The recent two weeks seat-at-home order issued by factional IPOB leader Simon Ekpa raised eyebrows in the whole of the southeast and beyond. There was anger across the land. The new order from Mr Ekpa was seen as fuel in a raging inferno. It came amidst already existing once weekly routine, which residents of the region have not really observed willingly.
The war against terrorism has been very difficult to win because a lot more resources have been devoted to kinetic means rather than ideology. When terrorists wrap and blow themselves up in suicide mission, they do so because they have been sold an idea. They agree to become human weapon because they believe in the ideology behind it.
Igbos who live across the country and abroad repudiated Mr Ekpa, who is based in Finland for his actions. However, there were also some people who believe this sit-at home order is for the right course and should continue. Note that these supporters of Mr Ekpa as IPOB factual leader are also based abroad like him.
It is difficult to find local support for the Mr Ekpa’s order. Reacting to the intense oppositions to this order, Mr Ekpa released a new video on his Twitter handle reaffirming his seat at home order. In the same video, he outlined what he referred to as “5-point agenda”, which the seat-at-home is meant to achieve:
- As a demand for the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the founder and leader of IPOB who is in detention in Nigeria.
- In preparation of the minds of Biafrans for the “self-referendum”, which he claims, “is coming very soon”.
- To make sure that “we further notify the world about the readiness of the Biafran people to take their own freedom and their future into their own hand…By sitting at home we crash the economy of the economy of Nigeria.”
- “To demonstrate that the Biafran Republic government in exile is in charge and continue to enjoy 99% of the loyalty of the Biafran people in Biafra land.”
- “To invalidate the legitimacy of those who parade themselves as the elected officials.”
While purporting to champion the Biafran cause, a comprehensive analysis reveals that Mr Ekpa’s 5-point agenda may be rife with contradictions and inconsistencies, leading to suspicions of fraud and manipulation.
The war against terrorism has been very difficult to win because a lot more resources have been devoted to kinetic means rather than ideology. When terrorists wrap and blow themselves up in suicide mission, they do so because they have been sold an idea. They agree to become human weapon because they believe in the ideology behind it.
Deconstruction these Mr Ekpa’s 5-point agenda will show you that it is either Mr Ekpa is completely ignorant of his claims, or he is actually making these claims ostensibly to deceive a few people who still follow his leadership. If this is the case, then there is a personal benefit in the ongoing chaos in IPOB for him, which many do not avert their mind.
Deconstructing the 5-Point Agenda: Understanding the claims
Demand for the immediate release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu: This is the first point of Ekpa’s alleged 5-point agenda. It involves showing solidarity with the detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu. While on the surface, this objective appears aligned with the movement’s core values, its credibility comes into question when viewed in the context of Ekpa’s leadership and the factionalism within IPOB.
This obvious factionalism of IPOB undermines the unity required for genuine solidarity and raises doubts about whether Ekpa is exploiting Kanu’s situation to advance his own agenda.
It is no brainer that majority of southeasters are in full solidarity with Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB struggle for Biafra. There is no doubt about it, and they have shown this in so many ways. When the seat at home idea was first introduced by Nnamdi Kanu, the Igbos complied with it willingly and completely.
So, the issue of solidarity is already settled long time ago, even before the name Simon Ekpa was ever muted in the Biafra discussion. The point is convincingly made already that IPOB has grassroot support across the southeast.
Biafrans or the people of the southeast continuing to seat at home, refusing to go to work or open their stores for business, or even allow their children attend school hurts only themselves. The federal government does not give a hoot. In fact, any Nigerian government, whether the former President Muhammadu Buhari or the current President Tinubu would care less if every Igbo man went on hunger strike and starve to death.
So, Simon Ekpa’s claim that his seat-at-home order is meant to demand for the release of Nnamdi Kanu does not hold water at all. It is baseless and completely false. It is either spoken out of ignorance or an intentional pretence.
Preparing the minds of Biafrans for the “self-referendum”, “which is coming soon”: The demand for a Biafran referendum, a key tenet of the alleged 5-point agenda, seems to be a reasonable goal considering the movement’s overarching objectives. However, critics argue that Ekpa’s advocacy for a referendum may be driven by a desire for personal prominence rather than a sincere commitment to the Biafran cause.
He announced in the said video that he is planning the “first ever convention 2023 in Finland”. This is exactly a sweet-talking point for someone who wants to remain relevant in the scheme of things, no doubt. But the questions he needs to answer are follows:
- Where exactly is the venue of this planned convention in Finland and when will this be announced to the public?
- It was reported that IPOB held rally at Lahti, Finland on July 7th in Finland and Mr Ekpa did not show up, why?
- Why is Mr Ekpa forging ahead with a plan for “self-referendum convention” while Nnamdi Kalu is still in detention?
- Why not organise a convention to discuss the illegal detention of the IPOB leader?
- Who will be attending this convention, how will the funding be raised and how will it be accounted for?
There are many questions and concerns about the operations of Mr Ekpa in the name of IPOB and Biafra. The alleged financial improprieties and opportunistic behavior attributed to Ekpa cast a shadow over his authenticity as a leader genuinely dedicated to advancing the interests of the Biafran people.
Igbos do not need to seat at home, deny themselves daily income, the opportunity for their children to go to school, make their homeland desolate in other to prepare for self-determination referendum.
An average Igbo man is forever ready to cast vote in any referendum for a free and sovereign Biafra Republic. They do not need to be pressured to comply. In fact, they are ready to cast their vote just in a short notice.
So, again, Simon Ekpa’s claim that his seat-at-home order is aimed to prepare Biafrans for “self-referendum” is another baseless and completely false claim. It is either spoken out of ignorance or an intentional pretence.
To make sure that “we further notify the world about the readiness of the Biafran people to take their own freedom and their future into their own hand…By sitting at home we crash the economy of Nigeria.”:
There are two major issues in this third agenda as claimed by Mr Ekpa. First, is the issue of creating awareness for the Biafran struggle. What a laudable objective! But in all seriousness, how does this poorly planned, ill-intentioned and not voluntarily obeyed seat-at-home order create this awareness?
May be awareness may be created, but is this awareness sending out the right message about Biafrans?
This self-imposed seat-at-home order and the misery that comes with it, only sends the wrong signal to reasonable watchers of the Biafran struggle, including the international community. Check the international press and see how this is reported. It is hard to find any good report about this excessive and gruesome order from Mr Ekpa to his own people from far away Finland.
The second part of this third agenda is that “by sitting at home we crash the economy of Nigeria.” Indeed, this is the most laughable of all the claims by the Finland based Simon Ekpa. This shows that he may have lived too long in foreign land to understand how Nigeria works. If there is anything the oligarchy of Nigerian power base wants, it is to crush the enterprising spirit of the Igbos and their economy.
This is exactly what Mr Ekpa’s seat-at-home order has giving the enemies of the Igbos on a platter of gold. Successive Nigerian governments have for decades systematically worked to render the southeastern economy completely desolate. Igbos relocate to live in other parts of the country not because they don’t like their homeland. It is because the federal government have refused to develop infrastructures in the southeast.
The purpose is to ensure that the Igbos do not amass economic power in their region and become self-reliant. The objective is to make them dependent on other regions. That is exactly while most Igbos today leave outside the southeast, but only return home occasionally.
Nigerian economy runs on oil, which comes largely from the Niger Delta region. The few oil & gas operations in the southeast are not affected by Mr Ekpa’s seat-at-home order. Operations of the oil companies flow without any hitches. Mr Ekpa’s enforcers do not try to go near their operational bases. Their venom is only poured on their weaker prey, the unarmed and innocent fellow Biafrans.
So, yet again, Simon Ekpa’s claim that his seat-at-home order is to create international awareness and to crash the Nigerian economy is another fat lie. It does not hold water at all. It is baseless and completely false. It is either spoken out of ignorance or an intentional pretence.
To demonstrate that the Biafran Republic government in exile is in charge and continue to enjoy 99% of the loyalty of the Biafran people in Biafra land.”:
There could have been some semblance of truth in this particular claim by Simon Ekpa, if it were to come from Nnamdi Kanu personally or anyone under his authority. Mr Ekpa currently does seem to enjoy this legitimacy. There is sufficient supply of evidence that Igbos are in support of IPOB and their true representatives, both home and abroad.
However, this current seat-at-home order by Mr Epka is not one of such evidence. Igbos loyalty to Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB cannot be mistaken as loyalty to Simon Ekpa. This needs to be clarified.
Also, the apparent opposition to seat-at-home order by Mr Epka cannot be seen as disloyalty to Nnamdi/IPOB. The current order does not by any chance enjoy any degree of acceptability in any part of the southeast. As already widely reported in the news Mr Ekpa has violent gangs in the southeast who go about killing and molesting Biafrans who refuse to obey his illegitimate order.
The only people who speak in support of the order are people who live abroad, just as Mr Ekpa, the proponent of the order. Research shows that this Biafrans abroad only show support for the turmoil and sufferings caused by this order for personal reasons.
This is mostly due to their hope that the Biafran struggle would help them in sorting out their immigration status abroad. This is unfortunate, but it is understandable. Selfishness is part of who we are as human beings.
So, yet again, this claim by Mr Ekpa for his seat-at-home order is another proven lie. It does not hold water at all. It is baseless and completely false. It is either spoken out of ignorance or an intentional pretence.
“To invalidate the legitimacy of those who parade themselves as the elected officials.”: This is the fifth and the last in the 5-point agenda from Simon Ekpa. It is also another point that is close to the truth. However, it does not support the seat-at-home order. While most of the people representing the southeast today in various positions of political power lack legitimacy, there are still a few that can be exempted from that stigma.
However, the issue of legitimacy of these political leaders is completely unrelated to the legitimacy of the seat-at-home order. The order lacks any support amongst the Biafran people and can on that score be classified as completely illegitimate. An illegitimate order cannot be the bases of determining the legitimacy of “the elected officials” in the southeast.
Mr Ekpa was quick to describe himself as the “Prime Minister” of the Biafra Republic. Apparently, this is what this all about – claim for title, position and financial gains that comes with it. This is a title Simon arrogated to himself, unelected or conferred on him through any legitimate process. This is yet another lie.
Fraudulent Contradictions and a Crisis of Authenticity
Simon Ekpa’s issuance of a seat-at-home order accompanied by a 5-point agenda has been touted as a means to amplify the Biafran cause and draw attention to perceived injustices. Now, we have deconstructed all these 5-point agenda in concise details.
The purported objectives which include solidarity with the detained IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu, demands for a Biafran referendum, opposition to perceived marginalization, cessation of economic activities, and unity within the Biafran community, are nothing but camouflage.
While these goals may resonate with the sentiments of Biafrans who seek justice and self-determination, a deeper examination reveals potential incongruities that raise questions about the legitimacy and integrity of the alleged agenda. It was essential to scrutinize whether the purported 5-point agenda genuinely serves the interests of the Biafran people or conceals ulterior motives.
Most Biafrans rely on daily wages and businesses for their livelihoods. They bear the brunt of the economic consequences of Mr Ekpa’s order. He has effectively undermined the very people he claims to be fighting for. His call for continued seat-at-home against the superior reasons from other members of IPOB, including those directly connected to Nnanmdi Kanu undermines the Biafran struggle.
Even Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers who are at the battle front in the fight for his release have been undermined by Simon Ekpa. These are prominent individuals who speak with Nnamdi Kanu at least weekly. Barr Ifeanyi Ejiofor has lost so much in the defence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu (his client). He almost lost his own life at some point.
What has Simon Epka personally given for the struggle for Biafra? What price has he paid? What has he contributed, whether intellectually or materially in defence of Nnamdi Kanu? Simon Ekpa’s critics say he has no life other than profiting from the Biafra franchise.
The contradictions and inconsistencies within Simon Ekpa’s 5-point agenda for the seat-at-home order have far-reaching implications for the broader Biafran struggle. The potential exploitation of genuine grievances and aspirations for personal gain erodes trust and undermines the authenticity of the movement’s leadership.
As Biafrans grapple with the complexities of the seat-at-home order and its purported objectives, they must confront a crisis of authenticity and discern the true motives behind Ekpa’s actions. The movement’s credibility and effectiveness hinge on leaders who are genuinely committed to advancing the cause of justice and self-determination, rather than exploiting the emotions and resources of their followers for personal gain.
Written by WIlliams Ukonu, a lawyer. He wrote in from the UK. He tweets @WilliamsUkonu and can be reached at wukonu@swiftsolicitor.com
