At Igbo Day, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Decries Decades of Alleged Oppression, Sidelining 

Benjamin Nworie in Abakaliki

The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has expressed dismay that the South-east region had suffered decades of oppression, marginalisation and insecurity in Nigeria.

In a statement by the Secretary General of Ohanaeze, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, on this year’s commemoration of Igbo Day, the body noted that the region had become a crucible of suffering and governance deficiencies in the country.

He alleged that the ongoing marginalisation has not only been an affront to their identity but has also resulted in a profound crisis for citizens, particularly those residing in the Igbo-speaking states and minority communities in Benue, Kogi, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
“As the sacred narrative of our people unfolds, we, the esteemed leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, rise in unity and profound concern to address the grievous plight confronting the Igbo nation on this year’s commemoration of Igbo Day.

“Our collective hearts are heavy with the unspeakable anguish wrought by decades of oppression, socio-political marginalisation, and insecurity that have plagued our homeland since the amalgamation of Nigeria in 1914.

“Our beloved Southeast has become a crucible of suffering, caught in the merciless grip of escalating insecurity and governance deficiencies, which have led to a lamentable deterioration of our cultural values and norms as outlined in the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Constitution”.

“This ongoing marginalization has not only been an affront to our identity but has also resulted in a profound crisis for our citizens, particularly those residing in the Igbo-speaking states and minority communities in Benue, Kogi, Cross River, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Delta, and Rivers States.
“Furthermore, our business communities in the Northern and Western regions of Nigeria are facing unjust challenges that impede their livelihoods.”
Ohanaeze recalled the sacrifices of Igbo forebearers and contemporaries, including the heroic women of the 1929 Aba Women’s War, the victims of the Enugu coal mine incident, and the innocent lives lost during the massacres of September 1966 and the Asaba Massacre in 1968.

The body noted: “The year 2024 Igbo Day will serve not only as a commemoration but also as a sacred moment of prayer and reflection. It is imperative that we uphold our traditional rites and honor the memories of our fallen heroes.”