Ned Nwoko calls for Igbo unity beyond Southeast

By Joseph Erunke, Abuja

Senator Ned Nwoko, representing Delta North Senatorial District, has called connected Igbos successful the Southeast to clasp their kinsmen residing successful different parts of the country, arsenic portion of efforts to fortify the unity of Ndigbo.

Speaking with journalists successful Abuja, Nwoko noted that galore Igbos successful the South-South, Kogi, and Benue inactive conflict with issues of identity, which helium traced to the legacies of the Nigerian Civil War.

He recalled the 1966 Asaba massacre, describing it arsenic a tragic turning constituent erstwhile Anioma radical and different Igbos extracurricular the Southeast were forced to conceal oregon renounce their individuality to survive.

“Frightened by the rampaging soldiers, galore of our radical had to contradict their Igbo practice conscionable to flight death. Some adjacent adopted Benin names due to the fact that troops were combing villages successful hunt of Igbos,” Nwoko said.

According to him, this achy past explains wherefore immoderate Igbo groups extracurricular the Southeast stay hesitant to openly place arsenic Igbo. However, helium stressed that the renewed propulsion for individuality restoration aligns with the imaginativeness of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex socio-cultural assemblage of the Igbos.

“The larger Igbo nine should clasp its kith and kin scattered crossed Nigeria. Restoring our shared individuality is simply a captious measurement towards existent unification,” helium added.

On the Anioma question, the legislator wondered wherefore immoderate radical successful Delta State inactive contradict their Igbo roots contempt overwhelming taste evidence.

“Names, traditions, cuisine, attire, marketplace days, and ancestral practices of Anioma radical stay identical to those of the wider Igbo community. As acold arsenic I know, determination has ne'er been a clip erstwhile Igbos from crossed the Niger waged immoderate expansionist warfare to unit Anioma radical to go Igbo. So wherefore the fear?” helium asked.

While acknowledging that individuals are escaped to place differently, helium insisted that the overwhelming bulk of Anioma radical are Igbo.

“Those who similar to assertion Benin should spell ahead, but 99.9 percent of Anioma radical are Igbo,” helium maintained.

Nwoko, who has consistently championed the instauration of Anioma State, reiterated his telephone for it to beryllium carved retired arsenic the sixth authorities of the Southeast geopolitical zone.

The station Ned Nwoko calls for Igbo unity beyond Southeast appeared archetypal connected Vanguard News.