Osinbajo condemns ultimatum giving to Igbos living in northern Nigeria asking for peace and unity

ACTING president Professor Yemi Osinbajo has condemned the recent Kaduna declaration in which certain Arewa youth groups called on all Igbos living in northern Nigeria to leave the region by October 1 saying it was an unacceptable threat.

Last week, a coalition of northern youth groups said the region was tired of the marriage with Ndigbo and called for the immediate dismemberment of Nigeria. Their statement, read out by Mallam Abdulazeez Suleiman, which included threats to forcefully seize property belonging to Igbos across northern Nigeria at the end of the ultimatum, has been widely condemned.

Their declaration was premised on the shut-down of major towns in south eastern part of the country on May 30, by members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) and their supporters. Manu prominent Nigerians have condemned the declaration and the Kaduna State governor Nasir El-Rufai has asked the police to fish out and apprehend those who made the threat.

Speaking in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital yesterday, Professor Osinbajo urged the various ethnic groups in Nigeria to allow peace and unity to reign among them. He added that he did not approve of the quit notice, emphasising that unity in diversity is a strength that could make the country survive.

Professor Osinbajo likened the 1914 amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates of Nigeria to a marriage, saying different ethnic nationalities in the country were in a form of marriage. He stated that in marriage, challenges such as quarrels and agitations could come up at anytime but the parties in the union must give peace a chance and work in unity so that the union would not hit the rock.

"Marriage is a very large institution that requires a lot of prayers and it is the same marriage that nations go through. Our nation has been in marriage for a while now.

"Sometimes there are quarrels within that marriage and sometimes there is disagreement. What is important is that you must remain together and you must remain united,” Professor Osinbajo added.