Ndigbo decry rise in kidnapping

By Tony Edike

ENUGU—NDIGBO yesterday,  reiterated their commitment to the preservation of their rich cultural heritage and restoration of value and ideology among their citizens as they marked the 2009 New Yam festival.

Ndigbo also used the occasion of the festival held in Enugu, to condemn in strong terms the current wave of violent crimes in Igbo land,  including kidnapping and armed robbery as well as cheating and stealing, saying such vices were not part of Igbo culture.

Determined to eliminate these vices amongst the ethnic group, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo in conjunction with other interest groups, have initiated moves to ensure that Igbo youths lived by their identity, values and other positive attributes that make the culture of the race distinct and superior to other culture in Africa.

At the well attended festival organised by the National Museum of Unity and Monuments, Enugu, the gathering brought together leaders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Traditional rulers, religious organisations, officials of government, heads of institutions, youth groups, cultural groups among others.

They were unanimous in their views that western civilization and culture, greed and poverty had eroded the core values of the Igboman, stressing that they must be effectively checked to enable the Igbo race move forward.