An elder statesman in Anambra State, Dr Chike Obidigbo has expressed worry over the future of Igbo youths and media dull interest in Igbo agenda.
Dr Obidigbo who addressed some journalists at his Umunya home in Oyi Local Government Area of Anambra State said his concern is how to redirect the youths to be useful to themselves and Igboland generally to avoid wasteful lifestyle.
He noted that many youths of Igbo extraction had left Nigeria in droves for the outside world in a desperate bid for a greener pasture.
He called for proper orientation of the young ones to be usefully engaged in things that would make them better citizens tomorrow and not just bequeathing wealth to them without proper foundation on how to make the wealth themselves in a genuine way.
He said that many Igbo elders had gone, who failed in their lifetime to advise the youths properly. He insisted that the elders were duty-bound to direct the youths in Igboland on the right way to follow.
In leadership, Dr Obidigbo disclosed that he was in the political arena in Anambra State in 2014 for governorship election under the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) which did not work out.
He, however, said he advised the former Governor of the State, Mr Peter Obi at that time to pay critical attention to succession plan but regretted that Obi did not accept his advice.
The elder statesman identified the major problem in Igboland as self-centeredness which he noted had made a lot of Igbo people to use “I” instead of “we” in goal pursuit.
Dr Obidigbo said the earlier Ndigbo begin to apply the “we” philosophy in their doings, the better for the generality of the Igbo race.
He regretted that media professionals in Igboland had not applied their trade correctly in defense and promotion of Igbo agenda.
“Media is a veritable instrument that can be used to fight all manner of battles.
“Pen produces leaders. Biafra lost the war because of ineffective media. If it were this social media era, the story would have been different.
“What we call Nigeria-Biafra war should be properly called British-Biafra war because it was the British that fought the Igbo.
“Igbo have suffered. The efforts and commitment of Igbo media professionals can salvage the situation.
“Other ethnic groups especially those in the South West of Nigeria use the media to propagate the interest of the zone. But Ndigbo are not actually doing the same.
“Yoruba use the media to promote their interest and that has helped them a lot.
“Igbo should use the media for their emancipation.
“Igbo media professionals should wake up and use their pen in defense of their father land and secure what is due for them. You should use the media to fight the cause of the Igbo.
“Nnamdi Kanu is languishing in detention because he rose against injustices to the Igbo. Media has not done enough about the sufferings of Nnamdi Kanu.
“We are in war and we can only use the media to fight the cause of the Igbo. Everything is not money. We shouldn’t put money before us in fighting for Igbo agenda.
“The world wasn’t quite aware of what was happening to the Igbo during the civil war. The effects of the war on the Igbo were underplayed.
“Igbo is a gift to Nigeria and that’s why they don’t want us to leave Nigeria, “he said.
