THE RECENT DEPORTATION OF IGBOS FROM LAGOS Recently, Lagos State Government deported 72 persons mostly of Igbo extraction and dumped them in Onitsha Anambra State on the claim that the deportees were destitutes. However, it was later discovered that many of the deportees are not destitutes as claimed by Lagos State Government. Further, majority of the deportees are mostly from different states in the South Eastern part of Nigeria. It was also discovered that a person from Edo State whom the Lagos Government probably thought was an Igbo person was among the deportees. When confronted, Governor Raji Fashola of Lagos State while admitting the deportation before the media appeared nonchalant about the claim that the deportation was offensive to the constitutional rights of the said Igbo deportees. Unfortunately, this action has been greatly condemned by Anambra State Government who claims that Lagos State Government did not consult it before the deportation was carried out. Also Aka Ikenga which is a socio-cultural Igbo group in Lagos and other Igbos all over the world have frowned at the action saying that it was an inhuman treatment. Regrettably, each time I hear how the Igbos have been inhumanly treated, I feel so bad. This is because Ndigbo are harmless, peaceful, non-militant and progressive in nature. Nevertheless, they are always maltreated wherever they live especially in other parts of their own country (outside the south East). After the Nigerian Civil War, the Igbos lost all the money they had in Nigerian banks and were only given insignificant sum to start life afresh. As that one was not enough, many of their property in other parts of the country outside the South East were labelled ‘abandoned property’ and forcefully taken away from them without compensation. Be that as it may, it is very clear that the above recent action of Lagos State to deport Igbos in Lagos is not only immoral, but inhuman and unconstitutional. How did Lagos State ascertain that the persons they deported were destitutes? Were they taken to psychiatric hospitals to ascertain that they are destitute persons? Is it that most of the suspected lunatics in Lagos are Igbos? How many Yoruba suspected mad people were deported to their states of origin? Apart from Igbos, how many other non-Igbos were deported to their different states? Why must every section of this country treat Igbos like sub-humans? And so on and so forth. Many at times, a lot of Igbos have faced a lot of inhuman, unjust, wicked and degrading treatment manly from Lagos State Government. Sometimes, they are killed, maimed and subjected to different types of inhuman and degrading treatment just for the fact that they are Igbos. Ironically, Section 41 of the Country’s constitution provides thus: ‘Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and RESIDE in part thereof…’. Also, Section 34 of the same constitution provides that every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person and shall not be subjected to inhuman or degrading treatment. Furthermore, there is no where the county’s laws where it is provided that a state has a right to deport or extradite citizens of this country to other states. Be that as it may, Igbos have contributed a lot to the development of virtually every part of the country Nigeria. Lagos is even more exceptional because the Igbos contributed substantially to the development and wellbeing of Lagos more than any other tribe in Nigeria. The Alaba International Market in Lagos is just a pinch example. But any time there is little crisis in any part of the country, the Igbo man’s life and his property are always the target. Why then should the Igbos who make up a major ethnic group in Nigeria always be inhumanly treated, killed and their property destroyed in their own fatherland. What sin did the Igbo man commit that makes him a sacrificial lamb in his own country? Why is it that every Igbo man is unsafe outside the South East? Why is it that they are always potential victims of many contingent unhealthy circumstances? Therefore, it is my opinion that the presidency, South East Governors, representatives from the South East at the National Assembly, leaders of Ndigbo etc. should stand now to condemn this act of wickedness from our Yoruba brothers. This should also be an eye opener to our leaders like Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State who is now into a political alliance with the Yoruba. Therefore, the Igbos should demand an unreserved apology and compensation from Lagos State Government for this animalistic act. However, it is also my candid opinion that many Igbos should appreciate the hatred many people especially those from the other parts of the country have on them. Therefore, they should start thinking more about home, start investing at home and start appreciating that they are persona non grata in other parts of the country outside Igbo Land. ‘Ukpara okpoko gburu, nti chiri ya’. Barr. Emperor N. Iwuala(ksc) Owerri based Private Legal Practitioner 08037247295 emperoriwuala@yahoo
Posted on: Sun, 25 Aug 2013 21:13:28 +0000
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