Jude Chinedu, Enugu
Following the appointment of a Nigerian of Igbo extraction, Mr Kelechi Madu, as a Minister of Justice and Solicitor General in Canada, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on the federal government to end the continued marginalization of Igbo in Nigeria.
The President General of the Igbo group, Chief Nnia Nwodo, who made this call in a congratulatory message to Mr Madu on Friday said that Nigeria will witness turn around in her fortunes if it taps into the cerebral capacity and ingenuity of the Igbo by allowing a president of Igbo extraction in 2023.
In the congratulatory message which was delivered through his media aide, Chief Emeka Attama, Nwodo extolled the sterling qualities of Mr Kaycee Madu as well as other Igbo sons and daughters who have excelled so much outside the country such as the recently appointed first black Vice Chancellor of Leeds Trinity University in the UK, Professor Charles Egbu.
He said, “Ohanaeze Ndigbo is highly honored by the exploits of Kaycee Madu in far away Canada as an Igbo son. Mr Madu had contested and won a seat into the Legislative Assembly of Alberta, representing the electoral district of Edmonton-South West from where he was appointed and sworn in as Minister of Justice and Solicitor General by the Premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney on April 30, 2020.
“The Federal Government should stop marginalising and victimising the Igbo in the country so that the latent creative potentials could be harnessed for the good of all. Nigeria would witness a turn around in her fortunes if a president of Igbo extraction was allowed to emerge in 2023”.
Nwodo revealed that Mr Madu is a member of Igbo Cultural Association in Canada which he said is an attribute of Igbo integration and called on other Igbo sons and daughters to emulate the Minister in joining Igbo groups within and outside the country.