Governor Umahi tells Igbo youths to end senseless agitation for breakaway republic

GOVERNOR David Umahi of Ebonyi State has asked youths from across the southeast geo-political zone to end what he describes as the senseless agitation for a breakaway republic of Biafra and focus their attention on making Nigeria better.

Of late, there has been an increase in the agitation for secession in the southeast as a result of continuous attacks by heavily armed Fulani cattle herdsmen. Apart from the murderous attacks on farming communities, Igbo youths are also unhappy with the actions of the federal government when it comes to making appointments as they are highly marginalised.

Over recent weeks, the Biafra agitations have turned ugly with unknown armed groups resorting to attacking public facilities like police stations, correctional facilities and the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission. Speaking at the grand finale of the 2021 edition of the School Sports Competition for Primary and Secondary Schools in the state in Abakaliki, Governor Umahi, the chairman of the South East Governors Forum, said it was better to remain in one Nigeria.

Governor Umahi said: “We need to redirect the minds of our youths into hard work, into self-esteem, into believing in themselves and believing that whatever situations they have found themselves, they can turn the situation around for their benefit. This is the agitation that we desire.

“Even though we are financially challenged but we need these sporting activities to upturn the minds of our children from useless and senseless agitations. The real agitation that we desire, is to secure the future of our children and that is what our government is doing.

“Those our fathers that witnessed the civil war, they have sad stories to tell us and then our prayers, we say, may that not happen in our land again in Jesus name. In the months ahead, we are going to employ 3,000 civil servants, we are going to empower 3,000 people and we are de-emphasizing appointments.”

He also announced the commencement of the Dave Umahi Tertiary Institution Games across tertiary institutions in the state as a way of discouraging the youths from indulging in needless agitation. Governor Umahi congratulated all the winners at the recently-concluded schools sports meeting.