From Maurice Okafor, Enugu
Thousands of youth leaders cut across the Igbo speaking tribe of Nigeria have declined participation in the proposed national protest against hunger and other forms of economic hardship in Nigeria, scheduled to begin on Aigust 1..
The Igbo youth leaders made their stand known on Monday, July 29.at a forum in Enugu organised by the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youths worldwide,led by Mazi Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu.
The Igbo youth leaders described the case of Igbo nation as peculiar and opted for an engagement with President Bola Tinubu on how best to address the lingering marginalization of the Igbo nation by the central government, the incaceration of the IPOB Leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, demand for an additional state for the South East zone and Igbo youths inclusiveness in the art of governance,among others.
The Igbo youths leaders further stressed that the people of the South East zone and their properties are usually used destroyed and used as scapegoats in similar incidents in the past.Therefore,they have decided to opt out from the August 1, hunger protest.
Part of their statement reads, “The South East people have been repeatedly targeted and scapegoated during nation wide protests,resulting in looting and destruction of their properties.
“Some individuals are already spreading false information,blaming the South East for initiating the protests.Participating in the protest may fuel more misinformation and put the South East people in a vulnerable position,” the youths leaders said.
The Igbo youth leaders stressed that the hardship in the economy is an inheritance from previous administrations, stating that the present administration led by President Bola Tinubu is barely two years in office and called for maximum support to his administration by all and sundry.
The youth leaders extolled President Tinubu for the establishment of the South East Development Commission(SEDC).
They asserted that the establishment of the SEDC marks the end of the Nigerian civil war in reality because thd envisaged ‘Reconciliation,Rehabilitation and Reconstruction’ policy introduced by General Yakubu Gowon in 1970 to develop damaged facilities across the South East zone, aftermath of the civil wars remained in dilemma, more than fifty years after.
They said the hope of eradicating the abundant socio infrastructural decay in the South East zone is now rising,with the establishment of South East Development Commission by President Tinubu.
The Igbo Youths proferred continous dialogues with the government as the best option.
