…Says Any Backlashes On Its Members Will Signal His Failure …Insists Organization is Peaceful, Committed to Restoration of Biafra Independence …Asking Him to Exploit His Wealth of Experience to Develop Anambra State …We Cannot Turn Our Homeland Into Crime Scene for All Manners of Criminality…Soludo The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has expressed willingness to
…Says Any Backlashes On Its Members Will Signal His Failure
…Insists Organization is Peaceful, Committed to Restoration of Biafra Independence
…Asking Him to Exploit His Wealth of Experience to Develop Anambra State
…We Cannot Turn Our Homeland Into Crime Scene for All Manners of Criminality…Soludo
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has expressed willingness to work with the new Anambra State Governor, Prof Charles Chukwuma Soludo, to tackle raging insecurity in the state, warning him against any persecutions of its members or using them as punching bags.
But the organization’s insistence to press on with the agitation for Biafran independence and demand for referendum to bring it into fruition, may bring it in collision with Soludo who’s already questioning the basis of such secessionist agitation in a country where the Igbo has a huge stake.
While urging Soludo not to succumb to the mechanics of arresting, imprisoning, and killing its members in the State, Mr Emma Powerful, spokesman of the separatist group, asserted that such a move would mark the beginning of Soludo’s failure as a Governor.
Powerful also cautioned the new Governor against repeating the same mistakes of his predecessor, Willie Obiano who played ostrich while its members were being killed.
He, however, assured Soludo of IPOB’s cooperation and support.
The group was reacting to Soludo’s olive branch and willingness to work with the group to tackle insecurity in the State.
According to Powerful: “Anambra State Governor, Professor Charles Soludo in order to succeed must not take seriously those or anyone whether part of his government or not that will advice him to arrest, imprison, and kill IPOB family members in Anambra State because if he listens to those criminal political harlots, that will be the beginning of his failure as a Governor.
“We, therefore, advise Soludo to remain focused on his vision and mission and shun distractions and bad advice from evil politicians. He should not repeat the mistakes of his predecessor, Willie Obiano, who allowed himself to be used by Fulani people to persecute our people.
“They killed our people at Nkpor in 2016 during our annual remembrance of our fallen heroes and heroines who paid the ultimate price for our freedom between 1967 and 1970, yet the Governor never asked questions.
“IPOB is a peaceful movement working hard to restore Biafra independence. We will never give up on our agitation until we are given a date for referendum to decide our fate as a people.
“We are ready to work with anyone in Government who works for the interest and liberty of our people. Professor Charles Soludo is a seasoned technocrat, and an accomplished Igbo who should use his wealth of knowledge to develop our land.
“We are willing to support him as long as he will not turn to be a willing instrument in the hands of our oppressors to persecute our people, especially Biafra agitators. We wish him success in office.”
Soludo, on Thursday, extended an olive branch to the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, its militia arm, the Eastern Security Network, (ESN) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), urging the organizations to work with his administration in tackling insecurity in the state.
Delivering his inaugural speech in Awka, the state capital, Soludo questioned the motives of secessionist agitations, wondering if it was not time to interrogate the purpose of IPOB and ESN, two groups that have been fingered for killings and upsurge of criminalities in the Southeast region.
According to Soludo: “It is time to interrogate the purpose of IPOB and ESN. The politicians using it as a means must come out for a consensus regarding our future. The conspiracy of silence by stakeholders must stop.
“I challenge the group denying the killings to come out and work with my administration to ensure peace and security in the state.
“There is no conflict that dialogue, in good faith, cannot resolve. Our government is determined to urgently restore peace and security in Anambra, and we will seek the active cooperation and collaboration of all stakeholders.
“To IPOB/ESN, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), as well as the disparate armed groups in the forests, it is time to interrogate both the purpose and means of your campaign.
“To the politicians playing politics with the insecurity, you are riding a tiger. The current trajectory is a road to desolation. Let us get around the table and talk. Let the elite in the closet come out, and let’s debate our future and forge a consensus.
“The conspiracy of silence by the elite and some community leaders must end. If you see something, say or do something! Securing Igboland and Nigeria must be our collective responsibility. Let those in the forests come out, surrender their guns and let’s work together to rehabilitate and empower you to contribute positively to the peace and prosperity of our homeland.
“A significant part of our state economy is powered by artisans, keke drivers, vulcanizers, hairdressers, cart pushers, petty traders, bricklayers, women frying akara, and all those who depend upon daily toil and sweat to feed their families.
“Every day, there is a “sit at home”, these poor masses lose an estimated N19.6 billion in Anambra alone. Due to the protracted breakdown of law and order, businesses are relocating outside Igboland, with growing unemployment, and traders who used to come to shop in Onitsha, Aba etc are going elsewhere. Who is losing? By forcing our children—the future of Igboland—to stay at home instead of being in school, while even the critically sick people (including pregnant women) cannot go to hospital, we harm our future.
“I hereby challenge any of the disparate groups that claims that it is not part of the senseless killings and kidnappings to step out and show leadership by joining hands with us to DO something about it. If you love our homeland, there is no place for bloodshed.
“Our Lord Jesus Christ admonished in Matthew 26: 52: “put your sword back in its sheath, for all who live by the sword will die by the sword”. In the traditional religion, the land places a curse upon those who spill the blood of the innocent. For me, this issue is personal and emotional.
“My mother died during the civil war; our last born, Chukwuemeka died during the war; my father bore a bullet inside him for years; my elder brother – at 16, was in the ‘Boys Company’. At 8, I became the “man of the house”, with all the men at the war front. My uncles, cousins, etc, died during the war.
“This is 2022, and there are certainly far better ways to protest than shedding the blood of the innocent or resorting to criminality. That is why I call on all of us today to join hands with me to execute the real agenda—a livable and prosperous homeland of opportunities and jobs for our youth while maximizing the benefits of a united Nigeria/Africa.
“With Ohanaeze’s estimate that some 11.6 million Igbos live in the North and over 7 million in Lagos state and over 70% of our non-land assets scattered all over Nigeria and the world, we need Nigeria and Nigeria needs us. We need Africa and the world and they need us.
“Yes, we have heard every genuine agitation for fairness, justice, equity and equality in the Nigerian Federation. No, we refuse to turn our homeland into a crime scene and all manners of criminality. No group has ever succeeded in any struggle in history by turning the sword against themselves.
“I promise to work hard with other Governors and leaders in the South East and others to take your agitations to the table of all Nigeria, and we hope to bargain for a win-win solution for all Nigeria. I will engage all parties to the breakdown of peace and order in Anambra from a point of determination to solve problems and resolve disagreements with openness, integrity, equity and justice.”
