President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has alleged conspiracy against Igbo in Nigeria.

Iwuanyanwu described the Igbo as law-abiding and patriotic people who do not go out to break the law or dominate others.

He said the Igbo were the only people who go to other parts of Nigeria, do business and invest there without repatriating their capital back home. He said rather than being persecuted, they should be praised and commended for their patriotism.

This is as former Senate minority leader and senator representing Abia South, Enyinnaya Abaribe, said that Nigeria would not make progress as long as the country continued to marginalise Igbo.

He also stated that Igbo did not make a mistake contesting for the nation’s number one seat, the Office of the President in 2023. He noted that Igbo would continue to pursue their political career unrestrained, adding that Igbo would not be cowed despite demolition exercises going on around the country, and presumably targeted against Igbo.

Iwuanyanwu and Abaribe spoke at the 2023 end of year get-together and awards evening of Aka Ikenga, the Igbo think-tank intelligentsia group in Lagos, where 16 prominent sons and daughters of Igboland were honoured for their outstanding contributions to national development.

Iwuanyanwu said: “It is clear that there is a conspiracy to bring Ndigbo down through certificates of occupancy and all sorts. Igbo are the only people that go to other places to do business and afterwards invest their money there, they don’t repatriate their money back home, they invest in the places they do business and this is because of their patriotism. They should be praised for this.

“Ndigbo are law-abiding people, they don’t go anywhere and try to dominate the people. I have gone to Abule-Ado where the demolition took place, the land was sold to them by the people. The government has the right to demolish buildings in the overall interest of the public to build infrastructure but the property owners must be compensated.

“I am a civil engineer, I know that when you want to build, the government comes to inspect and if it is in the wrong place, the government will mark it. The houses in Abule-Ado were not marked while they were under construction, they waited until the houses were completed and then demolished them. This is wrong.”

Also speaking, Chairman United Airlines Nigeria, Dr. Obiora Okonkwo, noted that the drama aboard a United Nigeria Airlines flight that landed in Asaba, Delta State, instead of its actual destination in Abuja was part of the conspiracy to bring down the Igbo as the aircraft followed the flight plan it was given.

Those awarded were Dr. Nneka Onyeali-Ikpe, managing director, Fidelity Bank Plc, Prof. Pat Utomi, Dr. Chidi Anyaegbu,, Dr. Stella Okoli, Dr. Innocent Chukwuma, Dr. Leonard Stan Ekeh and Prince Nduka Obaigbena.

Others were Minister of Works, Senator Dave Umahi, former minister of labour, Dr. Chris Ngige, Chairman, Minaj Television, Senator Mike Ajegbo, Managing Director, Afrinvest West Africa Ltd, Dr. Ike Chioke, Chairman, Air Peace, Dr. Allen Onyema, Chairman United Airlines Nigeria, Dr Obiora Okonkwo, and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu

Also on the awards list were Ralph Eke and Oscar Onwudiwe, both former president of Aka Ikenga, who received posthumous awards.

Earlier in his address, Dr. Chike Madueke, president of Aka Ikenga said the awards was a long standing tradition of Aka Ikenga to get-together at the end of the year to celebrate.

“As has been our tradition in Aka Ikenga, we get together at the end of every year to felicitate with ourselves and our families and our friends to fellowship and interact and reminisce over the year’s activities within the organisation and mull over the general happenings in our nation and how to make things better for our people and for Nigeria

“This year, however, we are are going a step further to recognize excellence among our people and the friends of our people from all walks of life. The Aka Ikenga Award is given through our hands purely in recognition of outstanding leadership, achievement, courage and enterprise in keeping with the core values and ethics of our people. The award is non-pecuniary and shall remain non-pecuniary as long as it is to be given through our hands.”