Igbo people of Southeast Nigeria: Oba (Dr) Ebenezer Akintunde Akinyemi wants Igbo to succeed President Buhari in 2023

By Adejoke Adeleye, Abeokuta

A top Yoruba monarch, Oba (Dr) Ebenezer Akintunde Akinyemi, had in an open letter, asked President Muhammadu Buhari to support the emergence of a Nigerian of Igbo extraction as his successor in 2023.

The monarch who is the the Eselu of Iselu land in Yewa Senatorial District of Ogun State in the letter made available to journalists in Abeokuta on Sunday, said the complaints of injustice and inequity in the country will become a thing of the past and peace will return to Nigeria if the Igbo of Southeast Nigeria are allowed to produce Nigerian president in 2023.

Oba Akinyemi also asked all Nigerians to support the emergence of an Igbo person as Nigerian president in 2023.

He argued that the ugly events of Biafra war should not be used as excuses to deny the Southeast from producing the occupier of the highest position in the country in 2023.

The monarch also reiterated to the President and Nigerians the contributions of the Igbo people to the development of the country through the enterprising nature and taxes they are paying to government at all level.

Read the full text of the letter below:

“I, Oba (Dr.) Ebenezer Akintunde AKINYEMI, JP, FCIMN, (Akaosu I), The Eselu of Iselu Land, a First Class Monarch in Yewa Division of Ogun State, write to forward this Open Letter on the need to allow a Nigerian President of South Eastern (Igbo) extraction to emerge in the year 2023.

Mr. President, before going into the details of this Open Letter, I will like to commend you for the marvelous work you have been doing from the day of your assumption of office, i.e, 29th May, 2015 till date. Without mincing words, your achievements in the areas of railway, local government autonomy, serious fight against corruption, fight against insurgency, etc are landmark and will never be forgotten after you might have completed your eight (8) year tenure in the year 2023.

Mr. President, it is my belief that Your Excellency too sees, hears and feels the tension in our dear country which can be traced to some cry over injustice, inequality, etc from the South Eastern part of our great country, Nigeria. As a stakeholder and patriotic citizen of this country, I want to state without equivocation that the entire security challenges bedeviling this country from the South East will disappear within a twinkle of an eye, if and only if, all sections of this great country can come together to pave the way for the emergence of a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in the year 2023.

When my father narrated the story of the Biafran war of 1967 – 1970 to me, I realized that despite the millions of lives which were lost, many properties of the State were also destroyed. Without any doubt, the wound inflicted on Nigeria through the Biafran war will continue to linger in the minds of well meaning Nigerians. The question now is ‘how long are we going to hold the sin of the Biafran war against the people of the South East?’ For the sake of peace, I want to plead that Nigeria should forgive and forget the 1967 – 1970 Biafran debacle.

Mr. President, as we all know, the Igbos are our brothers and sisters who possess great talents in the area of small and big businesses within and across the borders of Nigeria. Based on their enterprising nature, they contribute heavily to the economic development of Nigeria through payments of huge taxes into the coffers of all levels of governments in our dear country; hence they should also be given what is due to them in Nigeria.

Sir, everybody knows that you are a true Muslim who believes in equity and justice, as it is clearly stated in the two Holy Books, i.e Quran and Bible. In the light of this, I want to appeal that Your Excellency should use a dialogue rather than clamping down on the secessionist agitators in the country, especially in the South East which now looks like a war zone. It is a fact that the Leader of the Indegenious  People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu has been rearrested to face the charges against him, but dialogue with all sections of the country will help to nip in the bud, the various security challenges which have sprung up in the South East and other sections of the country. If dialogue is adopted, it will definitely prevent more of Nnamdi Kanus from springing up in the South East and the country in general. I am also pleased  to remind you sir that the peace we enjoy today in the Niger delta region is due to dialogue not war sir .

Finally, I want Mr. President to know that there are some competent and trusted Igbos in your cabinet and party who can be entrusted with the position of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria come year 2023.

If Your Excellency can be magnanimous to support and enthrone a Nigerian President of Igbo extraction in the year 2023, it will not only write Your Excellency’s name in gold, but will also enable the South Easterners to have a sense of belonging in Nigeria.

Thank you, sir.

I remain yours sincerely,