Bianca Ojukwu, widow of the late Igbo leader Odumegwu Ojukwu, has voiced concerns over what she perceives as a concerted effort by the federal and certain state governments to hinder the progress of the Igbo community in various parts of the country.
Expressing her distress in the wake of the recent demolition of Igbo-owned properties in Lagos State, Ojukwu claims there is a longstanding scheme and conspiracy aimed at isolating the Igbo from the mainstream of Nigeria’s affairs, particularly in governance.
The former Nigerian ambassador to Spain highlighted issues such as the exclusion of Igbo involvement in sensitive federal projects and infrastructure, as well as the marginalization of Igbo youths in employment schemes within federal ministries, departments, agencies, and admission policies of federal universities.
She stated, “The Igbo are excluded, citing sensitive Federal Government projects and infrastructure. Igbo youths are marginalised in employment schemes in federal ministries, departments and agencies, as well as in admission policies of federal universities, etc.”
Encouraging Igbo youths, Ojukwu urged them to remain creative, hardworking, diligent, pursue education zealously, and shun criminal activities and social vices.
However, she also expressed lamentation over Nigeria’s economic, social, political, security, and judicial instability, describing the country as increasingly difficult and economically dangerous.
Her words: “Nigerians have long ceased to look up to their governments for solid policies and programmes, actions and decisions that will change their fortune, and build a great nation; rather, they have come to accept their governments as opportunistic platforms for the leaders’ enrichment of themselves, their families and for parochial sectional agenda.
She highlighted the stark contrast between the luxurious lifestyles of those in government and the harsh realities faced by the masses due to unfavorable economic and social conditions.
“In addition to the harsh economic realities briefly mentioned above, Nigeria is also a country bedevilled by all manner of evils and societal ills which the government has proved impotent to control, such as; extreme insecurity, banditry, cultism, kidnapping, ritual killings, human and organ trafficking, dishonesty, etc. Indeed, the degenerate nature and levels of the nation’s ills are so horrifying that any manner of evil one does not see in Nigeria may possibly not exist anywhere else in the world,” she disclosed.