Pro- Biafra protesters

A U.S.-based Nigerian businessman, Mr Ben Nnabuihe, has advised agitators for the actualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra to shelve the idea as secession would only be counterproductive for the Igbos.

He also advised Nigerians to consider the country’s sustained unity non-negotiable.

Nnabuihe gave the advice in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sidelines of the official handover of a 500 KVA transformer to the Umuduru Ezimba Ogbaeruru autonomous community in Orlu Local Government Area of Imo.

The transformer was a donation by the Deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu.

Nnabuihe urged the Igbos work assiduously toward becoming relevant in the political calculation of the country.

“What the Igbos need at the moment is to be very relevant and to occupy sensitive positions in the present administration.

“When we are well-positioned, it will give the Igbos very strong bargaining power in future politics of the country,” he said.

According to him, the greatest challenge facing the Igbo race is self-centeredness and lack of unity of purpose.

“We have very influential and reputable leaders, but they have never pursued a common goal and this factor will continue to fight against the progress of the south easterners,” he said.

Nnabuihe regretted that a lot of youths from the Igbo race have lost their lives in the renewed struggle for agitation for Biafra.

“We have continued to lose our youths in the name of freedom and this will not end until we come together to agree on the right approach to solving our problems,” he said.

He said that although the South East zone of the country appears not to be in the good books of the present administration, a good bargain could be made if the people of the zone would unite and ally with other parts of the country.

Nnabuihe also said that the zone could produce the country’s next president if a common interest was pursued in a strategic manner.

“We have the manpower and the resources to produce the next president, but that will only be possible if we are united,” he said.

He commended Ekweremadu for the donation, saying that the transformer would advance rural electrification efforts in the community. (NAN)