The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, has reiterated its call for restructuring of the country and the creation of additional states in the Southeast.
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu made the call during Ohanaeze Ndigbo Retreat with the theme “Ako Bu Ije” (Development with Wisdom) on Wednesday in Enugu.
Iwuanyanwu, who said Ohanaeze was not happy with the 1999 Constitution as amended, called for restructuring of Nigeria where power would devolve from the Federal Government to the State Government.
This, he said, would help the state have a reasonable autonomy to develop at their own pace without any hindrance from the Federal Government.
“It will enable us to build our own seaports, railways and other infrastructure to develop the zone,” he said.
While calling for the creation of an extra state in the zone, the Igbo Leader lamented that the southeast had lost trillions because of inadequate states like in other geopolitical zones.
He threatened to take legal action against the Federal Government if it failed to give the region additional state equivalent to other zones in the country, saying “We are assembling Igbo lawyers to pursue it”.
He added that they would allow the state anywhere it was created in Igboland.
The Igbo leader also kicked against merging of Project Development Institute (PRODA) with other Science Institute, stressing that the institute was borne out of the experience of the Nigeria Civil War.
“Ohanaeze is in full support of the implementation of the Oronsaye report but will request all Igbo anywhere to ensure that PRODA is not merged with any other institutions,” he said.
In a remark, Gov. Peter Mbah of Enugu State represented by his Deputy, Mr Ifeanyi Ossai commended Igbos serving in various capacities for their sacrifice and support.
The governor said the zone needed to work towards economic integration of their business and people.
He said the economic team in Ohaneze had a huge task to engage political leaders across the southeast to work towards creating a common market that attracted investors to the zone.
“It beats my imagination that Onitsha and Oguta ports in Imo State are not working. We should act in a way to liberate ourselves.
“Enugu is known for coal and from what I heard from an engineer, if coal is heated 1000 degrees it will melt and if you pour it on the road, will last more than bitumen and asphalt we use in road construction,” he noted.
In a paper presentation titled “Education: Technical Innovation and Entrepreneurship in Igboland” the Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Prof. Nnenna Oti, called for new hope, equal opportunities, technological and entrepreneurial development in Igboland.
She called on the Igbos to identify who they were and pursue their dreams for greater exploits.
Earlier in a welcome address, Chairman of the event, Rear Admiral Allison Madueke Rts. said it was time for Igbos to step out and make a move for the betterment of the zone.
Speaking on the theme, the chairman said “When you move without wisdom, you get injured”, stressing that it was time for Igbos to ask themselves questions about where they went wrong and make amends.
While commending Iwuanyanwu for organising the programme, Madueke said “We need to change our tactics and approaches with the wisdom given to us”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the event was attended by Igbo leaders, their prominent sons and daughters both in Nigeria and in the Diaspora.