Babatunde Solanke
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, has cautioned the organisers of the planned nationwide protest to perish the idea of staging any form of protest in Igbo land.
The planned protest,billed to take place from August 1-10, is against the current hardship in the country.
In a statement made available to journalists on Wednesday, the National President of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council Worldwide, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, said the youths were in tandem with the decision of the South-East Governors’ Forum.
Okwu,who said they opposed a similar protest in the past, declared that nothing had changed from their stand.
He said, “We affirm our earlier position that we are solidly behind the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
“In as much as we admit that there are challenges facing the country, we don’t believe that protest is the way forward.
“Rather, we should all keep faith with the government as it makes conscious efforts to restore the fortunes of the country.
“Without mincing words, we restate that the entire Igbo youths have confidence in President Tinubu’s government and would not do anything to jeopardise its efforts.
“In most cases, it only gets better after it has gotten worse, and that is the current situation in the country.
“Anyone looking for Igbo youths to be used as sacrificial lambs should check elsewhere; never again shall we allow ourselves to be victims of such a nationwide action.”
Okwu advised Igbo youths across the country and in the Diaspora “to stay away from trouble and avoid anything that would lead to the destruction of their homes and businesses.”
He added that “our utmost concern now is that the Federal Government should free Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and grant the South-East additional State to be at par with the other regions.
“It should also correct all imbalances on appointments in reflection of the Federal Character Principle.”
