A former Vice President of the apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Damian Okeke-Ogene, has identified the agelong marginalization suffered by Igbos and the consequent loss of confidence in Nigeria as the factors driving their poor participation in the ongoing 2025 Army recruitment process.
Statistics show that less than 300 youths from the region registered for the Army recruitment exercise in 2025, compared to over 4,000 from other regions.
The Army authorities have expressed worry over the poor numbers from the region and its inability to fill its quota and ensure adequate representation within the military.
But, Okeke Ogene, in a chat with newsmen in Awka, said youths in the region have lost confidence in serving in the Nigerian Army because of marginalization of the region by successive administrations.
He said low enrollment rate stems from the ill treatment being meted to the region by Nigeria and its government.
According to him, a lot of things have happened that made Igbo youths lose confidence and trust in serving the Nigerian Army.
He said: “Igbo people are treated in this country as if they do not belong to one Nigeria. Yes, they may be surprised that Igbo youths are no longer enrolling on the Nigerian Army.
“Is it not more surprising also that out of the entire service chiefs in Nigeria, they did not manage to put even one Igbo man there?
“Is it in recruiting soldiers that they will send to the North East and Sambisa Forest that they will remember that Southeast is part of Nigeria?
“The Southeast may not fill its quota for the ongoing recruitment cycle.
He regretted that Igbo youths in the National Youth Service Corps, NYSC, came out in their thousands, but would secure no job from the federal government.
“From the time I was the President of Town Unions, it has been very difficult to convince Igbo youths to join the rank and file of the Nigerian police, not to talk of joining the Nigerian Army. It will take a long time to change this perception, unless the Nigerian government decides to take action against marginalisation of the southeast,” he said.
While advising the federal government to strive towards building all inclusive Nigeria, instead of chasing shadows, the Ohaneze chieftain noted that Igbo youths no longer have confidence in one Nigeria, arguing that when it comes to juicy positions, the Nigerian government will not remember the southeast.
The Ohaneze chieftain also emphasized that Igbos are known to be masters of their destinies, and would prefer, instead of going into white collar jobs, to learn trades or any other skills that can sustain them independently.
He, however, said Ohaneze will intensify advocacy to ensure that qualified youths are encouraged to join the Nigerian armed forces.
