- BIM/MASSOB celebrates Ojukwu memorial Nov. 26
- Secessionist group gives reasons IPOB’s ideology is not option for Biafra actualization
- Biafran group makes case for release of detained members
Fidelis Kenneth Okwudili is Chief Minister of Biafra Independence Movement/Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, BIM/MASSOB in Enugu North zone of Enugu state.
As the secessionist group prepares for annual Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu memorial coming up on November 26, WITHIN NIGERIA reporter had an exclusive chat with him where he narrates why IPOB and BIM/MASSOB are always at cross roads on Biafra actualization.
Excerpts
How are you the MASSOB preparing for Ojukwu memorial?
BIM /MASSOB invites all the Igbo indigenes and all Nigerians on 26th Nov 2023 for Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu memorial day.
What is the significance of the memorial celebration?
The significance of the celebration stems from the fact that Ojukwu is a hero in Igbo land. Not only that he is a hero, he is Eze Igbo gburugburu (King of Igbos worldwide).Ojukwu memorial day is a great day to celebrate Ezeigbo gburgburu 1. No one is like Ojukwu in Igbo land . But Ojukwu have found a great successor like Uwazuruike that is why Ojukwu dream never die.
Is there going to be sit-at-home order to celebrate Ojukwu’s day IPOB declares during Biafra day?
Nothing like sit-at-home order on 26th November for Ojukwu day. Bim MASSOB never participate on sit-at-home order. Anybody can participate but Bim/MASSOB under Ralph Uwazuruike were not included.
People usually link MASSOB with violence how true is this?
From the beginning MASSOB adopted non violent approach till today.
But some political bigots tried to use some greedy members of MASSOB to destroy our non-violent movement.
One of them claimed to be a leader of MASSOB, to take leadership of the movement from Uwazuruike . This is simply because they preach to the people that Biafra can never be restored through non violence. So Uwazuruike introduced BIM_Massob to protect Principle of non-violence.
How related is MASSOB with IPOB?
Bim MASSOB is not against IPOB or work with IPOB . All the group that are clamoring for Biafra restoration with non-violence are our friends. But BIM/MASSOB under Chief Ralph Uwazuruike can never be in support of any group that carry gun or adopt violence. It is evil and against our principle.
Is BIM MASSOB in support of the Incarceration of Nnamdi Kanu?
BIM/MASSOB never in support of imprisonment of Nnamdi Kanu. If you have been following my leader Chief Ralph Uwazuruike on Facebook you would have known better.
Uwazuruike can’t talk about Biafra without Ojukwu And Nnamdi Kanu can never speak about Biafra. without Uwazuruike like wise all the group that were agitating Biafra
Is BIM/MASSOB in support of IPOB sit-at-home order?
No
Why?
Non violence is the best answer for actualization of Biafra nation.
Sit-at-home is just to punish south East Region. You can’t actualize Biafra through sit-at-home order, thereby causing violence. Again, killing people in South East can not give you Biafra.
Chief Ralph Uwazuruike is a father in this struggle. He can never abandon his child to die in prison. Even though what Nnamdi Kanu committed is not greater than what Boko Haram are committing. Uwazuruike have forgiven Nnamdi Kanu on one condition if he will accept non violent, non Exodus.
Why is BIM MASSOB still being seen as a violent secessionist group?
No one sees BIM/IPOB as a violent group. No country in the whole world that didn’t recognize BIM/MASSOB as peaceful organization since 1999 MASSOB started
Many Igbo people see your leader Uwazurike as a sell out. They accused him of compromising with the fate of Igbos during Obasanjo regime. What do you say about that?
They thought so because Nnamdi Kanu lied against Uwazuruike.
I joined MASSOB in year 2003 no body can tell me anything about Uwazuruike Nnamdi Kanu joined MASSOB in year 2009 and Uwazuruike appointed him as director of radio Biafra London. And the same Nnamdi Kanu used radio Biafra to lie against Uwazuruike.
It was Nnamdi Kanu that fabricated the news that Uwazuruike has abandoned MASSOB to join politics.
BIM/MASSOB is with Uwazuruike and no organization is bigger than MASSOB. If you come to Ojukwu day 26, you will never talk about IPOB again.
For decades you have been using the same method to achieve Biafra actualization, yet it is not working. Why wouldn’t you change the method?
Who told you that is not working ? Is only a fool thought that non violence is not working. Some have tried to use violence to actualize Biafra, but to no avail. They have killed many Biafrans yet nothing happened. Some of them are preaching non violence now
Why BIM MASSOB being targeted like IPOB?
Because they want us to be like IPOB. That is why BIM/MASSOB can never support sit-at-home.
Describe IPOB in one word.
IPOB is a Biafra organization fighting for Biafra restoration. IPOB separated from MASSOB in 2011
What do you say to the BIM MASSOB who are currently under detention?
The BIM/MASSOB members who are currently detained must be released because they committed no offense. I have one of my members who was arrested by Nigeria soldiers since September last year in Nsukka. His name is Asadu Paul. He has been in Nigeria prison custody. He was charged from magistrate Curt to state high court. Now they have sent him to Federal high court. A non-violent organization like MASSOB cannot be treated inhumanly like that. Asadu Paul is member of BIM/MASSOB under Chief Ralph Uwazuruike. I plead court to discharge and acquit him since there was no weapon found on him.