From Geoffrey Anyanwu, Enugu
Worried by the present dwindling economy of the South East geopolitical zone, the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) in Enugu State, Frank Nweke Jr. has appealed to Biafra agitators to reconsider the effect of their every Monday sit-at-home order on the zone.
For the past one year and five months, the South East has suffered tremendous decrease in her economy following the every Monday sit-at-home order, originally given by the Nnamdi Kanu-led Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to press for the release of their leader, but called it off sometime last year when it saw it had been hijacked by hoodlums to cause harm to the people.
The IPOB discontinuation order was not heeded to by the Simon Ekpa-led faction, which has continued with it and followed it with violent attacks on people while enforcing the order.
But delivering a lecture titled, “Reclaiming Our Identity” at the Faculty of Arts, University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), at the weekend, Nweke Jr. said the time has come for those behind the order would see reason to jettison it.
Sharing his perspectives on how the Igbo could reclaim their identity to the about 3,000 students that gathered for the lecture, Nweke stressed unequivocally that while the agitations for secession could be traced to logical reasons, the methods deployed by the majority of the separatist groups were counterproductive.
He recalled the devastating effects of the civil war, highlighted the loss incurred by the South East for every day a sit-at-home order was in implemented and pleaded with the individuals demanding a secession to consider the effects of their continued agitations on the people they desired to liberate.
Nweke Jr. said, “The effects of your agitation today are not felt by those who govern us, instead, the poor are getting poorer, being battered by a government that ignores them and a non state actor that keeps them in fear.
“The South East bleeds profusely every Monday, the local businesses, schools, hospitals, and institutions are closed. We lose an average of N75.711 billion every day that a sit-at-home order is observed.”
Nweke whose campaign has hinged on leadership and accountability urged the agitators to pay attention to instituting a leadership structure that would be trusted and held accountable to deliver the dividends of democracy to the region.
He said, “What is the quality of leadership that will take over should a referendum be granted, and a new entity become a reality?
“I implore you to reconsider the motives and the strength of your pursuit. I speak to you as one that is unhappy with the current system and wants to see a change. We can sit down and re-evaluate our methods, our goals, and our values.”
Also in attendance at the lecture, which was the first in the series for the Faculty of Arts, in 2023, were the Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Patrick Okpoko, the Dean, Faculty of Arts, Prof. Obi Ani and the Head of the English and Literary Studies Department and Chairman, Local Organizing Committee for the lecture, Prof. Stella Okoye.
The Deputy Governorship Candidate of the APGA, Dr Edith Ugwuanyi, and the Party Chairman in Enugu, Ndubuisi EnechiOnyia, the House of Representatives candidate representing Enugu North and South Federal Constituency, Nonso Nnamani, were also at the event.