The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Wing, has articulated why Igbo youths will abstain from the nationwide protests scheduled from August 1 to 10, 2024.
According to The PUNCH, during a press briefing in Enugu following the Emergency Convention of Igbo Youth Leaders and Stakeholders 2024, themed ‘State of the Nation’, Ohanaeze emphasized the South East’s pressing reasons for potential protest, including severe economic hardship, extensive youth unemployment, and inadequate representation in governance.
The acting National President, Chukwuma Okpalaezeukwu, conveyed that Ohanaeze youths support their elders’ decision to avoid the protests and instead pursue constructive dialogue with the government to address their specific challenges.
After consulting with youths throughout the region, the group decided to engage with the Federal Government and South East governors through dialogue to tackle the region’s unique issues and seek enduring solutions.
This strategy aims to foster collaboration rather than confrontation, striving for more effective and lasting outcomes for the youth in the region.
Okpalaezeukwu noted that while protesting against hunger is constitutionally valid and justified by the country’s current state, there is a concern that such protests could lead to the loss of lives and property for Igbo citizens, similar to the Endsars protest in 2020.
He stated, “We need one more state to balance the South East with other zones. We have many of our young people, including Nnamdi Kanu, who are held across different detention centers unjustly.”
He also expressed concerns about the potential destruction of Igbo investments nationwide, saying, “But we don’t want a repeat of the destruction of our investments across the country because we will become the targets anywhere the protest holds.”
Instead, the group will engage in constructive dialogue to ensure their voices are heard and that equity, fairness, and a sense of belonging are secured moving forward.
Okpalaezeukwu lamented the threat to Igbo businessmen and their enterprises in cities like Abuja and Lagos, stating, “Igbo businessmen and their businesses both in Abuja, Lagos, and other major cities are being threatened. We don’t want the killing and destruction of our people’s property across the country.”
He called for the appointment of Igbo youths to political positions to ensure their inclusion in governance, concluding, “We hope that since the government has ended the civil war in the South East, with continued constructive dialogue all the things that are agitating the South Easterners would be addressed.”
