In a recent interview, Okwesilieze said that the Igbos in Nigeria were neglected and that if they had been granted equal rights, the nation would have developed more quickly. Okwesilieze appeared on the web TV platform Symfoni.
He said, “If they allowed the Igbos to thrive and to influence others positively, rather than hounding them wherever they are, I think the country would have developed faster and better.
“Igbos created Lagos, Igbos created Abuja, Igbos created Kano, Kaduna, most of the country, Port Harcourt. When you have such people, it is for the country to use them to the country’s advantage, and not only to suppress them.”
Reacting to Okwesilieze’s claims, Reuben Abati said that nobody can deny the fact that the Igbos have contributed immensely to the development of Nigeria. He said that is the reason there is a common saying in Nigeria that if you go to any place in Nigeria and you don’t see an Igbo person there, then it is advisable to leave the place.
He added that it is not only Igbos that feel marginalized in Nigeria.
He said, “It’s a two-way thing. The first thing is that nobody can deny the fact that the Igbos have contributed to the making of Nigeria over all times. There’s no doubt about that.”
In addition to that, he said, “The second thing is that it’s not only Igbos that feel marginalized in Nigeria. Virtually every group. We have had Tiv nationalism. We have had Ijaw nationalism. We have had Yorubas also saying that they have been marginalized, even at a time when a Yoruba man is President of Nigeria. We have had Hausa nationalism. We have had Fulani people also complaining of marginalization.”
Abati added that this is one of the challenges of nationhood, to have a country where people of different tribes and languages can live together in peace and harmony.
He continued, “The number three point is that Section 42 of the 1999 Constitution talks about freedom from discrimination. So, nobody inside Nigeria, whether male or female, should be discriminated against, either on the basis of ethnicity, religion, or circumstances of place of birth.” CONTINUE FULL READING>>>>>
