By Ohanele Casca
The worldwide Igbo Youth Network, the umbrella group of all youths in the Igbo nation has condemned the continuous marginalization and persecution of Ndigbo in all facts of our national life. The body frowned bitterly in a letter they wrote to President Goodluck Jonathan about the recent victimization of worthy Igbo sons like Prof Bath Nnaji and Hon Capt. Emmanuel Iheanacho using state apparatus and criminal element like Tompolo, a knownNigeriaeconomic saboteur.
WIYN questioned why federal government should choose to victimize someone like Nnaji, a man who has done a lot to improve the power sector while the same federal government is selling national power stations to unpatriotic individuals who have diverted and cornered public funds earmarked for the uninterrupted supply of electricity in the country. The body challenged the federal government to ensure that the replacement of Prof Bath Nnaji will be a worthy Igbo son or daughter.
This position was taken while addressing a press conference in Owerri. The World wide President General, Comrade Franklyn Edede also condemned the recent plot by the Executive arm of government at the federal level, using ex-militants to blackmail, malign, harass, intimidate, incarnate and persecute, Capt Emma Iheanacho, a former Honourable Minister of the federal Republic which WIYN described as an affront to the sensitivity of Ndigbo. The body went further to stress that if such rascality by federal government is not checked Igbos may handle the matter in a different dimension.
On 2015, the WIYN disassociated itself from the purported endorsement of President Goodluck Jonathan for 2015 by Chief Arthur Eze and his fellow traducers. Comrade Edede noted that Arthur Eze is on his own while stressing that what Igbo youths expects from the President is for him to deliver good governance and dividends of democracy to the Nigerian citizens. The group also decried the deplorable state of federal roads in the South East which has turned death traps. The WIYN leadership noted what they termed playing politics with second Niger Bridge by the federal government and condemned the hypocrisy of National leaders against Ndigbo especially President Goodluck Jonathan who deceived Ndigbo claiming his name as Azikiwe during campaign only to abandon the name after his victory and has since reneged his promise to carry Ndigbo along instead he has resorted to victimizing them and usurping what would have rightly come to Igbo land.
The Worldwide Igbo youths called on the federal government to press Tompolo and his co-travellers to render unreserved apology to Hon Capt Iheanacho for the assault on his person and reputation and to immediately vacate his business premises.
WIYN also demanded the federal government to declare a state of emergency on all dilapidated federal roads in the South east and institute more federal presence in the zone.
The group also charged the federal government and the national Assembly to create additional state in the zone while commending the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu and the Deputy Speaker federal House of Reps, Emeka Ihedioha for championing the Igbo course, hoping that with their contributions, an additional state will be created from the Southeast.
Reacting the NUJ Chairman, Imo state Mr Innocent Igwe commended the worldwide Igbo Youths for defending Igbo interest in the country. He urged them not to relent or be compromised with financial inducement in the course of their struggle. He promised them that Journalists in Imo are partners in progress and that at all times they are reliable in enlightening, educating and informing the citizens on the happening in the world noting that their concern will be given the publicity it requires.
