Low enrollment of igbo youths in Nigerian Army due to perceived marginalization
By Sunny A. David, Awka
The low number of Igbo youths enrolling in the Nigerian Army’s 2025 recruitment drive a mere 200 compared to over 4,000 from other regions, is attributed to perceived marginalization and a lack of trust in the federal government, according to a prominent Ohanaeze Ndigbo leader.
Ichie Damian Okeke Ogene, a former Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, stated that the Igbo people feel treated as second-class citizens, citing the absence of Igbo representation among service chiefs and a lack of federal government employment opportunities for Igbo National Youth Service Corps members.
He highlighted the historical difficulty in recruiting Igbo youths into the police and army, attributing this to a deep-seated distrust stemming from years of perceived marginalization.
Ogene argues that this distrust, coupled with a strong entrepreneurial spirit among Igbo youths who often pursue independent ventures rather than seeking white-collar jobs, contributes to the low recruitment numbers.
He urged the federal government to address the perceived marginalization of the South-East region and foster a more inclusive Nigeria to rebuild trust and encourage greater participation from Igbo youths in national institutions like the military.
The army’s concern about the South-East’s inability to meet its recruitment quota underscores the seriousness of this issue.