Ohanaeze Condemns IPOB Over Attack On Edwin Clark
Apex-Igbo group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has condemned IPOB over the attack on elder statesman and Ijaw leader, Chief Edwin Clark.
IPOB had attacked Clark, saying he wasn’t speaking for Niger Delta when he said the region is not part of the Biafra Republic.
Reacting to IPOB’s statement, Ohanaeze appealed to Clark not to allow the utterance from Igbo youth weaken his commitment to the tribe.
National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Alex Ogbonnia, said this in a statement.
It read in part, ”It was Chief Clark who facilitated the renovation and equipment of the Queens School, Enugu with state of the arts facilities shortly after the Nigerian civil war. Eminent Igbo women that passed through the school, such as Justice Rose Ukeje (rtd), Justice Victoria Nebo, Prof. Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, Prof. Ifeoma Enemuo, Prof. Ifeoma Egbuonu, Mrs. Justina Offia (SAN), Prof. Gloria Chukwukere, etc, are some of the testaments of Clark magnanimity.
“Since then Clark has remained one of the Patrons of the School to the present day. It was Clark, who has spoken vehemently against the Igbo marginalization and has propelled the concept of a president of Nigeria from the South East. It was Clark who had stated that the agitations by the Igbo are justified, among several others.
“It is important to urge our youths to refrain from remarks capable of putting the Igbo relationships with our highly valued neighbours in avoidable distress. The Igbo agitation, no doubt, is genuine but restraints, persuasions and cordial inter-ethnic relations are required to sustain the supports of other ethnic groups in Nigeria,” Ohanaeze cautioned.
It reminded IPOB that the Leaders of the South East, South South, South West and Middle Belt converged and chose Chief Clark as the indefatigable leader of Southern Nigeria and Middle Belt Forum, SMBLF, because of his sterling qualities.
“I must also add that one of the most cherished of his enviable leadership qualities is the exceptional courage of his innermost convictions and the ability to speak truth to power.
