Amaechi: Igbo, Yoruba Have Filial Bond

By David-Chyddy Eleke

The First Republic’s Aviation Minister, Chief Mbazulike Amaechi, has said that the Igbo and Yoruba nations have a filial bond, and as such could not attack each other.

Amaechi was reacting to allegations that Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) was planning to attack Lagos.

The 92-year-old statesman who spoke at a press conference at his Ukpor country home in Nnewi South Local Government Area of Anambra State, said the allegation was a malicious propaganda and that no sane Igbo man would ever think of attacking Lagos because of the filial bond shared by Igbo and Yoruba.

He said: “The relationship between the South-east and South-west is filial and bonding. Those behind the propaganda were only trying to cause division.

“In 1966, the late Western Region Governor, Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, sacrificed his life for the sake of then Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi. There is also the intervention of then Eastern Region Premier, Dr. Michael Okpara during the travail of the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo while in Calabar prison.

“Let me seize this opportunity to dispel the rumour as cheap and blatant falsehood, which some ignoramuses are spreading in the social media that IPOB and or some organisations and persons are planning to burn or do damage to some places or properties in Lagos.

“This is a cheap and idiotic falsehood. Igbo properties in Lagos are so many, so scattered and so high in value for any Igbo group or organisation to think of destroying.”

Amechi also condemned the Senate President, Mr. Ahmed Lawal, for vilifying southern governors over their call for restructuring and called on the southern governors not to allow anybody to divide them.

He said: “Are there more crises in the south than the north where whole villages are wiped and buildings burnt, where hundreds of young men and women are kidnapped and killed, where Boko Haram has expanded as far down as Niger, Katsina and Zamfara States?

“If there are security crisis in southern Nigeria, they are caused by the Fulani adventurers from the north. But the southern governors have resolved to contain them.

“The people of southern Nigeria and Benue State must rise to save and defend their parts of Nigeria from the fantasy and wild day dream of colonisation, Islamisation and Fulanisation.”