Popular on-air personality Rufai Oseni has weighed in on the ongoing conversation surrounding Ohanaeze Ndigbo's renewed demand for an apology from the federal government of Nigeria, along with N10 trillion in compensation to the Igbo people.

The demand from the Igbo apex group follows former military President Gen. Ibrahim Babangida’s statement during the launch of his book, "A Journey in Service," where he clarified that the 1966 coup was not an Igbo-led coup, as had been alleged.

Ohanaeze noted that the coup triggered disastrous consequences for the Igbo people, among other factors, ultimately leading to the horrific events of the Biafra War.

The statement by the Deputy National President of the Ohanaeze faction, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, emphasized that the apology and compensation were necessary due to the staggering loss of life—approximately three million Igbo, primarily innocent women and children—who were slaughtered during the conflict. He added that this tragedy continues to resonate deeply within the collective consciousness of the Igbo people.

Isiguzoro stated that the revelations should compel Nigerians to acknowledge the grave injustices inflicted upon the Igbo. He insisted that President Tinubu must recognize this moment as an opportunity to issue a public and unequivocal apology on behalf of previous military regimes, particularly that of General Yakubu Gowon.

He further asserted that such an apology was long overdue, given the numerous wrongdoings suffered by the Igbo people, which persist decades after the end of the Biafra War.

The demand for N10 trillion in reparations, he stressed, was not arbitrary but a symbolic recognition of the immense losses endured by the Igbo nation.

Reacting to this, Rufai Oseni condemned the marginalization of the Igbo people. He noted that the southeast deserves the same level of investment and infrastructural development as other regions of the country.

He said: "We must stop the marginalization of the Igbo. Infrastructure must be built in the region. We must ensure equitable infrastructure development across all parts of the country. Yes, we now have development commissions across regions, and there are statutory transfers in the budget, but funds must be properly allocated. Federal infrastructure must also be developed in the Southeast. And then, we must put an end to this notion that an Igbo man cannot be president. Who said so?"

"Who said so? Because people seem to forget history. After the Civil War, one of the paths to reconciliation was a deliberate attempt by the two key political parties to have Philip Umeadi as a running mate to Awolowo and Alex Ekwueme, the first Nigerian to earn a PhD in Architecture."

"We must come to the table of reconciliation and have a clear conversation about forging a path to peace. We must put an end to Igbophobia and the hate against the Igbo people. All of us must come together to make unity a reality."



NBA