One of the leaders of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Olisa Mbakwe said the group has sacked its controversial leader, Nnamdi Kanu following his Sunday’s broadcast.
The group said Kanu’s speech on Sunday was a clear indication that he prefers his dog, Jack than those murdered in the struggle for the realisation of Biafra.
Kanu had during a broadcast on Sunday from his base in Israel, mourned his dog and “few other people” in his compound who lost their lives when troops of the Operation Python Dance invaded his residence in September 2017.
“The Army of the Zoo killed my dog Jack and few other people in my compound, I am sorry for what my sureties are passing trough but I want to assure them that they will have a special place in Biafra. I shall not be honouring the Court,” the IPOB leaderd had said in his broadcast.
But the group in a reaction has described Kanu as an insensitive and callous leader that has no value for his own followers but rather his dog, Jack whom he paid tributes to after his long disappearance from the struggle.
This angered the Elders Council of IPOB to describe him as a traitor not worthy of any leadership position anywhere in the world.
Recall that the international media arm of the proscribed group had in 2017 announced the sack of Kanu.
IPOB said Kanu was “dismissed and removed as Director of Radio Biafra following extensive and intensive consultations” The group reeled out reasons Kanu was removed to include: “Personalisation of the Biafran struggle and derailing from the core objectives of IPOB as a grassroots movement.
Olisa Mbakwe, Director of Strategy and Documentation of IPOB in a statement forwarded to our reporter on Monday, said Kanu was no longer the leader of the separatist group.
He said a new leader of IPOB approved by the Elders Council of IPOB would be announced in due course.
His statement reads.
On Sunday, October 21, 2018, an individual, Mazi Nnamdi Nwanekaenyi Kanu, claiming to be the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Director General of Radio Biafra made a live broadcast that has left us perplexed because it is unthinkable that someone will impersonate IPOB to the point of plotting to abuse the organization to hurt the interest of Biafra.
“The strength of the Republic of Biafra that we are struggling to actualize is in its human resources as embodied in our versatile youths that dominate the fields of play across sectors of human endeavor; the country we have set our vision on creating is therefore not to be made up of tombstones but of people fulfilling their life missions as ordained by God.
“Nnamdi Kanu relinquished his position as the leader of IPOB struggle the day he deserted our members to die when they had mobilized to stand for our belief in Biafra at his residence in Afaraukwu. Several of our members were injured and some died in that encounter and even after emerging from hiding more than one year later all Kanu could do was to desecrate their memory with his radio broadcast. Nnamdi Kanu vividly, specifically and particularly recalled his family dog, Jack, by name while he dismissed our members that died as mere statistics – he only recalled them as 28 IPOB members.
“Even if Kanu had not deserted there is no way we would have continued under the leadership of a man that values his family dog more than Biafrans.
“We are not unmindful of how Kanu struck the deal that granted him bail in the first place while abandoning our members, Benjamin Madubugwu, David Nwawusi, Bright Chimezie Ishinwa and Chidiebere Onwudiwe to languish in jail. Instead of using his freedom to accelerate the freedom of these authentic freedom fighters, he rather went about Biafra land receiving obeisance from Biafrans like a monarch when our dear land is completely republican. The travails of these our brothers are not over yet and might have been worsened by Kanu’s live broadcast, which has totally upset us.
“Much as we cherish our heritage as the Jewish tribe in Africa, the Republic of Biafra is not in a hurry to inherit enemies when it finally emerges as sovereign country. IPOB does not in any way wishes to be tied to the apron strings of Zionist Israel since our belief is rooted in Chukwu Okike Abiama and other belief systems that the individual Biafran subscribes to; the Biafra of our vision is not one that the citizens would be constrained to dress up like court jesters for religious reasons. Nnamdi Kanu, in violation of repeated chastisement, has refused to heed the counsel to desist from associating Biafra with any foreign country at this time, especially Israel that will automatically make the Republic of Biafra enemies to its enemies.
“In line with the decisions earlier announced on Radio Biafra on November 17, 2017 that Mazi Ezenwachukwu Sampson Okwudili is the new director for the radio, we reaffirm that Mazi Nnamdi Nwanekaenyi Kanu remains sacked as the Director of Radio Biafra and has also been removed as the leader of IPOB since he has proven he is not a worthy leader that respects the sanctity of the lives of our members.
“Following interventions by our leaders, considerations were being made to reverse the earlier announcement but after studying the Kanu’s live broadcast from Israel we came to the painful conclusion that we cannot make progress with our vision of Biafra when one man has completely personalized and commercialized the struggle. The decision to drop Nnamdi Kanu from playing leading roles in IPOB affairs is hereby upheld.
“We shall announce replacements after consultations with the various stakeholders.”
