…Says Awolowo’s 20 Pounds Spurred Igbos To Economic Prosperity
By Ikenna Orioha
A group that speaks for the goodness of Igbo people, Igbo National Union World-wide (INU-W), has frowned at the continued deliberate demolition and destruction of properties and businesses of Igbo people in Lagos by the Lagos State Government.
The group regretted that the dubiousness and hatred of the Igbo by other ethnicity in Nigeria had gotten out of control, believing that the tribe would equally survive the atrocities against them, just as they pulled through the treachery and harsh economic policy against them by Obafemi Awolowo who it said did not succeed to weaken them with the meagre 20 Pounds few weeks after the territorial war of self determination.
Hence, the group seeks the quick intervention of President Ahmed Bola Tinubu who it urged to compel the Lagos State Governor, Babatunde Sanwo-Olu, to stop the lopsided and wanton demolition and destruction of businesses and properties belonging to Igbo people, who it said have over the years been targeted for destruction.
While making the call in a statement signed and made available to the media on Sunday through its Admin Secretary, Mazi Austin-Mary Ndukwu, Igbo National Union World-wide gave Sanwo-Olu and other Yoruba elites who support the destruction of the Igbo race to redress their destructive steps on the Igbos or INU-W would take critical action to their wantonness.
The group regretted that Igbos have been singled out for destruction in Yoruba land and cautioned that such a dastardly act cannot be condoned further, warning the Lagos State Government to stop antagonizing the Igbo who it said contribute greatly to the development of the state.
Thus, INU-W encouraged Igbos in Lagos to bear the wantonness of the Yoruba tribe because they would overcome – having survived the Obafemi Awolowo’s treachery of 20 Pounds economic shutdown that even spurred their economic success and prosperity.
“It is now very glaring that the Lagos State Government and the larger Yoruba Nation are fully out albeit, under state laws and proclamations, to make life unbearable and difficult for our people domiciled in Lagos State. Obviously, there seems to be a dangerous script being churned out to quarantine our people’s businesses and properties with a view to sending them back to Igbo land empty handed.
“To make matters worse, is the conspiracy of silence by both the federal government and Yoruba elites in condemning the actions of Lagos State Government under Governor Babatunde Sanwo-Olu to stop the lopsided and wanton demolition/destruction of businesses and properties that are mainly targeted against Ndigbo, suggesting of ethnic profiling.
“INU-W is urging President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to compel the Lagos State Governor and his Yoruba kinsmen for a change of attitude and rectify the already dangerous trend against Ndigbo before it snowballs into a total breakdown of law and order.
“INU-W is using this turbulent turn of events taking place in Lagos to tell other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria, especially the Yoruba, that no single tribe has the monopoly of violence and destruction. Let nobody push us to the wall. Yoruba nation must know that Ndigbo are staunch stakeholders in the structural and economic development of Lagos State.
“Ndigbo can never be afraid or ever regret leaving Lagos if the hatred and wickedness become intense, but not without consequences for the Yoruba nation. If Ndigbo can survive the treachery of Obafemi Awolowo’s 20 Pounds economic shutdown and starvation as a weapon of war amidst total blockade enunciated by him during our efforts to exit Nigeria, we will also cross this new Red Sea being orchestrated by the Lagos State Government.
“Therefore, we are handing a 30-day olive branch to the Lagos State Government to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the traumatized traders, while asking the federal government to tell Governor Sanwo-Olu to do the needful and avert ugly scenarios that could emanate from the compromised demolitions.
“If after the 30 days, the status quo remains unchanged, the Igbo National Union World-wide will come up with a resounding and positive response to the unwarranted hatred and wickedness against our people in Lagos State in particular and the Yoruba nation at large”, Ndukwu stated.
