Igbo won’t support secession, we remain united says Okorocha

Gibson Achonu

Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State has said no Igbo person will support any secession or division in the country .

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra , Nnamdi Kanu, according to the governor, should be treated as an individual “because well - meaning Igbo people have condemned IPOB in all ramifications.”

Okorocha, speaking on Saturday at the New Yam festival organised by the State Council of Traditional Rulers headed by Eze Samuel Ohir , in Owerri , said everyone that loved Ndigbo had condemned the activities of IPOB.

He said , “I can see that the unity ofaNigeria is today dramatised in Imo State . I say so because, growing up as a child , I never knew where I came from because I found myself somewhere in Plateau State as a little boy and the only language I could speak was the Hausa language and I had no choice because that was where I was brought up .

“So, I grew up being born an Igbo man, but was raised in the North and was made financially buoyant in the South - West . I will remain detribalised as long as Igbo gave me parentage and childhood; as long as the North nurtured me ; and as long as South -West empowered me . My community and my identity is Nigeria .

“Coincidentally , ( out of ) all the traditional rulers that have indicated interest in coming for the Iriji festival , for fear of rumours making the rounds in the country , some of them could not make it . It got me worried , and I became a bit disturbed.

Speaking further he said, “The question on my mind is , for how long shall we continue with these unwarranted hostilities and speculations and hate speech which we got from the past generation and we are doing nothing about it in this present generation but intend to transfer it to subsequent generations ? That has become my worry and I think this generation owes the rest of Nigerians to make this large nation a better and united place. ”