Ipob's call for a sit-at-home to mark the anniversary of Operation Python fails woefully in Enugu

YESTERDAY'S call by the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) for citizens to sit at home to mark the anniversary of the declaration of their erstwhile republic apparently failed badly in Enugu as locals failed to heed to call and went about their normal business.

 

On September 13, Ipob and some other pro-secessionist groups had called on all their supporters to sit at home as a day of protest. However, according to reports from Enugu, the spiritual home of Ndigbo, the call was a total failure as business and social activities proceeded as normal and offices and banks were open for business.

 

Squadrons of police were seen stationed at various strategic points ready for any ugly incident that might crop up but they were not needed.  Ipob had picked September 13 because it marked the one year anniversary of the invasion of its leader’s home at Afar Umuahia, Abia State under a mission called Operation Python Dance.

 

On September 13 2017, men of the Nigerian Army invaded Nnamdi Kanu's home and since then, he has not been seen in public. It is believed that he and his family have gone into hiding but Ipob insist that he is being held by the Nigerian Army, although this has been vehemently denied.

 

One generator operative at the New Layout, Enugu who gave his name as Okwudili ‎said: “I will not obey the order. I have my children to feed and Ipob will not place any food on my table. ”

 

Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, the leader of Ipob’s sister organisation, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) had earlier dissociated his group from the sit-at-home order and called on the people of southeast and south-south not to comply with it. So too did the Biafra Independence Movement (Bim), which said the call was misplaced and not what Biafrans needed at the moment.

 

Chief Benjamin Ekwenugo, a member of the Massob-Bim elders council, said: “Ipob is on their own, what will they achieve with all these their sit-at-home order? I call on Ndigbo to ignore them and go about their businesses, unless someone that has nothing to do."

 

Between July 1967 and January 1970, Biafra existed as an independent nation state but if ceased to operate following the end of the Nigerian civil war. Over the last 20 years or so though, groups like Massob, Bim and Ipob have been campaigning to revive the Biafran dream, which has enjoyed a rebirth, especially since President Muhammadu Buhari assumed office in 2015.

 

 

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