UNTIL his arrest and detention, many of us, Igbo leaders did not know about Nnamdi Kanu and his radio, and, we dare say, neither did most of the rest of the world. But with his arrest, the opposite has become the case. Our youths, many of whom were born more than 10 years after Biafra and who hardly thought of Biafra in mind, are now matching through our streets, unemployed and hungry for Biafra.”
The above were the words of Chief Eke Ogburu Urum, an indigene of Abririba in Abia State, after reviewing the stakeholders’ meeting in Enugu on Sunday. His view spoke volumes of how an average Igbo man or woman perceives the on-going protests by members of the Movement for Actualisation for Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and other pro-Biafra agitators.
Indeed, the meeting of South-East governors and stakeholders held on November 22, 2015, gave an indication that the activities of the pro-Biafra groups are becoming of serious concern to the authorities, including the Presidency.
But how far the Igbo governors will go in pacifying the groups is another thing all together, as it appears that the move might be an exercise in futility unless the governors and the Ohanaeze Ndigbo agree to work in harmony. Already, a discordant tune has begun to rear its head between the South-East Governors Forum and the leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The emerging picture indicating that the governors have no confidence in the leadership of Ohanaeze came to the fore when Governor Rochas Okorocah of Imo State, who spoke on behalf of the Igbo stakeholders, told reporters after the meeting in Enugu that there was an impasse in the pan-Igbo group.
The import of Chief Okorocha’s message is that neither the group of Ohanaeze Ndigbo led by Chief Gary Igariwey nor the Ohanaeze Committee chaired by Chief Ralph Obioha was invited to the Enugu meeting. “We agreed that South-East governors set up a committee to immediately address the impasse on Ohanaeze leadership,” Okorocha said.
But the Secretary-General of Ohanaeze, Dr Joe Nworguthinks differently, as he told Nigerian Tribune in a telephone interview that their absence at the Enugu stakeholders summit had nothing to do with the crisis in Ohanaeze. He disclosed that they were not invited to the meeting. “We have a leadership of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. It is led by Chief Gary Igariwey. He is the incumbent President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, yet he was not in the picture of the governors and stakeholders proposed dialogue”, Nworgu added.
Be that as it may, the Igbo elders summit in Enugu was significant in many respects, as it afforded the Ndigbo an opportunity to brainstorm on how to chart the way forward for Ndigbo in national politics.
According to Okorocha, “After a compassionate review of the recent MASSOB/IPOB agitations in the country, it was resolved that a committee be set up to dialogue with MASSOB, IPOB as well as the Federal Government with a view to finding a lasting solution to the issue.”
Interestingly, both the Igbo governors and Ohanaeze share a common view on the activities of the pro-Biafra agitators, which is restoring lasting peace to Igbo land they only differ on the approach.
Perhaps, the non-recognition of the warring parties in Ohanaeze led the South-East governors to hold their meeting at the Government House Enugu simultaneously with the one Ohanaeze faction held at the residence of Dr Nworgu the Secretary General of the pan-Igbo group.
Briefing newsmen at the end of the meeting, the President of the South-East/South/South group of Professionals, Emeka Ugwuogu said: “The leadership of Ohanaeze met with MASSOB, IPOB, where we agreed to summon a meeting of Imeobi (the highest decision body) of Ohanaeze. “Ohanaeze Ndigbo urges MASSOB, IPOB to continue to be peaceful. Ohanaeze is the only channel to talk with MASSOB and IPOB on the agitation for Biafra.
If there is any other burning issue tabled at the Enugu gathering of elders, it was the deplorable condition of roads in the Igbo land.
Governor Okorocha,
“The elders also examined other issues including poor state of infrastructural facilities in the South-East, marginalisation in federal appointments and other social economic issues that impact on the economic development of the South-East and resolved to support the decision of South-East to set up an economic council and urged them to interface with the Federal Government on remedial issues. A delegation of elders of the South-East was mandated to meet the President.”
To the Eke Ogburu Urum, “old Biafra will be better off in a truly federal, strong and prosperous Nigeria than they will be in the Biafra of 1987 boundaries”. He regretted. “Today’s Nigeria is not truly federal. Instead, it is military unitary system masquerading as civilian federalism.”
Comparatively, the meeting of the Igbo stakeholders at Enugu seems to have an upper hand. It had in attendance past and present governors, ministers and senators of Igbo extraction. Among them were: Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu); Governor Dave Umuahi; Ebonyi Deputy-Governor Nkem Okeke (Anambra) and Governor Rochas Okorocha (Imo), deputy Senate President, Ike Ekweremadu, Dr Sullivan Chime, Professor Barth Nnaji, Chief John Nwodo (Jnr), a former Senate President, Adolphus Wabara.
The conduct of some of the past governors at the meeting reminds observers of the transient nature of power.
For example, ex-governor had to run like a sprinter from the Lion Building to join other stakeholders for a group photograph and hung on for a while before walking away lonely to his car without any policeman or security personnel accompanying him.
Prior to the beginning of the meeting, it was pretty difficult for guests to enter the venue of the meeting, as a list of invited dignitaries was placed at the major entrance to Government House, where the meeting was held.
Most journalists waited for hours outside the venue of the meeting, as the summit was held behind closed door.
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