From Everest EZIHE, Owerri
Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu,the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide says the apex sociocultural organization has no plans to visit any ethnic group in Nigeria to beg for forgiveness as a result of the 1966 Coup d’etat in the Country.
Iwuanyanwu who disclosed this in a press conference held in Owerri on Wednesday described as absolute falsehood, malicious, wicked and dangerous the audio clip by one Harford Ugwu and Obasi Igwe in which they said that Ohanaeze Ndigbo had at a retreat held for various Committees of the Apex Igbo Socio-Cultural Organisation at the Old Government house decided to go to Sokoto to beg the Caliphate for forgiveness over the killing of Saidauna of Sokoto, Sir Ahmadu Bello during the 1966 coup.
The President General further described the allegation as the fictitious imagination of the evil doers who are bent on destroying Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide
He pointed out that at the Retreat which was chaired by Rtd Rear Admiral Alison Madueke and was well attended by the members and that no Governor was invited.
Iwuanyanwu expressed gratitude to the Enugu State Governor, Dr Peter Mba for sponsoring the retreat pointing out that Enugu State Government has displayed leadership and patriotism in all activities of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide.
He opined that Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah who hosted the retreat about two months ago, only sent his Deputy to the retreat out of courtesy, and wondered how Governors who are very busy with other States functions could be invited to Sub Committee meetings which is neither Ime Obi nor Ohanaeze Ndigbo General Assembly.
The President General of Ohanaeze said that the outcome of the retreat which Harford Ugwu and Obasi Igwe referred to were widely aired in the electronic and published in the print media and wondered how the duo fabricated their own report just to cause disaffection in Igbo land and Nigeria at large.
He said that the retreat examined other areas including industrialization of Igboland, agriculture, health, development of skill acquisition,Ohanaeze Development and Investment Company, Education,, Industries,producing of cultural calendar of Igboland, inter state cultural competitions and Inter States Sports Competitions.
On the 1966 Coup d’etat, Iwuanyanwu said it point blank that the Military should be held responsible for it and not the Igbos, even as he reiterated his position that Igboland did not have anything to do with the coup adding that the Coup Plotters did not intend to elevate any Igbo man through their actions.
He informed that the coup failed due to the intervention of General Aguiyi Ironsi who he said was not part of the coup, but was later assassinated.
The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide noted that Igbos were murdered in large numbers in the northern parts of the country and later there was a civil war which was fought on Igbo soil that claimed millions of lives.
He described the period as the “very painful part of our history”, noting that the question of Igbos going to apologise does not arise in any way.
