The detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, has replaced Monday’s cancelled sit-at-home in the South-East region of Nigeria with a new programme he called the “Economic Empowerment Day (EED)”.
This was made known on Saturday in a statement by the IPOB Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, who said that the new directive by Kanu was a further confirmation of the total cancellation of all forms of sit-at-home in the entire South-East by the IPOB leader.
Powerful stated that the “Economic Empowerment Day (EED) connotes a day set aside for mass mobilization of Biafrans, to devote their resources and means towards reversing the sharp and unprecedented decline in the economic, educational, and social needs of our people occasioned by the prolonged sit-at-home.”
He explained that during the economic empowerment exercise, people of the South-East are encouraged to embark on massive deployment of their resources for the empowerment of the educationally disadvantaged and poverty ridden population of the region.
He noted that “Through education, employment, health services, sense of identity and community, our people and indeed, the Eastern region can begin to thrive and grow. There is an urgent need to reclaim our lost glory by embarking on empowering Biafrans with the resources they need to live beyond mere subsistence as our people are known globally for hard work, resilience, and great achievements.
“Also, the implication of this Economic Empowerment Day (EED) is that Biafrans are expected to devote significant time to adhere to their routine calendar schedule template strictly and uninterruptedly with a view to making up for the humongous time lost to the activities of misguided enforcers of unsanctioned Monday sit-at-home order.
“It is pertinent to use this medium to make an important fundamental clarification to the effect that Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s handwritten letter, which conveyed his message canceling sit-at-home to the misguided elements hitherto enforcing sit-at-home in the entire South-East, was never written under any duress, compulsion, or influence of any kind.
“Onyendu is very firm, and unshaken. Hence, not even Satan and his 24 demons of Hell will have the courage to stand in front of him or tell him what to do, talk less of DSS.
“Anybody questioning the authenticity of the handwritten letter suspending further Monday sit-at-home is patently dishonest and not worthy to be called a Biafran. Anybody who claims to know Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will also know that nobody will be courageous enough to coerce him to do anything that will jeopardise the restoration of Biafra.
“Therefore, enough is enough. It is time you consolidate efforts to rebuild our once envied Eastern region – peaceful, accommodating, resilient people, illustrious, and great – and reclaim your glory among nations.”