Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has declared that no other ethnic group in Nigeria has made greater sacrifices for national unity than the Igbo people, while urging them to continue embracing dialogue and peace over violence.
Ambassador Ojukwu, wife of the renowned Igbo leader, made the remarks on Wednesday, November 26th, at the 14th Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Day held at the Ojukwu Memorial Library in Owerri, Imo State capital.
The annual event, hosted by Chief Ralph Uwazurike, Ijele Ndi Igbo, commemorates the death of the late Biafran leader who passed away on November 26, 2011.
Speaking at the memorial, the minister highlighted the resilient spirit of the Igbo people, emphasizing that violence remains incompatible with their character and aspirations. She described the current success of the Igbo nation as the metaphorical phoenix that rose from the ashes of the civil war.
Ambassador Ojukwu called on Ndi Igbo to eschew violence and embrace dialogue, peace, and mutual support as they navigate contemporary challenges facing the ethnic group, citing that it was dialogue that key Igbo stakeholders employed in facilitating Dim Ojukwu’s return from exile.
On unity, she encouraged Igbo leaders across religious, traditional, political, business, and civil society groups to come together in one accord to engage the Federal Government for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and address other issues plaguing the region.
The Minister also thanked Chief Ralph Uwazurike, Leader of the Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), for single-handedly hosting the memorial for the 14th time in honour of his successor, stressing that generations to come will also celebrate Ijele.
The memorial event featured colorful activities including full military parades, masquerade displays, raffle draws, and other cultural performances from across the eastern region.
Written by Hooded Writer and Louis ‘Response’ C. Arupuo.
