Dr. Nnanna Igwe
The attack on former Deputy President of the Senate, Ike Ekweremadu in Nuremberg, Germany, by members of Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), as a taboo Ohanaeze Ndigbo, UK, has said.
Some IPOB members attacked Ekweremadu on Saturday where he was a special guest at the second annual Igbo Cultural Festival in Nuremberg, Germany.
Dr. Nnanna Igwe , the President of Ohaneze Ndigbo, UK, condemned the attack in a statement issued in London on Sunday.
The group described the attack as shocking and sordid and added that it was disappointing that the group claimed responsibility for the act.
Said Igwe: “This act is totally and wholesomely condemnable and has no place in a democratic and civilised society.
“Sen. Ekweremadu has been a responsible leader and strong voice for Ndigbo in Nigeria; he helped negotiate the bail of Nnamdi Kanu and secured his freedom.
“The Cultural Festival in Germany by Ndigbo was an opportunity to showcase Igbo greatness via our noble culture and tradition worthy of emulation.
“The disruption of the cultural fiesta, the altercation and associated pandemonium are taboo to Ndigbo and presented Ndigbo in bad light and damaging blow to Igbo image across the world.
”This uncivilised action portrayed us as miscreants, barbaric and violent people”.
He called on Igbo worldwide to always use dialogue in resolving disputes or differences, noting that further threat on Igbo Leaders by IPOB was unacceptable and should be abandoned forthwith.
Igwe further urged Ndigbo to embrace peace, unity, love, dialogue, diplomacy and respect for one another, especially at this time the Igbo faced unusual collective challenges as a people
He called for the prosecution of the perpetrators of the attack to serve as deterrent to others who might wish to indulge in such act in the future.
The President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, John Nnia Nwodo, had criticised IPOB over the attack saying “the attack strengthens the case of those who describe them as terrorists.”
He described the assault on Ekweremadu as disappointing, grotesque and dangerous for Igbo solidarity.
Other members of the society, including the President of the Senate Sen. Ahmad Lawan, and South East Governors’ Forum, have condemned the attack.
…Ndigbo Lagos condemns attack on Ekweremadu in Germany
• Ekweremadu
In another related development, Ndigbo Lagos, the umbrella body of Igbo Organisations in Lagos, expressed shock and consternation on the events of Saturday, August 18, 2019 in far away Nuremberg, Germany, which witnessed the dastardly assault on the person of Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Those elements of IPOB who have claimed responsibility for this attack should hide their faces in shame, Nd’Igbo in Lagos said.
In making this condemnation the organisation relied on their basic values as Ndigbo which demand and extol respect for leadership and the elderly.
Said the group: “That same value system also demands deployment of wisdom and tact (‘ako na uche’) in all our public engagements. That means applying sensibility and dignity in expressing disagreement and anger.
“Senator Ekweremadu was on a noble mission bringing Ofo Igbo and love to our kits and kin who despite being on sojourn was keeping the Igbo sacred tradition of celebrating our God by giving thanks to him for a new life as symbolised by the New Yam Festival.
“Clearly Ike Ekweremadu is an established statesman in his own right, a national leader and by age, of a father-status to many of his attackers.
“By physically manhandling the Distinguished Senator and removing his cap those “miscreants” lost purpose, over-reached themselves and shamed the Igbo Nation.
“It is in the inviolability of known values that an Igbo saying states that a young person who fells the father in a wrestling match would not only have committed sacrilege but shall also be blinded by the warted loins-of-age.
“We at Ndigbo Lagos join millions of Ndigbo and indeed Nigeria to condemn without equivocation what happened yesterday.
Ozo Emezina!!!
Signed:
Gen Obi Umahi (Rtd)
President General
Ndigbo Lagos.
