.Condemns destruction of Igbo property in Lagos
By EDISON Okereke
The paramount and traditional ruler of Eziama Autonomous Community in Isiala Mbano Local Government Area, His Royal Majesty Eze Dr Oliver Ohanweh (Obi Gburugburu) has called on Governor Hope Uzodimma to declare a state–of-emergency in agriculture in Imo State, noting that a quantum in food production will stifle prices of the items and certainly reduce the incidence of criminalities in the state.
Ohanweh who also spoke to other issues, at the weekend, was fielding questions from journalists on his 2025 “Iwa Ji Ahiajoku Isiama,” at his palace.
He condemned the destruction of property of the Igbo in Lagos, saying it was a reminiscence of the “Abandoned property Saga” in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The Eze therefore called on the Igbo in the diaspora to count their teeth with their tongues and bring their investments to Igboland, saying “Ihe omashiri gi mere nwa enyi gi nwanyi, ogaghi agbo gi nna ya!”
On agriculture, Ohanweh said, “I’m telling government to reorganise Ministry of Agriculture to be a practical ministry of agriculture — having them earning salaries from government every month, every year —giving them promotions, like now there has been an increase in their minimum wage in Imo State by senator Hope Uzodimma, the Governor, I think his own minimum wage is higher than minimum wages in any other state in Nigeria today.
“But the issue at hand is if the Ministry of Agriculture will have its own farm —like before we used to have Songhai —every agriculture Unit in across the twenty-seven councils must create farmland and transform it into a mechanized agriculture so that when we’ll have foodstuffs, prices will come down…But when you don’t cultivate, when you don’t grow yam and other crops all the money and salaries will be useless.
“So I want to advise that every Igboman, no matter whatever you are or who you are, particularly my colleagues traditional rulers, to embrace farming. It’s very important.”
On infrastructure, he said, “A lot of infrastructure is taking place in Imo State by Governor Hope Uzodimma. There are good roads. Recently there is a convention centre in honour of the late Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu. There is electricity, among others. But I’d want him to declare a state-of-emergency in agriculture so that we’ll have enough food –because hunger could fuel criminalities which could culminate into insecurity.”
The monarch noted that if the governor puts the expertise he brings into infrastructure to agriculture or food production, “we’ll have food security.”
He urged the State Government to distribute fertilizers before the planting season to help them farmers.
On destruction of property of the Igbo in Lagos, “The Igbo should wake up over the needless and unprovoked destruction of their investments in Lagos, and other parts of the country.
“I witnessed the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War. And when the war ended in 1970, the Igbo people suffered the ‘abandoned property.’ Our property was seized by all of them. Our money was seized by the Bank of England and the Standard Bank. Every Igboman was given only £20, including me. But today anywhere you travel to, you must see an Igboman in prosperity and progress. Eighy per cent of what is happening in Lagos today are invested by the Igbo. In Abuja, 85% of the investments are by the Igbo. The same in Rivers State, Kano —everywhere…!”
He enumerated some markets in Igboland where he opined the embattled Igbo people could take their investments to and still make their headways.
“We have Ariara International Market; we have Ekeonuwa Market; we have Relief Market; we have Ochancha International Market —we have all the markets. It is a question of coming home and they’ll be developed.
“Now governor Uzodimma is talking about dredging the Orashi River for seaport. Let entrepreneurs support it the way we built our International Airport. We should all come and build that seaport.”
He described the wailing of the owners of the destroyed property as “crying wolf” saying if they had harckend to the wise counsel of home investment all this while, “I’m sure that today Igboland would have become like Dubai and other developed countries. Let our brothers and sisters come home. This is a clarion call,” he stated.
He maintained that those destroying the Igbo property in their home states do not have investments in Igboland, adding, “it is they too that are causing insecurity in ala Igbo because they have nothing at stake.
“The truth is we need development, we need investment in Igboland. It’ll help us,” he further stated.
He described his Iwa Ji festival as a necessity that enables him to encourage his subjects to eat their own yam, and zero in on the new farming season that follows much later.
