Hunger Protest: Ohaneze Ndigbo, NLC Caution FG, Urge Dialogue to Avoid Hostility

•Ohaneze bemoans ‘persistent Igbophobia’ by Tinubu’s aide 

•FG’s imputation of political dissent condescending, dismissive – NLC

Chuks Okocha and Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, yesterday, said the current economic hardship in Nigeria was avoidable.

In a statement by its spokesperson, Dr. Chiedozie Ogbonnia, the group also lamented what it described as persistent “Igbophobia” by President Bola Tinubu’s aide, Bayo Onanuga.

Relatedly, as concerns mount over a looming national protest, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) appealed to Tinubu to adopt a peaceful approach to resolve the issues being raised by Nigerians.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo reminded the presidency that the prevailing hardship in Nigeria was blind to ethnicity.

The group added, “Nigerians of all persuasions, North, South, East and West are in pains of diverse forms: excruciating hardships, poverty, Naira downward spiral, incessant kidnappings, banditry, farmers-herdsmen conflict, most terrifying insecurity, joblessness, rising food prices, and cost of living challenges.”

The statement by Ohaneze also said, “Bayo Onanuga’s bizarre dispositions towards anything Igbo” consistently showed him “as unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth, repugnant and inflammable.”

The statement said, “The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a remark by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Chief Bayo Onanuga, to the effect that “the malcontents planning to stage nationwide protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the Labour Party’”.

Ohanaeze said Onanuga also alleged that Obi “should be held responsible for whatever crisis emanates from the protest.”

He also claimed the Obidients were “plotting to unseat President Bola Tinubu under the guise of protests”.

Ohanaeze lamented that several gullible persons had joined Onanuga to state specifically that “the Igbo are the propellers of the forthcoming nationwide protest”.

The statement added, “Ohanaeze views the above remarks by Onanuga as true to type. On March 19, 2023 Onanuga was reported by several news media to have issued a serious warning to the Igbo stating, ‘Let 2023 be the last time of Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027’.

“When many well-meaning Nigerians, including Mr. Festus Keyamo, cautioned Onanuga on the ignoble path he has chosen for himself, he was quoted to have stated: ‘I owe no one apology for ethnic slur against Igbos.’

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo views Onanuga’s bizarre dispositions towards anything Igbo as unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth, repugnant, inflammable, repugnant and full of deep-seated hate.

“It may be necessary to inform Onanuga that Nigerians of all persuasions, North, South, East and West are in pains of diverse forms: excruciating hardships, poverty, Naira downward spiral, incessant kidnappings, banditry, farmers-herdsmen conflict, most terrifying insecurity, joblessness, rising food prices and cost of living challenges. And that the prevailing hardship in Nigeria is blind to ethnicity.

“It is necessary to inform Onanuga that this is a time for the presidency to initiate policies, programmes, activities and a body language that will appeal to or assuage the downtrodden, dispossessed, oppressed, the deprived, including Obidients.

“And to also inform the Onanugas that issuing threats to the masses, the hungry and angry, the vulnerable and, indeed, those who no longer fear any fall is the most inconceivable line of action for any government in a fragile society. In other words, instead of broadening the minds to creative thinking and welfare programmes for the masses, the Onanugas are chasing rat when the house is on fire.

“Ohanaeze Ndigbo seizes this opportunity to reiterate our position with respect to the widely publicised nationwide protest scheduled for the days of August, 2024. On February 20, 2024, the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Engr. Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu (Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo) directed the Igbo not to join in the protest against President Bola Tinubu.

“The Igbo leader explained that ‘Igbo youths and youths from other ethnic groups at various times expressed their dissatisfaction with events in the country. It is clear to us that when youths from other tribes of the country are involved, they are reprimanded and forgiven; but when the Igbo youths are involved, they are arrested, incarcerated and even charged for serious offences. For example, the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu generated a lot of problems for the Igbos’ amongst others.”

NLC cautioned Tinubu to amicably resolve the issues being raised by the citizens. It said all the citizens demanded from the government was a listening ear and an empathetic heart.

A statement signed by NLC President, Joe Ajaero, advised the federal government to invite the leaders of the planned protest for discussions on their grievances.

NLC said, “As the date for the widely reported national protest looms, the Nigeria Labour Congress urges President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to invite the leadership of the protest movement for discussions on their grievances.

NLC stated, “The truth is that millions of Nigerians are angry about the state of the national economy. A situation where most Nigerian families are forced to eat one miserable meal a day and eating from the dustbin is now seen as luxury, beckons serious intervention by government.

“It is the well-considered position of the congress that bellicosity and hostility towards the protesters and other aggrieved Nigerians do not offer any tangible remedy either to the pain endured by the populace or the frustrations of having so little in a country where a few privileged persons are living in obscene luxury, especially at the expense of the majority. These are dire times. Nigerians are angry.

“The times require government to ‘jaw jaw’ and not ‘war war’ with Nigerians. The truth is that you cannot smack a child and at the same time ask the child not to cry. A stitch in time might still save nine!”

NLC said going by the data of the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), which established that about 133 million Nigerians lived below extreme poverty line, there was every reason to believe that Nigerians were presently going through deprivation and acute want.

The labour union also said the International Rescue Committee (IRC) stated that in the first three quarters of 2024, about 32 million Nigerians were exposed to acute hunger.

The union said, “When these statistics are added to the millions that are being recruited into the armies of the unemployed and under-employed Nigerians, one can easily situate the hardship, pain, frustrations and despair that many Nigerians are going through right now. The truth is that Nigerians have been hard pushed and super pressed right against the walls of deep deprivation and acute want.

“It is, therefore, condescending and dismissive to describe the daily brutish ordeal that Nigerians are going through as a sponsored political dissent. Even if it is so, it is still within the confines of citizens’ rights to protest on political grounds. Just that the current unease in the country does not need political motivation to spark and splurge.

“All that the hurting citizens demand from their government is a listening ear and an empathetic heart. Maybe, that is what the organisers of the protest are looking for given their continued notices on different social media platforms.

“It is very difficult to tell a Nigerian who has lost his or her job due to the current economic downturn to maintain their cool. It is very tough to advise a nursing mother who is unsure where the next meal for her suckling child (would come from) to be at ease.

“It is a herculean task to demand patience from a youth who has been out of school for the past six years without a job and is burdened with aged parents to cater for.”

NLC said Nigerians, who were going through very difficult times, must have the right to complain and such rights must be fully respected by government.

It said organised labour had had cause in recent times to protest against the crushing suffering in the land brought about by the harsh economic policies of government, including the astronomical hike in the price of refined petroleum products, the increase in the cost of electricity, which affected most public utilities, including hospital treatment, water, waste disposal and general spike in the cost of living.