Udenta Call On Other Nigerian Tribes To Desist From Marginalizing Igbo

Udenta made this call while delivering a lecture entitled “Ndigbo and the Current Political Equation in Nigeria: A Parametric Outlook’’ at the 24th Inaugural Lecture at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT).

The professor of Government and Public Administration, Jude Udenta has called on other Nigerian tribes desist from marginalizing the Igbo people.

Nigerian Tribune reports that Professor Udenta lamented that previously, Ndigbo represented a plus factor in Nigerian politics but today “Ndigbo are a minus factor’’; adding that since the return of democracy in 1999 an Igbo-man had not been a president or vice-president of the country.

Udenta was reported to have said the country is unnecessarily demonizing Igbos and that the marginalisation was clearly evident in the making of Ndigbo a minority by giving and creating five states in Igbo-land; while minority tribes were given six states.

Udenta reportedly said that there was an already growing realisation among all especially Ndigbo, that all was not well with Ndigbo in the political equation of the country, stressing that Ndigbo had always provided solutions to problems in the country.

He said: “Ndigbo have always added value and enterprise for which they have been compensated by the market in the name of profit; thus, it is this profit that breeds jealousy by other tribes

“Put the other way round, profit is a function of production/productivity. That is the contribution to the economy. The Igbos, have been pathfinders in most parts of Nigeria. They contribute immeasurably to building every local economy no matter how remote that part of the country is. However, when they reap the legitimate benefits it becomes another matter.”

Meanwhile, the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) has said that Biafra is not from Igboland.

The group said many Nigerians do not have adequate knowledge of the history of Biafra and so do not understand its origin.

The IPOB advised Nigerians to research more on the history of Biafra, the Igbo and many other tribes from the South-East and South-South region.