Ohanaeze Ndigbo has stoutly condemned the destruction of properties owned by Yoruba people particularly in Lagos State.
Ohanaeze also dissociated itself from the vituperations of leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr Nnamdi Kanu, on happenings in Lagos regarding the #EndSARS protests.
The apex socio-cultural and political body of Ndigbo further condemned attempt to trigger inter-tribal war between Igbo and Yoruba, following the ethnic colouration being given the genuine protests by Nigerian youths.
President General of Ohanaeze, Mr Nnia Nwodo, in a statement, decried a statement by a pan-Yoruba Group, Apapo O’odua Koya (AOKOYA) on the ongoing youths protest in Nigeria especially in Lagos as it related to Igbo youths.
Nwodo’s statement read: “We are ready to vehemently resist this in our time knowing the historical affinity of these two great ethnic groups dating back to the days of Nnamdi Azikiwe through to the famous hand shake across the Niger propagated by our iconic leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu- Ojukwu.
“This spontaneous relationship built by our forefathers over the years has been strengthened in the last three years by the political emancipation movement, being propelled by the Southern And Middle Belt leadership Forum (SMBLF) made up of four ethno- political bodies of Ndigbo, in the South East, Afenifere in the South West, PANDEF in the South South and the Middle Belt Forum in the North Central Nigeria.
“Ohanaeze feels based on intelligence available to it that the motive of this disturbing statement is not only to overtake the mileage covered by this group in setting their people free from the hegemonic bondage but to ensure its destruction.
“Ndigbo are focused and unequivocal about what they want in a contemporary Nigeria as already articulated in the terms of engagement of this group which is to restructure Nigeria for a true federal system where Justice and equity will reign.
“We therefore wish to refute any position being ascribed to Ndigbo even if such position is being adduced by an Igbo that is not within the realm of the struggle to free Nigeria as encapsulated in the terms of agreement of this ethnic nationalities.
“Ohanaeze will therefore wish to urge the Yoruba and indeed the rest of Nigeria to disregard any outburst from anybody as coming from Ndigbo that is not as succinctly captured in the terms of agreement of the ethnic nationalities.
“It’s, therefore, against this backdrop that Ohanaeze Ndigbo wishes to vehemently deny the allegation of Igbo youth involvement in Lagos #Endsars protest as part of a grand design to destroy Yoruba economy.
“For the obvious reason of having most of their businesses scattered all over the country particularly in Lagos, knocks out the thinking of an Igbo setting out to destroy another person’s economy. Only a fool living in a glass house uses stone to settle scores.
“Already, as it had always been during every crisis in Nigeria, Igbo businesses are target as happened last Tuesday in Abuja when car depots, belonging to Igbos were set ablaze by hoodlums.
“Ohanaeze believes and empirically too that Ndigbo youths underlying reasons for getting involved in the on-going #EndSARS protests is not anything different from the reasons of other youths in Nigeria which borders on aggravated neglect of Nigeria youths due to poor governance rooted in dubious political structure.
“We, therefore, wish to urge the Yoruba ethnic group to disregard the position being pushed by the AOKOYA because it’s not based on facts and reality on ground.”
Sun