It’s insulting to include us in Biafra, Igala tells IPOB

Following renewed agitations for the declaration of sovereign State of Biafra by IPOB and MASSOB as well as the inclusion of Igala Nation in the Biafran map, a group known as the “Igala Social-Cultural Groups” have described the inclusion of Igala people in the dream South-Eastern Nigeria State of Biafra “as not only provocative, but very insulting to the Igala race”.

The group at a press briefing in Lokoja, Kogi State, Wednesday June 14, stressed that Igala Nation was committed to the unity, oneness and indivisibility of Nigeria, hence won’t be pulling out.

Our Kogi State Correspondent reports that Spokesperson of the group, Hon. Barry Idakwo averred that the declaration of Igala Kingdom “as a clan by the Biafra agitators is definitely a product of ignorance of history and mischief”.

“It is therefore unthinkable to annex the Igala kingdom without consulting us. Probably this may be due to the erroneous belief that Igala kingdom is a clan, thus not important to consult the people of the great Igala kingdom, before being annexed as part of the agitation. This is against the spirit of fairness, sovereignty, equity, peaceful cohabitation and democracy to forcefully and falsely claim that a great kingdom as the Igala kingdom, which was never defeated in any war is part of Biafra,” Idakwo explained.

The Igala group admonished Igbos to engage the Nigeria Nation more purposefully for quality governance, rather than agitations for separatist state, just as they enjoined Northern Youths to embrace the oneness of Nigeria.

On the perceived marginalization being adduced by the Igbo groups as reason for the agitations, Idakwo posited that there is minimal federal presence in terms of infrastructure and economic activities in Igala Kingdom, even when their allegiance and commitment to the stability of the federal government is total.

They called on the federal government to urgently continue the construction of Bagana-Guto Bridge to ease access to the Federal Capital Territory, establish a Naval Base at Idah, set up Army Barrack in Olamaboro Local Government Area as well as swear-in the Minister from Kogi State, Prof. Stephen Ikani Ocheni immediately to enable Igala Nation have a sense of belonging in the one Nigeria project.

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