Ohanaeze Seeks Kanu’s Freedomto Join Planned Peace Summit

Onyebuchi  Ezigbo in Abuja

The apex Igbo sociocultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to free the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, to enable him participate in a proposed dialogue that can bring an enduring peace in Nigeria particularly in the South-east. 

The body formally announced the passing of the President General of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide, Professor George Obiozor, who recently joined the ancestors. 

The communique issued at the end of the meeting of Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide held on the 19th of January, 2023 in Abuja, the organisation expressed the desire that Kanu should be released to participate in a peace dialogue.

The communiqué which was read by the Chairman of the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, said: “The Council took a decision on the need to have a Peace Summit. It goes with the desire that Nnamdi Kanu should be released because we want to dialogue with his participation in order to have an enduring peace in Nigeria particularly in the South-east. 

“The Council therefore called on the federal government and all other persons concerned to release Nnamdi Kanu unconditionally. He cannot be in the Prison while such crucial summit is being held,” it said. 

Ohanaeze also expressed concern over the security situation in the country, adding they were worried particularly how the situation has worsened in the South-east. 

“Lives are lost and innocent bloodshed, properties are being destroyed, government institutions are being destroyed, these are of great concern to us.

“Moreover both state and federal governments are deploying huge financial resources in fighting a meaningless war instead of providing infrastructure, education and healthcare.

“Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide has therefore insisted that enough is enough. We must have a peace summit where we will get all the stakeholders including the agitators and youths together to chart a new course that can enthrone enduring peace.”

Ohanaeze used the meeting to announce the passing of the late President General, Prof. Obiozor. It said that the occasion marked the beginning of the formal mourning by the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo. 

Part of the communique reads: “This Council will set up a strong delegation including top government officials who are members, captains of industries, our members who are in the academia, religious and traditional institutions amongst others to represent us in the burial. 

“The Council also deliberated on the death and funeral of Our great Leader Chief Mbazulike Amechi (Dara Akunwafor) acknowledging the role he (Dara) played in ensuring that peace returns to the nation and Igboland in particular. 

“The Council of Elders expressed their concern, that most of our people are unemployed including graduates and we believe that any policy by the government on employment without first ensuring security of the nation will amount to nothing. Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide, as part of curbing unemployment has agreed to tackle the problem in the moribund Niger Cement Company which has the capacity to address to a large extent, the unemployment in the South-east.

“An Okwesilieze Nwodo-led committee has been set up to mediate between the Landlord which is the Ebonyi State Government and the investors to ensure a possible reactivation of the factory in 2023. We have also decided to revisit coal-mining activities in the zone. We are encouraging our business leaders to exploit the possibility of reactivating coal mining. This will create jobs and also increase the nation’s GDP.

“On the area of culture, Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide has also agreed to approach the state governments to reactivate cultural and school competitions within the states with inter-state finals holding at Enugu. 

“We are also in touch with a lot of African-Americans in United States who want to reconnect with their roots. We also agreed to discuss with our governors to provide a village for their resettlement because they are prepared to come over to develop Igboland.”

On the secession of Ndigbo, Council of Elders of Ohanaeze maintained that Ndigbo are not and will not secede from Nigeria. 

The Council said it has noticed with dismay that people still use the threat of secession against the interest of the zone. 

“The Igbos have invested in virtually every locality in Nigeria in areas of business, services, and building properties. So the talk of secession is peddled without honesty, however Ndigbo is only interested in fairness and equity. When a government or group denies us opportunities which are ours, including political and employment opportunities, we cannot be happy. 

“A development where most young Igbo people cannot aspire to the highest office in the land, will not be tolerated. Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Worldwide are therefore asking our colleagues in other tribes to be very careful in some of the decisions they make particularly as it concerns the affairs of this nation,” Council said.