Two months after the controversial deportation of Igbo residents,
Governor Babatunde Fashola, Thursday, rendered an unreserved apology to
the Igbos over the July 24 dumping of some alleged destitute in Onitsha,
Anambra State by his administration, saying, “the action of our
government was misunderstood.”.
speaking
at silver jubilee symposium of Igbo think tank, ‘Aka Ikenga,’ at the
Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island,
Fashola insisted that he could not allow differences on a subject matter
tarnish the bond and friendship that were built overtime with the
Ndigbo in the state. -
Fashola
argued that his relationship with the Igbo remained solid and that many
had misunderstood and misrepresented the actions of the Lagos State
Government because of party politics.
''According
to him: “The truth is that I do not have a problem with the Igbos, they
know that because the largest herd of cattle I received during my
father’s burial came from the Ndigbo. Those people who came under their many colours are not people I have a problem with, they are my kindred and my people.
“Also, there were people who did not clearly understand me and they have
misunderstood words said or misrepresented actions taken in the way
that it has pleased them to do so. To those people, I owe an
explanation, not a defence of what has happened and that is partly why I
am here.
“We have built a relationship based on tolerance, mutual respect, trust
and love. That relationship was started by our ancestors, it was handed
over to us and we have nourished it with a lot of trust, with a lot of
understanding and with a lot of fidelity.
“Those who misunderstand that relationship, think that there is no
value in that relationship I have come here to correct that because I
place a lot of value on that relationship. If those people have
misunderstood me or they have misunderstood actions taken by our
government, here, now and today, I offer an unqualified and unreserved
apology.
“Why should people feel compelled to migrate from one place to the
other? Is there one part of this country that is less endowed whether in
human or natural resource? Is that the problem? Is it the case that
perhaps some parts are so endowed or not adequately managed?
Those are the honest debates that we must have. The political storm is
gathering and allusions have been made to the issues I address, not only
by the chairman, but by the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo.
How can development be so difficult in the part of Nigeria that gave us
Ike Nwachukwu, Chinua Achebe, Nnamdi Azikiwe, Odumegwu Ojukwu, Alex
Ekwueme and so on, how can development be so difficult in that part of
this country? I think those are the real issues.”
“I think we have been in the news of our relationship for the wrong
reasons in the last few weeks, but if you listen to the voices of those
who speak the loudest, you would see that they do not speak about us,
they do not speak about the problems, but about themselves. The majority
of us are concerned about how to make it better, that is what concerns
us always in Lagos, and it is not an easy decision for me.” The pursuit
of making it better makes us adopt policies which are always subject to
the human text of fallibility”.
*what is your take on his apology?Medicine after death?
No comments:
Post a Comment