Declaration Of War On Igbos: ADAPHAI Urges FG To Initiate Dialogue Without Delay

By Faith Okerinmodun

A Non-governmental organisation, Advocacy for Advancement of Peace and Harmony in Africa Initiative (ADAPHAI) has called on the Federal Government to initiate a robust and comprehensive dialogue amongst different stakeholders and groups in Nigeria, to avert impeding crisis.

This was contained in a statement  issued and signed by the  Executive Director of the Organization, Olaniyi Ajibola, which was made available to  CityMirrorNews in Abuja on Friday.

The organisation, while condemning the October 1 ultimatum giving to the easterners living in the North by some Northern groups maintained that there were  germane issues for consideration in the subsequent clarification made by the groups.

According to the statement, the issue of Referendum raised by the youths should be taken very seriously, and requires urgent action through wide consultations and dialogue amongst different stakeholders and groups.

” As we consistently flay the Arewa  youths on the earlier statement credited to them, in which they reportedly gave all Easterners living in the North an ultimatum of October 1, we want to say categorically clear that the subsequent elucidation of their notion requires urgent attention.

“It should be noted that, the ultimate goal of any nation is sustainable peace, because it is through peaceful co-existence among people that make up an entity that development could be achieved.

” So, peace is practically elusive if some people within a political enclave no longer feel comfortable with the arrangement and composition of their corporate existence.

” While one can not safely conclude that the agitation and demand of IPOB and MASSOB are  true reflection of the wish of majority in the South East, it is instructive that none of the people have come out in the recent time to denounce the group.

“We are all witnesses to how prominent leaders in the region  came out to defend the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu, and demanded for his unconditional release. Of course, the heroic welcome Kanu got from his people and calibre of individuals that have paid courtesy visits to his residence speak volume of seeming unison of purpose, and collective determination.

” We are of the opinion that rather than allowing the agitation for self determination by the Igbo ethnic group to plunge the country into an avoidable civil strife, it is better to hear from them and ascertain the seeming collective resolution of self determination.

” The Federal Government must as a matter of exigency start wide consultations among the people and their leaders, to see if referendum could be necessary and needed as a panacea to the impasse.

“To us, referendum remains the only democratic instrument to measure the position of people on issue that dwells on survival and continuity of a corporate existence.

” Despite the level of development and sophistication of United Kingdom and her people, the Irish were given the opportunity to have clear position on the issue of their continuity with that entity, the same thing could be replicated here in Nigeria, a former British colony for that matter, for the purpose of peace.

” The concept of indivisibility of a nation-state like Nigeria should be predicated on choice, and not coercion, ” the statement reads in part.