- Says marginalising South-east, minorities, a time bumb
A New York based lawyer and chartered accountant, High Chief Owolabi Salis, has warned that marginalisation of the Igbo and minority ethnic nationalities in Nigeria is a potential time bomb, capable of causing incalculable damage to the advancement of the nation, even as he declared that President Bola Tinubu has a great opportunity to restructure the country.
Salis, in a statement made available to Daily Sun, stressed that no nation brushes aside issues of marginalisation and fully realises its potential.
Said Salis: “No nation pushes the issue of marginalisation under the carpet and sleeps with her two eyes closed because it is an issue that will not go away without justice.
“For there to be unity in Nigeria, we must restructure the country to eradicate discrimination in our political and economic life.
“My late uncles, Adeniran Ogunsanya, TOS Benson and Prof. Ayodele Awojobi who were icons in the country shared the same views against marginalisation in the 1960’s, 70s, and 80s politics, and I still remember their words of wisdom as a young man till today.
“Thankfully, President Bola Tiunbu, acclaimed democrat, activist, and advocate of restructuring, is now in the saddle and has the opportunity to practice what he preached before now.
“This is an opportunity for him to write his name in gold by removing the hate and distrust that has been with us all along, through bringing about fairness, equity, and justice across board.
“Thankfully, the National Assembly has told the world that it would cooperate with the president and is even proposing the creation of Orlu state to bring the South-East at par with other zones.
“The same lawmakers are also proposing rotational presidency, and creating the South-East Development Commission, as a way of addressing Igbo marginalisation.
“I enjoin the Ohaneze Ndigbo to show leadership in this regard by talking to the people on the need to stop the blood letting and instead build cordial relationships among themselves and other Nigerian diverse interests.
“The presidential system we are operating now makes the minorities in the South-South, North Central, and North-East second-class citizens, which should not be.”
“We need to restructure beyond the parliamentary and presidential systems to create a sense of belonging to all.”
