A meeting of the South-East, South-West leaders and other regions has ended in Enugu with a 17-point communique.

The communique was signed by Chief Nnia Nwodo, President-General, Ohaneze Ndigbo and ‎Chief Ayo Adebanjo, on behalf of Afenifere.

It read in full:

Communique – Handshake Across The Niger:

A] Notations.
After today’s meeting of all strata of persons of Igbo and Yoruba origins in Enugu, the erstwhile capital of Eastern Nigeria, the conferees comprising leaders of the South West (SW), South East (SE), the South South (SS) the Middle Belt (MB) made several observations and resolved as follows:

1. Noted the immense strength of Igbo-Yoruba close affinities of kinship and brotherhood, shared origins and cultural/ethical values, a common world view and inherent love of freedom and justice;

2. Noted that the Hand Shake Across the Niger (HSAN), anchored on the heroism of Major General J.T.U. Aguiyi Ironsi and Lt. Col. Adekunle Fajuyi, though long overdue, has finally burst the myth of Igbo-Yoruba irreconcilable differences and spiteful rivalry, thus, providing new impetus for resurgence of the same bold, patriotic and nationalist solidarity of the two ethnic groups from the 1930s to the 1950s that earned independence for Nigeria in 1960;

3. Noted that in a long history of close relations and association, the Igbo and Yoruba have no recorded instances of violence against each other’s ethnic group, such as inter-ethnic mass killings and destruction and/or seizure of property; that instead, they have lived, worked and prospered together, accommodating and respecting their differences;

4. Expressed awareness that grievances generated by past errors on both sides can no longer justify or sustain dissention between the two groups whose solidarity and mutual collaboration have the capacity to dramatically change the fortunes of Nigeria, thereby also, changing the fates of the African continent and the black race;

5. Noted that the HS has brought about a new dawn of irreversible amity in the horizon of Igbo-Yoruba relations, that they have today declared time-up for, and permanently buried, the hatchet of distrust and spiteful rivalry, leading to a credible tipping-point of optimism and opportunity in realizing the destiny of Nigeria as a start-up nation-state that can achieve great things.

B] Decisions and Commitments.
In consequence of the fore-going, the conferees of the HS arrived at the following decisions and commitments:

1. Decided to collaborate closely to create mutually beneficial opportunities, build a strong alliance to advance their ever growing mutual interests, while striving together to meet the common responsibilities of building a united, coherent and prosperous nation – state of free peoples, freely relating to one another across the dividing lines of tribe, religion, region and politics;

2. Declared unflinching support for a truly federal union of Nigeria that is democratic, stable, secure, peaceful, just and fair to all its citizens.

3. Committed to work in close partnership and through peaceful means to restructure Nigeria, reducing and restricting the duties of the federal government to only matters of national import on the exclusive list, while granting the federating units the right to take full responsibility for local, developmental and residual matters, as this will lead to healthy competition and cooperation among the federating units, in place of the present dysfunctional arrangement that merely superintends over the sharing and consuming of rents, and holds some States and Zones down for others to play the elusive game of catch-up;

4. Committed to insistence therefore, on peaceful devolution of powers, fiscal federalism, land/resource ownership/control, reforming component structural and systemic institutions to radically reduce the escalating cost of governance;

5. Committed to working tirelessly towards joining the economically-performing nations – China, India, Brazil, Israel, Singapore , South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand etc. – not as a dependent State, but a competitive producer and exporter of knowledge-based goods and services;

6. Committed to immediate implementation of pro federalism recommendations of the 2014 National Conference, in particular those affecting the efficiency of governance.

C] The way forward.
We believe that the fore-going measures will reposition Nigeria to reach credible nationhood, attain its full potential and respect in the community of nations thereby enabling us to effectively lead the campaign for the political and economic renaissance of Africa and the black race – the very goals for which the Zik of Africa and the sage Chief Awolowo and a host of other founding nationalists lived and sacrificed so much. The conferees of the HS have therefore:

i] Decided that today’s Hand Shake (HS) is not a one off event, but only the first of a progressive and continuous re-socialization project that will, in short order, reach out to embrace other compatriots in the South South (SS) , Middle Belt [MB], North Central (NC) North East (NE) and North West (NW) zones of the country;

ii] Decided therefore, to establish a standing Joint Action Committee to drive this process, and to continually articulate fresh ideas and strategies to sustain the current zeal and momentum of mutual understanding and collaborative actions aimed at resuscitating Nigeria politically and economically in order to position her to earn her rightful place among the contending nations in the world.

The composition and mandate of the Joint Committee and its sub-committees, along with the full report of today’s Hand Shake, will be posted in due course.

And? What else? Make we dey look dem

The communiqué is arrant nonsense

Signed by deluded FFK

sarrki:
The communiqué is arrant nonsense

Signed by deluded FFK

Trash

You Mean PDP Summit?

Monimatic:
Buhari is a disaster that must be eradicated in 2019

Do You Have PVC?

NgeneUkwenu:


Do You Have PVC?

Who dash am

Did the yoruba muslims sign too?

Dead before arrival

Peace is very important

lol they went there to entertain themselves at least bottle water must serve .

Lipscomb:
lol they went there to entertain themselves at least bottle water must serve .

madridguy:
Dead before arrival

NgeneUkwenu:
You Mean PDP Summit?

sarrki:
The communiqué is arrant nonsense

Signed by deluded FFK

Ask urselves who stands to gain from the continous enemity between Igbos and Yorubas.

If ur answer is The North (which would be a correct answer)

Then ask urselves the tribes of these popular monikers I quoted. People who hide as Yorubas or 'omoluabis' to further push the narative of division among Africa's finest tribes.

I have been to a few countries....u will hardly see an hausa man abroad. They are all at their emirs palaces in the north sniffing drugs and listening to anti-western propaganda....being told that western ideas are haram

It is these backward lots that we have entrusted the fate of Africa's largest economy and by extension, the fate of the black race.

The west and east should unite now and come under one political party, using the moderate middle beltans as willing tools to dominate this country for the 1st time

Yoruba moslems are pained by this development.

weownlagos:
Yoruba moslems are pained by this development.

Am really begin to suspect that its really yoruba people who are muslims that are behind the seeming war btw Igbos and yorubas. Is islam averse to peace bikonu?

I mean which sensible yoruba man wont want to have Igbos as dependable allies and vice verser?

Modified: I'm sorry for this comment. Yorubas (christian, muslims and traditionalists) are among the most liberal minded people in Nigeria now. I am certain we from the south can all give peace a chance. If yoruba is winning, we Igbos will also consider ourselves as part of their victory and vice verser.

Peace.

You are a tribalist.

Bede2u:
Ask urselves who stands to gain from the continous enemity between Igbos and Yorubas.

If ur answer is The North (which would be a correct answer)

Then ask urselves the tribes of these popular monikers I quoted. People who hide as Yorubas or 'omoluabis' to further push the narative of division among Africa's finest tribes.
[b]
I have been to a few countries....u will hardly see an hausa man abroad. They are all at their emirs palaces in the north sniffing drugs and listening to anti-western [/b]propaganda....being told that western ideas are haram

It is these backward lots that we have entrusted the fate of Africa's largest economy and by extension, the fate of the black race.

The west and east should unite now and come under one political party, using the moderate middle beltans as willing tools to dominate this country for the 1st time

madridguy:
You are a tribalist.

You taught me

Remember pigs and idiots?

madridguy:
You are a tribalist.

You of all people?

The people against this move are the real enemies of Nigeria. I just pray and hope there is no ulterior motive behind it, then there is still hope for Nigeria.

afonja remains afonja,if dey lyk let dem swim from the river niger to lagos

So why mention me in South west and south east palava?
As for the pigs and idiots, you should hold your cownu responsible for the statement.

Bede2u:
You taught me

Remember pigs and idiots?

Beware of leuretta Onochie media outlet BMC on Nairaland they open alot of Username to operate and assemble there comments together to distract people from the topic against this evil Government by calling the author names like pigs, afonja, IPOB to create room for tribal media war within the tribes and make the topic useless. Sarrki, Ngeneukwe and co agents of BMC

Yes and the backward, unintelligent will rule over you forever.

Bede2u:
u mentioned urself not me. As for fvcked up, backward, unintelligent northern mindset, ur leaders said it https://www.nairaland.com/2868624/north-poverty-trap-shettima#42021989

madridguy:
Yes and the backward, unintelligent will rule over you forever.

Fulani

Call me anything I careless. 5% pained wailers

Bede2u:
Fulani

NgeneUkwenu:
You Mean PDP Summit?

you can even name it atiku summit, it doesn't stop it from achieving its purpose, that name calling tactics you guys used in 2015 is now outdated try something else.

cool, as long as no backstabbing.


I didn't call any region, but watch out for those with guilty conscience

But I believe in a sincerely united south.

weownlagos:
Yoruba moslems are pained by this development.

What udeveloped development are you talking about

We can still fix this country





It's doable

sarrki:
The communiqué is arrant nonsense

Signed by deluded FFK

The true motive behind this move is nothing but.... Sacrilege.