Igbos have been marginalized in Nigeria - Gowon

Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon (retd), has said that the Igbos have been marginalized in the nation's polity.

Gowon stated this on Thursday while speaking at an event organized by the Igbo Leadership Development Foundation.

Speaking on the theme “Federal Character, Restructuring and Rotation of Presidential Power in Nigeria”, Gowon who was represented by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, called for measures to end the pains of the Igbos.

He said, “I believe that a lot of injustice has been done to the Igbos and a constitutional debate on restructuring must address all imbalances and restore hope and confidence.

“Nigeria is big enough for all of us and I believe that the Igbo, Middle Belt and the Yoruba are the true Nigerians because if you look round our borders, people came from abroad and are still coming but Ndigbo have always been there, Middle Belt people have always been there, even Yoruba have always been there.

“People who came in yesterday who have a duty of respect are now the ones talking. Going forward, we must create a federal democracy that will respond positively to all the aspirations of our people not about East-West but all about working together in equality, bringing in the youths and the women to build a new Nigeria.”

Adding that Nigeria cannot be complete without the Igbos, Gowon advised that the hard work and creativity of the Igbos should be capitalized on for national growth.

”I am not a friend of hate speech and bitterness but a friend of patriotism because Nigeria is dear to my heart and I believe in bright future of Nigeria and Ndigbo and that together, we can make our country great,” he said.