By Mohammed Ismail and Aisha Saad
The Igbo community in Adamawa state have disassociated itself from strident calls by the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) calling for Igbo’s to secede from the Nigerian state.
The position was made by the paramount ruler of Igbo people in Adamawa Chief Okechukwu Ebis, in an interview with newsmen in Yola.
Ebis described the call as unpatriotic, by selfish individuals who wanted to truncate the lasting legacies bequeathed by Nigeria’s founding fathers noting that the vision of the founding fathers was for an indivisible country to prevail.
He called on the proponents of the secession to desist from their negative tendencies for the country to move forward.
“What we have is Nigeria and Nigeria is one and will remain one. Wherever you go, you will see people creating confusion, those who are canvassing for Biafra, if I may ask; what is Biafra?
“What we know is Nigeria so we are not party to any call for self-determination, it’s not in the best interest of the Igbo and we advise those singing such songs to desist.
“It was the desire of our founding fathers to establish one indivisible Nigeria and not Biafra.
“Everybody who is not comfortable should live Nigeria because what we know is one Nigeria.’’
Ebis lauded Gov. Jibrilla Bindow of Adamawa for giving a slot of a Special Adviser to the Igbo community noting that the gesture will be well reciprocated.
He noted that the commitment of the governor to carry everyone alone irrespective of tribal or religious sentiments is a elixir that will see the state growing from strength to strength just as he noted that the gesture has also justified the fact that the Igbo’s are recognized as part and parcel of the state.
The Eze gave an assurance that the Igbo people in the state would continue to contribute to the development of the state, saying `we are not left out in the activities of governance’.
“Right now we are putting our heads together to get someone for him. We are very happy and we can say it is a beginning of more good things to come’.
“This is kind of governor that people had sought for, the one who can consider everybody; we Igbo people will continue to support him absolutely.
“And when we get the appointment, we will have a lot of things to advice him can help move the state forward and to us this gift is very special to us.”
The chief noted that the present administration has touched the lives of residents in unprecedented ways as through its developmental trajectory which was unparalleled in the annals of the state’s political history.
He called on the people of the state to support the governor to change the face of the state.
“This admin is very nice and has started doing good things. If you go to the town now, you will see massive road constructions from all parts of the state capital.
“Before now, you will not witness this kind of development. We have a working governor; a kind of governor that people want that wants to change the state and one that we can rule the state together.
“My advice is that let them allow him freehand to work and they can see that this state can be transform within a short possible time.
“This state belongs to all of us and therefore, is our own. We have Igbo indigenes so it is all our concern that the state should move forward.” Ebis said.
http://www.adamawadailyreports.com/2015/10/news-igbos-in-adamawa-dismisses-massobs.html