Chief Gary Enwo-Igariwey Nnachi is the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization. He is equally a delegate from the Southeast geo- political zone of the country. Nnachi in this interview offers insight into what may form the position of Ndigbo at the on-going national confab.

By Levinus Nwabughiogu

What should Nigerians expect from the South-east delegation at the conference?
We are basically talking about restructuring the country. We are looking at the zones of the federating units and devolution of powers to the zones, looking at derivation and citizenship. We want to take a good look at that aspect. People should be able to live in a place without discrimination. People born or living in a place for some time should be accorded the same rights as the indigenes of the place.

What happens when these positions do not get the endorsement of delegates from other zones?
Of course, we have come here with positions that have to be negotiated. The important thing is that we are interested in getting at positives steps that will help in defining the bonds binding us. We may not solve all of the problems at ones but we are going to take any step in the right direction. It is about negotiations. It is about compromises. It is a give and take thing. The important thing is that we are determined to make changes, to bring something that will make Nigeria stronger.

Are you advocating regional governments?
Yes, yes, we are looking in that direction. We think that will make for a better federation. They will be large enough to run their economic programmes as against states that are relatively small to carry out independent economic programmes.

Are the delegates optimistic that the conference will successfully achieve the desired goals?
Yes, if we didn’t think it wouldn’t achieve anything, nobody will bother to come here. We have to go to the confab because we are optimistic that something good will come out of it. Because if something good doesn’t come, it is not in any person’s interest.

But we have had similar conferences in the past with skewed outcomes.
I think that the situation in the country now and especially 100 years after, that’s a good milestone to reengineer Nigeria. It is about reworking Nigeria. The way it is now, it is not working. We know it is not working and you can’t continue to live like that and except you restructure, reengineer Nigeria, you can’t prepare it for growth. It is about growth now. The country like we have it now is not growing.

Should Nigerians expect to hear talks about regional secessions at the confab judging from the fact that the federal government put a caveat of no- go areas?
Well, I don’t think anybody will come here to discuss secession. That is not part of it. We are here to make Nigeria grow. But if it exists as a provision, the idea is that it makes the federal unit aware that it has to act properly to avoid such incident. But to be candid to you, nobody would be coming here to discuss how to break up Nigeria. We’ve come with one sole aim: how to grow Nigeria. How to make it stronger.