Ohanaeze Ndigbo’s President-General, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has requested that President Bola Tinubu concentrate on drafting a true federal constitution and restructuring Nigeria. This is because the peace committee that Ndigbo established was meant to dispel misconceptions and stop the alleged unfair treatment of Igbo people by other Nigerian tribes.
In an interview with Arise Television on Wednesday, Iwuanyanwu, who made this request, stated, “That particular government had a constitution, a true federal constitution, before independence.” A constitution that might truly apply and bring, without a lot of strain, to a people who have various background like Nigeria. In 1960 and 1963, we had a legitimate federal constitution, and it served our purposes.
“Later on, they changed to military constitution which is not right. Now, that is why we in Igbo land, we are saying, please, let us have a true federal constitution. What we are operating today is a unitary government. It doesn’t work with a people who have diverse backgrounds.
“I believe that the government of Bola Ahmed Tinubu should take steps to see if we can actualise this restructuring of Nigeria. Without a proper restructuring, Nigeria will continue to have problem, there is no way this country can survive. Today, everybody is talking about presidency. In a restructured Nigeria, the presidency will not attract so much attention as it does today,” he said.
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Speaking about supposed hostility towards Igbos, Iwuanyanwu claimed that Igbos had been treated unfairly ever since the last presidential elections.
“Igbo buildings were being demolished in various places with excuses,” he stated abruptly following the elections. After looking into the demolitions in Lagos, for instance, it is evident to me that some of them did not adhere to the legal procedures of any civilised society.
“We are going to produce our own story about the events in Nigeria from 1966,” he added in reference to the peace committee that was established in order to end the prejudice that exists between the Ndigbo and other Nigerians. To preserve the history of the Igbo people, we plan to publish a book in Nigeria for future generations.
“Because today, a young Northerner, for example, will think Igbos hate Northerners by killing two great leaders from the North, it’s not true. But when we put our story, it will be clear.”
Iwuanyanwu claims that in order to mediate any issues that may arise between the Igbos and other ethnic groups in Nigeria, the committee is also scheduled to speak with the leaders of other ethnic groups to learn about their concerns and disagreements with Ndigbo.
