Igbo youths under the auspices of Igbo Youth Movement, IYM has urged Prince Emma Kanu, the younger brother to the IPOB leader, to prevail on Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to insist on the August 30, 2017 agreement with south east governors at Enugu.
Under the leadership of Evang. Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, IYM traced the history of the meeting, lamenting that since then, “peace has remained elusive till date”.
According to Elliot in his Facebook page, “I hereby publicly call on Emma Kanu to plead with his brother that the August 30, 2017 position will lead to faster resolution of the imbroglio and peace than any other position”.
Elliot said “It is auspicious to say something about the August 30, 2017 peace meeting in Enugu, since I facilitated the meeting by the grace of God.
“Dr Alex Ekwueme takes the credit for that noble effort five years ago, which gladly remains the only historical instance where Nnamdi ever agreed to shift his position from demanding outright secession, to agreeing to the restructuring of Nigeria and quieting the agitation for twelve months, on the condition that the country takes the restructuring of the country very seriously.
“The former Vice President impressed upon Nnamdi, the need to shift his position to restructuring, and level playing field for every section of the country.
“Others who mounted pressure on Nnamdi to yield to restructuring included Archbishop Maxwell Anikwenwa, Dr Dozie Ikedife, Chief Mbazulike Amechi, Chief (Mrs) Maria Okwor, Prof Ben Nwabueze amongst others.
“24 hours to the Enugu meeting, Nnamdi finally capitulated to the pressure from these elders and agreed to shift his demands to the restructuring of the country, but insisted that he would only mute the agitation for only twelve months to see if the authorities would seriously kick start the process to restructure the country, and that he would go back to the trenches if nothing is done towards the genuine and sincere reconstruction of the polity along the lines of true federalism and power devolution. He also insisted the country reverts to the 1963 constitution”.
On Kanu’s demands and position at the August 30, 2017 meeting, he said “It is instructive to note that at the meeting, Governor Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, told Kanu that the people of his state were not exactly excited about going back to the old Eastern Region.
“Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi also maintained that Enugu people are not willing to revert to a situation that would cost them their state, but promised to present his demands to Abuja.
“The meeting ended on a good note with Kanu promising to attend the follow-up meeting scheduled in a fortnight with his team according to the consensual agreement of all.
“Finally, Kanu also agreed that his demands weren’t absolute, meaning, that his position was amenable to change as the dialogue progresses”.
Elliot who is also the founder, Igbo Youth Movement IYM; Secretary: Eastern Consultative Assembly ECA and Deputy Secretary: Igbo Leaders of Thought ILT said he opened up after many years of silence noting “I believe that peace, resolution and closure can be achieved and because facts have proven that the situation only got worse within the past five years.
“I pray Nnamdi will have the godly spirit and good mind to remain on his position delivered at the peace meeting with the South East Governors five years ago.
“Whatever inspired the decision to attack Nnamdi Kanu’s residence on the eve of the scheduled follow up meeting a fortnight away, on September 14, 2017, hasn’t resolved the situation, ended the agitation nor brought peace to the land.
“In fact, things have only gotten worse since then. The quite avoidable and senseless violence eating up the land today is heartrending.
“The paralysing of economic life in the region every Monday for a year and half now, is pathetic and those who refused to dialogue with the agitators since 1999 should kindly have a change in heart so the region can have peace”.
He appealed to all sides “to look again at the August 30, 2017 meeting agreement in pursuit of peace, resolution and closure. Peace and harmony should be the priority now”.
