No reasonable Igbo man is asking for secession, says Okorocha

Governor Rochas Okorocha has said that no reasonable Igboman would support secession or division of the Country, adding that the IPOB leader should be treated as a single individual because reasonable Igbo people have condemned IPOB in all ramifications.

Governor Okorocha speaking Saturday in Owerri at the new Yam festival organized by the State Council of Traditional Rulers headed by HRM Eze Samuel Ohiri, said that everyone that loves Ndigbo has condemned the activities of IPOB.

The Ooni of Ife, His Majesty Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi, who attended the function said he would not condemn the IPOB elements but would rather asked that they be made to channel their energy positively, adding that he is passionate about the unity of the nation. Governor Okorocha reiterated “I can see that the unity of Nigeria is today dramatized in the land of Imo State. I say so because growing up as a child, I never knew where I came from because I found myself somewhere in Plateau State as a little boy and the only language I could speak was the Hausa language and I had no choice because that was where I was brought up. So, I grew up being born an Igbo man, but was reared in the North and was made financially buoyant in the South-West. “So I have declared myself that in no way should I be found as a tribalized Nigerian. I will remain detribalized as long as Igbo gave me parentage and childhood, as long as North reared and nurtured me and for as long as South-West empowered me. My community and my identity is Nigeria” he added.

He further remarked “I want to say that coincidentally all the traditional rulers that have indicated interest in coming for this Iriji festival, for fear of rumours ravaging the whole country, some of them could not make it. It got me worried, and I became a bit disturbed. The question that ravages my mind is that for how long shall we continue with these unwarranted hostilities and speculations and hate speeches which we have gotten from the past generation and we are doing nothing about it in this present generation and intending to transfer it to subsequent generations. That has become my worry and I think this generation of ours owe it to the rest of Nigerians to make this large nation better and united”.

via: vanguardngr