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Don, politician canvass restructuring, urge journalists to champion aspiration

By Charles Ogugbuaja, Owerri
05 December 2017   |   4:07 am
Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Stella Okunna, has joined other Nigerians advocating for restructuring of the country.

Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra State, Prof. Stella Okunna, has joined other Nigerians advocating for restructuring of the country. She urged the Federal Government to ‘gently restructure’ the country, creating more state and local councils in the Southeast geo-political zone.

Also, a politician, Carl Azudibia, urged the Federal Government to address the imbalance against the Igbo.

The duo made their feelings known while speaking at a public lecture with the theme: “Clamour for Restructuring Nigeria: Majour Concerns and the Media,” held at the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Press Centre, Owerri. The event was part of activities to mark the press week.

Okunna, the first female Professor of Mass Communication in Africa, said the media (both traditional oral and social/new media) with ranging powers of status conferal, agenda setting, reframimng the onion, among others should put the restructuring message on the front burner through sensitization and conscientization.

She commended the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Nnia Nwodo, for supporting restructuring, taking the agitation of the Southeast people into cognizance.

“We are gently requesting for a sixth state,” she stressed.

The former Commissioner and Chief of Staff in Anambra State under the administration of Peter Obi, said the media was working appreciably well, asking for more in the direction.

In his presentation, Azudibia traced the history of marginalization of Igbo people from the pre-independence era, contending that over 75 per cent (34 million) of the people were slaves.

He also faulted the foundation of British rule and the 1914 amalgamation of the northern and Southern protectorates. He also called for the examination of the 1963 constitution.

A former commissioner of Information in the state, Chief Chidi Ibe, applauded the journalists for genuinely understanding the state government’s policies and programmes.

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