Sunday Nwakanma, Umuahia
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has assured the Yoruba community in the State to formalize their request for a parcel of land to enable him give the necessary instructions to the Commissioner for Lands.
The governor handed down this assurance, at Saturday evening, at the Governor’s Lodge Aba while receiving in audience, the leadership of the Yoruba Community Development Association, Abia State chapter, promising also to repair their vandalised mosque, adding that it is sacrilegious for anyone, under any guise, to attack and vandalise any place of worship.
On their request for consideration for political involvement, the Governor agreed that it was a just request, noting that Igbos hold both elective and appointive positions in places like Lagos, assuring that one of them will be appointed his Special Adviser on Ethnic Harmony.
On their request for a vehicle to assist their association, Governor Ikpeazu promised to provide a vehicle for them before the end of this month
Governor Ikpeazu noted that his administration and indeed the people of Abia State would always and at all times, coexist peacefully with them and continue to provide an enabling environment for all citizens to pursue their legitimate undertakings.
He stated that no Yoruba indigene has any reason whatsoever to entertain any fears about residing and doing business anywhere in Abia State “because our people basically see them as part and parcel of our community”.
The Governor made it clear that every citizen of Abia State has a responsibility to protect Yorubas around them, because a Yoruba man and former Military Governor of the then Western Region, late Col. Adekunle Fajuyi preferred to die with our son and former Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi instead of allowing him to be taken away from his house where he was on official visit in July 1966.
According to the governor, “that gesture by the late Fajuyi has a major historical significance and makes it imperative for every Abian to ensure that every Yoruba son or daughter living with us is well protected from any form of harm”.
He urged them to continue to be law abiding and to respect the cultures and traditions of their hosts communities and thanked them for all their contributions to the economic growth of the State and for the support to his administration.
Earlier, the President of the Yoruba Community Development Association, Abia State branch, Comrade Babatunde Olatunde thanked the Governor for granting them audience and assured him that they will continue to live and do their businesses with regard to the laws of the land.
He told the governor that most of them have lived here for several years, “with a good number of them married to our daughters and vice versa”.
For them, Abia has become home and thanked the Governor for ensuring that they have lived here peacefully over the years.
They appealed to the governor to grant them a parcel of land to build their Secretariat, give them opportunities to participate more and contribute to the political development of the State and give them a vehicle to assist their association and presented the Governor with “THE MOST ACCOMMODATING GOVERNOR IN NIGERIA” award.
