Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide said on Sunday it is not behind the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) on the attack on elder statesman, Chief Edwin Clark. The apex socio-cultural body Ndigbo, said it condemned ‘unsavoury remarks on Clark’.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo described Clark as one of the few detribalised Nigerians. The group added that Clark has proved unassailable love for the Igbos.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide led by Ambassador Professor George Obiozor holds Chief E K Clark in a very high esteem.
“Our profound admiration for him is beyond measures and will always condemn any form of attack on his person”.
Ohanaeze appealed to the elder statesman to disregard the IPOB’s remarks and not to allow it to affect his passion and commitment for Ndigbo.
“We therefore hope that the unsavoury remarks by our youths will not weaken his passion and commitment for the Igbo,” a statement by Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, National Publicity Secretary, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, read.
Ohanaeze chided IPOB for its remarks and charged the leadership and members to refrain from remarks capable of putting the Igbo relationships with their neighbours in avoidable distress.
The statement read in part: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo makes it abundantly clear that the Igbo extol old age with courtesy and reverence. Old age is so treasured that the eldest man in a village or community, in most cases, enjoys community burial and funeral rites at death. The old are deemed to represent the Igbo ancestors here on earth and thus are often celebrated.
“It is a public knowledge that youths, all over the world, have some common characteristics which include impetuosity and exuberance. As much as the effervescence and exuberance of the youths are the essential hallmarks of a growing society, it is still the duty of the elders to moderate the excesses and idiosyncrasies of the youth.
“Let it be placed on record that Chief Edwin Clark is one of the few detribalized Nigerians with an unassailable love for the Igbos. He has in more than several ways demonstrated an intense passion for the Igbo. 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.”
The statement noted that 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.
According to Ohanaeze Ndigbo the leaders of the South East, South South, South West and Middle Belt converged and chose Chief Clark as the indefatigable leader of SMBLF because of his sterling qualities, courage of his innermost convictions and the ability to speak truth to power.
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