Ekweremadu and burden of nationalism
The national outrage provoked across political, ethnic, and religious boundaries by the assault on the former Deputy President of Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany, underscores the depravity of the action. But even more bizarre and depraved were the reasons adduced by IPOB for their […]
The national outrage provoked across political, ethnic, and religious boundaries by the assault on the former Deputy President of Senate, Senator Ike Ekweremadu, by members of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in Nuremberg, Germany, underscores the depravity of the action. But even more bizarre and depraved were the reasons adduced by IPOB for their show of shame. It is instructive that they did not accuse Ekweremadu of poor representation.
IPOB’s spokesman, Emma Powerful, stated: “Yesterday, being the 17th day of August 2019 the Nuremberg IPOB family in Germany in keeping with the long-standing directive from our leader to hound all instigators of Operation Python Dance, IPOB is glad to report that Ike Ekweremadu was confronted and duly hounded out of a so-called New Yam Festival event in Germany.
“Despite repeated warnings to the organisers of these jamborees that Enugu, Ebonyi and other parts of Biafraland is under siege by Fulani caliphate and their collaborators within, they went ahead to invite a known traitor, co-conspirator and one of those that worked with Igbo governors to proscribe and tag IPOB a terror organisation while they never raised any voice against murderous Fulani herdsmen.”
Also, some IPOB activists boasted that they tore Ekweremadu’s Igbo attire because of the coat of arm design on it. Ironically, those IPOB miscreants, still clench their Nigerian International Passport with the coat of arms boldly engraved on the cover. Hypocrisy!
Meanwhile, it is not even true that Ekweremadu did not speak up on the issues raised by IPOB. I can easily recollect several occasions he spoke up on the floor of the Senate against reported extrajudicial killing of IPOB protesters by security agents. I remember his published letter to President Muhammadu Buhari entreating him to call off the Operation Python Dance, citing the need to de-escalate tension in the South East and also avoid possible reprisals and conflagration that could be triggered by IPOB action. Many Igbo leaders, including the President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Senator Enyinnya Abaribe have rued Kanu’s ingratitude, noting his fatherly and pivotal role as the highest ranking political office holder in securing Kanu’s release from prison to douse tension in the region. I still remember the picture of Ekweremadu, Kanu and Igbo Senators after Kanu’s release at Kuje Prison. It was initially thought to be the Senator’s visit to Kanu in prison, but it later emerged that it was a meeting at Ekweremadu’s residence to caution Kanu to abide by his bail conditions and avoid any conduct that could trigger tension in the South-East.
Nevertheless, whereas Justice Binta Nyako ruled that Kanu must not hold rallies or grant interviews or be seen in a crowd of more than 10 persons or grant press interview, Kanu willfully scorned and repeatedly breached the bail conditions. He addressed mega rallies, partook in heavy street processions, granted press interviews. And in all these, he used incendiary language against the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the president, and other ethnic groups. He recruited, trained, made uniforms for his Biafra Security Services (BSS) despite warnings from South-East leaders, including those, who enabled his freedom. It was at this point that the Operation Python Dance was launched. Kanu shunned the meeting with South-East governors, thus leaving the Federal Government with no choice than to proscribe the organisation.
Kanu cannot accuse Ekweremadu and like-minded South-East leaders of betraying Ndigbo because the Senator and most South-East political elites have never hidden their faith in one Nigeria. Ekweremadu was reported in the media at the time as telling a high-powered South-East leaders’ meeting on Biafra that “Times have changed, and so have political interests because 1967 is different from 2017; so much water has passed under the bridge and we have to be realistic.” He was also quoted as cautioning that “Extreme utterances and actions by some pro-Biafra agitators are taking tolls on our (Igbo) goodwill, friendship, and the sympathy we enjoy; insults hurled at religious and political leaders of other regions are not helping us, politically.”
Unfortunately, as far as Kanu and IPOB are concerned, you cannot be Igbo and Nigerian at the same time. It is either you agree that Hausa/Fulani must be exorcised or you are a saboteur. He has brainwashed his followers to believe that anyone, who doesn’t abuse Nigeria, insult the North, and curse Buhari is anti-Igbo.
Meanwhile, I salute Ekweremadu’s equanimity in the face of this provocation. This has warmed him into the hearts of many. He should not count the embarrassment alone. He should see Nuremberg as his induction into Nigeria’s hall of patriots, for he was not assaulted for stealing. He was attacked for loving his country and for being detribalized. By the vicious attack, it is now clear that he really had nothing to do with IPOB’s separatist agenda, but was truly acting in overall Igbo and national interest and stability. The is always a price to pay for the love of one’s country.
Salisu Ibrahim wrote this piece from Gombe