Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has appealed to residents of the South-East to embrace dialogue and peaceful engagement in seeking the release of Nnamdi Kanu, who is currently serving a prison sentence.
Speaking at the 14th Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Day held on Wednesday at the Ojukwu Memorial Library in Owerri, she noted that although a lower court had convicted Kanu, peaceful approaches could still pave the way for his freedom from the Sokoto Correctional Centre.
The annual event, instituted by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), draws attendees from across the South-East and beyond.
In her remarks, Ojukwu called for a minute of silence in honour of the late BBC journalist Frederick Forsyth, whom she recalled had resigned from his position to report on the Nigerian Civil War between 1967 and 1970.
According to her, resorting to violence would only worsen tensions surrounding Kanu’s case.
“This coming Christmas all of us should endeavour to meet with our National Assembly members and our governors, ask them the way forward to ensure that Kanu is freed from the prison,” she said.
She also urged South-East leaders and stakeholders to jointly seek an audience with President Bola Tinubu to pursue an amicable resolution.
The minister criticized the declining use of the Igbo language among young people and encouraged parents to prioritize teaching their children their mother tongue, noting its importance to cultural identity.
Reflecting on past conflicts, Ojukwu said it was troubling that issues like kidnapping and internal violence had taken root in the region, adding that such practices were alien to Igbo values even during the civil war.
She encouraged youths to embrace patience and peaceful dialogue, recalling that her late husband, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, eventually returned from exile through diplomatic channels during President Shehu Shagari’s administration.
Ojukwu expressed concern over dwindling commercial activity in the South-East, attributing it partly to insecurity and the now prevalent Monday sit-at-home order. She noted that the situation had discouraged both local and foreign investors who once saw the region as a viable destination.
“Before, foreigners such as Cameroon, Ghana and Togo, among others, were coming to invest in the South-East, but since insecurity started, many investors have withdrawn,” she said.
Chairman of the event, Chief Ugwunna Ajaelu, also appealed for calm and collective efforts to secure Kanu’s release.“All hands must be on deck to ensure that he is released in no distant time,” he added.
