National Telescope national telescope newspaper
By Yinka Oyebanji
The Igbo apex socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, enjoyed the people in the South-East to go about their business and ignore the directive of Simon Ekpa – a self-acclaimed leader of the Independent People of Biafra, IPOB.
Ekpa, a foreign-based Igbo who had severally issued similar directives recently issued another order instructing everyone living in the region to refrain from going out in the next two weeks in a bid to enforce the Nigerian government for their desire to separate and have their own nation.
But the President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu in a statement on Monday, urged the people in the region to disregard the directive, saying the incessant call for sit-at-home has continued to subject the region to hardship and suffering.
The statement read, “It is indeed very disheartening that the people of South East of Nigeria are being subjected to hardships by the incessant call for sit at home.
“Unfortunately, several non-state actors in an attempt to enforce the order have unleashed mayhem on the people. As a result, several people have been killed, and maimed and properties worth millions of Naira have been destroyed. In addition, the sit-at-home order has been instilling fears and trepidation on the good people of the South East, making it difficult for people to come out to transact their lawful businesses on the sit-at-home days.
“The South-East is noted for micro, small, and medium-scale enterprises, indigenous manufacturing, fabrication, and agro-allied industries. To this end, several authorities have put the losses encountered by the people of South East at trillions of Naira on each sit-at-home day. The South East has witnessed the loss of clients and customers who find alternatives because of the unstable business environment in the South East. The food transporters to the South East charge more for a trip to the South East because of these sit-at-home orders. Furthermore, insecurity and unknown gunmen have been on the increase because of the sit-at-home order. Worst still, over 250 persons are estimated to have lost their lives through the enforcement of the sit-at-home order.
“It is saddening to see that Mr. Simon Ekpa has announced another two weeks’ sit at home in the South East.
“This is unacceptable and must not be allowed to succeed in Igboland.
“A few days ago, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, on whose behalf Ekpa claims to be working, has directed the said Simon Ekpa “to end all sit-at-home in the Southeast and to stop antagonizing the governors of the southeast or politicians from the region”.
“It is very disturbing that at a time the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide is engaging Igbo entrepreneurs all over the world, on a think-home philosophy, a foreign-based Igbo is bent on destabilizing the home front.
“It is evident that the series of sit-at-home orders is affecting the social and economic life of the Igbos. Surely, it is not to the advantage of the Igbos.
“Based on the above backdrop, I, Chief Dr. Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, the President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo Worldwide hereby directs that:
“The sit-at-home in Igbo-land should be discountenanced. I, therefore, urge all the sons and daughters of Igbo-land to go about their lawful businesses.
“As a father, I hereby request Mr. Simon Ekpa and his group for a discussion and an opportunity to air their grievances.
“I urge the security operatives to exercise the highest degree of prudence in the discharge of their official duties to avoid further loss of innocent lives in Igbo-land.”
