With the brazen politics of marginalisation of the
South-east zone by the President Muhammadu Buhari administration, the Igbo
elites are now being drawn into the struggle for Biafra self-determination as
championed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
To this end, a pan-Igbo elite group, the Alaigbo Development
Foundation (ADF), which is a radical group composed of Igbo academics and
professionals both home and abroad has reached out to IPOB to streamline their
activities for the Biafra restoration.
The ADF had already petitioned the United Nations
over the genocidal quit notice by Arewa youths to Igbo people living in the
North as well as the Igbo hate song composed, recorded and being circulated by
anti-Igbo elements in the North.
The group was piqued over the “docility and criminal
silence” of the federal government in bringing to book those behind the hate
speeches and songs against Ndigbo.
At a consultative meeting between the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi
Kanu, and the leadership of ADF in Owerri, the Imo State capital, on Thursday both groups
agreed on the need to harmonise their approach in pursuit of Biafra.
Speaking at the end of the three-hours parley, Kanu said it
was a family meeting during which he promised to be keeping the IDF abreast of
every development “on what we are doing,” adding that the fruitful outcome of
the meeting "will guide us in our efforts towards the restoring of Biafra."
The ADF delegation was led by its National
President, Professor Uzodinma Nwala, a renowned professor of philosophy, who is
committed to the pursuit of the Igbo cause along with his group of like minds.
"I am glad that the elites are coming on board.
We are all elites including the carpenter and the mechanic by the road side who
have understanding of the times. As long as they can make sense and articulate
their view points and channels it towards emancipating our people,” Nwala said.
The IPOB leader, however, pointed out that "elitism is
not purely on academics; it has to do with being able to articulate a sense of
purpose for a people and pursuing it doggedly."
The South-east state governors had also held meeting with the Biafra leader in
Enugu during which Kanu said he had put his demands to the governors for onward
transmission to the federal government.
He vowed that he would never betray the Biafra cause
as according to him, the quest for Biafra self-determination remains
non-negotiable.
Kanu said: "I laid down before the governors
what we want from the federal government, and that is the restoration of the Republic
of Biafra.
"Nothing has changed; our position is still the
same. What we want is referendum on Biafra. We have told them what we want, and
we cannot compromise that position. So, let them convey same to the federal government.
No more, no less!"
The IPOB leader said he would continue to respect elders but
would not yield any to amount of pressure that would make him drop the quest
for Biafra restoration “because that is why I was born."
He encouraged Biafrans all over the world “to remain
resolute, determined and focused on the struggle,” which according to him,
would soon be realised.
On the move by the federal government to nullify his
bail and re-arrest him, Kanu dismissed speculations that he had disappeared
from public view to evade going back to detention, saying he was not afraid of
being re-arrested.
“Nigeria should be afraid of me and not me afraid of
them," he said, adding that “there is no way a person of my status and
position will go underground. It is not possible. I lead from the front.”
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