From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Awka
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has poured cold water on attempts to cast aspersion on the well-intentioned courtesy visits of the leader of the group, Nnamdi Kanu, to notable leaders, which he embarked on days after being granted bail.
Kanu’s visits were intended to express appreciation for the support given to his quest for bail and Igbo cause by the key leaders, namely, Dr. Alex Ekwueme, former vice president of the Federal Republic; Chief Mrs. Maria Okwor, leader of Igbo Women Assembly (IWA) and a chieftain of Eastern Consultative Assembly (ECA), and Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, founder of the Igbo Youth Movement.
But mischief makers rattled by the tsunami proportion of the excitement and joy that greeted the release of Kanu and the relative ease with which the draconian bail conditions were met, went to town to insinuate that the visits were a symbolic way of apologising for the alleged past “sin” of insulting Igbo leaders before he was incarcerated.
Rising in stout condemnation of the malicious allegations, IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Comrade Emma Powerful said it was regrettable that Kanu’s visits could be cast in bad light, stating that the IPOB leader rightly and properly visited those who stood up to speak out for Ndigbo and also called for his release. He said that the insinuation that he had been “born again” was a misnomer and assured that their leader’s stand on Biafra cannot be compromised.
The IPOB image-maker reiterated that Kanu has great respect for the elders.
His words: “Nnamdi Kanu’s uncompromising stance remains the same. The elders he has been visiting were those that spoke out publicly and called for his release. There is nobody more interested in preserving the Biafran heritage of respect for elders than Nnamdi Kanu and that’s why he established the Council of Elders of Indigenous People of Biafra which he later dissolved as they showed signs of partisanship.
“There is no other stronger evidence that Kanu is a respecter of our elders than his insistence that they be involved in the Biafra restoration project.”
Powerful added: “IPOB and by extension Nnamdi Kanu believe in the ancient traditions of respect and deference to elders but only to those that continually demonstrate the capacity to be bold and truthful at all times.
“The former Ohanaeze Ndigbo executive was held to account by Kanu and rightfully so because they were actively conniving with the government of the day to perpetuate the misery visited on our people.
“It can be said that the new, vibrant Ohanaeze Ndigbo and PANDEF have realised that the only way they can escape stinging criticisms is by taking cognizance of what Nnamdi Kanu has been saying and in that regard they have turned a new leaf.
“So if anything, the constructive criticism of some of our elders jolted them into action and the world can see how refreshing it is to have fearless elders speaking up for the people.”
Commenting on Kanu’s visits to some of the Igbo leaders, a journalist with one of the national dailies, Mr. Tony Okafor, said the visits were just a ‘thank you’ visit to those who added their voice to ensure he was released from prison custody.
He said: “I think in the beginning the Igbo leaders and elders somewhat did not believe what he was saying or sympathetic to his cause apparently because of how such movement in the past failed. But the long incarceration of Kanu made everybody to have sympathy for him. That was why at some point the Ohanaeze Ndigbo and South-east governors had to come out openly to ask the Federal Government to release him.
“So, it will be foolhardy to say or think that the federal government did not hear all these calls and released Kanu. Therefore, his going to them now to say ‘thank you’ for what they did for him should not be mistaken as an act of cowardice or backsliding from the cause or being born again. I think it is a case of one good turn deserves another.
Okafor however, urged Kanu to listen to the good reasoning of the elders and Igbo leaders and make amendments in his strategy, if the need arises.
He said: “This does not mean that Kanu should not get mature to do things slightly different from his original concept of the cause. He should listen to all these groups and elders now.”
Also commenting on the visits, Chief Chukwudi Ikeh said that Kanu, like a good Igbo man, only went to express gratitude to those people and to encourage them not to relent in speaking up for Ndigbo.
“I don’t think Kanu had ever abused our elders, rather he spoke against those who went to Abuja to collect money and betrayed the cause of Ndigbo,” he said.