*Professionals,
others meet over defunct Midwest region
Former Vice
President Atiku Abubakar has decried what he termed a song wishing Igbo people
dead. He, therefore, warned that Nigeria should not be made to witness
genocide
like Rwanda.
Abubakar
noted that the song, currently circulating in parts of the federation, could
trigger a major crisis reminiscent of the Rwandan experience.Hundreds of
thousands of Rwandans were killed in an inter-ethnic conflict between the Hutus
and Tutsis in the East African country in 1994 following the death of their
president, Juvénal Habyarimana, in a plane crash.
In a
statement yesterday from his media office in Abuja, Abubakar urged Nigerians to
condemn what he said was “reminiscent of the beginning of the Rwandan
genocide.”The former president called on security agencies to fish out those
responsible for the song, which he declined details.
He said: “It
has come to my attention that a song disparaging people of Igbo origin, and
which wishes them dead, is circulating in some parts of the nation. I totally
and unequivocally condemn this development, and I call on all men of goodwill
to rise up against this evil.
“This song
is reminiscent of the beginnings of the Rwandan genocide. Nigerians need to be
aware that the incident was believed to have been ignited by a song titled
Nanga Abahutu (I hate Hutus), sung by the country’s then most popular musician,
Simon Bikindi. God forbid that we should have such a déjà vu in Nigeria.”
He went on:
“I call on the security agencies to thoroughly and decisively swing into action
and apprehend, try, convict and severely punish those behind this ungodly song
which incites racial hatred.
“Simon
Bikindi was convicted by the International Criminal Tribunal for igniting and
aiding the genocide. Thus, let those who think they can treat their fellow
citizens so unjustly know that within and outside Nigeria exist mechanisms that
will ensure they answer to their crimes.
“I call on
all men of goodwill to remember those immortal lines from our former national
anthem that ‘though tribe and tongue may differ, in brotherhood we stand’.”
In another
development, professionals and civil society groups from Edo and Delta states
are meeting tomorrow in Benin City to chart a future for the defunct Midwest
region.
Congregating
under the aegis of The Midwest Movement, the participants are to deliberate on
how the region could get a better deal in the face of numerous calls for the
restructuring of Nigeria.
The
conveners include renowned playwright, Dr. Don Pedro Obaseki; Nollywood star,
Richard Mofe Damijo; Senator Domingo Obende; Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of
Law, University of Benin, Professor Edoba Omoregie; former presidential
adviser, Professor Echefuna Onyebeadi; Dr. Chris Itsede; Iyobosa Uwugiaren and
Ide Eguabor.
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