Nnamdi Kanu, IPOB Leader
The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, may be sent to jail for what has been described as an invasion of Nri, a town in Anambra State believed to be the traditional ancestry of Igbo people.
The community alleged that the secessionist leader invaded the area, desecrating sacred places.
The traditional ruler of Nri, Igwe Eze Obidiegwu Onyeso, said this on Thursday while chatting with newsmen in Awka, the Anambra State capital.
Speaking through his personal assistant, Chief Ifeanyi Onyeso, the monarch said Kanu and his IPOB followers invaded the community on July 18 without visiting the palace.
The monarch said, “My people are highly angry about this misconduct of these intruders. Nri as an ancient kingdom and the cradle of Igbo people and her culture and tradition is highly revered among the Igbo.
He added, “On July18, 2017, a day before Kanu came to Nri, 12 youths came to the palace of Eze Nri requesting an appointment with the traditional ruler for Kanu.
“They were received and told to go and come back with a written letter so that they will get official reply from the palace since the delegation looked unusual, in that there was no titled person among them.
“At this point, they all left and what we saw the next day was Kanu invading Nri community with a huge crowd of his supporters; he went straight to the house of one subject to the traditional ruler of Nri.
“The feelers we later got, was that the subject claimed he had handed over the `Offo Nri’, (symbol of royalty) to Kanu, and even allowed Kanu to visit the historic “Ohianwehi forest” revered as “forest of life” by the Igbo tradition.
“This forest is believed to be the place the first burnt offering was offered by the Jewish Igbo ancestors when they migrated from Israel more than 2,000 years ago.
He noted that Nri people perceived Kanu’s conduct as a taboo.
He said Kanu and his supporters returned to the palace gate, trying to force it open.
“It was this unruly conduct that made the traditional ruler to telephone the security agents who responded promptly and dispersed Kanu and his supporters.
“This act is an affront on the tradition and culture of Nri people and as such we resolved not to sweep the matter under the carpet.
“It is a taboo in Nri and equally against the Anambra State Traditional Rulers’ Council Law.
“The people of Nri and their traditional ruler are not against Nnamdi Kanu and his agitation, but what we cannot take is for Kanu to come and mess up the Nri culture and tradition under whatever motive.
“The community will drag him to court and make sure we jail him to serve as a deterrent to others,” Onyeso stated
