Don Identifies Neglect  as Cause of Agitation for Biafra

By John Shiklam in Kaduna

The Head of Department,  Political Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), Prof. Obasi Igwe, has attributed agitations for Biafra Republic to the neglect of the South-east by the federal government.

In a keynote address during the annual Igbo Day organised by the Kaduna chapter of the Igbo Community Welfare Association (ICWA) at the weekend, he noted that the  agitation for Biafra  will be needless if the federal government  could address  some of the unfavorable  policies against the south-east.

He said what the eastern region needs is opening up of its economic  prosperity through the construction of railway lines through the  Middle Belt and Northeast zones which will enable the youths to engage in legitimate business.

“Open up the east and prosperity and development will explode down to the Middle Belt and North-East and the youths will fly in a united Nigeria even beyond the dream of a Biafra.

“Most youths would find a better occupation other than militancy, kidnapping, cultism, ritual murder and other criminalities” he said.

According to him, “The pressure for a second Niger bridge would be lesser in favour of a second Benue/Makurdi bridge.

“The Igbo pressure on Lagos and the concomitant recurrence of Igbo-Yoruba fractured relations, which are all ports-related, will also abate, while not making the Igbos less grateful for erstwhile Yoruba hospitality… “