NNAMDI KANU AND THE CRIMINAL SILENCE OF IGBO LEADERS
BY VICTORIA OHAERI-IBEZIM
Muhammadu Buhari made very reckless, inflammatory statements in the wake of the 2011 elections, which sparked an orgy of violence across several northern states, resulting in the untimely death of over 800 citizens. He was neither arrested nor punished for this infamy, but instead, rewarded with election into public office in 2015.
Abubakar Shekau has made, and continues to make inflammatory statements, including using acts of terrorism to threaten Nigeria political and territorial sovereignty. Rather than crush and punish these terrorists, Buhari has released many of them from prison while northern elders have appealed for amnesty.
Asari Dokubo, Boyloaf, Tompolo have at various times, threatened public peace and formed movements that blew up oil installations and took oil expatriates hostage. They are still free men, rewarded with multibillion dollar marine surveillance contracts.
Nnamdi Kanu has not fired one single shot. He has never been involved in any act of violence. He has only made some childish statements, but yet, he is arrested and detained for weeks without a formal charge and without trial. The suppression of minority voices and ethnic-based campaigns against the structural injustices in Nigeria is now assuming a frighteningly alarming dimension.
Ok, in Igbo land, you are expected to keep quiet and allow elders handle some seemingly difficult situations. I have held back and watched from a distance. Igbo leaders of thought, SE Governors, Igbo intellectuals, Igbos activists and civil society leaders that hold themselves out as defenders of human rights have all KEPT MUTE. I simply want them to know that their silence is criminal. This criminal silence is primarily motivated by self-interest, greed and corruption. And by so doing, they have affirmed their status as second-class citizens in the modern Nigeria.
Nobody is asking you to support Nnamdi Kanu’s Biafra agitation activities. That sort of agitation is not new, and there are laws and mechanisms for addressing them. You have not used them to argue for or against his unlawful detention. Your criminal silence and refusal to act will come back to haunt you all. You have lost every ounce of respect my generation once had for you. I AM UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED.
Barrister Victoria Ohaeri-Ibezim is the Executive Director of Spaces For Change
BY VICTORIA OHAERI-IBEZIM
Muhammadu Buhari made very reckless, inflammatory statements in the wake of the 2011 elections, which sparked an orgy of violence across several northern states, resulting in the untimely death of over 800 citizens. He was neither arrested nor punished for this infamy, but instead, rewarded with election into public office in 2015.Abubakar Shekau has made, and continues to make inflammatory statements, including using acts of terrorism to threaten Nigeria political and territorial sovereignty. Rather than crush and punish these terrorists, Buhari has released many of them from prison while northern elders have appealed for amnesty.
Asari Dokubo, Boyloaf, Tompolo have at various times, threatened public peace and formed movements that blew up oil installations and took oil expatriates hostage. They are still free men, rewarded with multibillion dollar marine surveillance contracts.
Nnamdi Kanu has not fired one single shot. He has never been involved in any act of violence. He has only made some childish statements, but yet, he is arrested and detained for weeks without a formal charge and without trial. The suppression of minority voices and ethnic-based campaigns against the structural injustices in Nigeria is now assuming a frighteningly alarming dimension.
Ok, in Igbo land, you are expected to keep quiet and allow elders handle some seemingly difficult situations. I have held back and watched from a distance. Igbo leaders of thought, SE Governors, Igbo intellectuals, Igbos activists and civil society leaders that hold themselves out as defenders of human rights have all KEPT MUTE. I simply want them to know that their silence is criminal. This criminal silence is primarily motivated by self-interest, greed and corruption. And by so doing, they have affirmed their status as second-class citizens in the modern Nigeria.
Nobody is asking you to support Nnamdi Kanu’s Biafra agitation activities. That sort of agitation is not new, and there are laws and mechanisms for addressing them. You have not used them to argue for or against his unlawful detention. Your criminal silence and refusal to act will come back to haunt you all. You have lost every ounce of respect my generation once had for you. I AM UTTERLY DISAPPOINTED.
Barrister Victoria Ohaeri-Ibezim is the Executive Director of Spaces For Change
Point of correction. Igbos have no leader. These people you are calling leaders are contractors. The northern leaders speake for boko haram, yoruba leaders speak for the Yorubas. Please leave them alone. After the race we will count the mile..
ReplyDeletetrue word
DeleteTime will tell. Them are think that they live in paradise but they are living in hell. Time aline will tell.
DeleteThey are all selfish and compromised elders, they have decided to be SECOND CLASS CITIZEN in a county they call their own because of crumbs they are grabbing by table side of their slave masters (Hausa Funani ). Biafra of this generation have decided to take the bull by the horn and fight for our freedom. None of these SATISFIED & SATIFIED SLAVES will stop this moving train. They have two options, 1) To join this moving train which is BIAFRA RESTORATION PROJECT
ReplyDelete2) Stay where they are and maintain their dumbness and deafness till Biafra comes.
Any of them that tries to stop or sabotage this project will have himself to blame
U r just on point broad! Ride on!
DeleteThey ll all have their names in the garbage heap of history. opposition has not stop self determination anywhere in the world. those who stake their lives, would suffer and later become heroes while those who keep silence will die and be forgotten.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I do not have words for now until the right time. I think Nnamdi kanu is a smart ass trust me. He wanted to prove the to whole world that what he is saying is indeed the truth. As for Igbo race, Hahahaha, Ndi-eze na Ndi- Ichie, we are watching you all for real.....
ReplyDeletea true hero lays his life for the cause he believes, after ojukwu no igbo man had dared what nnamdi did , knowing fully well he would be arrested, molested, detained or even rejected. he was ready to lay his life for the cause of igbo children yet unborn. what is life after all, no matter what one does, the issue of death is unrevokable. those who love their lives ll lose it. nnamdi's name will remain as there life on earth.
ReplyDeleteThese r words on marble... u said it all...
DeleteONE THING THOSE YOU CALLED LEADERS FAIL TO UNDERSTAND IS THAT THEY HAVE LOST RESPECT AND REGARD BEFORE THE HAUSA-FULANIS AND YORUBAS,OR ANY OTHER ETHNIC GROUP IN THE SO CALLED NIGERIA! THE HAUSA-FULANIS AND YORUBAS PRAISE THEM OPENLY BUT CASTIGATE THEM SECRETLY! WE HEAR WHAT MANY OF THEM SAY! SHAME TO THE IGBO RACE(THE LEADERS SO TO SPEAK)!THEY HAVE BELITTLED THEMSELVES! THEY THOGHT SILENCE IS WISDOM!IT IS A SIGN OF FOOLISHNESS!AND THE MOST SHOCKING THING IS THAT THOSE OF THEM WHO SPEAK,SPEAK RUBBISH IN ORDER TO EARN PRAISE OF HAUSA-FULANI AND YORUBA,BUT THESE PEOPLE HAVE RELEGATED THEM TO THE BACKGROUND!WELL,THE YOUTHS ARE WATCHING!AND THE YOUTHS WILL NOT HOLD THEIR PEACE!LONG LIVE NNAMDI KANU!LONG LIVE REPUBLIC OF BIAFRA!
ReplyDeleteSOUTH EAST leaders , politicians and government contractors and SABOTEURS. .. The IPOB worldwide has your list and the clock has since started ticking.
ReplyDeleteplease stop calling these empty heads leaders. they are hungry men looking for what to eat! they are there thinking of their stupid chicken nest properties they think they have else where in Nigeria. unfortunately, these other tribes never built any miniature structure in our land, an indication that they are aware of the impending danger. but now, we know what is good for us.
ReplyDeleteEven you that has spoken,did not spoke well.I can see some fear of the zoo in your written,how can you say that Nnamdi Kanu has made a childish statement and as those that called themselves elders,they are full of evil both the ones in the village
ReplyDelete