The national youth chairman of the All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA, Mr. Eze-Onyebuchi Chukwu, has urged president Tinubu to caution “self acclaimed prophet, Primate Ayodele” over his alleged statement attributing the problems in Nigeria to Igbos.
According to Chukwu who is also APGA’s Candidate for AMAC Chairman in the Forthcoming FCT Council election, the prophet’s statement was reckless, inflammatory and capable of igniting unnecessary tension in the country.
Ayodele had, according to Chukwu’s statement on Tuesday, stated that “the igbos are the problem of Nigeria” a statement which the chairman described as irresponsible, divisive, hateful, and completely unacceptable.
Chukwu said; “As a National Youth Leader committed to national unity, peace, and justice, I condemn this statement in the strongest possible terms. Such a sweeping, hateful narrative has no place in a multicultural nation and no place in the mouth of a supposed religious leader whose duty should be to promote peace, truth, and coexistence.
“It is therefore dangerous, ignorant, and utterly irresponsible to label an entire Igbo tribe, over 45 million people as the “problem of Nigeria.” This unfortunate comment if not tackled can promote ethnic profiling, further stoke hate, bitterness, and division.”
He stressed that “no single tribe is the problem of Nigeria. Our problem is not tribe or religion but inability of people of all tribes and religion to do the right thing. The so called Primate cannot deny that he doesn’t know that the problem of Nigeria is leadership, Corruption, inflammatory Statements like this his unfortunate one and injustice. Every tribe has good and bad people. Every tribe has patriots and criminals. Human nature is not tribal. No ethnic group can be blamed for the failures of leadership which is our problem.”
He added; “The Igbo people have contributed immensely to the growth and stability of this nation through: Commerce and enterprise, Education and innovation, Public service and national development, Investments in every part of Nigeria, Deep belief in nation-building. A typical Igbo person thrives on hard work, not hate. On enterprise, not ethnic bitterness. On progress, not division.”
To that note, the chairman demanded that the primate should:
“1. Immediately withdraw the hateful statement
“2. Tender an unreserved public apology to the Igbos.
“3. Refrain from making further divisive comments capable of destabilizing Nigeria.”
He stated further; “We are also calling on the president of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to:
1. Publicly caution the primate.
2. Investigate these irresponsible remarks.
3. Proscribe the organisation or church if found to be inciting ethnic hatred, as no religious body should use its platform to threaten national peace. The government should not allow any religious institution to become a breeding ground for hate and ethnic profiling. What we need now is nation-building and not nation-breaking rhetoric.”
He warned the primate and any other person planning to inflame ethnic hatred that Nigerians will not fall for such as they have all grown wiser.
His words; “Finally, we are warning the primate and any other individual or group trying to inflame ethnic hatred that, Nigerians are wiser.
Nigerians are tired of tribal propaganda. Nigerians will reject anyone who seeks relevance by attacking innocent tribes. Any further attempt to insult or demonize the Igbo people will be met with appropriate response, and moral resistance.
“Our country’s diversity must be respected and not weaken the union with malicious statements like this one.”
