•ADF, IWA, Uwazuruike, express mixed feelings
From Magnus Eze, Enugu, Emmanuel Uzor, Awka, Stanley Uzoaru, Owerri and Ogbonnaya Ndukwe, Aba
Igbo leaders and stakeholders have expressed mixed feelings over the recent one-day visit of President Bola Tinubu to Enugu State.
Some people said the visit was most auspicious, having afforded leaders of the zone an opportunity to present a checklist to Tinubu. Some also applauded Enugu State Governor, Peter Mbah for pulling the president to his state.
Others have, however, expressed strong resentments over failure of their leaders to present the case of the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu. Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Service (DSS) since June 2021, when he was intercepted and renditioned to Nigeria from Kenya by the federal government. Court judgements acquitting him had been ignored.
So, not a few in the South East, including the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide expected that the Enugu visit would have been an avenue to further push for his release.
Surprisingly, Igbo leaders who met with the president displayed noticeable lack of will to raise the Kanu issue before Tinubu, and in presenting and winning his approval over the total demilitarization and stoppage of destruction of lives and property currently going on in the region.
Notwithstanding, leaders of the region made some requests to the August visitor.
One of their pleas was for the federal government to develop the Anambra Basin with its huge oil and gas endowment.
The basin is estimated to hold up to 1 billion barrels of oil and 30 billion cubic feet of gas. They also appealed to Tinubu to direct the dismantling of the numerous roadblocks and checkpoints in Igboland, particularly in Enugu State where the government has set up a robust security infrastructure.
In addition, South-East leaders asked the president to build the eastern corridor of the railway from Port Harcourt to Maidugiri, covering major cities in the region.
As the visit elicited varied reactions, outgoing National Vice President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Damian Okeke Ogene, said it was symbolic as it offered the president the opportunity to interact with the people of South East and have an on-the spot assessment of their age-long cry over marginalisation.
He also said the visit was historic, being the first official visit of the president to the region since he assumed office, adding that it was a moment the zone had to further adumbrate on the request for the release of the IPOB leader.
According to the Ohanaeze chieftain, the visit offered Ndigbo a sense of belonging as it was an opportunity for President Tinubu to reassure of the timely completion of the Eastern Rail line to link major cities across the region as well as complete the reconstruction of various federal roads within the region that have been begging for attention.
Also, past president of Aba Chamber of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (ACCIMA), Chief Jerry Kalu said the occasion was a plus for the region as President Tinubu attended the event personally, instead of delegating his deputy.
He was, however, not happy that he did not see anything tangible said about proper funding of rebuilding the South-East infrastructure abandoned since the end of the Nigeria/Biafra war in 1970.
In addition, Coordinator of Igbo Lawyers Association (ILA), Prince Victor Onweremadu, said the Igbo political class had been very indifferent in Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s case, adding that it was the reason no meaningful impact has been made on the matter.
“They had said they wanted to get appointment to go to Abuja to see the president, but he came to Enugu, came here to us and they failed to meet and discuss the matter with him.
“Many of them are happy that Kanu is where he is, presently. The issue of getting him out is not moving forward so that they will continue doing what they are doing. It’s very unfortunate and we aren’t happy about it,” he said.
Similarly, Coordinator of Ndigbo Unity Forum, Augustine Chukwudum, said Kanu’s freedom should have been at the epicentre of the president’s visit.
He said there was nothing to celebrate about the visit as there was no clear statement of assurance from President Tinubu as regards the possible release of the IPOB leader. He said the visit fell short of expectation as the president also failed to address the issue of marginalisation, especially in the area of appointment of service chiefs. He accused the president of lopsidedness in appointing heads of security agencies, sidelining the South East zone.
Chukwudum also said the visit of Mr. President should also serve as a reawakening for the people of the zone especially politicians to do what is necessary to key into the national politics to attract more federal presence.
To Abia Onyike, Secretary, Alaigbo Development Forum (ADF), it was an opportunity for the Igbo of South East to key into mainstream politics in the country.
“I think the visit to Enugu by Tinubu is part of his efforts to build up a Southern Nigerian Front or what you may refer to as Southern solidarity. There is a general feeling that President Tinubu should reach out to the South East to bring in the Igbo leadership into the mainstream of his presidency. The recent visit to Enugu is part of such diplomatic overtures towards the South East and the Igbo leaders are expected to reciprocate the gesture as the permutations for 2027 gathers momentum.
“In this chess game, issues of South East regional security, infrastructure and possible release of Nnamdi Kanu are on the cards. So, it depends on how the Igbo leaders react to Tinubu’s overtures or the overall fallout of the rapprochement.
“Whether the Kanu matter was raised there or not, sufficient case has been made about it. It is one of the major demands of South East leaders. A political solution is expected in that regard,” Onyike stated.
Like Onyike, President of Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), Mrs. Nneka Chimezie, said the visit was an opportunity for the Igbo to present a checklist to Tinubu.
Though, Chimezie regretted that Kanu’s freedom which according to her was the most topical issue in the region today, was not mentioned, but she commended Governor Mbah, for pulling the president to the state.
Doubting that anything good had come to the South East from All Progressives Congress (APC) government since 2015, Chimezie, rather preferred to keep her fingers crossed.
She advised: “We keep our fingers crossed but the truth is that Tinubu is not to be trusted because it’s difficult to recall promises he had kept especially regarding the Igbo. His body language and policy implementation in the South-East all show that he doesn’t have interest in the zone.
“I actually read reports where Ohanaeze and other leaders had spoken about the release of Nnamdi Kanu, but I won’t really dabble into whether the governors presented the case to the president or not.
“But the visit was commendable because I learnt there was a town hall and our people made demands. So, the Governor of Enugu State did well by bringing the president. At least, it afforded Ndigbo opportunity to present our case. Kudos to Governor Mbah.
“However, it would have been better if they tabled Nnamdi Kanu’s matter because that’s the wish of majority of people in Igboland, that’s what is driving the sit-at-home. So, the governors and leaders failed to present the wish of their people to the president.”
To Chief Goddy Uwazuruike, the visit was essentially ceremonial, as at best, the president came and commissioned some projects done by Gov. Mbah’s government. He said that the president was treated to a first-class reception that the Igbo were known for, but doubted that they had anything to show for the visit.
To justify his position, Uwazuruike stated that the president did not inspect any ongoing federal government project in Enugu State.
“It is difficult to say because the insulting railway narrow gauge proposed by PMB is yet to take off. And the expected promise of a standard gauge was not made. The Igbo areas are actually sitting on a huge gas basin. The promise to look into it is not captured in the 2025 national budget.
“In terms of infrastructure, the Buhari govt removed Igboland from railway master plan and the gas master plan, even though the gas is coming from here!
“On Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, it is not yet uhuru as the anti-Igbo people are still holding sway. What I know is that one day, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu shall be free.
“Ndigbo have received President Tinubu the same way we received President Buhari. Like Buhari, Tinubu did not inspect any ongoing federal project. This is because, there is none,” the senior lawyer said.