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UNIEC demands reunification of Igbo-speaking communities in Benue with Southeast.

IGBO COMMUNITIES CARVED INTO BENUE STATE 

Enough is Enough! UNIEC Calls for Return of Igbo-Speaking Communities from Benue State to South East

United Igbo Elders Congress Demands Reunification of Ancestral Homelands, Citing Historical Injustice and Cultural Ties

August 25, 2025 - The United Igbo Elders Congress Worldwide (UNIEC) has issued a powerful declaration demanding the immediate return of Igbo-speaking communities currently within Benue State to their ancestral homeland in Nigeria's South East region. In the emotion laden appeal, H. E. Pastor Michael Obierika, Secretary of Board of Trustees, highlights decades of perceived political exile and cultural fragmentation affecting these communities.

The communities in question—including Ado, Oju, Okpokwu, Igumale, Ulayi, Utonkon, and Agila—maintain strong Igbo cultural, linguistic, and ancestral ties despite being administratively separated from their kin by state boundaries established during post-colonial administrative restructuring, more glaring during Yakubu Gowon's war of extermination on Ndigbo. 

HISTORICAL CONTEXT OF THE DEMAND 

The Igbo people represent one of Africa's largest ethnic groups, with a population exceeding 37 million according to 2024 estimates. Historically, the Igbo homeland stretched across what is now modern-day Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Delta and Rivers States, though significant Igbo populations exist in neighboring regions including Benue, Edo, and Akwa Ibom states .

The current demand reflects longstanding tensions regarding ethnic identity and administrative boundaries in Nigeria, a nation created through British colonial consolidation of numerous distinct ethnic groups . This complex history has previously led to severe conflicts, most notably the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), following the declaration of the independent Republic of Biafra .

UNIEC's statement emphasizes that the Igbo-speaking communities in Benue State represent a historical anomaly that must be corrected. "Their language is Igbo. Their culture is Igbo. Their blood is Igbo. Yet, they have been left stranded, treated as strangers in a political arrangement that does not reflect their identity," the declaration states.

POLITICAL IMPLICATIONS AND CHALLENGES 

The demand comes amid ongoing discussions about regional representation and state creation in Nigeria - added to the fact that the South East has been short-changed in the number of states alloted to the region. 

The issue of Igbo integration extends beyond Benue State. Uche Okwukwu, a contender for president-general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo (the main Igbo socio-cultural organization), has stated his intention to "rigorously pursue the inclusion of Igbos in Benue State, Edo, and Akwa Ibom" into official Igbo governing bodies .

This demand for territorial restructuring also occurs within the context of continued Igbo nationalism and occasional secessionist movements, which have grown more militant since the 1990s. The emotional resonance of reunification claims reflects deeper frustrations about political marginalization and cultural preservation.

THE PATH FORWARD 

UNIEC's declaration frames the reunification demand as essential to national unity: "Justice delayed is justice denied. Justice denied is peace betrayed. And peace betrayed is unity destroyed."

The organization calls specifically on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu's administration, the National Assembly, and relevant authorities to "act swiftly, courageously, and fairly in restoring these communities to their rightful place within the South East zone."

This demand presents both challenges and opportunities for the Nigerian government. Addressing historical boundary grievances could potentially strengthen national unity, but might also open complex debates about ethnic identity and territorial administration across the country.

The press release concludes with a powerful warning: "The world is watching. History is recording. Future generations will judge. To continue this injustice is to spit on the principles of fairness, to mock unity, and to deepen the fault lines of mistrust in this nation."

ABOUT THE UNITED IGBO ELDERS CONGRESS WORLDWIDE (UNIEC)

The United Igbo Elders Congress Worldwide is an organization dedicated to preserving Igbo cultural heritage, advocating for the rights of Igbo people worldwide, and promoting equitable development within Igbo communities. The organization comprises respected elders and leaders from across the Igbos, both at home and in the Diaspora. 


Media Contact: 

H.E. Pastor Michael Obierika (+234 803 490 9121) 


Contact Information: Email:

igboelderscongress@gmail.com

https://igboelders.blogspot.com


This press release is distributed by The United Igbo Elders Congress Worldwide (UNIEC).

Comments

  1. United Igbo Elders Congress (UNIEC) Worldwide.September 10, 2025 at 9:19 PM

    Yes, enough is Enough. Igbanke people have been subjected to a state of servitude for long enough.
    You Pharoahs, "...Let my people go!"

    ReplyDelete

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