The apex Igbo socio-cultural group, Ohanaeze Ndigbo has called on political and traditional leaders in the Ohaukwu area and Ebonyi state to put a rein on their son, Mr. Simon Ekpa, and compel him to desist from complicating the political and economic challenges of the people of the Southeast region through "his unreflective youthful exuberance."
This follows a recent broadcast by Simon Ekpa asking the people of the South East to sit at home from December 9 to 12, 2022 to protest the upcoming general elections in Nigeria.
Ohanaeze also cautioned the President of Ohanaeze Youth Council, OYC ,over his recent call on Igbo youths to carry arms in self-defense.
In a statement signed by Ohanaeze spokesperson, Dr. Alex Ogbonnia, on Tuesday, and entitled, ‘Simon Ekpa: Hero or villain?’ the group decried the "unruly behavior among the Igbo youths", saying that their deluded utterances “constitute monumental problems for the Igbo in relation to the larger Nigeria.”
The statement read in part, “The attention of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide has been drawn to a video broadcast circulating in the social media by one Mr. Simon Ekpa directing the people of the South East of Nigeria that “in preparation to stop the election from taking place in Biafra-land, there should be a chain of “sit at home on Friday, December 9; Saturday, December 10; Sunday, December 11; Monday, December 12; and Wednesday, December 14, 2022."
"The instruction added that “Tuesday, December 13, 2022, is set aside for market and all these are in preparation for the exit of Biafra from Nigeria."
“Ohanaeze Ndigbo laments the unruly behavior among the Igbo youths. In their utopia, they think they are making both name and cheap money, while in the true sense, they are digging abysmal pits for themselves.
“Last week, a young boy that claims to be the President of Ohanaeze Youth Council (OYC) directed ‘the Igbo youths to arm themselves.’ Our major concern is that all these unguarded, inflammatory, subversive, and incendiary broadcasts by these latter-day Biafran warriors in their delusions, constitute monumental problems for the Igbo in relation to the larger Nigeria.
“Ohanaeze wonders how somebody that proclaims himself a leader will neither seek the opinion nor weigh the aspirations and political barometer of his people before going gaga.
“For purpose of clarification, Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, the then Military Governor of the Eastern Region made several consultations and finally summoned a meeting of almost all the important dignitaries in the Eastern Region, comprising the present Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Abia, Imo, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi States and the Anioma in Delta State.”
It further said, “There is no gainsaying that the concept of Biafra was a response to a question for the Eastern Nigeria ‘to be and not to be?’ and that the spirit of Biafra has been sustained by a prevalence of orchestrated injustice, alienation and marginalization more specifically of the South East from the centers of power.
“The foregoing remarks are to justify the incessant agitations by the Igbo youths, however, it is as ridiculous as it is inconceivable that at a time the Nigerian youths and several elder statesmen such as Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, Chief E K Clarke, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, Dr. Bitrus Borgu among others have lent their unalloyed support to equity, justice, competence and track record of accomplishments, in supporting the most viable candidate for the presidency for the 2023 general election, in the name of Mr. Peter Obi, some persons in foreign countries who are not properly schooled in the political history of Nigeria will go on air and begin to broadcast Biafra, thereby creating an absurd Sisyphean circus for the Igbo.”
“The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Ambassador Prof. George Obiozor, and indeed all the well-meaning sons and daughters of Igbo land, with all sense of responsibility, hereby call on the Regent of Umueziaka community, the home of Mr. Simon Ekpa; the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government, Hon Ikechukwu Odono; Member representing Ohaukwu South in the State Assembly, Hon. Chinedu Onah; Member for Ohaukwu and Ebonyi Federal Constituency, Hon. Chukwuma Nwazunku; the Senator for Ebonyi North, Sen. Dr. Sam Ominyi Egwu, and the governor of Ebonyi State, Engr. Dave Umahi to rein in Mr. Simon Ekpa and compel him to desist from his unreflective youthful exuberance.
Simon Ekpa
"They should remind Ekpa that the world has never recorded a freedom fighter that faces the barrel of the gun inwards.
Elementary logic questions the rationale for a young man to wake up and begin to suffocate the very people he claims to protect.
"When the Igbo are undergoing excruciating hardship arising from orchestrated injustice, a young man or rather a self-styled hero will be busy crippling the Igbo economy thereby adding salt to injury,” Ohaneze added.
Meanwhile, the Indigenous People Of Biafra, IPOB in a statement by its Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, distanced itself from the 5-day-sit-at-home- order and called its members and Igbo people in the South-East to go about their businesses without fear of molestation.
According to the IPOB statement, “Our people should be prepared and ready to confront any fool who dares to enforce such wicked sit-at-home. Moreso, ESN operatives and IPOB volunteers will be out on these dates to protect our people and the markets.”
"Our people should go to their businesses without fear."
While maintaining its position that IPOB is not interested in elections, the group urged people that are interested in getting Permanent Voters Card (PVC) to do so as it is their right.
“Again, everyone has his or her right to go and collect his or her PVC from their polling and registration centers without molestation. IPOB never boycotts elections and has nothing to do with Nigerian elections, IPOB said.
Politics and Opinion
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