■ Nnamdi Kanu tells Ndigbo
…For victory in tasks ahead
From: Enyeribe Ejiogu (Lagos), Okey Sampson (Aba), Jeff Amechi Agbodo (Onitsha) and Chuks Onuoha (Umuahia)
the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has asked members of his family and all Igbo not to cease in praying for him to achieve victory in the task ahead.
Younger brother of the IPOB leader, Prince Emmanuel Kanu, revealed to Sunday Sun the request that Kanu made during a private interaction with his parents and siblings.
Prince Emmanuel who spoke with Sunday Sun at the palace of Kanu’s father at Afaraukwu Ibeku, Umuahia, Abia State, yesterday, recalled what the IPOB leader told the family during the private session: “When Nnamdi arrived home he said he did not need anything from us and all Igbo people, other than prayers so that God will lead him through in the task ahead. He equally told us that he is the messiah as far as Biafra is concerned. He said that, that is his agreement with God and that God promised that He would not let him down. Kanu also promised that he would not let Biafra down. Since it is his wish, all we owe him is to pray to God since what he is doing is in accordance with God’s will concerning his life.”
Emmanuel explained that the visit of his brother to South-east senators in Abuja immediately after he was released, did not in any way indicate that he would join Nigeria’s politics, stressing that it would never happen.
“Nnamdi Kanu told us he believes in freedom of speech and expression at all times. He told us that his visit to his senior brothers, the senators, despite what people may say is the normal thing to do. Some of them have said that his prolonged detention was illegal and could no longer be allowed; they asked him to come and see them and he went; there was nothing wrong with that. His primary concern is about the restoration of Biafra, no more, no less.”
Father of the IPOB leader, HRM (Eze) Sir Isaac Okwu Kanu, Egwukwu II told Sunday Sun that the family had been making great effort to ensure that the bail conditions were fully respected by controlling and keeping at bay the crowd of people who have been trooping to the palace and were eager to see him. “The tradition and culture of this place allows him to entertain one or two visitors and he cannot run away from this. We don’t allow many people to see him, that’s the truth.”
Eze Kanu told Sunday Sun that since his son returned on Friday, the crowd of people thronging the palace to see him was too much, but they have restrained them from seeing him.
“Despite the fact they were not informed of Nnamdi’s visit, they came from far and near to show love to their leader. There were over 300 persons that came yesterday and all of them slept in the open in my palace till daybreak.
“Also, elders of the community came to see him; you know that court said he should not be found with more than 10 persons, so, we are trying to respect that.”
Expatiating on the traditional title, Ezenwa 1 of Afaraukwu Ibeku bestowed on Kanu and the ofor of the community given to him by the community, the monarch said it was an indication that he is a good son of the land.
“My son, despite being incarcerated for a long time remains the same person I have known all along and what he wants at all times is the truth. From what I saw of him, it will be better for him to die than to forgo the struggle. I can tell you that he will not fail or deny the struggle for Biafra. The struggle is in his blood and he will continue until victory is achieved,” the elated royal father said.
In his remarks, while expressing joy for Kanu’s return, the President of Onitsha Bridgehead Market, Chief Sunday Obinze said that the release of the leader of IPOB has signified the unity of Ndigbo.
His words: “It was unlike what was obtainable before where an Igbo man would be in trouble and the leaders in Abuja would abandon the person. But this time around both the senators and others came together and saw reason and the need for Kanu to be released.
“I personally believe that Kanu’s release has nothing to do with the liberation of Biafra people, rather it will enhance the unity of Ndigbo as a nation, from there they can plan on ways of getting Biafra. This is because Biafra is not a goal that the barrow pusher or commercial motorcyclist can achieve. It requires the collaboration of both the rich and the poor. I will only advise Kanu to embrace even those who oppressed him in the struggle,” Obinze stated.
Also expressing the elation of IPOB, the Media and Publicity Secretary of the group, Mr. Emma Powerful, said: “The restoration of Biafra was ordained many years ago by the Almighty God (Chukwu Okike Abiama) and cannot be stopped by any man born of a woman.” He added that Kanu’s release on bail would not make the group slack in the quest for the total liberation of Biafra.
The President of Ndigbo Unity Forum (NUF), Mr. Augustine Chukwudum said that the release of Kanu was a good development for Ndigbo because he did not commit any crime that would warrant his arrest and detention in the first place.
“So, Ndigbo are happy that our son regained freedom. Then, our next line of action is to ensure the release of all IPOB members and pro-Biafra agitators in detention including IPOB Nigeria Coordinator, Mr. Chidiebere Onwudiwe and others standing trial in different courts in Nigeria.
“It is important to have prominent people in the struggle because all Igbo are Biafrans and that is what I have been advocating for long that Igbos should come together and speak with one voice and be our brother’s keeper in time of trouble and not to abandon the person when the person is on trouble.
“Biafra is here and nothing will stop it, because President Muhammadu Buhari has proved to the world that he hates Ndigbo, all his developments are geared towards the north, so he has proved that he is the president of the North and not Nigeria and that is why we condemned the bail conditions given to Kanu by the court and called on his legal team to appeal the bail” Chukwudum stated.