Chief Nnia Nwodo, President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, a pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, has urged Igbos living in South Africa to eschew violence and resolve their differences amicably.
Nwodo gave the advice at the annual Igbo Day and New Yam Festival (Iriji Ndi Igbo) in Johannesburg on Sunday.
The Secretary of Ohaneze Ndigbo, South Africa chapter, Mr Emeka Ezinteje, said that Nwodo was represented by Chief Julius Osakwe, the chapter’s President at the event.
“There is no need to resort to violence in settling disputes among yourselves and your hosts since there are other civilised avenues to do so,’’ he said in a statement by Ezinteje and made available to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Port Harcourt.
Nwodo condemned the violent deaths of some Igbos in South Africa, saying that the apex body of Ohaneze was not happy with the trend.
He urged them to live peacefully as brothers and sisters and work for the progress of Ndigbo always.
Ezinteje used the occasion to call for synergy between pro-Biafran activists and Ohaneze leadership to make Igbos speak with one voice on matters of national interest.
Mr Godwin Adama, Nigeria`s Consul General in South Africa attended the event, while Eze Jonas Udeji, Traditional Prime Minister of Igbos in South Africa performed necessary traditional rites/rituals in the absence of Eze Igbo in South Africa.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo is an apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria founded in 1976. The group represents all Igbo communities within and outside Nigeria.
Igbos by census, represent one of the three largest ethnic groups in Nigeria.
Although the group is not a political party, part of its objectives of creation is to foster unity among its members in order to better allow them to be representative within the political scenario of Nigeria. (NAN)