Isiama Afaraukwu Autonomous Community in Umuahia North Local Government Area of Abia State celebrated this year’s new yam festival in a low key to protest the continued detention of its son and Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
Traditional ruler of the community, HRH Eze Amaechi Ugwueje, who disclosed this to newsmen in his palace, said the community did not consider it wise to embark on celebration, while Kanu, a Prince in the community, is still in incarceration.
Eze Ugwueje succeeded Kanu’s late father, HRM Eze Israel Kanu who died with his wife after the invasion of his palace by security agencies in 2017.
The family had blamed the parents’ death on the trauma of the military’s raid on the palace.
Eze Ugwueje noted that the community “is still in mourning mood” over the continued detention of Kanu, who he described as their hero and illustrious son.”m
”We cannot be celebrating while our son is languishing in detention”, the monarch groaned.
Kanu has remained in solitary confinement at the Abuja headquarters of the Department of State Services, DSS, since his extraordinary rendition from Kenya in June 2021.
Despite growing appeals and court judgements including the United Nations opinion for his “immediate and unconditional release”, the federal government has refused to let him off the hook.
The monarch said: ”Actually, this should be the second year of our community celebrating our annual festival in low key without the usual funfare. My people are not happy that their son who also is a prince is still in detention.”
Eze Ugwueje, who regretted that his earlier pleas to former President Muhammadu Buhari to release Kanu were ignored, urged President Bola Tinubu to graciously free the IPOB Leader as a sign of his love for Ndigbo.
He said Kanu’s release would help restore peace in the South-East.
“I am using this medium to plead with President Tinunbu to consider using his executive powers to release our son to us.”
The traditional ruler, however, thanked those who have been making efforts towards Kanu’s release and urged them not to relent.
He called on those using his continued detention to cause insecurity in the South-East to desist from such acts which, he argued, are at variance with Kanu’s values.
”I know him very well and I know his mind. He is not violent and nobody should create insecurity using his detention as an excuse”.
Meanwhile, the monarch who had with his wife and members of his cabinet, visited Isiama village at Umuobasiukwu Towm Hall, commended his subjects for their peaceful disposition during the new yam festival.
He said contrary to the opinion in some quarters, new yam festival is not fetish, but a period of gratitude to God for a bountiful yam harvest.
According to the monarch, new yam festival helps to promote unity and culture of the people.
