A human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has described the challenges facing the South-East region in Nigeria as largely self-inflicted.

Ejiofor added that these problems could only be addressed through genuine unity, honesty, and introspection among the Ndigbos.

In a statement he issued on Tuesday titled, ?Are Igbos cursed or the architects of their own predicament? ? A call for self-reflection, renaissance, and redefinition of Igbo destiny?, Ejiofor argued that the systematic marginalisation of the Igbo in Nigeria?s political landscape has often been enabled by internal disunity, self-serving elites, and shortsighted leadership.

Ejiofor lamented that the Igbo are victims of systemic conspiracies, both external and internal, but more importantly, victims of their own disunity and self-inflicted wounds, and internal betrayal, adding that the persistent exclusion and political setbacks experienced by the region cannot succeed without the complicity of certain Igbo individuals.

According to him, the Igbo nation, renowned for its indomitable spirit, unwavering resilience, entrepreneurial genius, and egalitarian values, now stands at a sobering intersection of history and destiny, adding that haunting question that echoes in the hearts of true sons and daughters of ?Ala Igbo? remains ?Are the Igbos cursed, or are we the architects of our own predicament??

He said, ?This is not a rhetorical inquiry, but a call to brutal self-reflection, not for self-condemnation, but for course correction. Our past, our present and our collective future demand honest answers.

?In the wake of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, the Igbo nation was left economically crippled, politically alienated and socially humiliated. Properties lost, businesses decimated, life savings confiscated. The infamous ?20 policy stripped countless families of their life savings, and livelihoods were destroyed.

?Yet, we rose. Like the mythical phoenix, the Igbo spirit refused to die. In less than a generation, we rebuilt not only our individual lives but entire economies. From the thriving commercial cities, from markets of Onitsha to Aba, and Nnewi to the urban corridors of Lagos, Kano to Cape Town, London to Guangzhou- and even far-flung corners of Africa, Europe, Asia, and the Americas, we reasserted our places on the global economy. The Igbo spirit proved unstoppable, a masterclass in survival, reinvention, and excellence.

?We became global symbols of resilience, tenacity, and entrepreneurial ingenuity, often surpassing other ethnic groups in economic achievement, despite systemic obstacles. But herein lies the paradox: economically overachieving, yet politically underachieving; socially influential, yet institutionally sidelined.?

He lamented that, sadly, it is a painful reality that no significant prejudice, sabotage, or orchestrated exclusion against the Igbo nation in Nigeria?s political chessboard succeeds without the complicity or treachery of fellow Igbos.

He averred that the systematic undermining of Igbo political ascendancy has, time and again, been facilitated by internal disunity, self-centred political elites, and short-sighted personal agendas.

He stated, ?From the aborted hopes of the late Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, through the repeated political isolation of the South-East, to the modern struggles for an Igbo presidency, a recurring theme emerges: Igbo sabotage by Igbo hands.

?Our political elites, driven by personal ambitions and selfish survival instincts, have repeatedly mortgaged the Igbo collective interest for crumbs of relevance. The betrayal is not just disappointing ? it is dangerous.

?The current wave of insecurity plaguing ?Ala Igbo? from deadly herdsmen occupying ancestral farmlands to kidnappings, and mindless killings, did not emerge by happenstance. These are the cumulative effects of years of unaddressed marginalisation, institutional weakness, and internal complicity.?

He added, ?Take, for instance, the disturbing reality of herdsmen brazenly seizing control of our forests, only to be shielded by a handful of compromised security operatives and political enablers. It is no exaggeration to say that the Igbo homeland is under siege, not merely by external forces but also by collaborators within. The siege is real but we must admit, the gates were opened from within.

?We must acknowledge that Igbo land has become a chessboard for both internal traitors and external mercenaries. Our youths, disillusioned by relentless marginalisation, have increasingly gravitated towards agitations for self-determination, envisioning Biafra as a sanctuary of dignity, justice, and self-governance. This desire, while understandable and deeply rooted in historical trauma, demands sober reflection.

?For any struggle: be it for restructuring, self-determination, or political realignment, to succeed, it must be built on truth, transparency, unity, and strategic intelligence, devoid of deceit, manipulation, blackmail, or factional betrayals.?

According to him, Biafra or any political arrangement for the Igbo cannot be built on internal treachery, manipulation, blackmail or divisive empire-building, adding that the time has come for Ndi Igbo to think outside the box.

?Our elites must confront their roles in our collective stagnation and betrayal. We can no longer continue the cycle of deceit, where truth is buried to sustain a few at the expense of millions. The cleansing of our land begins with truth-telling. It begins with rejecting the criminalities, internal betrayals, and manipulative leadership that have permanently positioned us at the receiving end.

?The world must know: Igbos are not cursed. We are victims of systemic conspiracies, both external and internal, but more importantly, victims of our own disunity and self-inflicted wounds. Our history is filled with men and women who defied the odds. Let this generation be the one that defied internal betrayal, rediscovered unity and rebuild Ala Igbo on truth, courage and shared purpose.

?It is time to sanitise ?Ala Igbo?. To rebuild trust. To define a new dawn anchored on collective progress, not individual crumbs. The renaissance is inevitable, but only If we rethink, redefine, and reclaim the Igbo destiny.

?The Igbo spirit survived genocide, survived exclusion and defied systemic sabotage. It can also survive betrayal, from within and without. The time has come to rethink our politics, redefine our identity, and reclaim our future. We are not cursed. But whether we remain victims or become victors -is entirely up to us,? he added. (The PUNCH)

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