Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the foremost socio-cultural organization advocating for the interests of the Igbo people, calls upon President Tinubu and the APC-led Federal government to officially end the war against the IGBO on the 54th Anniversary of the Biafra War which ended on 15th January 1970. It is time for the implementation of the 3Rs (Reconstruction, Reconciliation, and Rehabilitation) and the opening up of the Eastern corridor for economic development and the liberation of the old Eastern region.

Ndigbo has endured persecution and economic strangulation due to the historical neglect of the old Eastern region by past Federal governments. While other zones have benefitted from the center, the Southeast has been systematically excluded and deprived of its rightful share. Major infrastructures destroyed during the 3 and 6 months of the Biafra war have not been adequately reconstructed by previous military and civilian governments over the past 54 years.

Genuine reconciliation from the Federal government towards Ndigbo has been lacking, replaced by the deliberate exclusion of the Southeast from certain privileges and the denial of access to viable seaports in the old Eastern region, such as the permanent closure of the Calabar seaport. Additionally, the reparation fees demanded by Igbo leaders during the Obasanjo and Yar’adua regimes have not been paid, and the implementation of the 2014 Constitutional conference and the restructuring proposals put forth by the APC committee led by former Governor El-Rufai have been disregarded. Furthermore, the granting of pardons to IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu and Biafra agitators who are genuinely fighting against previous governments’ untold persecution is yet to be realized.

Another aspect that demands urgent attention is the rehabilitation of the old Eastern region through increased federal presence. The lack of federal infrastructural development in the Southeast is deeply concerning. Ohanaeze Ndigbo, through its Secretary General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, implores President Tinubu to utilize his esteemed office to initiate the end of the war by prioritizing reconciliation, reconstruction, and rehabilitation in the Southeast.

While we commend the Federal government’s efforts to reconstruct our federal roads with high-quality cement technology, we appeal for comprehensive reconciliation and sustainable rehabilitation of the East. This is the expectation of Igbos from President Tinubu, as it will not only address the current insecurity challenges in the Southeast but also lay the foundation for the region’s prosperous future. It is imperative to acknowledge that Ndigbo is still traumatized by the nightmares and horrific killings of over 2 million Igbos, mostly women, and children, resulting from the economic policies and military assaults during the Biafra war, championed by figures like Chief Obafemi Awolowo.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo remains hopeful that President Tinubu, as a leader known for his commitment to justice and fairness, will champion the cause to end the war and bring about lasting peace, reconciliation, and development in the Southeast.