Ghana’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa on Wednesday met with Chukwudi Jude Ihenetu, the Igbo leader in Ghana over issues relating to alleged attempts to create an “Igbo Kingdom” in Ghana.
The meeting aimed to clarify the controversial statements that have sparked public debate.
During the meeting, Eze Ihenetu explained that the video was an old interview from 2013, a period he now deeply regrets. He assured the Minister that he had long abandoned any such idea and had not purchased any land for that purpose.
The Igbo leader conveyed his profuse apologies to the President, the Government, Chiefs, and the people of Ghana for the “unfortunate agitations” his “ill-advised interview” had caused.
The Minister reiterated Ghana’s pride in its “celebrated friendly foreign policy,” which extends a welcoming hand to all, particularly Africans and people of African descent. He emphasized the nation’s commitment to championing its renowned Pan-African identity.
However, the Minister stressed that while Ghana offers famed hospitality, it expects all visitors and fellow Africans to “adhere to our peaceful and law-abiding traditions and desist from conduct or pronouncements considered unlawful, divisive and incendiary.”
The government has urged calm and restraint, recalling the “inseparable bond of friendship and brotherhood between Ghana and Nigeria.”
He called for a spirit of African solidarity in commentary surrounding the issue, cautioning against allowing the matter to “degenerate into xenophobic consequences.”
The meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of the “incredibly vibrant Ghana-Nigeria relations.”
Ghana|Atinkaonline.com