From Everest Ezihe, Owerri
Worried by what it tagged ‘lack of visionary and purposeful governance’ in Nigeria even as the nation attains 60 years of her independence today, an apex socio cultural organization under the auspices of Southern Nigeria, Middle Belt and Northern Minorities Forum (SONAIMBF), has thrown their weight behind the calls for Nigerians to sit at home during the anniversary while advising the Federal Government to as a matter of exigency, address the grievances of its ethnic nationalities.
Members of the group in diaspora led by Barr. Sidney Imobhio, in a press statement they issued and captioned “People in Diaspora Igbo,Yoruba And Middle Belt For Their Actions Against October 1” issued shortly after their meeting held in New York USA, on Tuesday and made available to news men in Owerri.
According to them “We resolved that Nigeria should remain an indivisible and indissoluble country. However, we also agreed that the Clarion calls and opinions of all nationalities must be addressed without further delay to enhance and stabilize the unity and oneness of all shades”.
They noted that as of now, Nigeria exists only on the pages of papers which portends that their co-existence MUST be renegotiated and defined by all the component nationalities.
They pointed out that President Buhari and Fulani celebrations of 60th post-colonial independence that laid a good foundation for the exploitation of the nation’s economic resources and the alleged fraudulent conquest of political will of the indigenous peoples of Nigeria for decades should not be allowed to continue stressing that Nigeria belongs to all of Nigerians and no nationality should lord it over others.
They insisted that “we support the Igbo for the SIT AT HOME CALL on October 1 Independence celebration. We support the Yoruba and their plans to embark on a worldwide march on October 1 to dissociate, disregard, disagree and disobey the rules and tenets of this failed regime.We support the breakaway of Middle Belt from the spell of the imaginary and illusionary Northern Nigeria Forums. We cherish their realization and the humility exhibited by settling with our Igbo brothers” .
They also passionately appeal to all well-meaning people of South South to Sit at Home on October 1, questioning the rationale behind the celebration, Is it the raping, killings, armed robberies, kidnapping and banditry by both the Meyetti Allah and Fulani herdsmen, supported by agents of the Buhari regime?
They further advised President MuhammaduBuhari, to stop forthwith the alleged plundering and exploitation of the resources from Southern Nigeria to finance infrastructural developments in Niger Republic which is a foreign country to us.
They observed that “In order to achieve our goal we must come together to fight for our rights. This must be done early to avoid the divide and rule syndrome that may present itself in just few months away in 2021 when people would have started to nurse presidential ambition.
We should forget personal ambition for now and do the needful first to save Nigeria as a true country. Let us speak with one voice and allow a leader to emerge this time rather than allow a Fulani to again dip hands into our mix to choose a moron as our leader for us” they advised.
They lamented that some Nigerians of the Southern extraction are the worst enemies to the South alleging that these moles will do anything to gain favour from the Fulani at the expense and risk of us all.
They insisted that most of our legislators fall into this category, asking what are they doing there? More blames should go to them than President Buhari alleging also that majority of them go there to look for illicit contracts and money rather than do the job they are voted to do.
While expressing sadness over the entire scenario they noted also that It is time to give definite instructions to the legislators to carry out in the National Assembly or face the wrath of the masses.
According to them “this is the time for them to cooperate with the masses to enable them to take over the control of their destiny. We must reactivate the good name of Nigeria.
We congratulate all our leaders that are championing this new course. it remains one important thing to do-unity of purpose. Our unflinching support for an indivisible and indissoluble Nigeria remains unwavering. Nigeria has come a long way and should be allowed to stay” they concluded.
