The Archbishop of the Enugu Ecclesiastical Province of the
Anglican Communion, Most Rev. Dr. Emmanuel Chukwuma, Thursday described
the recent pro-Biafra protests as “misguided, misdirected and against
the general interest of Ndigbo.”
Chukwuma, who is also the Anglican Bishop of Enugu Diocese, spoke to journalists at his Bishop’s court in Enugu.
He pleaded with President Muhammadu Buhari to forgive Igbo youths for embarking on such protests.
He maintained that investigations showed that few selfish persons from
Igbo land, both at home and in the Diaspora, were sponsoring the
protests to achieve their personal motive and not necessarily to realize
Biafra.
He stated that “agitation is nothing bad, but the Biafra
agitation is misguided. We plead with the Federal Government not to see
it as rebellion; on unity of Nigeria we stand, to keep Nigeria as one
is a task that must be done.
“The Igbo nation is not ready for
any form of secession; our people have invested across the country; they
have businesses here and there and all these cannot be wasted.
“Biafra agitation is not our priority now; all we ask for is equity and justice.”
He described the agitation “as grievances being shown by our youths
because of frustration. Many of them have been used by politicians and
dumped. There is no federal presence in Igbo land; that is the major
problem.
“In as much as President Buhari may say we did not vote
for him, our people in APC supported him; it is not enough to say that
he appointed ministers from Igbo land; it does not translate to
infrastructural development; he should temper justice with mercy and
forgive the shortcomings of our youths who are engaging in these
protests.
“Our promise to him is that we shall surely tame these
youths and redirect them appropriately. The President should not be
vindictive.
“We, therefore, plead with Mr. President, that since
he said he was for nobody but for everybody, it should be translated
into action. The poor state of infrastructure, including the power and
agricultural sector should be addressed”.
Speaking on the
prolonged detention of Nnamdi Kanu, ArchBishop Chukwuma urged the
President to release him unconditionally in obedience to court orders.
He stressed that “we are ready as church leaders to direct Kanu on the
proper thing to do. He has not committed any act of felony; such charge
is unacceptable; he has not imported arms.
“We plead with Mr.
President to obey the order of court so that the international community
can have respect for our country. Government should please forgive Kanu
and forgive our recent agitations for Biafra”
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