Senator Rochas Okorocha, (APC – Imo West) has faulted a comment by a popular pastor, Tunde Bakare that Igbos are cursed and cannot produce Nigeria’s president for now.
Okorocha spoke Tuesday at his Unity House Campaign office in Abuja while playing host to National Youth Leader of APC, Mr Dayo Israel.
Bakare had set tongues wagging when he declared: “Why should anyone in this country say the Igbo man cannot be president of Nigeria? I was at Imo State and I told them the reason why the Igbo cannot rule Nigeria and I want to remove the curse today. Do you know what happened? The day Tafawa Balewa was killed, they removed his turban, poured wine on his head, forced him to drink and shot him. In the process, he cursed them saying, ‘none of your tribe will ever rule Nigeria.
“I want to break the curse today because this generation of Igbos was not part of those people. By the authority of God’s word, I reverse the curse of Tafawa Balewa over the Igbo generation. Henceforth, the Igbo’s will have access to the throne like any other Nigerian”.
A video of the comment went viral on social media.
Watch video:
In his reaction on Tuesday, Okorocha said Bakare’s comment on Igbos being cursed was an “overstatement”.
He described Igbos as assets to Nigeria who deserve to rule the country as much as any other section of the country.
“When I listened to Bakare mention that the Igbos are cursed in the cause of his preaching, I think that is an overstatement and unwarranted preaching. I must state here categorically that Igbos are not cursed and they will never be cursed.
“They are peaceful and blessed Nigerians who are found in every nook and cranny of this country. They may not be good politicians, because of the kind of politics we play in Nigeria, but definitely, they are not cursed. Igbos are a great asset to this country. They are not the problem,” Okorocha said.