Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
The Archbishop of Enugu Province and the Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Anglican Communion, Church of Nigeria, Most Rev. Professor Emmanuel Chukwuma, has urged President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, to release the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to restore peace to South-East.
He also said that releasing Kanu in compliance with court judgments will prove that the President has respect for the rule of law.
Archbishop Chukwuma made the call while welcoming Ohanaeze Ndigbo to the Cathedral of Good Shepherd, Enugu for a Thanksgiving service in celebration of this year’s Igbo Day.
Igbo Day is slated for Friday September 29, at Okpara Square Enugu.
He told Tinubu to release Kanu to Ohanaeze Ndigbo and its President General, to restore peace in the South-East.
“We must make Tinubu to obey the rule of law, Nnamdi Kanu must be released; they should stop deceiving themselves. Let them release Nnamdi Kanu to Ohanaeze Ndigbo, let them release him to you and see what will happen.
“Thank God we are overcoming sit-at-home on Mondays, Peter Mbah is trying, insisting that Mondays must not be wasted, Alaigbo must not be wasted. Please all of you should cooperate, let us revive the economy of South-East.”
Archbishop Chukwuma urged all Igbo to support Iwuanyanwu’s leadership, explaining that he was a unanimous choice.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Nnanyi, Iwuanyanwu, I thank you for coming, my people please this is a new Ohanaeze Ndigbo. It is in this Cathedral compound that I hosted all church leaders, inviting all the Igbo leaders, several times, in order to ensure that Ndigbo have one voice and peace in Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
“I tried everything to get Ndigbo together and we agreed to be one before Professor Obiozor died, now he is no more. I pray now that there is a new Ohanaeze under the leadership of Iwuanyanwu, we all met and said Iwuanyanwu should become the president-general and we have no more cases, no faction.
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo now is ready to be self-funding, self-supporting. Deputy Governor, tell the governor that all the governors must support Ohanaeze Ndigbo. Chief Iwuanyanwu, all we are doing to make Ndigbo become one, God will help you, all efforts you are making God will help you.”
In his remarks, President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, asked Ndigbo not to despair over the current situation of the region, assuring that things would soon turn around for the Igbo.
Iwuanyanwu who was in the church service alongside the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and other Igbo leaders said the Igbo have the potentials to be great again, noting that his administration was doing everything possible to put them to work.
He commended the Governors of the five South-East states for their support to him since assumption of office as President General and assured that with such support and that of other Igbo leaders including Ndigbo in the Diaspora, the Igbo would soon regain their greatness.
Iwuanyanwu also thanked Governor Peter Mbah of Enugu State for promising to bankroll the Igbo Day celebration.
“We are here to give thanks to God, we believe in what the preacher said that once you put your trust in God, He will never fail you. My life is a testimony of God’s love.
“Enugu is the home of everybody in Eastern Nigeria. Enugu is the cradle of all the developments in Eastern Nigeria and whenever we come here, we have a sense of home coming, and that is how I feel right now,” Iwuanyanwu said.
