By Seun Opejobi The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, on Monday accused President Bola Tinubu’s Special Advise...
By Seun Opejobi
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo,
on Monday accused President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and
Strategy, Bayo Onanuga of having deep-seated hatred for Igbos.
Ohanaeze was reacting to Onanuga’s comments against the 2023
Labour Party, LP, presidential candidate, Peter Obi over the planned nationwide
protest.
Alex Ogbonnia, the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze,
said the Presidency should initiate policies and programmes that assuage the
sufferings of Nigerians including Obidients, and not resort to attacking Obi
over the planned protest.
Parts of a statement released by Ogbonnia on Monday read,
“The attention of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a remark by the
Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Chief Bayo
Onanuga to the effect that “the malcontents planning to stage nationwide
protests are supporters of Peter Obi, the failed presidential candidate of the
Labour Party. And that Obi “should be held responsible for whatever crisis
emanates from the protest.” And that the Obidients are “plotting to unseat
President Bola Tinubu under the guise of protests”.
Several gullible undiscerning persons have joined Onanuga to
state specifically that “the Igbo are the propellers of the forthcoming
nationwide protest”.
“Ohanaeze views the above remarks by Onanuga as true to
type. On March 19, 2023 Onanuga was reported by several news media to have
issued a serious warning to the Igbo stating, “Let 2023 be the last time of
Igbo interference in Lagos politics. Let there be no repeat in 2027.”
When many well-meaning Nigerians including Mr. Festus Keyamo
cautioned Onanuga on the ignoble path he has chosen for himself, he was quoted
to have stated: “I owe no one apology for ethnic slur against Igbos”.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo views Onanuga’s bizarre dispositions
towards anything Igbo as unthoughtful, loathsome, cantankerous, uncouth,
repugnant, inflammable, repugnant and full of deep-seated hate.
“It may be necessary to inform Onanuga that Nigerians of all
persuasions, North, South, East and West are in pains of diverse forms:
excruciating hardships, poverty, Naira downward spiral, incessant kidnappings,
banditry, farmers-herdsmen conflict, most terrifying insecurity, joblessness,
rising food prices and cost of living challenges. And that the prevailing
hardship in Nigeria is blind to ethnicity.
“It is necessary to inform Onanuga that this is a time for
the Presidency to initiate policies, programmes, activities and a body language
that will appeal to or assuage the downtrodden, dispossessed, oppressed, the
deprived, including Obidients.
“And to also inform the Onanugas that issuing threats to
masses, the hungry and angry, the vulnerable and indeed those who no longer
fear any fall is the most inconceivable line of action for any government in a
fragile society.
“In other words, instead of broadening the minds to creative
thinking and welfare programs for the masses, the Onanugas are chasing rat when
the house is on fire.”
No comments