Igbos Rescheduling Events Following Simon Ekpa’s Video Asking ‘Biafrans’ To Sit-At-Home

Despite advice to ignore calls by self-styled leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Simon Ekpa, for sit-at-home from Dec 9 to Dec 12, 2022 in the Southeast, some events are being hurriedly rescheduled to avoid coinciding with those days.

Simon Ekpa, a disciple of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was in last July announced as the lead broadcaster of Radio Biafra. He was later removed, but he never heeded to his sack.

Ekpa, in a video broadcast, called for the sit-at-home ‘in preparation to stop election from taking place in Biafra-Land’.

One Angel Ugwu, from Udi in Udi LGA of Enugu State, told our correspodent that the family rescheduled a burial earlier fixed for Dec 9 because of the directive.

She said, “We shifted it by one week because of the uncertainties. It is unfortunate because we had concluded the plans before now. But we don’t have options. Some of our relatives won’t return for the burial eventually.

“I don’t know why somebody in Finland should be controlling us here. I hear Ekpa is doing his business there as a lawyer. He should pity us.”

Another victim, Joshua Okpe, from Aninri in Enugu State, said they hurriedly buried their relative yesterday (Tuesday) because of the order. According to him, “We buried the dead to rest. Most of us were already home. The rumours forced us to hurriedly perform the rites to make everything go. It is unfortunate.”

One Onyinye told our correspodent that she was going ahead with her traditional marriage despite the rumoured sit-at-home. According to her, “We have already prepared for it. It is a family matter, so nobody is forced to attend. If it were church wedding, it would have been a different matter.”

Meanwhile, some school owners in Enugu metropolis are not specific if they will operate on those days Ekpa stated. One of them whose school is located at Trans-Ekulu said, “Time shall tell. If others open, we do. Already we operate on Saturdays, and it will also affect it. But security is paramount.”

Recall that Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, Tuesday, told Gov Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State to call Mr Simon Ekpa to order. Ekpa is from Ebonyi State.

The president general of Ohanaeze, Ambassador Prof George Obiozor, in the statement, pleaded with ‘well-meaning sons and daughters of Umueziaka community, the home of Mr Simon Ekpa; the chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government, Hon Ikechukwu Odono; member representing Ohaukwu South in the State Assembly, Hon Chinedu Onah; member for Ohaukwu and Ebonyi Federal Constituency, Hon Chukwuma Nwazunku; the senator for Ebonyi North, Sen Dr Sam Ominyi Egwu, and the governor of Ebonyi State, Engr Dave Umahi, to rein in Mr Simon Ekpa and compel him to desist from his unreflective youthful exuberance’.

According to Ohanaeze, “They should remind Ekpa that the world has never recorded a freedom fighter that faces the barrel of the gun inwards.

“Elementary logic questions the rationale for a young man to wake up and begin to suffocate the very people he claims to protect. When the Igbo are undergoing excruciating hardship arising from orchestrated injustice, a young man or rather a self-styled hero will be busy crippling the Igbo economy, thereby adding salt to injury.”