Fides Media Living the Faith
By Ikeugonna Eleke
Residents of Anambra State, Friday, 9th December, discarded the warning by a faction of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), loyal to Simon Ekpa, directing them to sit at home for a duration of five days. This was as normal economic activities went on in towns in all parts of Anambra State.
When Fides moved around Awka and also gathered information from other parts of the state, it was learnt that markets, banks, schools and other public places were all open for business.
There has been a bitter rivalry between Nnamdi Kanu’s faction of IPOB, and that of Finland based Simon Ekpa over who controls the group. The incarceration of Kanu seemed to have given Ekpa the opportunity to take over.
The Kanu faction of the group, through its spokesperson, Mr Emma Powerful, had issued a counter press release, urging everyone to go about their normal duties.
Also, Nnaemeka Ejiofor, one of Kanu’s lawyers, had in a recent voice note purported to be sent to Powerful, announced that he was among the lawyers who recently visited Kanu.
He said: ‘Onyendu (our leader) said I should tell Emma Powerful to rebroadcast this message; that those ordering sit at home in December, when our people should be preparing to come home for Christmas, are the real enemies of our people.
‘They are doing this thing so that I will not be released. They may be Igbo, speaking same language with us, but they cannot be said to be our people any longer,’ the voice not stated.
Ekpa had declared a five-day sit at home without any reason for the action and gave the days as December 9, 10, 11 12 and 14.