Igbo Still Marginalised, Lawyer Ejiofor Replies Former Presidential Aide Abati

Eric Patrick

Human rights lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has backed the recent statement by former presidential spokesperson, Dr. Reuben Abati, who said that the Civil War in Nigeria has never ended.

Ejiofor argued that systemic marginalisation of the Igbo people proves the war’s aftermath still persists in modern Nigeria.

In a statement released on Tuesday, and made public to journalists, Ejiofor said the Nigerian state has continued to uphold policies and practices that politically and economically sideline the South-East.

“This is not a mere metaphor.

It is a historical truth that continues to manifest in the political, economic, and social architecture of Nigeria,” he wrote.

Abati had earlier said that the North was unlikely to support the one-term presidency proposal being promoted by former Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, due to lingering post-Civil War sentiments.

Ejiofor described Abati’s observation as “a sentiment that resonates deeply with the lived experiences of millions of Nigerians, especially the Igbo people.”

Ejiofor recalled historical examples of marginalisation, starting with the infamous “20 Pounds Policy,” where Igbo citizens were refunded just £20 regardless of how much money they had in banks before the war.

“The war ended on paper,” he stated, “but its consequences still bleed into the very fabric of Nigeria’s governance and power distribution.”

He also referenced the 1972 Indigenization Decree, which opened economic opportunities for Nigerians but, he noted, excluded Igbos, who were left financially devastated after the war.

“These policies were not coincidental; they were calculated to perpetuate the consequences of defeat long after the battlefield was quiet,” Ejiofor asserted.

Further illustrating what he sees as ongoing exclusion, Ejiofor cited the case of Deputy Comptroller-General of the Nigerian Customs Service (NCS), B.U. Nwafor, from Anambra State.

Despite her qualifications, Ejiofor said, she was denied the chance to lead the NCS after the presidency extended the tenure of the current Comptroller-General, Wale Adeniyi.

“Her track record was impeccable, yet, in a move that reeks of systemic injustice, the presidency extended Comptroller-General Adeniyi’s tenure by one year, effectively blocking Nwafor from ever reaching the pinnacle of her career,” he wrote.

Ejiofor insisted this was not an isolated case but part of a pattern in which capable Igbo professionals are deliberately denied leadership roles at the national level.

He also addressed the broader issue of South-East exclusion from Nigeria’s presidency since independence, noting that the region has never held the top position.

“It is indeed easier for an elephant to pass through the eye of a needle than for an Igbo to become president under the present political structure,” he said.

According to him, appointments are driven more by ethnic considerations than by merit, despite the presence of competent individuals from the South-East.

Ejiofor expressed disappointment with what he called “self-denial” among many Igbo politicians, accusing them of “scrambling for crumbs instead of building a united front.”

He argued that this internal division has weakened the South-East’s political influence.

Linking the region’s current security crisis to long-standing political and economic exclusion, he warned, “When people are excluded for too long, the center cannot hold.”

He added, “Unfortunately, the alternatives resorted to by our restive, frustrated, disenchanted, and disillusioned youths have taken extreme and criminal dimensions.”

Ejiofor called for a complete overhaul of the Igbo political and economic strategy. He proposed a three-point approach:

“Thinking Igbo First” – developing a coordinated political and economic strategy focused on regional integration and self-reliance.

“Learning from Visionaries” – drawing inspiration from leaders like Dr. Alex Otti and Ndubuisi Mba, whom he said exemplify transformative governance.

“Ending Illusions” – facing the reality that the Nigerian system, as currently structured, is not inclined to hand power to the South-East.

“Igbos must therefore innovate, negotiate from a position of strength, and stop living in the fantasy of political benevolence,” he advised.

Ejiofor concluded with a stark warning saying, “Until these steps are taken, the Civil War will continue, not with bullets and bombs, but with policies, appointments, and the quiet violence of exclusion.”

He added, “Dr. Abati was right. The war never ended. It simply changed its weapons.”