Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Kanunta Kanu, younger brother of the detained Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, has sought to know why South-East Governors and political elite have decided to shy away from talks concerning his brother.
He also expressed dismay at the tactful avoidance of comments on a serious issue like the existential security threat posed by the menacing activities of herdsmen in the zone.
Kanunta who spoke at Ikengaonline virtual town hall meeting, regretted that instead of boldly championing the cause of the zone, South-East Governors and political elite have rather chosen to be taciturn for selfish political reasons.
He said that his brother “is being persecuted today not because he committed any crime” but because of his passion to secure freedom for the oppressed people of the South-East, yet the Leaders in the zone have abandoned him to his fate.
Kanunta accused the South-East leaders of insensitivity and nonchalance about the future of the zone.
“My brother was renditioned from Kenya to Nigeria and has been in detention for over one year now. And our leaders are finding it difficult to talk about him or Biafra.
“Why is it that the South-East Governors and Leaders are also not talking about the killings and kidnappings by Fulani herdsmen in our zone? The bandits imported insecurity in our land but our Leaders have refused to talk about all these, rather everybody is after 2023 election.
“Who will vote for them in 2023 if they kill all the people? My brother is where he is today, suffering for speaking the truth. He is there because he is condemning the exclusion and suppression of our people.
“Bandits have been imported into our land; over 3000 of them in Imo State. They are the ones killing our people and kidnapping them like fowls but nobody is taking about it.”
Kanunta said that Biafran actualisation would become easier if the political elite identify with the cause.
“Our political leaders are not even strategic enough. Nigeria would have called them to negotiate and even offer them the Presidency on a platter of gold if they had identified with the Biafra liberation movement.”
Responding, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe, who presented the keynote speech at the Town Hall meeting, regretted that South-East is currently suffering from the consequences and after effects of god-fatherism and imposition which had bequeathed inept leadership on the zone.
“If you elect the wrong people they won’t have the courage to speak up. From 1999 till now, we have had the same people in power producing their successors.
“So, we have to elect the right person who will know that his rise and fall depend on the people who elected him.
“There is nothing to be afraid of in this country. Man dies only once. What has happened is that we tend to be ‘follow, follow,’ and that has not led us anywhere.”
The former Senate Minority Leader admitted that not all Igbo Leaders are excited and comfortable to associate with Kanu’s matter for reasons best known to them.
“Even for us to go and visit Kanu in the cell, you call a lot of our people, and they just don’t want to touch it with a long pole. I have never seen such a thing.”
One of the participants, Jude Eze, hailed the Management of Ikengaonline newspaper for the innovation of the monthly virtual Town Hall meeting where issues affecting the South-East are brought to the front banner.
Many eminent Igbo personalities from across the world joined in the two-hour exciting programme co-anchored by Dr Osmund Agbo, and Dr Chido Onumah, Co-Publishers of Ikengaonline.
