The Director-General of the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, on Thursday said the economic and security challenges in the southeast have contributed to the divisions among Igbos.
Okonjo-Iweala, who spoke during her virtual participation in the southeast economic and security summit held in Owerri, lamented that Igbos no longer provide mutual support but instead engage in attacks and undermining of each other.
She noted that the Igbos need more focus and sight of their most significant communal assets.
She, however, advised Ndigbo to reject self-centeredness and instead promote teamwork to foster economic growth within the region, saying there was a bright side to the challenges of the southeast.
Her words:” We have lost focus. We have lost sight of our biggest community assets. We are fragmented as a people. We don’t support each other; instead, we attack and undermine each other. We are too individualistic. An individual can be good but better when we come together with others as a body.
“I am sure you want me to mention the gaps in infrastructure. I don’t think it is our biggest challenge. Our biggest challenge in the southeast is ourselves. We have often been our worst enemies. We have allowed ourselves to be divided.
“If the problem is us, it means the solution also lies in our hands. To do this, we must exercise joint leadership, and that is why it is important that you are taking the summit step now.
“Another big challenge is security; this partly arose from our fragmentation. Insecurity in our region is sending wrong signals about whether one can invest in the southeast.”
The former minister of finance also commended the region’s governors for partnering with the Federal Government to overcome insecurity in the southeast.
