The apex Igbo organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, has condemned the comment made by President Muhammadu Buhari’s aide on Social Media, Lauretta Onochie, about the Igbo and the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
The group stated that Onochie availed herself for “a hatchet job against the Igbo; an assignment that no Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Tiv, Edo, Igalla, Nupe, Ijaw or Efik or any other woman, can in conscience contemplate.”
These were contained in a statement released by the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia, noting that the attention of the group was drawn to vexatious statements credited to Onochie on November 1.
Ohanaeze said, “In the first place, I doubt if it falls within the official circumference or schedule of duties of Lauretta Onochie to respond to a letter of passionate appeal to President Muhammadu Buhari on the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and other problems currently afflicting Ndigbo.
“It is also curious that the response from Onochie came barely less than 48 hours after the letter was dispatched to the Presidency. Furthermore, most people share the views that the Special Adviser to the President on Media, Femi Adesina, or Garba Shehu would have been more articulate and circumspect in responding to a letter from the Council of Traditional Rulers, archbishops and the clergy from the Igbo ethnic group.
“As a Christian, Onochie should know that the Clergy are the representatives of God here on earth, therefore, a letter jointly signed by the Igbo traditional rulers and the Archbishops should command the respect of even the most unscrupulous.
“For Lauretta Onochie to use such uncouth words as ‘neonates’, ‘ignorant’, ‘lack of sense of decency’, ‘hide face in shame’, ‘stupidity’, etc, in reference to the revered traditional rulers and the Archbishops is to say the least unreflective, odious, warped, despicable and sacrilegious.
“The obnoxious role of denigrating one’s kinsmen to be fully ingratiated and assimilated in the other group is as old as mankind. However, the entrepreneurs of betrayal have never ended well.
“Onochie is versed in the Holy Bible, where an apostle of Jesus, by name Judas Iscariot, was used to betray him; but Judas lived a life of regrets till his sorrowful death. Several instances of betrayal for a delicious pot of porridge abound but the Greek mythology of how the crafty Odysseus danced naked in the marketplace is a pointer to the dangers of destroying your own for a filthy lucre.
“The letter of Appeal to the President by the Council of Traditional Rulers and the Archbishops is strong enough to attract the attention of Mr President for a discussion with Igbo Leaders on the way forward about Nnamdi Kanu and other security challenges in the South East.
“The warm reception accorded to Mr President during his visit to Owerri, Imo State by Igbo dignitaries from all walks of life is a testimony to the Igbo willingness to work with Mr President. What the Igbos want is very specific and the solutions are within the powers of Mr President.
“For Laurreta Onochie to avail herself for a hatchet job against the Igbo pantheon or what Carl Jung called the Igbo “collective unconscious” is an assignment that no Hausa, Fulani, Yoruba, Tiv, Edo, Igalla, Nupe, Ijaw or Efik or any other woman, can in conscience contemplate.”
