Sit-at-home an Offence to Igbo, South-east, Says Uzodimma

Iwuanyanwu urges agitators to stop bloodletting

Amby Uneze in Owerri

Imo State Governor, Senator Hope Uzodimma,  has said the sit-at-home order is an offence to the Igbo and South-east, stressing that the  proponents do not mean well for the people.

This is just as  the  Chairman, Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, has made a passionate appeal to youths and various agitators in the South-east to sheathe their swords and allow elections to hold and peace to reign in the region.

Uzodinma said those dishing out such directives when the whole citizens of the country are going into a general election to choose their leaders cannot be said to have any love for the Igbo people who they intend to disenfranchise.

The governor spoke  yesterday  during a Thanksgiving Mass held at St. Michael’s Catholic Church Umueze 1 in the Okigwe Catholic Diocese, in honour of Chief Tony Chukwu.

The governor  therefore, enjoined the congregation in particular and Imo people in general, to come out en masse on Saturday, February 25, 2023 and March 11, 2023 and vote for the candidates of their choice as doing so will help add value to their lives.

He reiterated that as long as he remains the governor of Imo State he would  continue to do the right thing and promised not to disappoint the trust reposed on him by Imo people.

The governor used the opportunity to accede to the request of the church to help them in the building of model nursery and primary school project by donating the sum of N20 million.

He said that insecurity and many other problems in the society were direct consequences of illiteracy, saying that, “to minimise it education needs to be encouraged.”

Earlier in His homily,  the Catholic Bishop of Diocese of Okigwe, His Grace Most Rev. Solomon Amatu had charged the congregation to love one another by following the footsteps of our Saviour Jesus  Christ.

The Bishop also vehemently condemned the sit- at- home order and enjoined the faithful and Imo people in general, to come out and vote for the candidate of their choice on the days of the election, saying that “it is your civic responsibility of electing the person that will bring change to the society.”

The Bishop also urged the people to be peaceful.

Meanwhile, Iwuanyanwu, who addressed a world press briefing in Owerri, lamented the indiscriminate killing in the South-east and various parts of the country, saying in the past few months, he had watched with deep grief, the amount of innocent blood being shed, properties belonging to governments, individuals being wantonly destroyed.

He observed with dismay, the increasing threats by some youth agitators claiming to stop elections in Igboland,  warning  politicians not to participate in the elections for their dear lives while governors and government houses would be destroyed and security agencies seen anywhere would be attacked and killed.

Noting that such threats would not augur well for the people, the octogenarian said the Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo had been working tirelessly to ensure the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, and that they would not rest on their oars until he gets his freedom.

According to him, Kanu and some of his supporters, including Simon Ekpa would attend in person at the Peace Summit or send their representative, stressing that absolute peace was needed in the South-east, which is what Igbo are known for.

He said as chairman Council of Elders of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, he had summoned an emergency meeting of Ohanaeze Elders, where the security situation of the South-east was critically examined.

He expressed concern over the deteriorating security, social and economic conditions noting that many school leavers, graduates spend many years looking for employment without success while many businesses have collapsed due to lack of infrastructure such as power.

Iwuanyanwu regretted that for the first time in the history of Igboland, “We have witnessed Igbo killing innocent Igbo for no just cause,” regretting that, “when we recall that Igbo lost over two million people during the Civil war, there is no reason why we should shed more blood in Igboland.”

The elder statesman appealed to the agitators and the youths to allow peace to reign by ensuring that the elections in the South East were peaceful, adding that the solutions lied in peaceful decisions and negotiations.

‘’As a father of the youths in Igboland and as the Ahaejiagamba Ndigbo, Grand Patron of virtually all youth organisations in Igboland and Nigeria and as somebody, who has valiantly served Igbo in time of peace and in time of war, I appeal to all concerned to sheathe     their sword and accept a ceasefire in order to allow elections to take place in South East devoid of any bloodshed,” he said.