Nigeria’s ex-President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo has condemned the prevalence of Igbophobia, saying it would not augur well for the unity and development of the country.

Obasanjo, who spoke during the one-year anniversary celebration of the regime of Governor Charles Soludo at Awka, Anambra State capital contended that poses dangerous conspiracy against the Igbos of the South East.

He described the appointments of Soludo as Central Bank of Nigeria CBN governor and that of Mrs Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala as the Minister for Finance as the best when he was President.

“When I appointed Prof Charles Soludo as my economic adviser, I worked with him very well. And I was highly impressed with him so I chose to appoint him the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN. He was one governor of CBN that was not from the commercial bank and he performed wonderfully well.

“But on one occasion somebody came to me and said you completely ruined the economy of this country by appointing an Igbo person Minister for Finance and another Igbo person Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

“That is what I call Igbophobia- it remains, it persists and I like what Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu said and I believe him whole and entire,” he said.

According to him, “I believe that on the 13th of January 1970 Biafra died and was buried in the house of my friend Simon Okeke at Amichi and I believe we have to go back to the scripture that we must conquer evil with good and wherever you find yourself and people are afraid of you try to be friendly with them and be good to them and that is the only way to conquer evil with good.

“I appointed Soludo and Okonjo Iweala and I think probably that of all the appointments that I made while in office these two appointments were the best.”

Obasanjo while congratulating Soludo on his achievements within one year in office posited that his position as Anambra state governor is more of an appetizer and that the higher position is still awaiting him after being governor.

“I commend you for what you are doing in Anambra State and if in one year you can do so much with your learn resources and carry out massive road construction of 261 km of roads then you will do a lot in the three years,” the ex-President stated.

Earlier, Governor Charles Soludo had noted that with the four pillars of his administration which have been put to use within one year, the state would be coasting to great infrastructural development.

Soludo recalled that in his first one year in office, his administration employed 5,000 teachers, 400 medical personnel as well as constructed 261 km of roads.

The governor noted that revenue leakages have been check mated as well as the reconstruction of the public properties destroyed by the gunmen.

He announced that the fight against insecurity has recorded appreciable success, adding that his administration is poised towards ensuring that its campaign promises are kept for the good of the state.