Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, HRM Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi
AJOKE PHILIP
The Paramount Ruler of Iwoland, HRM Oba Abdulrosheed Akanbi, yesterday, said that the failure of the South-Easterners to change their approach to socio-economic development of Nigeria will amount to chasing shadow on their political journey of producing Nigeria’s President.
Akanbi, who called for rethink by the South Easterners approach to socio economic development of Nigeria to shape their political destiny, said no Nigerians will feel secure in the hands of a leader(president) whose ethnic attachment deprive other Nigerians from owing their land.
Oluwo, in a statement released by his press secretary, Alli Ibraheem, and a copy made available to BUSINESSINSIDERNG, however, highlighted civil war wounds meted on south Easterners as a weak factor to institutionalize policies capable of tearing the nation apart.
Though, he acknowledged the damage done to Igbos by civil war, but enjoined the south easterners to rescind on their in house style of barring people from other zones from owning their land.
Oluwo said the policy is not only detrimental to their political strength but also of deficit to the economic unity of Nigeria.
Describing the cultural diversity of Nigeria as strength, Oba Akanbi said such scheme should not be traded on sectional interest, urging Igbo leaders to institutionalize strategy capable of healing the mental wound of civil war.
He equally criticised the sit at home order of the south easterners, saying such self inflicted punishment is not only inimical to their survival but also to the growth of the nation.
He noted a Nigerian in Nigeria should be able to own land anywhere saying, “I’ve people from across Nigeria in Iwo including the South Easterners. They did not only have their businesses but also build their houses and own farm lands. Such is not only peculiar to Iwo but to other parts of the country except the south east. A Nigerian in Nigeria should be able to own land anywhere”
“The in house style by south easterners is barbaric. They go out their zone to establish businesses and even settled their family but refused to allow people within our country to have similar access to their land. Such is not only detrimental to their economic viability but also to their political recognition. As a traditional ruler, I can’t trust an south easterners as my president”
“You can’t be a leader on sectional interest. With such unsophisticated, primitive and uncivilized thinking, no Nigerians from other zones who vote you as their president”
“The south easterners did not stopped at that. They went far as effecting a stay at home order in respect of Biafra and agitation for Biafra nation. They kept themselves inside, refused to go to work and engage in businesses. Please, will miracle feed them? That was a self inflicted punishment in the 21st century”
“The easterners contribute immensely to promoting the economic growth of other zones but promote ethnic biase. They should continue hurting themselves while others grow. Since business men from other zones are not permitted to owning land to erect their companies. May be they should continue be in isolation”
“They should observe themselves. They are not even trusted by most Nigerians from other zones. For how long will they endure this? Oluwo queried
It could be recalled that Oluwo has earlier charged the federal government to call a unification conference to address the marginalized section of the country with a view of strengthen our togetherness.