The apex pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has said political structures and zonal characteristics should not affect the unity of the Igbo as a whole.
The group said this on the sidelines of its planned general meeting scheduled for Port Harcourt, Rivers State, for the celebration of its 2023 World Igbo Day.
In a communiqué obtained on Thursday, Ohanaeze called for the overhauling of the political structures of the Igbo kindred hood, maintaining that the current nature of states and geo-political zones “are merely for administrative convenience and cannot affirm our Igboness.”
The communique was signed on behalf of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo by the Secretary-General, Okechukwu Isiguzoro; Chairman, National Organising Committee, Prof Obasi Igwe; Prof Thomas Ellah of Yale University in the United States; and Prof Elechi Chinda-Wonye of the University of Singapore, among others.
The communique read in part, “The hosting of the 2023 Igbo Day in Port Harcourt, Rivers State is a symbolic act of brotherhood and peaceful co-existence. The theme ‘Do not leave your brother/sister’ says it all.
“Indeed, it is a reunion between Ndigbo from all over the world and their Igbo-speaking kindred in Rivers State. We affirm that political structures, such as states and geo-political zones, are merely for administrative convenience and cannot deter our Igboness.”
Ohanaeze as a group aims to represent the interests of all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria.
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