing the well being of their countries, these bunch of misled youths have joined their forebears to make Nigeria a laughing stock in the comity of nations. They and their forebears have never added any value to Nigeria than bloodshed, parasitism and violence”.
They stated that Igbo youths were not afraid of their declaration but they will never be allowed to seize the properties that belong to the hard working Igbos which they said the northern youths were dangerously eying to convert forcibly.
“We call on Ndigbo in the North to be vigilant. Security agents in the country should now know those that want to cause violence in Nigeria.
“If their stupid anger is on the activities of IPOB and MASSOB which have been calling for self determination, what do they have to say about Boko Haram that has killed thousands of Nigerians including Igbos and has been calling for an islamic republic in Nigeria in the past ten years? Was it not the North that was at the forefront of secession before independence and even at the after math of the July , 1966 counter coup with their Araba mantra?
“All parts of Nigeria have been agitating for one thing or another including secession. Why should Igbos be singled out by these Arewa youth irredentists for their tantrums and threats.
“Without the Igbos the North would not have been at even the present level it is. The Igbo Union schools , shops, markets and industries made the North whatever it is today. These idle youths that have refused to develop their brains over the years and rather decided to tow the path of their forebears as parasites want to reap where they did not sow. Its unfortunate.
“We therefore insist that even if it will be “to your tents oh Israel,” which we are never afraid of, all assets belonging to Igbos in the North will be evaluated and repatriated back to Igbo land. Meanwhile as civilised hosts, we assure all Arewas in the East of their safety and protection. We hope no attempt will be made on the life of any Igbo man in the North as such will be direful and mark the end of Nigeria. Enough of this barbaric utterances and behaviour at the 21st century.”
The 0000Ohanaeze youths said they were inspired by the solidarity with Middle Belt youths, Niger Delta youths, Yoruba youths, and even the Arewa Progressive Youth movement which “dissociated itself from the disgraceful press conference supervised by the well discredited Yerimma Shettima, a well known reactionary and agent provocateur”.