The apex pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said political structures, such as states and geo-political zones, are merely for administrative convenience and should not deter the unity of Igbo as a whole.
In a communiqué obtained on Thursday, Ohanaeze called for the overhauling of the political structures of the Igbo kindred hood, maintaining that the current nature of states and geo-political zones “are merely for administrative convenience and cannot affirm our Igboness.”
The group said this on the sidelines of its planned general meeting scheduled for Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the celebration of its 2023 World Igbo Day.
The communique was signed on behalf of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro; Chairman, National Organising Committee, Prof Obasi Igwe; Prof Thomas Ellah of Yale University in the United States; and Prof Elechi Chinda-Wonye of the University of Singapore, among others.
The communique read in part, “The hosting of the 2023 Igbo Day in Port Harcourt, Rivers State is a symbolic act of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence. The theme ‘Do not leave your brother/sister’ says it all.
“Indeed, it is a reunion between Ndigbo from all over the world and their Igbo-speaking kindred in Rivers State. We affirm that political structures, such as states and geo-political zones, are merely for administrative convenience and cannot deter our Igboness.”
Ohanaeze as a group aims to represent the interests of all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria.