As the question of the interest of Igbo in the new dispensation of Nigeria continues to dominate discussion, a prominent Igbo leader, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu has bared his mind on the issue of secession. Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has urged the advocates of the break-up of Nigeria to sheath their sword, saying it will be a calamity for Nigerians and entire Africans if Nigeria disintegrates. He stated this during his investiture as the grand patron of the National Abuja Football Tournament by the Society for Promotion of Sports in Abuja. He said the Igbo are major shareholders in Nigeria and those campaigning for the secession of the Igbo from the country are making a big mistake. “It is a painful thing to me that at this stage of my life, Nigeria is at the point of disintegration and it will be a calamity for Nigerians and Africans if people allow this country to disintegrate. Let us not make mistakes about it. “There are some people who are saying let Igbo go, that is a very big mistake they are making. The Igbo are not going anywhere. If Nigeria is a corporate entity, the Igbo are major shareholders, they have investment everywhere and you can’t just push them away. “Igbo can’t go, that is the truth. Even if others want to go, the Igbo will remain because in terms of investment they are the major shareholders. There is no community in Nigeria where you don’t have Igbo and they do not just live there, they establish their businesses there and contribute to the development of the community. So, the truth about this is that the Igbo believe in the unity of this country more than any other ethnic group and the people coming to express anxiety about the Igbo are selfish,” Iwuanyanwu said.
