From Magnus Eze and George Onyejiuwa, Owerri
Widow of Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu and Nigeria’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Bianca, has vowed not to relent in pushing for the release of detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu.
Addressing a large crowd at the 13th edition of Ojukwu’s memorial otherwise tagged, Ojukwu Day at the Arcade of the Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Library, Owerri, Imo State, the minister said President Bola Tinubu would not decline the appeal for the IPOB leader’s freedom.
She said that Kanu’s release was imperative, pointing out that the president was aware that his release would usher in peace in the South East.
The minister condemned the havoc insecurity had caused in the region, regretting that many communities have been deserted as people fled to state capitals in the region and other cities such as Abuja, Lagos and Port Harcourt.
She lamented that criminals masquerading as agitators had taken advantage of the incarceration of the IPOB leader to perpetrate crime in the region.
“I believe that for peace and harmony to return to our region, I also align myself with the call by Okenwa Ndigbo, Uwazuruike, for Kanu to be released. I have no doubt that the president will not stop his release. He understands what Kanu’s release means, that it’s imperative.
“He (Kanu) will be released, soon, he will be released. Every Nigerian knows that his release is imperative. Because, if he is released, these criminals masquerading as freedom fighters will have no guise to keep committing atrocities. If Kanu is released, this killing field will become a prosperous land.
“We have to demand of our governors, our leaders, myself inclusive, to bring to the forefront those things that concern us. Our problem is that we are disunited and our leaders are pursuing individual agenda. We must synergize. Other regions collaborate but our people pursue personal gains.
“So, South East Governors must change their techniques, methods and tactics.
“My pledge to you is that I won’t relent in pursuing Kanu’s release,” she declared.
She categorically called for an end to the kidnappings and carnage in the South East.
“Today, I am calling on our people in the bushes to come out. These killings must stop, we must stop this carnage. We must bring this carnage to a stop, we must collectively stop these killings. We can’t continue killing ourselves this way. This was not what Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu fought for. Our big people including politicians have all fled the South East.”
The minister further condemned any form of violence in the region, calling for the sustenance of the non-violence approach being propagated by Uwazuruike.
“What we are doing today, the 13th edition of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu memorial, is what our governors, even those that he sacrificed his all to lift, could not achieve.
“On behalf of the family of Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, on behalf of Nnewi people that came here today, on behalf of Ndi Anambra State, on behalf of Ndigbo, home and in Diaspora, I thank Okenwa Uwazuruike for these memorial ceremonies these years.”
In his remarks, founder of Biafra Independent Movement (BIM)/Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, stated that Kanu’s protracted detention is because he is Igbo.
He appealed to the Minister to take the call by the participants at this year’s memorial ceremony to President Tinubu, to free the IPOB leader.
“We are here celebrating and Kanu is there suffering. Iyom, you have been on the lead for Kanu to be released, but today, you are closer to the government. So, please, you will tell the president to release Nnamdi Kanu for us.
“You are the real representative of the Igbo, so, tell the President that I asked that if he knew how he released his brother, Sunday Igboho, he should release Nnamdi Kanu for us.
“Nnamdi Kanu, Sunday Igboho and leader of Miyetti Allah were arrested and detained but the rest two were released, leaving Kanu to languish in custody.
“This is not the first time that this kind of thing is happening. Recall that there was a time Asari Dokubo, Frederick Fasheun and I were arrested. The other two were released, and I was abandoned in jail. Why was it so? Because I am Igbo.
I was there when my mother died, before they gave me time to go and bury my mother and return to the prison. So, tell the President to release Nnamdi Kanu for us.
“Iyom, you are a great woman, my wish is that any person that wants to get married, he should pray for a wife like Iyom Bianca.
“Yesterday was sit-at-home, but she rode all the way from Enugu to Owerri. She will go to any length to identify with anything concerning Ojukwu,” Uwazuruike said.
Chairman of Elder Onyema Ugwunze, called for one minute silence for all Igbo young people who had been killed at one point or another in recent times.
According to him, happenings at the event clearly showed that Ojukwu was not dead. He thanked Uwazuruike for keeping the flame on and also specifically noted the role Mrs Ojukwu has played in sustaining Ikemba Nnewi’s legacy.