Rochas makes move to avoid ethic violence between Igbo and Yoruba

GOVERNMENT OF IMO STATE
 
PRESS RELEASE
 
SUBJECT: HIS EXCELLENCY SETS UP HRM EZE OHIRI-LED COMMITTEE TO MEET WITH OBA OF LAGOS
 
His Excellency, Governor Rochas Okorocha has announced the setting up of a committee made up of notable traditional rulers in the State to be led by the chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers, HRM, Eze Samuel Agunwa Ohiri who would travel to Lagos to meet with the Oba of Lagos, HRM Rilwan Akiolu over the death threat he was said to have issued to the Igbos in Lagos if they fail to vote for APC in the governorship election that comes up on Saturday.
The governor directed that the Eze Ohiri Committee should leave for Lagos immediately to meet with the Oba to enable them have one-on-one discussion over the said threat by the traditional ruler, and extract some commitments from him.
The chairman of the APC Governors’ Forum said although the traditional ruler was reported to have denied the report, it should not be enough to accept that refutal without traditional rulers from the South-East meeting with him to discuss the controversy and the way forward, to ensure that the long existing cordial relationship between the Igbos in Lagos and their host community should remain commendable and enviable.
The governor remarked that it was not enough to take up the matter on the pages of newspapers, with some of the commentators only keen in the issue to cause more serious problem between the Igbos in Lagos and the Oba of Lagos, but a new approach that would be more result-oriented should be employed, which includes the traditional rulers from the State to be led by Eze Ohiri going to Lagos and meeting with the Oba to talk about the matter.
No serious Igbo man or Yoruba man would like trouble to exist between the Igbos and the Oba of their host community, and that limiting the attendant actions to comments on the pages of newspaper won’t solve the ripple. The traditional rulers when they get to Lagos and indeed to the Oba, would try to hear from the Oba directly, look at the entire issue and know what to tell the Oba or what to demand from him before travelling back to Owerri.
The Governor urged the Igbos in Lagos to remain calm and also remain the good ambassadors of the Igbo nation like they have always been and that the current misunderstanding should not be allowed to cause unnecessary rift between them and the Yorubas in Lagos.
 
Sam Onwuemeodo
Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media