SAN FRANCISCO, August 15, (THEWILL) – Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Monday decried the “deception” of Igbo by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, through the bid for the actualisation of a Biafran state.
Speaking while presenting staff of office and certificate of recognition to traditional rulers, he lamented the silence of traditional rulers, pastors and leaders in the region in the face of Kanu’s dangerous agenda.
Okorocha pointed out that the Biafra civil war was preceded by events such as the ones being championed by Kanu.
He stated that division and war will not benefit the Igbo ethnic group, and urged stakeholders in the region to educate people about the potential ills of Kanu’s message.
The governor said, “On IPOB, the cloud is gathering, nobody is talking, even our traditional rulers, pastors and leaders. This is bad for our people. If you will remember vividly that few years ago, during the civil War, it was a similar story.
“That was how it all started. At that time, we believed that the Ohafia warriors would be able to fight and disseminate the North.
“Now we are being deceived that IPOB will drive away Nigeria and give us Biafra. Even our Pastors, men of God and some leaders in the rural areas, nobody is speaking out against this action and the song of war is coming gradually like a desert encroachment.
“We fought the war and it was believed that the Igbos would learn from it but they still went ahead and developing the resources of other regions.
“There are five million Igbo living outside the shores of Igbo region. Any form of war will cause the Igbos over three trillion naira loss in properties and assets. No sane person will spread the message of division and war because it does not benefit the Igbo in any way.”
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