Gani Adams, the Aare Ona Kakanfo of Yorubaland, has cautioned Simon Ekpa, a factional leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), against organising a sit-at-home protest in Lagos State.
This protest, currently enforced in the South East to demand the release of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu from detention, has raised concerns in other regions. Adams has urged Ekpa to reconsider his plans and refrain from implementing the protest in Lagos.
Aare Onakakanfo Adams has issued a strong warning to IPOB, advising them against considering any actions or attempts to enforce their agenda on Lagos or any other part of the South West. He emphasised that the South West region is not part of the Biafra Republic and urged IPOB to refrain from contemplating such a move.
Reports had quoted Ekpa as hinting in a tweet on Wednesday of plans by IPOB to replicate the sit-at-home in Lagos.
Ekpa was quoted as saying that: “Biafrans in Lagos should get ready to be part of the demand to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. We are coming to Lagos after the two-week-long sit at home.
Ekpa had on Tuesday announced that there would be a two-week sit-at-home in the South East.
In response to Ekpa’s statement, Aare Onakakanfo Adams expressed his caution during a telephone interview with reporters. He warned the Finnish-based ethnic propagandist against repeating the mistakes made in the 1970s and strongly advised him to abandon the unnecessary and counterproductive course of action.
The Aare Ona Kakanfo emphasised that the South-West is not part of “their Biafra” Republic and as such, it was preposterous for “outsiders to dictate or impose their agenda on people of other regions whom they cohabit with as residents.”
He said: “I can’t go to the South East now and say I want to decide for the people of that region. So, it is not possible to import the South-East agenda into Yorubaland. It would be coun- ter productive. We advise him (Ekpa) to drop that idea.
“They are entitled to their opinion, but South West is not their Biafran region. He should be very, very careful.
“He should not come and impose his own agenda on the South West. It is uncalled-for, it is unwarranted. Although I don’t know him and I have not spoken to him, he should not bring unnecessary tension to Yorubaland. We will not accept that.”
Where the Yoruba is standing..
The Aare Onakakanfo reiterated the stance of the South West, emphasising the need for Nigeria to undergo a restructuring process that would establish true federalism. Under this system, each of the federating units would have the autonomy to develop and progress at their own pace.
He said: “Our position is true federalism, that is, the restructuring of Nigeria into regions, for the regions to develop at their own pace.
Ekpa, in issuing a fresh threat of another lockdown, had reportedly said the sit-at-home was to demand “the immediate and unconditional release of IPOB leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who remains illegally detained at the DSS dungeon.”
He said: “Following the demand by the Biafra people for more sit-at-home civil disobedience, the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile (BRGIE), and Biafra De Facto Government in Homeland wish to notify Biafrans that there will be a sit-at-home civil disobedience starting from 31 July, 2023 to 14 August, 2023.”
He said the protest was also in preparation for “Biafra’s self-referendum” and to put the world on notice that “Biafrans” were taking their future in their own hands.
In addition to the above, the IPOB factional leader stated that the sit-at-home protest would be observed as a means to challenge the legitimacy of individuals who claim to represent Nigeria within the territory of Biafra.
This new directive for a sit-at-home order coincided with a closed-door meeting among political leaders from the South East. During the meeting, they resolved to seek an audience with President Bola Tinubu to discuss the security situation in the region.
