Ohanaeze Demands Inclusion of Ethnicity, Religion in 2025 Census
The apex Igbo socio-cultural organization Ohanaeze Ndigbo said emphasized the need to include ethnicity and religion as essential categories in the 2025 National Population Census.
In a statement issued by the Secretary General of the body, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze noted that the inclusivity was vital for producing accurate and unbiased demographic data pertaining to the Igbo population and other groups dispersed across all 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria.
Ohanaeze also said it was essential that the Federal Government takes proactive measures to ensure that the 2025 Census accurately reflects our nation’s full spectrum of diversity, mitigating any potential disputes from skewed or disproportionate demographic data.
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According to them: “Ohanaeze Ndigbo emphasizes the paramount importance of including ethnicity and religion as essential categories in the census exercise”.
“This inclusivity is vital for producing accurate and unbiased demographic data pertaining to the Igbo population and other groups dispersed across all 774 Local Government Areas in Nigeria”.
“Historical grievances linked to previous National Population Census exercises—marked by fraudulent representations and distortions of demographic data—must not persist”.
“It is essential that the Federal Government takes proactive measures to ensure that the 2025 Census accurately reflects our nation’s full spectrum of diversity, mitigating any potential disputes from skewed or disproportionate demographic data”.
The apex body further commended President Bola Tinubu for the introduction of a transformative restructuring of Nigeria through the establishment of Six Geopolitical Zonal Development Commissions.
“This initiative represents a critical acknowledgment of our nation’s diverse fabric and seeks to address enduring imbalances among its myriad ethnic groups, the Secretary General said.
They further encouraged Igbo investors to capitalize on the Tinubu administration’s proposed Tax Reforms Bills, which present a significant opportunity to redirect Igbo investments back to our homeland.
“We call upon Igbo investors and entrepreneurs, as part of their New Year’s resolutions, to commit to the establishment of an international economic hub in Igbo Land through the relocation of investments—particularly those in the North and Southwest—back to our ancestral territory”
“This initiative is not merely an aspirational pursuit, but a critical shift from a historical narrative that has seen Igbo capital languishing outside its rightful domain”.
“It is imperative that we prioritize the revitalization of our local economies, ensuring our financial engagements promote growth and resilience within the Igbo Nation”, Ohanaeze advocated.
