NNIA NWODO’S DISLOYALTY TO IGBO ELDERS/LEADERS; A BRIDE TO HAUSA/FULANI?

His face was not so bright; he fought the war and he significantly participated in administrative issues, Biafra was everything he wanted. I glanced at a portrait hanging on the wall over his head, comparing it to the same man before me; he is quite becoming something else. His head filled with respect while his face tends to fold again and again; he is a seasoned man but season never affected his sound English and mental state.

Waiting patiently for him; he had invited me last two days but I was occupied and when I came, he was still asleep and I told a short fair boy with eye-defect that I came to see him.

“Oh; you are the Biafra journalist?” he asked and I affirmed. He quickly went in and came out; opened the sitting room door and ushered me in, I spent minutes watching the ceremonial pictures hanging everywhere.

He came out; in a white caftan and socks, the coldness of July is threatening and he is not strong enough to overcome it. He sat down on a couch in his sitting room with a pillow placed at the extreme; he can sit or lie down if he wishes but he would often complain waist pain or body ache.

“What is Kanu’s relationship with Elders?” He asked like one that had studied and concluded what he came to discuss.

“He asked because he remains number one elder; Ojukwu is gone, Effiong is gone and he has occupied that singular position by merit. The elders of Biafra ranging from Igbo, Ijaw, Itshekiri, etc are under him; he leads and nobody comes in as long as he is still alive” a sharp thin but elderly man added.

“He is positive and has been consulting them; but I read on BBC news where Nnia Nwodo said Biafra elders/leaders don’t want Biafra” I cut in to enable my topic be on the table.

“Nnia Nwodo is drifting away and we know why we are keeping quiet; he is drifting away from me, Igbo elders and entire elders of Biafra” he said angrily.

At Owerri, high court; elders from South-south and south-east filed a suit against Nigeria praying the court to recognize Biafra, in one way or another and despite how rule of law is abused in Nigeria, elders are conservatively fighting.

At Owerri; nothing will be achieved due to the lawlessness in Nigeria. From investigation; Niger Delta Biafra warlord, Col. Joe Achuzia is the architect of the suit. By publicly saying Elders/Leaders of Biafra don’t want Biafra, is Nnia Nwodo unknowingly opposing elders/leaders or displaying utmost disloyalty?

“If elders can sue Nigeria and praying the court to recognize Biafra; Nnia Nwodo going out to say leaders/elders don’t want Biafra but restructure amounts to total disloyalty” Igwe Nwabuobi added. Nwodo recently conveyed a meeting at Enugu and arising from the meeting is a declaration that Elders/Leaders in Igbo don’t want Biafra but restructure.

“We formed Ohaneze; the purpose of which it was formed died and politics took precedence, it was politicized and that was when I left” he said. Ohaneze is not the only cultural or political group existing but the group being the first has gained political superiority. Most elders and prominent Igbo sons are not part of Ohaneze and Ohaneze does not speak for Biafra but a part. Nzuko Umunna is one that is expected to compete.

“Ohaneze members are strange birds that flock together and each searching for a nest; they don’t know themselves but only interest brings them together. Many groups have tried to take over from them; the likes of Aka Ikenga, Ohaneze Lagos but when they go out to claim representation and they are asked; where is your base at home? They don’t have a base but Ohaneze have one in Enugu - a base Igbo matters are brought to. This made them a bride to Hausa Fulani; Hausa/Fulani rape us through them, without that base we left for the successive leadership, they could have been made irrelevant because Ohaneze has destroyed the people”

Nnia Nwodo’s disloyalty is becoming a thing of worry and this same thing created the vacuum Nnamdi Kanu filled today. As a bride to Hausa/Fulani that controls the government of Nigeria; Ohaneze has failed to live up to the expectation of the people and at worst, always fight the interest of the people to please political leaders.

“How Nnia Nwodo could make such reckless statement over Biafra amazes me; is the young man aware of what we suffered during and after the war, how many lives lost? O! It is a sacrilege to say we don’t want Biafra” another elder added.
Those that fought Biafra war believe that restoring Biafra is a way of crowning their efforts whilst those that ran away or never participated see it as not part of their responsibility.

“Nnia Nwodo’s Ohaneze as a bride to Hausa/Fulani has the responsibility of taking care and pleasing Hausa/Fulani. During Ohaneze election; instead of come to us, they run to politicians and political leaders and the election is influenced in their favor. This automatically killed the cultural or indigenous affiliation of the organization; then the disloyalty of Nnia Nwodo to Igbo elders and entire Biafra knows no bound” he mildly continued.

The leadership or setup of Ohaneze Ndigbo negates every cultural or indigenous ingredient, based on the fact that the people don’t elect or neither representative of the people elect leaders. Leaders are elected based on their political connection; giving politicians the ability to have direct access to the organization.

“I have been bitten, battered and dragged by politics, at this age; I have nothing to do with politics but the well-being of my people” he said, signaling that politics has destroyed many people that claimed to be leaders or elders of the people.

“I am a captain in the Biafra army; I am quite of age now, a member of the veterans’ body, Ohaneze and any other group cannot effectively speak for the people because the people are not represented neither is their wish represented. Twenty men cannot stay one place and talk when the likes of Achuzia, Nwabueze, Ezeife, Ekwueme and many others are not aware. Igbo is a part of Biafra and no part of Biafra has the right to speak for the entire people of Biafra.” Igwe Nwabuobi said.

It is very clear that Hausa/Fulani might have spoken through Nnia Nwodo and as far as Biafra is concerned, Nnia Nwodo is a disloyal child to the entire elders of Biafra.

Editor/Publisher: Chinwe Korie
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