*Insists there is unparalleled hatred of Ndigbo by the government
The Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF), has called on the federal government not to allow the military and the police to visit mayhem on Ndigbo, using covid-19 as an excuse.
ADF in an advisory to Ndigbo on the pandemic, lamented that the federal and state governments have not been fair to Ndigbo and advised that wealthy Igbo citizens and Ndigbo in the diaspora should channel their palliative support to the communities, rather than to the government as such donations by them would be denied the poor Igbo people by the government in continuation of the marginalisation of Ndigbo.
According to the ADF President, Prof. Uzodima Nwala and Secretary, Prof. Nath Aniekwu, “the Army and Police should not constitute a Third Pandemic Force” against Ndigbo at this time the world is facing à pandemic.
They maintained that “efforts should be made to prevent the army and police from terrorising the people at this time”.
They called on Ndigbo to “please always remain conscious of our present double predicament and respect all Stay Safe Guidelines on the COVID-19 Pandemic”.
They insister that “effective medical guidelines and rules for dealing with the Corona Virus must be observed to the letter” and enjoined everybody to join in simplifying and ensuring the strict obsercnace of these rules by the masses.
Full text of the ADF statement states:
A TIME FOR SUSTAINED PERSEVERANCE!!!
ADF MESSAGE TO OUR PEOPLE ON THE PREVAILING STATE OF
NATURAL AND POLITICAL INSECURITY!
Although this is a Message to the entire Igbo Race, it is also addressed to all who share either totally or partially in our present predicament.
COVID-19 PANDEMIC ADDED TO FULANI INSURGENCY!
Up until early this year, we were confronted mainly with the forces of insurgency on a determined course to annihilate us, stamp out our faith wipe out our civilization and occupy our ancestral land.
IGBO PREDICAMENT IN THE FACE OF ANARCHY IN THE FEDERATION
There was no-one to come to our rescue, neither the Federal Government nor our own State Governments. Every possible evidence showed clearly that the Federal Government was supportive of the insurgents. Many regional governments in the north did not hide the fact that the insurgency was their historical movement to take over not only our land but the entire territory of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
Our State Governments were too timid, complacent or afraid to mobilise our people to protect themselves as the Federal Government of Nigeria had abandoned them. Every authority around us behaved as if Ndigbo have lost even the basic natural right of self-preservation or rather that we and our land have become cannon fodder for the pleasure of the ramapging insurgents and their cattle.
In the process, our people including the Christian territories, North and South of N igeria lost men, women and children ten times what the entire world has lost due to the present Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. We also lost billions worth of property including our crops and farm lands. We have been subjected to brutal massacre, rape of our women and daughters, kidnapping for ramson, On top of this the Nigerian military and police have behaved like occupation forces, our judiciary turned into an instrument in the hands of our tormentors.
Suddenly. We have found our selves along with the entire human race confronted with the global COVID-19 Panmdemic.
WE HAVE DOUBTS OVER THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DATA ON THE CORONAVIRUS
Unfortunately, it is hard to say how many people have contracted COVID-19 in Alaigbo and the entire FedEral Republic. Confirmed cases are determined through testing. But the big question is how many have been tested? How much faciltities does Nigeria have to conduct the tests. Lagos and Abuja report of some relatively higher number because the faciltites for test are more readily available in those areas. The Government has for example released whooping billions of naira to Lagos State.
Umuigbo travel more than any other people in Niegria and so indeed have a higher rate of exposure to the Corona virus. The other day the nurses in one of the Teaching Hospitals in Alaigbo were demonstrating against lack of basic equipments including masks, gloves, testing kits, respirators, etc.
Meanwhile, debate is raging as to the cause and cure of the COVID-19. The grave issues about the Pandemic is now being swallowed by global power struggle and rivalry (political, diplomatic military) among the super-powers.
THE SOCIAL MEDIA – OUR DOUBLE-EDGED SWORD
The social media has become a double-edged sword – enlightening and spreading dangerous disinformation at the same time. Tragically, the entire scientific community has been exposed and its authority badly impaired because of multiple-speak among the authorities.
Religion has taken the worst beating in the whole process
, not only Christianity but the other religions. While Christianity has been suffering under the weight of jihadism and its own internal decay, presently unable to defend its own authencity, Islam is boldy asserting itself because it has been more than a religious movement. It is fundamentally a politcal movement, bent on conquering the world, with its prsent focus on Nigeria.
WHAT IS TO BE DONE?
Umuigbo, given the this tragic combination of two forces of annihilation, and our vulnerability as a nation what do we do? How can we survive these forces of nature and society?
NDIGBO are besieged by two Deadly Forces – Fulani Invasion and COVID-19, hence the Alaigbo Development Foundation (ADF) urges our people –
1. Please Always Remain Conscious of our Present Double Predicament!
Never to forget that we were engaged in a war of survival before the arrival of the coronavirus. And that that war is still raging inspite of the corona virus.
If anyone is in doubt, let him read the research-documented report of the “The International Society for Civil Libertires and Rule of Law” (Intersociety) showing that Fifty (50) Christians were hacked to death by Fulani Jihadists in March and Ten (10) in the first two days of April 2020.
This figure is higher that of the 5 or so COVID-19-related deaths recorded throughtout Nigeria. The other day the Nigerian Military decsended on the Warri Community wrecking harvoc, cursing the people and threatenig to rape their women with more reckless abandom.
2. Respect all Stay Safe Guidelines on the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Effective Medical Guidelines and Rules for dealing with the Corona Virus must be observed to the letter. Everybody should join in simplifying and ensuring the strict obsercnace of these rules by the masses.
The first act of ADF in the midst of the Pandemic was to direct the ADF Deputy Secretary, who is a medical surgeon to issue a bulletin to provide our people with basic information on the COVID-19 Virus and how to handle the Epidemic. This he did in ADF BULLETINS 1 & 2.
Limited Data and use for Town Criers to spread the message to the People.
Because of limited infrastructure, especially light and data ADF has just set up a Committee to reduce the basic rules drawn from global and national authorities to simple messages both in English and Local language. The Committee shall transmit the messages to the various town unions and churches. In turn, the Town Unions and Churches are urged to appoint town criers who would go round twice a week to spread the messages to their various communities. The Town Unions and Churches can afford to give the town cries basic st ipend for this community service.
3. Umuigbo – Let us be our Brothers’ Keeper!
It is obvious that this is the time the famed Igbo attribute of being our brothers keeper is challenged as never before. Please do not forget our vulnerable ones in our villages and communities. There is nobody who can do this for us except our Chukwu Abiama and ourselves.
Please share what you have with our vulnerable people in our families and kindreds.
Please Ndi Akajiaku in Alaigbo donate directly to the villages and communities. Do not give any money to the Government. Let the Governments deploy the billions of naira and dollars at their disposal to provide the basic needs of security, food, water and light to the people,
Our various town and state unions in the diaspora, please send funds to support the vulnerable people at home.
4. Message to our State Governments!
The State Governments should concentrate the funds available to them to meet the basic needs of the people. We mean basic needs of security, food, water, and light.
The program of sit-at-home should be organised and implemented in a way our people are not starved. There should be room for them to sell and buy their basic needs while observing basic rules of social dist ancing, use of gloves and sanitizers. This is where the State Governments come in. This is where the services of the health workers are needed.
5. The Army and Police should not constitute a Third Pandemic Force.
Efforts should be made to prevent the army and police from terrorising the people at this time. The soldiers and the politce should be deployed in their states of origin.
6. The Church needs an Internal Reform to Return to its original Mission.
The Church should go back to the basic mission of the Church, when the Church was the succour of the poor, the sick and the widows. The various Christian denominations in Igboland are very wealthy and this is the time to deploy this wealth for the benefit of the masses. This is the time for the Church in Alaigbo to regain relevance.
7. Dear Christian Brothers and Sisters,This is not the time to engage in Bashimg of Christianity!
To do this is to do the enemies job, namely, hasten the liquidation of the Christisan Faith. Our criticism should be focused om those fraudsters who hide under Christainity to promote their fraudulent actvities.
We should remember that some of the noblest of our citizens are clergy men and that Igboland have produced many highly spiritual and dedicated religious leaders – These include, Dr Akanu Ibiam, Father iwene Tansi, Archbishop Arinze, Archbishop Obinna, Archbishop Anikwenwa, Archbishop Chris Ede, Bishop Onubogu. Bishop Ugorji, Overseer William Okoye, etc, etc.
8. There are grave issues which have arisen in connection with the reality of COVID-19 and whether there is a political motive to its emergemce at this time in our history. Igbo land has many eminent Scientists and medical doctors who should guide us on scuh grave issues including the G5 issues. These are not subject of Social Media warfare and should not be left to Social Media warriors. Nor are they mere subject of Superpower rivalry.
Remeber that there has been several epidemics and worse Pandemics in history. A list of some of those cases are in circulation and ADF Bureau of Publicity is being asked to recirculate the document.
Thank you!
PROF UZODINMA NWALA ADF PRESIDENT
PROF NATH ANIEKWU ADF SECRETARY,
HIS LORDSHIP
BISHOP OBI UDEZUE ONUBOGU, CHAIRMAN ADF BoT.
APRIL 6TH, 2020
