COMMUNIQUE ISSUED BY THE IGBO LEADERS OF THOUGHT (ILT) AFTER ITS EXTRA-ORDINARY MEETING HELD TODAY THE 31ST OF JANUARY, 2025 IN ENUGU.
The meeting started with the opening formalities of both prayer and the breaking of kola nut. The convener Prof. Elo Amucheazi observed that the situation in the country makes it imperative for the ILT to meet after a year’s mourning of its founding president Professor Ben Nwabueze SAN. A minute silence was observed for the following members who passed unto worthy ancestorhood in the last two years:
Professor Ben Nwabueze, SAN
Professor Chiweyite Ejike
Archbishop MSC Anikwenwa
Dara Mbazuluike Amaechi
Igwe Professor Vincent Chukwuemeka Ike
H E Dr. Chukwuemeka Ezeife
Senator Anyim Ude
Colonel Ben Gbulie
Barr. Enechi Onyia SAN
Chief Aja Nwachukwu
Monsignor Osuagwu
Dr Ofia Nwali
Dr. Chu Okongwu
The convener presenter a paper that was accepted as the working document for the meeting which was used as such.
New Leadership for ILT.
The meeting unanimously agreed that Professor Elo Amucheazi becomes the new President of ILT; Professor Barth Nnaji as Vice President with Professor Jerry Chidozie Chukwuokolo as its Secretary pending when full elections will be held to fill other vacant positions. His Majesty, Igwe Alfred Nnaemeka Achebe, Agbogidi; the Obi of Onitsha is now the leader and patron of the organization: Chief Emeka Anyaoku was also appointed as a patron.
Igbo unity: the meeting agreed that there must be serious sustainability of Igbo unity in all ramifications especially what has been achieved by making an Ikwere man- Senator John Azuta-Mbata the President General of the apex Igbo socio-political Organization- Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo. ILT resolved to transcend the divisive exclusion of ndi Igbo beyond the South East of Nigeria for the integration of all Igbo outside South East and beyond.
ILT congratulates the new Ohaneze President-General Senator John Azuta-Mbata and his team. It urges them to keep ndi Igbo first in all their programs. They should end the era of when outsiders from Igbo land dictate what happens in both Ala-Igbo and Ohaneze. ILT wishes to keep maintaining its relationship with Ohaneze.
Igbo Survival in Nigeria: there are no doubts that all sorts of booby traps are set everywhere in Nigeria militating against Igbo survival. There are two operative laws in Nigeria: one for Southern Nigeria while the other is for Northern Nigeria. For instance, there are about ten states in the North that have opted for Sharia laws gravitating towards extremism at the expense of the other parts of the country. Government at all levels especially at the Federal appears to be aloof given the heinous consequences that such state presents to the citizenry. Some highly placed Yoruba have threatened to throw ndi Igbo into the Atlantic Ocean without the appropriate governmental agencies doing what it was supposed to do. But when Chief Nwajagu, the Eze ndi Igbo in Ajao Estate reacted to both threat and attack of ndi Igbo that he was going to invite IPOB to protect ndi Igbo in Lagos, he was hounded and imprisoned. Properties of ndi Igbo are on daily bases burnt or destroyed/ demolished in Lagos and the Federal Government does nothing about these happenings. Is the future assured or will it ever be assured? Is there anywhere in the country where serious minded people are thinking on the future of the country; that it could be united and moved forward being considered? Is there any serious thinking about constitutional reforms not tele-guided by the government that will probably lead to confederation and mutual confidence building amongst ethnic groups? It appears that if nothing serious is done to save the country we may have no country to be called ours in the future.
Igbo Youths are being decimated in premeditated but orchestrated tendentious ways with impunity. EFCC torment mostly the Southerners while Northern boys “bury” hard currency in filing cabinets in their farms or escape the shores of the country and nothing is being done about it. The Awka example that led to fatality on the part of EFCC is a typical example of impunity. There are also ongoing campaigns of invasion of Ala-igbo for Fulani cattle to graze freely. In any case of self-defense by Igbo youths, security agents will massacre them. Is there any hope for the country going forward in this manner?
Road infrastructures in ala-igbo are recklessly abandoned. All roads, railways have been denied the East since 1970 and in some cases scrapped off. These dilapidations of the roads have led to uncountable and avoidable deaths on the roads. The most recent is the accident at Ugwu Onyeama in Enugu State leading to multiple deaths of people. We are wont to ask whether the war has opened up in other forms. ILT commiserates with families of those who have lost their loved ones. While praying God to give them the fortitude to bear the irreparable loss of their loved ones, we urge the Federal Government to expedite actions in making the roads motorable and to remove the obstructive security checkpoints on the roads.
Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB: ILT has watched with keenness the happenings in the country especially as it relates to IPOB and its leader- Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. There is no doubt that under Muhamadu Buhari, Boko Haram, Miyetti Allah and Fulani Herdsmen held sway in the atrocious killings and sacking of many indigenous groups while a non- violent organization like IPOB was proscribed unjustly. Ndi-Igbo at various levels have met with the Nigerian leadership to intervene and embrace political settlement on the issue especially as it appears that his renditioning has made it more difficult to continue with the adjudication. The leadership of Afenifere and Ijaw socio-cultural association have requested the Federal Government to embrace political settlement of the issues. Sunday Igboho who has not only sought for Yoruba self-determination but submitted petition to the British Government to that effect is a free man. Also the Leader of Miyeti Allah whose members have always threatened to kill farmers who obstruct the destructions of their crops by cattles from grazing on their farm and threatened for secession is free; why is Nnamdi Kanu’s own different: perhaps because he is Igbo! ILT haven observed everything going on and in line with the will of our founding president Professor Ben Nwabueze SAN, who had campaigned for his unconditional release urges the Federal Government under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu GCFR to unconditionally release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu immediately. This will certainly lead to peace not only in the of East but also in the whole of Nigeria
Professor Elo Amucheazi
President ILT.
