The people of South East are at present in a fist over who should be obeyed, either the governors directive to go about their duties or the directive of Nnamdi Kanu, aka MNK.
Nnamdi Kanu, leader of Indigenous People of Biafra, an outlawed group by the federal government, had warned all residents in all the Eastern states to sit at home on Monday, May 31, 2021.
He said his reason for the order was to honour the fallen heroes who died in the battle for the actualisation of Biafra Republic. Many of the youths who are followers of Nnamdi Kanu had died following military onslaught on the group.
Due to the activities of Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB, the federal government has branded the group a notorious and terrorist group. Hence, it banned all activities related to the group in the South East.
In attempt to quash operations of the group, Nigerian troops had severally death blows on them killing some of their unarmed members who are carrying out street procession in the region.
They have clashed severally with security forces and the result has always been deadly but the youths who are apparently loyal to Nnamdi Kanu do not bother whether some of them die or not. They are resolutely determined to obey Nnamdi Kanu in all his decisions irrespective of the consequences.
Although some Nigerians are of the view that the political leaders in the region are tactically in support of the IPOB due to their poor condemnation of the action of Kanu, the youths in the region are die-hard followers of MNK who are seeing him as their leader.
Any order churned out by Kanu, who is in the United Kingdom, is obeyed by the youths without considering the consequences. In a bid to obey his directive many had died and paid the supreme price. But the rest are not willing to give up.
On Monday May 31, Kanu had directed all residents of the South East to sit at home in honour of fallen heroes. But the governor of Ebonyi state, David Umahi, has warned that nobody should sit at home. He said all shop owners should open their shops and do their shopping.
He said people should have freedom of movement and they should not be threatened to stay away from their means of livelihood. He said people who cannot protect themselves should carry cutlass for protection and not for attack.
He warned that traders who comply with Nnamdi Kanu’s dictates will have their shops forfeited. He added that the Ebubeagu, and other security agents have been charged to ensure that residents are protected against violence.
But MNK as he is fondly called has said anyone found outside would be killed. Herein lies the dilemma of the people of Ebonyi state, though other state governors appear silence on the directive of Nnamdi Kanu.
It is, however, important to state that the people of the Eastern states have unnalloyed allegiance to Nnamdi Kanu more than any other political leader. Over the years, the directive of MNK has always been obeyed by the people of the South East. Onitsha, the commercial centre of Anambra state has always been complying with MNK’s directive and this may not be exception.
Streets of Onitsha have always been emptied in the previous orders. The people would rather comply with the directive of MNK than obeying orders of their state governors. They see their governors as betrayers, hence they dance to the tune of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Some people have accused the governor of trying to put them in trouble with IPOB footsoldiers. They accused the governor of sitting in his office and issuing directive which if they comply the governor would not be around to secure them.
However, Monday’s directive is pregnant. Anything is bound to happen. But will the residents of the states flout directive of MNK and obey their governor or will they disobey their governor and obey Nnamdi Kanu who is hiding away in the United Kingdom and giving directive to youths in the region? Time will tell.
