Forget Biafra, Secession, Nwabueze Tells Agitators, As MASSOB Expels Uwazuruike

Constitutional lawyer and leader of eminent group of Nigerians, The Patriots, Professor Ben Nwabueze (SAN),  admonished  members of the Movement for the Actualisation Of Biafra (MASSOB), and Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), to have a re-think over their renewed calls for the state of Biafra.

This is just as the MASSOB group has expelled its leader, Ralph Uwazuruike as the leader of the group.

Speaking yesterday in Lagos at a press conference to announce the 4th Goddy Jidenma Foundation bi-annual Public Lecture, entitled: ‘Leadership, Responsibility & Good Governance,’ holding on Wednesday, December 3, at the Nigerian Institute of International Affairs, NIIA, Victoria Island, Lagos, Professor Nwabueze, who blamed the nation’s leadership problem, for the renewed agitations for the state of Biafra, however, advised the protesting youths that the answer to their genuine grievances did not lie in secession.

According to Nwabueze, who was flanked by the Principal Solicitor, Zik Chuka Obi & Co and Dr. Ije Jidenma, Executive Secretary, GJF, and wife of the late Goddy Jidenma, clamping down on pro-Biafra protesters or sending them to prison is not the solution to the problem.  This was a problem that led us to war. What did we achieve by that war? Did we achieve Biafra? We didn’t. Is there any basis to think  that it can be realised this time? Are we more prepared for it now than we were in 1967. Certainly not, we aren’t prepared for it.”

Speaking further, he said: “However, we must not condemn the people that are agitating. The present administration must look at the root cause of their protests. These people protesting are all young people. Some of them have not been employed for over 10 years after graduating from the university.

“In my own time, graduate unemployment was unknown. There was nothing like that. The unrest we are witnessing today is caused by this anomaly.

“Tied to this, the recent actions of President Buhari contributes to this unrest. Buhari made 24 key appointments, not a single one came from the South-East. What do you expect the youths from that area to feel. They will feel that they have been deprived of that sense of belonging. They will feel that they don’t belong to Nigeria. If by the President’s actions, he’s saying they don’t belong to Nigeria, then, they will start agitation for Biafra, where they can belong.

“People may describe this feeling as an illusion, but I must say that the feeling is already there. You can’t say to a man who is aggrieved that he has no right to be aggrieved. Address the source of the grievances. Correct your own approach to leadership. Make them feel that they belong. That’s the answer. The answer is not clamping them to prisons.”

The former Nigerian Secretary of Education, however, advised the leadership of MASSOB and IPOB to change their names, noting that the names they currently bear act as a clog in the wheel of their causes.

“I have said it in the past that there is something wrong with the name that pro-Biafra groups are using for their cause. As the pioneer Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, a position I held for 25 years, I had meetings with the leader of MASSOB, Ralph Uwazurike, where I told him the honest truth, that look, you may have something up, but the name MASSOB, defeats your cause. Therefore, you must change the name. How can you be talking about actualisation of a sovereign state within a sovereign state. That’s treasonable. The name alone is treasonable.You can see that the authorities are charging the leader of IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu and others for treason. Although, I have called for his immediate release and have asked that he comes to see me when he’s released. I want to see him. The name should be changed. MASSOB is there, IPOB is also there. So, which is which? The name should be changed,” he insisted.

Meanwhile,

the crisis rocking the MASSOB which led to the factionalization of the group, with Chief Ralph Uwazuruike leading one group and his National Director of Information heading another group, yesterday, deepened and led to the alleged expulsion of Uwazuruike and installation of  Uchenna Madu as the new national leader of MASSOB.

The installation of  Madu took place after the national officers including the zonal and regional administrators of the group formally announced the expulsion of Chief Uwazuruike as MASSOB national leader in an event that was witnessed by even non-MASSOB members.

While Madu became the new leader in acting capacity for six months, Ugwuoke Ibem Ugwuoke, emerged the National Secretary.

MASSOB warned Uwazuruike “to stop parading himself as MASSOB leader or using Ojukwu’s name to dupe Ndigbo or garner personal fame to pursue his political ambition.”

The members also indicted the sacked MASSOB leader of allegedly defrauding the members through “the introduction of the Biafra international passport,  a gross and dubious means through which he generated about N100 million for himself.

“The over N40 million realized from the dedication of the Biafran war veterans home in Okwe, built by MASSOB members, was diverted to Uwazuruike’s personal purse,” the group alleged.