Igbo Leaders Urged To Encourage Farming To Curtail Nation’s Food Crisis

Governors of South-East states and other public office-holders in the region should revolutionise agriculture in the zone as a measure to tackle Nigeria’s current food crisis.

This was part of the resolutions of an emergency meeting of the South-East leaders and stakeholders held at the Old Government Lodge, Enugu, Thursday. The meeting was chaired by the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu.

The meeting commended Chief Iwuanyanwu for declaring that no Igbo group or community in Nigeria or in the diaspora should join in a planned protest against the government of Nigeria, adding that “Ndigbo have been at the receiving end in the affairs of the country and that all the entreaties to the various authorities for equity and justice towards the Igbo have fallen on deaf ears.”

A communique issued at the end of the meeting, signed by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Dr Alex Ogbonnia, stated that the meeting called on Igbo governors, council chairmen, traditional rulers and town union presidents to take advantage of the upcoming farming season to catalyze massive agricultural production for sustainable food security in the region. It also urged the leaders to step up the security networks in their various jurisdictions.

According to the communique, “South East is the only geopolitical zone that has only five states; and 95 local government areas while one other geopolitical zone has 188 local government areas. The above lingering injustice has cost the Igbo billions of financial losses.

“It has also cost us losses in both political patronages and legislative representations. This anomaly attracted the concerns of the members of the 2005 and 2014 political conferences but up till today, nothing has been done; among others.”

The forum agreed that the sit-at-home in the South East was a result of the incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, noting that the order caused the Igbo and indeed most Nigerians unquantifiable losses in lives and property.

It regretted that all the appeals to the federal government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had been rebuffed as an Igbo problem, adding that, “Since there has remained an orchestrated conspiracy to alienate the Igbo from the affairs of the country, it will be foolhardy for the Igbo youths to present themselves as cannon fodders at this critical juncture in our political history.”

The meeting also reviewed the level of unemployment, poverty, hardships, especially the rising cost of goods and services in Nigeria, the rate of depreciation of Nigerian currency and the excruciating effect on the masses, and reminded Ndigbo that they should quickly readjust themselves to the reality of the times and that “the Igbo have passed through the worst of conditions in the past”.

It urged Ndigbo to “invoke their indomitable spirit of brotherliness, hard work, ingenuity, wisdom and resilience to turn adversities into diverse opportunities.”