There seems to be more cracks within the ranks of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) after its leader, Nnamdi Kanu reportedly suspended the weekly Monday sit-at-home action tagged “Ghost Monday”.
The group’s Head of Directorate of State, Chika Edoziem announced the suspension of the weekly sit-at-home directive, an action backed by Kanu’s lead counsel, Ifeanyi Ejiofor.
Edoziem had announced the suspension of the directive on Friday, during a programme on the group’s radio station.
However, the suspension of the sit-at-home action by the group’s directorate seems not to go down well with some of its members, who took to social media platforms to express their displeasure over the suspension.
It would be recalled that the group through its Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, had scheduled the sit-at-home to commence on Monday, August 9, saying it would continue until the release of their leader by the Nigerian government.
But in a directive on Sunday, August 8, Kanunta Kanu, the younger brother of Nnamdi Kanu disagreed with the group over the sit-at-home order, calling off the action and cited the National Examination Council’s (NECO) examinations for junior secondary school students that had just begun as a reason.
In a statement, Kanunta said the group decided to suspend the sit-at-home following pleas from well-meaning individuals and groups within and outside the Igbo land that the action should be suspended to allow students in the region to participate in the NECO examinations.
He argued that going ahead with the sit-at-home directive as earlier planned despite the examinations would amount to assisting South-East enemies to inflict more injuries on her children, noting that the group would announce a new date for the commencement of the sit-at-home.
However, the group’s Publicity Secretary in a counter-statement maintained that the group would go ahead with the sit-at-home as planned, stating that the date remained sacrosanct.
On Monday, August 9, the sit-at-home directive went on as planned in some towns in the South-East region, with IPOB boasting that the exercise was 100 per cent successful in the region.
But in the latest development on Friday, August 13, Edoziem reportedly announced the suspension of the sit-at-home order on Radio Biafra, saying: “I wish to announce this very evening, that as directed by the highest command of this noble movement, our Monday Ghost Town or sit-at-home in Biafra land, stands suspended for now.
“The weekly sit-at-home stands suspended, which means in the coming Monday, there will be no Ghost Town in Biafraland.
“Our sit-at-home will be on each court date when our leader, Onye Ndu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will be appearing in court.”
After the announcement, some members of the group took to social media platforms to question the latest development, warning that statements by Edoziem and Kanu’s lead lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor should be scrutinized properly before being accepted “hook, line and sinker.”
A Facebook user, whose name appeared as Elochukwu Ohagi, warned that the information from Kanu’s lawyer words from Kanu must be thoroughly examined.
He said, “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (MNK) is in the dark. MNK doesn’t know what is going on in the outside world. MNK is not watching the news and doesn’t know anything about the events.
“It means that MNK’s decisions about the sit at home were actually what they painted for him. The lawyer must be made to understand that we know this. Let him also know that we are not fools.
“I put it to you that the lawyer is not in support of the sit at home and he worked on MNK to get it cancelled. It is only what he tells MNK that MNK knows and can digest. I am still uncomfortable with that cancellation, and I am still in doubt.
“Let somebody not take advantage of our command and control to destroy the struggle. If you take this as insubordination, that’s because you have a poor understanding of that word.”
Another user, Egwuatu Chukz, wrote on Facebook, “Yes, It’s hard to believe that the (every) Monday Sit At Home protest will be suspended by the highest authority of IPOB, but my take on the various reactions by our people is this;
Firstly it’s very painful that it has come like this after all the resources, strength, fixed schedules, broadcast and strategies been channelled towards the campaign for the weekly Sit At Home, oh it is sad.
“But please let’s be guided with our words and utterances on media space, At this critical period we must be tactical in airing our opinion. Don’t showcase your weakness to our common enemies.
“Very true that If anything went wrong in IPOB today, Directorate of State (DOS) will be held responsible, just as the blame is been rightly direct to them by majority Biafrans, But it is our duty to protect them, shield them until our leader is out.”
“Stop attacking the legal representatives. They are not the authority, they’re just representing IPOB in legal capacities, even (If) any directive or Instruction comes from our leader and message is passed through the lawyer. The announcement or execution of such order lies in the capacity of IPOB Directorates (DOS).”
Meanwhile in a statement on his Facebook page on Saturday, Ejiofor expressed his displeasure over the reaction of IPOB on the suspension of the sit-at-home order.
Ejiofor wrote, “I have observed with dismay, the avalanche of emails and messages from Umuchineke unanimously prodding for a clarification /confirmation on the highlights of the press statement issued by the leadership of our Client, yesterday, suspending their Sit-at-home Order.
“I cannot stop being shocked by the manifested lack of trust/disbelief expressed over the authenticity of the message. There is, therefore, an urgent need that facts are put in their proper perspectives.
“We at the legal team are increasingly becoming embarrassed with the unfortunate manner in which some people, ostensibly moles, notorious for mischief, are deliberately dragging us into the decision making arm of the movement, a position which we never represent.
Responsive listeners/followers should always be smart to decipher the language methodology messages are being conveyed by their leadership at every point in time. You people call it C. and C.
“Introducing insinuations, fundamentally unconnected with the intended motive only means you still have a long way to go. In times like this, people should do away with propaganda, gossip, mischief, a campaign of calumny and pay attention to messages from recognized source(s).
“For your information, if you are expecting me to write it, or answer your questions in black and white, perhaps in a manner that even my aged mother in the village will nod her head in appreciation of the content, then you are very far from getting it here. An Igbo proverb says “atuolu omalu, omalu mana atuolu ofeke ofeyi isi na ofia”, he stated.
