Biafra comments: ‘Sagay has diminished himself and disappointed Nigerians’ – Igbo youths

Professor Itse Sagay, has been tongue-lashed over his comments that the grand plot of Biafra agitators is to intimidate President Muhammadu Buhari into giving unmerited positions to the Igbos.
Igbo youths, under the aegis of Igbo Youths Movement, IYM and South East Democratic Coalition, SEDC, have described Sagay’s comments as a ‘blanket abuse of the Igbo nation’.

Sagay insinuated that some Igbo leaders, who had voted themselves out of contention in the present government, were behind the wave of pro-Biafra agitators.
He was also reported to have said that the Igbos occupied about 50% of federal positions during the administration of former President, Goodluck Jonathan.


Evangelist Elliot Uko, IYM founder, released a statement in reaction to Sagay’s comments, on Friday.
“The Biafra agitators are more angry with Igbo leaders than with any one else. The younger generation of the oppressed people of Eastern Nigeria are merely reacting to decades of oppression.”
“The Biafra agitation came about as a result of the continued refusal of a powerful group in Nigeria to enthrone true federalism which has been agreed by Nigerians at all the national conferences ever held in Nigeria.”

“That Sagay claims ignorance about the choking and suffocating effects of the current unworkable unitary structure is shocking. That he manufactures a reason (accommodation into Buhari’s dinner table) for the Biafra agitation without bothering to hear from IPOB, MASSOB and other youth groups behind the agitation is idiotic.’’

“The Igbo have never occupied up to 20 per cent of Federal position of any government in Nigeria. He is giving the public the impression he belongs to the group of Nigerians who believe they will shine only when Ndigbo are shoved out of the way (i.e. 1966-1970). He accused Ndigbo of ‘rigging and opportunism and lack of principles’.

Such blanket abuse and the unguided generalization is not a character trait the highly respected Itsekiri Nation are known for, that leaves everybody wondering what could really be the motive behind the general insults on the Igbo race by Sagay.”

“Everybody is at pains, to really comprehend why it is so important to Sagay that Ndigbo are placed in his own words “out of contention in the present administration”. Is he intimidated, mushroomed and out-classed by Igbo intellectuals to the extent he believes, he will only get noticed when Ndigbo are sidelined completely?”

“His blanket insult on the mighty Igbo race, laced with outright falsehood and insinuation is unwarranted and unfortunate. He probably believes that the government he adores have struck so much fear and terror into the hearts of Nigerians, that nobody would point out his folly to him, in that case he only succeeded in disappointing Nigerians and diminishing himself.”

“We would like to use this opportunity to remind General Buhari that Nigerians and the international community are closely monitoring the goings on in the indefinite detention culture that has made a comeback to our polity after three decades. Of special interest is the Nnamdi Kanu and Sheik Zakzaky imbroglio. As the Islamic Republic of Iran, the Sultan led JIN and other Muslim groups put pressure for the release of Sheik Zakzaky, Nigerians are closely watching between Kanu, whose unconditional release has been ordered by two courts in the land and the Sheik, and who will be first released by General Buhari.”

“His decision on the two cases will go a long way in confirming whether he is the unbiased messiah his supporters claim he is or the sectional warrior, his opponents claim he is. The weeks and months ahead will confirm his place in history.”