The legendary Nollywood actor Kenneth Okonkwo has urged President Bola Tinubu to express regret to the Ndigbo on behalf of the Federal Government for the crimes committed against them.
According to reports, Okonkwo claimed to have expressly stated that it was incorrect and misleading to refer to the 1966 coup as an Igbo coup.
In an announcement posted on his 𝕏 handle on Saturday, the former leader of the All Progressives Congress (APC) praised General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) for the disclosure made in his book, “A Journey In Service.”
“The IBB’s revelation also demonstrated that the July 1966 revenge coup and the ensuing civil war against the Ndigbo from 1966 to 1970 were unnecessary,” Barrister Okonkwo continued.
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He stated that Ndigbo should be treated with respect and decency since they are still agents of development.
“I’ve always stated in my interviews that the 1966 coup was a military takeover rather than an Igbo takeover. It was unnecessary for the Ndigbo to be the target of the July 1966 vengeance coup, the pogrom, and the ensuing civil war from 1966 to 1970. As Nigeria’s development agents, Ndigbo people ought to be valued and treated as such going forward.
“The Federal Government under Tinubu should take advantage of the IBB’s disclosure to formally apologize to the Ndigbo for all the atrocities committed against them during those terrible times in Nigerian history and to find appropriate reparations to make up for the needless and preventable harm done to them.” Late is better than never, he said.
