THE Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi
Kanu, Monday, in Owerri, the Imo State capital, met with the Prof...
Uzodinma
Nwala-led Alaigbo Development Foundation, ADF, as part of his consultations
towards the agitation for Biafra Republic. Nnamdi Kanu This came as a chieftain
of All Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom State, Elder Enefiok Ekefre has
alleged that the Igbo abandoned General Philip Effiong who eventually died a
Biafran rebel. Recall that Kanu, last week in Enugu, met with South-East
governors and some elder statesmen from the zone, including Prof. Ben Nwabueze.
Alaigbo Development Foundation is a pan-Igbo organisation composed of some
accomplished Igbo professionals, academics and the intelligentsia at home and
in the diaspora with interest in Igbo cause. ADF delegation at the meeting was
led by its National President, Professor Uzodinma Nwala, while Kanu led the top
hierarchy of IPOB to the meeting which lasted for about three hours. Speaking
shortly after, Kanu described it as “a family meeting,” saying: “I told them
that I will update them periodically on what we are doing.” The IPOB leader
expressed delight that the Igbo elite had woken from their slumber and come to
terms with realities over the need for the race to unite and take their destiny
in their hands. He said: “I am glad that the elite are coming on board. We are
all elite, including the carpenter and the mechanic by the road side, who have
understanding of the times, as long as they can make sense and articulate their
viewpoints and channel them towards emancipating our people. “Elitism is not
purely about academics; it has to do with being able to articulate a sense of
purpose for a people and pursuing it doggedly.” Agenda of the meeting Speaking
further on the agenda of the meeting, Kanu said “it was a family meeting and
not for public consumption,” adding that it was very fruitful. According to
him, the outcome of the meeting “will guide us in our efforts towards restoring
Biafra.” On what he discussed with South-East Governors, Kanu said he outlined
his demands to them for onward transmission to the Federal Government. Kanu
also vowed never to compromise his position on the independence of Biafra,
which he said was non-negotiable as any other thing to the contrary would
amount to betrayal. He said: “I laid down before the governors what we want
from the Federal Government, and that is the restoration of the Republic of
Biafra. “Nothing has changed; our position is still the same. What we want is
referendum on Biafra. We have told them what we want, and we cannot compromise
that position.So, let them convey same to the Federal Government.” He said that
he has a lot of respect for the Igbo elders but said that “no amount of
pressure or persuasion” would make him drop the agitation for Biafra “because
that is why I was born.” Kanu urged Biafrans all over the world to remain
resolute, determined and focused on the struggle, expressing the confidence
that Biafra would soon be realized. He insisted on boycotting the November 18
governorship election in Anambra, pointing out that henceforth, there would be
no more elections in any Biafra soil until the Federal Government conducts
referendum on Biafra. Denies going into hiding On the media reports that he had
gone underground following moves by the Federal Government to re-arrest him,
Kanu declared that he would never go into hiding because he was never moved by
threats. “Nigeria should be afraid of me and not me afraid of it. The media
should not be reporting falsehood but should remain objective and accurate in
their reportage of events,” he said. Igbo, IPOB abandoned Gen Effiong, he died
a Biafra rebel Speaking with Vanguard in Uyo,Ekefre chided the Igbo for
abandoning Gen. Effiong, the vice president of the defunct Republic of Biafra
who died in 2003 without Federal Government amnesty as was accorded Ojukwu. He
regretted that “the Igbo are expecting support forgetting that they all looked
the other way and allowed Gen. Effiong who made the historic declaration that
ended the bloody civil war to live and die a Biafra rebel while Ojukwu died a
Nigerian Army General. “Gen. Philip Effiong, an Ibiono Ibom man, was the Vice
President to Ojukwu. Mr. M. U. Akpan, the Secretary to the Government of Biafra
(SGB) was also from Ibiono. Gen. Effiong signed the instrument of surrender but
when the Igbo were talking of payment of gratuity and pension, they only
presented Gen. Ojukwu and refused to mention Gen. Effiong. “He lived and died a
Biafran military officer but Ojukwu’s rank was restored with salaries and
gratuity paid from 1966. Today, the Igbo are complaining of marginalization and
oppression, forgetting that justice and injustice should not be selective.” He
appealed to the Federal Government to make adequate compensation for the family
of the late Gen. Effiong, noting that in the spirit of true reconciliation and
justice, what was done to Ojukwu should be done to Gen. Effiong. On agitation
by IPOB On agitation by IPOB, Ekefre said the agitation was ill-timed,
stressing that “the Igbo had President Goodluck Jonathan from South-South,
Senate President fromSouth-East, Secretary to the Government of the Federation
government, Minister of Finance and Gen. Azubike Ihejirika as Chief of Army
Staff, and hey could not ask for their republic then.” He lamented that the
South- south, South East and South West are not united which is why they all
went to the National Conference with different agenda. “When President Jonathan
inaugurated the national conference, the Ibos went to the conference with the
Ibos agenda, Yoruba when with their own agenda while the core south south went
with their various ethic agenda while the entire north with Hausa, Fulani,
Kanuri and even the TiVs went with one northern agenda. They needed power which
they have got. You can’t get what you didn’t ask for” The politician lamented
that even though Jonathan had reasons for the conference he inaugurated but he
could not put together moral courage to implement even a portion of the
recommendations until he was voted out of office.
No comments: