By John Ikani
Apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has kicked against the one-week sit-at-home order declared by separatist agitators known as the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The members of IPOB – a proscribed group – had threatened that they would direct that there should be a one-week sit-at-home protest in the South-East if their leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, was not released forthwith.
Reacting to the threat which also includes boycotting the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said any declaration that unleashes untold hardship in southeastern states is viewed as nonsensical, absurd, and an anti-Igbo agenda for the enemies amusement.
What Ohanaeze Ndigbo is saying
Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide in a press statement yesterday explained that “You can’t enslave Ndigbo for one week without backlash from them, it’s time for Igbo to rise to the occasion and end up being trampled with orders from overseas by those without any investments in the southeast.
“IPOB should discern that there have been self-determination struggles in Africa, before now, Nelson Mandela spent 27 years in jail, never in the annals of the history of the movement against Apartheid, was starvation, anguish, and catastrophe unleashed on Black South Africans by ANC, it’s an impulsive and reckless imperilment against IGBO to order them to observe One week Sit at home when it’s obvious that Nnamdi Kanu will not be released without the approval of courts.
“Secondly had IPOB declined to learn from the blunders and mistakes of Former Massob Leader Ralph Uwazurike on the boycott of Population census of 2001 which made Igbo the Majority-Minority in Nigeria, attempts to boycott Anambra elections evidently will favour APC to win Anambra elections.
“IPOB should revisit and nullify the one week sit- at -home or they will likely lose the support of Igbo henceforth, Ndigbo must participate in Anambra and nothing should stop it.
“Ndigbo should ask anyone enforcing the One-week Sit-at-home, if they know the plight of common people who are street vendors on perishable goods, artisans, motorists, market traders, furthermore Ndigbo should check out the investments of those calling for one week Sit- at-home, if proponents of the sit at home don’t have any visible investments in the southeast then it’s time for Igbo to retreat from observation of the Sit at Home and defer it from henceforth.
“We call for the unconditional release of Nnamdi Kanu since Federal Government had refused to declare bandits terrorists”.
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