A South East group, the Igbo Renaissance Forum has reacted
to the demeaning treatment currently being meted out on Igbo people in China.
Video clips emerged from different social media platforms
yesterday showing Chinese authorities kicking Nigerians out of their hotels
over Coronavirus fears.
In a statement on Wednesday, signed by
International Coordinator, Nze Ugo-Akpe Onwuka (Oyi) the forum said it
“received with amazement and shock the inhuman and demeaning treatment
currently being meted out on Ndi Igbo and other Nigerians in China.”
The group warned that Ndi Igbo were fast losing patience
with a leadership of Nigeria that had not inspired any hope in those they lead.
The group expressed concerns that the Federal Government and
the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Jideofor K. Onyeama remained in
golden silence mode despite the situation.
“A few days ago, videos of molestation and intimidation of
Ndi Igbo and other Nigerians living in China went viral online. We have taken
time to investigate the matter and have confirmed the videos that we received
in relation to the incidents recorded as factual,” the statement added.
“We want to use this medium to speak directly to the South
East political leaders, and specifically to the South East Governors. That your
deafening silence in the face of obvious life-threatening circumstances facing
your people in China is disdainful and insensitive to put it mildly.
“It is sad that these people stranded in China and being
subjected to inhuman treatments by the Chinese were quarantined for 15 days and
subsequently thrown into the streets and asked to leave, without any
consideration whatsoever. From information received from reliable sources, we
gathered that hotels have been instructed not to take them in, even as some are
being evicted from their living places.
“It is even more sad that while our people are being treated
like animals in China, our leaders, who were always screaming on podiums during
campaigns, vowing and pledging to protect and preserve our lives and rights
have decided to be VERY SILENT and are acting as if they are deaf, dumb and
blind!
“We are waiting for Hon Abike Dabiri-Erewa, Chairman
Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM) to address this matter with the
urgency it deserves. It is disheartening for us as Ndi Igbo to observe the kind
of efforts that goes into rescuing citizens from regions other than ours from
unsavory situations, only to see a snail speed action when any bad situation
seems to affect Ndi Igbo more.
“However, we shall not dwell on the lacklustre attitude of
the federal government to issues concerning Ndi Igbo as our focus is on our
elected leaders in the South East who have become even more fatally lethargic
at taking charge and defending Ndi Igbo in recent times.
“Our people are going through unimaginable pain and anguish
for no other reason but XENOPHOBIA, and yet we have our own brother, Geoffrey
Jideofor K. Onyeama as Nigeria’s Minister for Foreign Affairs in GOLDEN SILENCE
MODE.
“Some people in some quarters have insinuated that most of
the people affected are either not legally resident in China or have criminal
records that might affect their exit from the country. For us as an
Organization, it is absurd to start attributing and conjuring such ideas
without any data of the individuals affected, or even a thorough investigation
of the matter to ascertain the legal immigration status of these individuals.
“We demand that the South East Governors by Friday 10th of
April 2010 should tell Ndi Igbo in definite terms, the course of action on how
to engage the federal government to evacuate our people facing homelessness,
anxiety, vagaries of the weather and ultimately COVID-19 in China at this
moment.
“That the South East Governors constitute adiaspora
interface organization at the shortest possible time, made up of credible
individuals to get to work and to quickly come up with a comprehensive welfare
report on Ndi Igbo across the globe. This is very pertinent for us, as we
battle this pandemic and beyond, for R&D purposes.
“We demand that a database of Ndi Igbo stranded in China be
raised immediately. That is the only way we can work out an efficient plan for
a successful action.
“We demand that the South East Governors, the South East
Parliamentary Caucus and Ohaneze Ndigbo convene an emergency meeting on or
before the 15th of April, 2020 to holistically look at the Igbo nation and its
survival through this COVID-19 pandemic and beyond as we are tired of the
silence in the face of serious threats to our existence by the effects of the
measures to combat COVID-19 globally.
“We want to state very clearly that Ndi Igbo are fast losing
patience with a leadership that has not inspired any hope in those they lead.
“We shall be left with no option but to invoke the PEOPLE
POWER in the situation where it becomes obvious that the lives of those who
took pains to put our leaders in office does not matter anymore.
“Finally, we want to give our people who are caught in this
unfortunate situation in China hope, that they are certainly not alone, and
that we shall not rest until they are safely evacuated back to Nigeria. We ask
that they maintain the peace and be of good conduct as great ambassadors,” the
group stated.
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