Leader of the Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Pa Ayo Adebanjo has described the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as the saviour of NdiIgbo, and asked the people not to antagonise him.
Adebanjo stated this in an exclusive chat with TheNiche, saying Kanu committed no crime.
He said, “I have told Igbo leaders, do not antagonise IPOB.
“I have never met Nnamdi Kanu but I say, don’t antagonise him because he will be your (Igbo) saviour.”
On the reason for the comment about Kanu, the Afenifere leader said, “But for Nnamdi Kanu, but for Sunday Igboho, restructuring won’t be in the front burner of discussions in the country today.
“Both of them brought the issue to the front burner.”
The elder statesman further said that Igbo leaders
The 93-year-old Yoruba leader regretted that just when the issue of restructuring was gathering momentum, a bait of who will be the President was thrown to the Igbo and otherwise proud, intelligent people with all their education are allowing those he said have only primary school education to dribble them.
Adebanjo who decried that Ndigbo failed to understand the asset they have in IPOB, said “If IPOB can mobilise the people and say don’t go out, and in spite of the position of the governors, no one goes out, that is significant.”
Emphasising that the issue of mobilisation was important and that the Yoruba should do the same, Adebayo said, “I don’t trust any Fulani man. And as I told Governor Akeredolu, it is alright for you to pass a resolution, but before that, rally your people, no restructuring, no election.
“Go and mobilise. That is where your weapon lies. Don’t fight them with violence because the Fulani are all over the country.
“They are in your village and my village. And all of them are armed. They will run over you.
“But we have one weapon with which we can defeat them hands down, and that is civil disobedience.
“If we don’t take part in this election, let Buhari go on. Some say that is a difficult thing, but I am happy they are saying it is difficult, not that it is impossible.
“If you cannot fight a difficult battle, then go and submit yourself to slavery.”
According to him, it was wrong for Igbo leaders to beg President Muhammadu Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu.
“When they did that, I said, ‘oh, my God’. I was ashamed. And to imagine that Mbazulike Amechi led that delegation.
“Amechi was in the trenches with us when we were fighting against the colonialists. He was leading the NCNC youth group. We were in the Action Group.
“Now, Ndigbo went to beg Buhari, a Fulani reactionary, to release your people. What have your people done,’’ he said.