Ethnic clashes: Arewa, Oodua, Ohanaeze, Ijaw youths meet in Abuja

Conglomeration of civil society groups, under the auspices of Play Forum, will tomorrow bring the leadership of the youths in the ethnic nationalities in the six geo-political zones to Abuja to dialogue on the ethnic crisis plaguing the country.

With the title, “engaging the youth in the phase of disunity”, the group, Tap Nitiative, Abuja Global Shapers and Yali Network, said the leadership of Ohanaeze Youth Forum, Oodua Nationalist Coalition, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Ijaw Youth Council and the Nigerian Youth Forum will be in attendance.

Addressing a press conference in Abuja yesterday, the Executive Director Tap Nitiative, Mbasekei Martin Oboro, said: “We are here because of the recent development in our country.


The various ethnic groups in the six geo-political zones of the federation are agitating for equity and justice in our socio-economic and political dimensions.”
“While we recognise there is marginalisation among all the ethnic groups in Nigeria, we are also cognisant of the fact that some regions are more marginalised than others. The way we manage the marginalisation is what would determine our continuous peaceful coexistence.

“Nigeria has never been as divided as we currently are since the civil war, and there is need for us to do something to avoid the looming disaster that is associated with division and disunity. It is based on these that we are hosting a forum which would bring together the leadership of Ohanaeze Youth Forum, Oodua Nationalist Coalition, Arewa Youth Consultative Forum, Ijaw Youth Council and the Nigerian Youth Forum.

“The interactive forum is scheduled for Saturday, in Abuja. The programme will bring the voices of various leaders of these youth groups together to forge a common goal of uniting the country. The leadership of our country has not managed the crisis of the various separatist groups responsibly.

“We, the younger generation, have decided to call on the various youth groups within these regions to a discussion that would give the nation a new direction and birth the country that we want.

“Nigeria belongs to all of us and if government fails to act responsibly, we, the citizens, want peace in Nigeria; and without peace, there would be no meaningful development and you cannot have peace without agreeing to a dialogue. We need to continue to work out ways through which we can sustain the discussion,” the group said.