Contrary to claims that other tribes in Nigeria hate Igbos, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, a former deputy National Vice President-General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, has said no tribe hates the Igbo people.
According to him, it is a case of fear and envy due to the extraordinary capacity to explore and overcome, which people of the race possess.
There have been agitations across Igbo sections over the perceived marginalization of the Southeast in the Nigerian state, which many of them attribute to hatred.
But, Okeke-Ogene, who spoke in an exclusive interview with our correspondent in Awka, believes that if the Igbos are hated, they would not be accepted in many climes where they have settled and are blossoming today.
Describing Igbos as cosmopolitan, Okeke-Ogene noted that anywhere an Igbo man goes, he is intentional about his purpose, which has driven their pursuit of excellence and self-accomplishment.
He, however, noted that it is the result of the hard work of the Igbos, evident in their accomplishments, that often leads to the envy they suffer at the hands of their hosts, who are afraid that they may continue to expand and take over the communities.
The Ohaneze Ndigbo stalwart made it clear that Igbos are not necessarily interested in the local politics of their locations, noting that all they are interested in is a friendly environment in which to ply their trade and make wealth.
“No tribe comports itself like the Igbos. So, it will be a distraction if we continue to say people hate us.
“Whether we are hated or not, let us be allowed to explore our god-given capabilities, which most times, lead to the development and transformation of our locations,” he said.
On the claims that Igbos do not love themselves and that they do not respect constituted authorities, the Ohaneze leader explained that because of the abundance of wisdom and enlightenment among the Igbo people, it is difficult for the people to agree easily when they have divergent opinions on a better option.
This proliferation of knowledge, he noted, is what is driving the development of Alaigbo, as the people are free to air their views and not readily subscribe to the suggestion of the elites, which may not be the best.
“Igbos love themselves. Igbos respect their leaders. But that is when the leader is not leading them astray.
“At whatever point the Igbo man feels the leader is not telling them the truth, he will revolt.
“This is not the same in other tribes of the country, where everybody accepts any crap dished out by those who call themselves leaders. That does not make for a better society.
“What the Igbo man exemplifies is a balanced environment where the views of people are respected even when they are not part of the ruling class, because they are valuable and profitable,” Okeke-Ogene concluded.
