Ben Ezechime, Enugu
Mr Frank Nweke, Governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), has said that the Monday sit-at-home being observed in the South-East is inimical and counterproductive to the growth of region’s economy.
He said this in a lecture he delivered at the Faculty of Arts University of Nigeria Nsukka with the title, “Reclaiming Our Identity.”
In the lecture, Nweke shared his perspective on how the Igbos of South-East Nigeria can reclaim their identity.
He stated that while the agitation for secession could be traced to logical reasons, the methods deployed by the majority of the separatist groups were counterproductive.
The APGA governorship candidate recalled the devastating effects of the civil war and highlighted the loss incurred by the people of the region for everyday that sit-at-home order was implemented.
He appealed to individuals and groups demanding secession to consider the effect of their continued agitations on the people they desired.
“The effects of your agitation today are not felt by those who govern us, instead, the poor are getting poorer, being battered by a government that ignores them and a non-state actor that keeps schools, hospitals, and institutions closed.
“The South-East bleeds profusely every Monday, the local businesses, schools, hospitals, and institutions are closed.
“We lose an average of N75.711 billion every day that a sit-at-home order is observed.” Nweke said.
Nweke urged agitators to pay attention to instituting a leadership structure that would be trusted and held accountable to deliver the dividends of democracy to the region.
“What is the quality of leadership that will take over should a referendum be granted, and a new entity become a reality?
“I implore you to reconsider the motives and the strength of your pursuit. I speak to you as one that is unhappy with the current system and wants to see a change.
“We can sit down and re-evaluate our methods, our goals, and our values,” he said.
The Lecture, which was the first in the series for the Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka, in 2023, had in attendance over 3,000 students, the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Okpoko, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Obi Ani, among others.
