BY KOKO AFAM
PROMINENT journalist, Sam Omatseye, has asked the Federal Government to consider the agitation for Biafra as justifiable.
He said this at a symposium and book reading session organised by National Association of Students of English and Literary Studies, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife.

 While speaking at the event, he argued  that Buhari was not democratic enough in dealing with the Biafra agitators,
and subsequently faulted the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kanu, saying that would not bring the expected peace.

 He explained that the book read at the occasion, ‘My name is Okoro’, was written to make case for the minorities in Nigeria.

 He said, “I tried to emphasise the minority tribe and to drag attention of Nigerians to the civil war. Biafra people should not be sidelined, they should be spoken with, there has to be a compensation. You cannot in a multi-ethnic society end conflict by force. You have to address the issues, you have to speak with them.
“Government should call Biafra people to a round table. Without that, there is no way forward. If you do not sit with them; if you keep throwing someone into jail because of seditious things, you set the flames on the street.”

 He accused Buhari of exploiting democracy, adding that the president has a good team to work with.

 “Buhari is by nature not a democrat. He is a struggling democrat. He enjoys democracy when it favours him, when it (democracy) does not, he does not like it. His style of governance has not favoured Nigerians. He has been a failure so far. He can still redeem his image.

 “Buhari has a good team, but you can have a great football team but if you have a coach that is not connecting, the team will not make it. Buhari is the problem.” he affirmed

 President of NASELS OAU, Afeez Gbadamosi, said the event was organised to encourage reading culture.
“There is no gainsaying in the assertion that there is a dearth of reading culture among Nigerian youths owing to multifarious reasons. In view of this, various strategies need to be devised to combat this negative tread,” he added.

credit: ONNLIVE.COM