Ohanaeze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural organization has berated promoters of Radio Biafra, adding they have penchant for telling lies and are deceitful, The Guardian reports.
According to the group, the Radio Biafra promoters have continued to spread hate messages and lies aimed at inciting the Igbos against each other.
Ohanaeze ndigbo remarks was contained in a statement yesterday, February 29, in Enugu state, by Dr. Joe Nworgu, the secretary general of Ohaneze Ndigbo.
Nworgu warned the promoters of the radio station to apply decorum and project the truth in their struggle for Biafra, as their penchant for lies and deceit would never help their struggle.
Nworgu was reacting to allegations that Ohanaeze leadership had aborted the actualization of Biafra in a meeting with delegates from the United Nations.
The allegation was made by the Radio Biafra as the station further quoted to have said that, “Some white men from America, who came to deliver the United Nation’s certificate of recognition and independence of the Republic of Biafra had, after meeting with Ohanaeze Ndigbo in Enugu last Friday, February 26, withdrawn the certificate.”
However, Nworgu said the meeting the leadership of the body held in Enugu had nothing to do with the independence of Biafra.
“Since a few days ago when Radio Biafra carried the news item that the Ohaaneze Ndigbo had aborted the actualisation of Biafra as a country, numerous text messages and telephone calls have been received by the Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo worldwide, Dr Joe Nworgu.
“The alleged visit by some white people from America to hold a meeting with Ndigbo, through Ohanaeze, with the intent of delivering a United Nation’s certificate of recognition and independence of the Republic of Biafra is a ruse. The news item is a mere fabrication and ill-motivated,” the read in part.
Ohanaeze explained that on Friday, February 26, “The new United States Consul General in Nigeria, His Excellency John Bray and his team had a meeting with Ohaneze Ndigbo at Nike lake hotel; this was part of His Excellency’s familiarisation tour of the country. He had meetings with the governors in the various states. In Enugu, the headquarters of Ohanaeze, he had a meeting with us on Igbo perception of Nigeria. This meeting is what has been distorted to be ‘some white men from America came to give Biafrans independence.’ Of course, this cannot be the process of granting anybody independence.”
Nworgu urged the radio station and Igbo young men and women to be analytical in their utterances and be cautious in their actions.
“The Radio Biafra people should please take time to investigate before airing; it’s wrong to air outright falsehood and outright fabrication. This is not the way forward. He who goes to equity must come with clean hands. Radio Biafra should not air untruth,” the statement added.
Ohanaeze Ndigbo also stated that it hasn’t held any meeting with President Buhari on Biafra.
However, the group restating her earlier stand for the unconditional release of Director of Radio Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu.
Ohanaeze called on the promoters of the Radio Biafra to tender unreserved apology to the person of Dr. Joe Nworgu as well as retract the libel for their uninvestigated intemperate outburst.