Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof. Chukwuma Soludo, has told the Federal Government that the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, will give more popularity to the agitation for Biafra. He advided that Kanu should be released from detention.
Soludo, who spoke while reviewing a book, The Politics of Biafra and the Future of Nigeria written by Honourable Chudi Offodili, further argued that the restructuring of Nigeria has become non-negotiable, stressing that a situation where Abuja fixes minimum wage the states, irrespective of their financial standing, was no longer feasible.
Corroborating his viewpoint on the impression that the Igbos are apparently disadvantaged in the political equation of Nigeria, former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, and Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Bishop Hassan Kukah, agreed that the Igbo nation is disadvantaged in the political equation of the country.
Soludo said, “on the debate about leadership failure in Igboland, it agitates the mind when we talk the Igbo presidency. It is to have someone wearing a read cap in the Aso Villa or is it a new Biafra.
“What is obvious is that the same contraction we have in Nigeria is also there in Igboland. Let me say that Nigeria has wittingly and unwittingly dragged the Biafran issue from the periphery into the mainstream discussion.
“Nnamdi Kanu, in my view threw a bet and the Nigeria took it. He is today the most popular political prisoner and will end up as a hero or a martyr. But to his credit, he has forced Nigeria and the world to discuss Biafra. I believe that keeping him there does not do Nigeria any good. I believe this young man should be released and released like yesterday.
“I will not surprise if he becomes the subject of the next political campaign. Just like we dealt with Awolowo who was convicted and imprisoned of treason or Gowon and Ojukwu charged with treason, without making any prediction, I believe we need to solve this. The detention of Kanu, a man I have never heard of before now, has globally become a mainstream issue.
“If I were President Buhari, I will be very suspicious of anybody who advises me to ignore the Biafra issue. The person does not mean well for the federal government.
Speaking on the marginalisation of Ndigbo in Nigeria, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu said: “Development goes with infrastructure and it seems that our area has been forgotten after the war by the federal authorities.
“It is also true that we are really disadvantaged in the polity called Nigeria.”
Similarly Biafra agitation, Kukah said: “I think we must consider Nnamdi Kanu’s predicament as part and parcel of the process of development of our country. Freedom comes with responsibility and all hands must be on deck where we are now.”
“I have spoken about this issue before now and nothing has changed. Everything must be resolved through dialogue. Kanu has made his point and delaying in dealing with the issue has given him the kind of attention that the issue does not really deserve. Again, in the final analysis, this is the stuff of politics,” he noted.
Present at the book launch includes chairman of Osita Chidoka, Prof ABC Nwosu, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Dr Uche Ogah, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, Reps of Anambra State governor, Oby Ezekwesili and many more. Kanu’s detention will popularise Biafra more/sd
Kanu’s detention will popularise Biafra more—Soludo
…As Bishop Kukar, Kalu adds voice to Igbo course
From Romanus Ugwu, Abuja
Former Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Prof Chukwuma Soludo, has warned the federal government that the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, will give more popularity to the agitation for Biafra.
Soludo, who spoke while reviewing a book, The Politics of Biafra and the Future of Nigeria by Honourable Chudi Offodili, further argued that the restructuring of Nigeria has become non-negotiable, stressing that the umbilical cord where Abuja sets wage for everybody in the country was for the time oil money pay for it not anymore.
Corroborating his viewpoint on the impression that the Igbos are apparently disadvantaged in the political equation of Nigeria, former Governor of Abia State, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, and Bishop of Sokoto Dioceses, Bishop Hassan Kukar, concurred that the Igbo nation is disadvantaged in the political equation of the country.
According to Prof Soludo on Kanu; “On the debate about leadership failure in Igboland, it agitates the mind when we talk the Igbo presidency. It is to have someone wearing a read cap in the Aso Villa or is it a new Biafra. What is obvious is that the same contraction we have in Nigeria is also there in Igboland.
“We cry of marginalisation in the larger Nigeria but there are also cries for marginalisation in within. There is identity question, indigeneship and citizenship questions within. How many other Igbos live in Aba and Abia for example yet there was indigineship issue few years ago.
“How can this new leadership or new Biafralism emerge? Of course, the entry fee is very high. Let me say that Nigeria has wittingly and unwittingly dragged the Biafran issue from the periphery into the mainstream discussion.
“Nnamdi Kanu, in my view threw a bet and the Nigeria took it. He is today the most popular political prisoner and will end up as a hero or a martyr. But to his credit, he has forced Nigeria and the world to discuss Biafra. I believe that keeping him there does not do Nigeria any good. I believe this young man should be released and released like yesterday.
“I will not surprise if he becomes the subject of the next political campaign. Just like we dealt with Awolowo who was convicted and imprisoned of treason or Gowon and Ojukwu charged with treason, without making any prediction, I believe we need to solve this.
“Good enough, according Offodile in this book that the continued detention of Kanu no matter how long will not stop the agitation of Biafra. The detention of Kanu, a man I have never heard of before now, has globally become a mainstream issue.
“If I were President Buhari, I will be very suspicious of anybody who advises me to ignore the Biafra issue. The person does not mean well for the federal government. He probably wants the federal government to repeat the mistake of past. So, let us talk Biafra but where are the Igbo elite and intelligential especially those in Nigeria,” he argued.
On the issue of restructuring, he said: “It seems that there is a consensus because despite the number of years the northerners are power, yet poverty is still predominantly a northern phenomenon. The ordinary man in Nigeria has not benefited and it is getting worse off by the current system we have.
“However there is a consensus now on restructuring. Only recently, President Buhari said that he also supports amendment of the constitution for devolution. If you read the APC constitution, it supported restructuring when it promised to restructure the country, devolve power to the units with the best practices of federalism and eliminate all the intended paralysis of the centre.
“This is the manifestation of the government in power that controls 23 states. The Afenifere, the Southern Peoples Assembly, the National Conference among other were unanimous in restructuring. So, what is holding us? In my view we need a competitive federalism.
“The agitation for justice, equality and fairness has not worked for anybody. Compare to the first republic when every region has resources, what we should do is to give everybody their own let them pay taxes to the centre. This umbilical cord where Abuja will set wage for everybody all over the country was for the time oil money pay for it not anymore even in the USA.
“Some people proposed and I agree that we need a new constitution negotiated by the people of Nigeria and my thesis is that if this is the only achievement of President Buhari government, he would be the greatest man ever in the mould of Abraham Lincoln. We need to get this done,” he said.
Speaking on the marginalisation of Ndigbo in Nigeria, Dr Kalu said: “It is not true that failure of leadership has to do with lack of leadership in Igboland. Development goes with infrastructure and it seems that our area has been forgotten after the war by the federal authorities. It is also true that we are really disadvantaged in the polity called Nigeria.”
Similarly speaking on Biafra agitation, Kukah said: “I think we must consider Nnamdi Kanu’s predicament as part and parcel of the process of development of our country. Freedom comes with responsibility and all hands must be on deck where we are now.
“I have spoken about this issue before now and nothing has changed. Everything must be resolved through dialogue. Kanu has made his point and delaying in dealing with the issue has given him the kind of attention that the issue does not really deserve. Again, in the final analysis, this is the stuff of politics,” he noted.
Present at the book launch includes chairman of Osita Chidoka, Prof ABC Nwosu, Dr Alex Ekwueme, Dr Uche Ogah, Chief Ifeanyi Ubah, Reps of Anambra State governor, Oby Ezekwesili and many more.
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