Politicians, traditional rulers and other stakeholders from the South South, South West, Middle Belt and South East, yesterday, urged the Federal Government to declare Miyetti Allah a terrorist organisation.
From left, Chief Joseph Odumuku, Coordinator, Nzuko Umunna; Dr Olusegun Mimiko, former governor of Ondo State; Chief John Nnia Nwodo, President Ohanaeze Ndigbo; Mr Alban Ofili -Okonkwo, Guest Speaker; Chief Ifeanyi Uba, LOC Chairman and Chief Ikedi Ohakim, former governor of Imo State, at the HandShake Across The Niger Summit held at Base Centre, Enugu.
They also called for the restructuring of the country along regional lines to ensure growth and development of the country, and accused President Muhammadu Buhari of spearheading the anti-restructuring posture.
This came on a day the 73 persons killed by Fulani herdsmen in Benue State on New Year day were buried in Makurdi, with elder statesman, Paul Unongo declaring that the people of the state would raise a million-man army to defend themselves, if the federal government failed to defend the people from marauding herdsmen.
This is even as Governor Simeon Lalong of Plateau State, said yesterday that if the Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State had heeded his advice not to enact the anti-open grazing law, the recent genocide carried out in five communities in the state by suspected herdsmen would not have occurred.
The leaders warned that if the country was not restructured before the 2019 general elections, Nigeria might be heading for disintegration.
They spoke at a ceremony marking beginning of the relationship among the Yoruba, Igbo and the Middle Belt in the country.
“We hereby ask the Federal Government to proscribe Miyetti Allah and declare the group and members terrorists. Anything outside restructuring is insincerity,” the leaders said.
They also observed a minute silence for General Aguiyi Ironsi, Col Francis Fajuyi and the 73 persons, including two Igbo men, who were killed by Fulani herdsmen in Benue.
The theme of the meeting was “Handshake Across The Niger: A celebration of Igbo/ Yoruba Friendship Beyond Brotherhood; An Nzuko Umunna Initiative.”
The roll call Among those who spoke on the occasion were Governor Ayo Fayose of Ekiti State; President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Nnia Nwodo; Yoruba leaders such as Chiefs Olu Falae, Ayo Adebanjo and Prof Banji Akintoye; former governors of Plateau and Ondo states, Jonah Jang and Dr Olusegun Mimiko respectively as well as the Deputy Senate President, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, who was represented by Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe. Others in attendance included former Minister of Aviation, Chief Femi Fani-Kayode; former governor of Anambra State, Dr Chukwuemeka Ezeife; Admiral Ndubisi Kanu (retd), Chief Sonibare, Sen Kofo Bucknor-Akerele, Fola Doherty, Chief Kentebe, Amb Eddie Onuoha, Chief D. Douglas, representative of Ooni of Ife, Oba Adedapo; former Secretary of defunct OMPADEC, Albert Nnamani; representative of Niger Delta leader, Edwin Clark- former Military Governor Ewang; Deputy Governor of Imo State, Chief Eze Madumere, representing Gov. Rochas Okorocha; Vice Chancellor of the Godfrey Okoye University, Enugu, Rev Fr Prof Anieke; Ohanaeze Chairman in Enugu State, Chief Alex Ogbonna; Sen Mao Ohuabunwa, former Deputy Governor of Ebonyi State, Prof Chigozie Ogbu; Sen Chris Anyanwu, Jimi Akintoye, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah and ace Musician, Onyeka Onwenu, who sang her popular – ‘One Love’ track which the dignitaries danced to.
Prof Banji Akintoye said late Chief Obafemi Awolowo told him to work for Yoruba/ Igbo unity in 1984, shortly after he was released from detention.
The leaders accused President Buhari of allegedly turning a blind eye to the killing and maiming of Nigerians in Benue, Plateau, Kwara, and Kaduna states as well as other parts of the country, while unarmed members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, were allegedly killed by soldiers for organising peaceful demonstrations.
Chief Fani- Kayode, who represented both Governor Fayose and Gani Adams said President Buhari would not restructure the country unless he was pushed to do so, and urged Nigerians not to always expect that they would do things that were politically correct if they wished to achieve their aim.
“In this country, we have those regarded as slaves and the vassals. The sufferings of the people of the South East is something we should all be ashamed of in this country.
‘’The Igbo lost over one million children during the civil war. They killed 300 military officers of Igbo extraction in one night and killed Aguiyi Ironsi and Col Francis Fajuiyi same day.
“They killed over 100,000 pregnant Igbo women. They killed Chief M.K.O Abiola for insisting on his mandate…,” he said.
Jonah Jang said the 1999 Constitution now in use in the country was written by the military and called for a new people’s constitution for Nigerians.
Highlights of the occasion included joint photographs by Yoruba and Igbo leaders, with both the General Aguiyi Ironsi and Col Francis Fajuyi families to cement the friendships of Igbo/ Yoruba and the Middle Belt.
However, Pro-Biafra members made up of mostly elderly women, cautioned against the demand for restructuring, saying they wanted a separate country, having been tired of Nigeria’s wobbles and injustices. Their voices rented the venue, overshadowing that of Ohaenaze Ndigbo’s president, Chief Nnia Nwodo , who was making his remarks.
Chairman of the Local Organising Committee, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, had a hectic time calming the agitators but announced that the pro-Biafra members would be given time to express their anger against last year’s Operation Python Dance.
The Communique The full text of the communique signed by President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chuief Nnia Nwodo, and Chief Ayo Adebanjo for Yoruba socio-cultural and political organisation, Afenifere, read: ‘’After today’s (yesterday) meeting of all strata of persons of Igbo and Yoruba origins in Enugu, the erstwhile capital of Eastern Nigeria,
the conferees, comprising leaders of the South West (SW), South East (SE), the South South (SS) the Middle Belt (MB) made several observations and resolved as follows:
‘’Noted the immense strength of Igbo-Yoruba close affinities of kinship and brotherhood, shared origins and cultural/ethical values, a common world view and inherent love of freedom and justice;
“Noted that the Hand Shake Across the Niger (HSAN), anchored on the heroism of Major General J.T.U. Aguiyi Ironsi and Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, though long overdue, has finally burst the myth of Igbo-Yoruba irreconcilable differences and spiteful rivalry, thus, providing new impetus for resurgence of the same bold, patriotic and nationalist solidarity of the two ethnic groups from the 1930s to the 1950s that earned independence for Nigeria in 1960;
‘’Noted that in a long history of close relations and association, the Igbo and Yoruba have no recorded instances of violence against each other’s ethnic group, such as inter-ethnic mass killings and destruction and/or seizure of property; that instead, they have lived, worked and prospered together, accommodating and respecting their differences;
‘’Expressed awareness that grievances generated by past errors on both sides can no longer justify or sustain dissension between the two groups whose solidarity and mutual collaboration have the capacity to dramatically change the fortunes of Nigeria, thereby also, changing the fates of the African continent and the black race;
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