From David Onwuchekwa, Nnewi
Former president general of Ohaneze Ndigbo and chairman of Anambra Elders Council, Dr. Dozie Ikedife has called for peaceful separation of Nigeria to allow any tribe that needs to be on its own to do so.
Dr. Ikedife who spoke on the state of Nigeria, yesterday in Nnewi, Anambra State noted that since in the contemporary Nigeria the components have not learnt to live together peacefully, the option left “is to dissolve the incompatible entities called Nigeria.
“We continue to emphasise and play up differences and hatred among various ethnic nationalities. We continue to promote discrimination, separation and segregation by drawing circles of exclusions, deprivation and neglect. In many forms, you may need to fill for one thing or the other, you are asked your tribe, state, local government area of origin and religion. These are facts used to include and exclude,” Dr Ikedife noted.
The octogenarian said marriages that were incompatible and not working should be dissolved, asking whether the marriage of various ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria was still working.
He was of the view that desiring components of Nigeria could go their separate ways peacefully and remain friends “rather than killing ourselves to stay together.
“Let us wisely, quickly get on with allowing self-determination for any ethnic nationality who so wishes, through peaceful legal implementation of the domesticated United Nations and African Union enactments that prescribe self-determination for ethnic nationalities. This is supported by the United Nations declaration on the rights of indigenous people 2007, African Union Charter on Human and Peoples Rights Articles 19 to 22 and Act Cap 10 Laws of Federation of Nigeria 1990 and Article 20(1)(2),” he cited.
He said those that wished to team together should do so, adding that a dialogue and legal process should begin for the separation of the country so as to stop the killings and hatred currently going on in some parts of the nation.