The youth wing of the apex Igbo socio- cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo is currently on war path with the parent body of the group over the recent visit to President Goodluck Jonathan at the presidential villa, Abuja.
The youth wing are said to be disgusted over the non-inclusion of youths and other Igbo interest groups on the delegation that met with Jonathan recently, insisting that the situation does not speak well of the organization.
247ureports.com gathered that on learning about the visit to Jonathan, members of Ohanaeze youth wing were said to have approached ranking members of the parent organization like the Secretary -General, Dr. Joe Nworgu for them to be allowed to have a representative on the delegation.
Nwaorgu who was alleged to be angered by the effrontery of the youths to demand for a representative on the delegation to Aso Rock pointedly told them to wait patiently for their turn or kill all the elders of the organization and assume their position if that will satisfy them.
247ureports.com further gathered that the youths are spoiling for war as they insist that the present Ohanaeze Ndigbo leadership will no longer have their way as they must consult relevant interest groups in any matter of Igbo interest.
According to a leader of the youth wing, “Our elders hardly think of the future and this is why the Igbos has not made much progress in the politics of Nigeria. How can Ohanaeze Ndigbo prepare a list of delegates to meet with the president without a single youth? What does this tell you? We met with the secretary General, Dr. Joe Nwaorgu to make the issue known to him, but he told us to wait for our turn or kill all the elders if that will satisfy us. We are not happy the way our elders are going.
“This kind of meeting between the president and Igbo leaders should have included youths, clergy or representatives of other Igbo cultural groups because whatever that would be discussed will be in the interest of Ndigbo. The elders cannot know it all; the inputs of youths or women would still be needed.”
Another member of the youth wing who pleaded anonymity advised the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo to borrow a leaf from their Arewa or Afenifere counterparts, whom he said, cannot take any major decision without consulting their youths.
“The worst part of it is that it is still the same old people, Justice Ozobu, Prof. Anya, Joe Nwaorgu, Joe Irukwu and Mbazulike Amaechi who are always meeting with the president on behalf of Ndigbo. What has Ndigbo benefitted from such meetings? Even if it is for the Ndigbo to back Jonathan in the 2015 election, how many of the elders who were part of the delegation will be there to mobilize and vote for Jonathan on that day? For us to make progress, Ohanaeze leaders must borrow a leaf from Arewa or Afenifere unless they don’t believe that youths are the leaders of tomorrow,” he said.
