Nigeria at 65: Ohanaeze warns FG to stop Igbo marginalisation
By Ndukaku Ihe
Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has marked Nigeria’s 65th Independence Anniversary with a warning to the Federal Government to end what it described as the persistent marginalisation and systemic exclusion of Igbo in the Nigerian project.
In a statement signed by its National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Ezechi Chukwu, on Tuesday, the apex Igbo socio-cultural body said Ndigbo have remained industrious, resilient, and central to Nigeria’s economy and culture, yet continue to be treated as outsiders in their own country.
“Sixty-five years after independence, it is obvious that Ndigbo, irrespective of where they live in the country and abroad, remains burdened by systemic exclusion, unaddressed wounds of history, and the shrinking space for political and structural inclusion”, the group declared.
President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Senator Azuta Mbata, said the anniversary should not just be about festivities but about truth and justice.
“Nigeria at 65 should not just be a celebration of age, but a sober reflection on the quality of life of its citizens. For Ohanaeze and the Igbo nation at large, we remain deeply committed to the ideals of unity, love, peace, justice and national development—but not at the cost of our dignity or continued marginalization”, Mbata warned.
Ohanaeze also raised alarm over the destruction of Igbo-owned businesses in Lagos and other parts of Nigeria, describing it as “targeted economic sabotage.”
“This pattern is unacceptable in a country we all call ours. We cannot, on one hand, call for national investment and, on the other, create a hostile and insecure climate for hardworking entrepreneurs who are helping to build the nation from the ground up”, the statement said.
The group renewed its call for the unconditional release of detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, insisting that his continued incarceration was a national disgrace.
“His case is no longer just a legal matter—it is a test of our collective commitment to justice, equity, and national healing”, it noted.
Mbata emphasised that Nigeria cannot survive if it continues to alienate a major ethnic group.
“No nation can endure indefinitely when a section of its population feels alienated or reduced to second-class citizens. Nigeria must rise to a new dawn, where every child—whether born in Aba, Jos, Calabar, Katsina, Enugu or Kano—can aspire to lead, to thrive and to belong”, he said.
Calling for urgent constitutional reforms to empower all federating units, Ohanaeze described restructuring as not just a political necessity but a moral imperative.
The group, however, urged Ndigbo to remain peaceful and law-abiding, assuring them that Ohanaeze would continue to champion the spirit of Igwebuike, the belief that there is strength in unity.
