HOW THE CASE OF NNAMDI KANU HAS CONTINUED TO CAUSE THE BIGGEST CONFUSION AMONG THE IGBOS

(Emeka Ugwuonye, Esquire)

Due process advocate DPA

https://trendsdynamics..com/2021/11/how-case-of-nnamdi-kanu-has-continued.html?m=1


Never before has any single issue thrown the entire Igbo leadership class in as much confusion as the case of Nnamdi Kanu has done. They have never been so pointedly congregated in a tangle as they are in their efforts to make sense and meaning out of what is happening. This confusion is seen across the board – the Igbo politicians, the Igbo traditional rulers, the Igbo clergy, the Igbo intelligentsia – all seem to be at a loss on this matter.



Nnamdi Kanu and his IPOB represent the unexpired pain and frustration of the Igbos for losing a very costly war and for the victimization that followed the past 50 years. As is now evident, Nigeria mismanaged its victory over the Igbos. It failed largely to carry through the ideals of no-victor, no-vanquished. Hence the war did not end as thought. The question is not whether the Igbos are angry. Rather, the question is how justified is that anger and how well managed has it been. And how effective is the present method of expression thereof? Thus, the tension is between the belief that the Igbos are justifiably angry and yet the informed understanding that Nnamdi Kanu has represented the poorest method and form of expression of that indignation. The Igbo elite are caught in between this tension, and no easy way out for them.



The Igbo Governors don’t know what to do. They are uniformly yoked by the burden of having to show support for Nnamdi Kanu in acknowledgment of the state of mind of the average Igbo, while deep down in their consciousness, they understand the need to distance themselves from the method of expression adopted by Kanu and his group. They know that the method is counterproductive and self-defeating. Not identifying with Kanu at all is politically risky for them. Yet, identifying with him fully is equally politically dangerous for them. This is the burden we all bear. And it has manifested in varying degrees among different segments of the Igbo elite in their equivocations and inconsistencies.



Among the literati, they have adopted different ways and reactions to deal with the challenge. Some refused to hold Kanu and IPOB responsible for the escalated state of insecurity in the South East in recent times. Many have been quick to argue that IPOB members have not been actually the people that pull the trigger each time people got killed in the East. This is one of the tricky points. The Government of Nigeria is of the position that the unknown gunmen are members of IPOB. Many, including this writer, disagree. However, we, the Igbo intelligentsia, are somewhat dodgy on this point. Responsibility for the violence is not only determined by who actually pulls the trigger. It is equally a matter of who loaded the gun. It was precisely because these conditions were foreseeable outcome of instability that IPOB risked that they may be held responsible for it.



Also, we see the confusion and inconsistency in the manner the Igbo cognoscenti have tried to explain the recent events that occurred in court during Kanu’s last day in court. There has been a grudging refusal to accept that denying Mr. Bruce Fein access into the courtroom during the trial was not such a fundamental issue as to justify the reaction of Nnamdi Kanu’s lawyers, which prompted the long adjournment of that trial. It would have been graceful and wise to allow Mr. Fein into the courtroom. But that was all it was – a matter of grace and elegance. Otherwise, Mr. Fein has no right to be in that court in so far as the court could not admit all the lawyers that wanted to be in that courtroom for the trial. And his not being there, for whatever reason, should not have had such an impact on the proceedings. As one dramatic example of the inconsistency among the Igbo intelligentsia, two top figures of the Intersociety, a research group that I have admired so greatly, issued a statement attacking my earlier publication on the matter. The irony is that these individuals never expressed any views on the question of whether Nnamdi Kanu could set up a militia called ESN within the laws of the country they operate in. Apparently, they supported that, but could not openly express such support. Alternatively, if they had seen that development for what it was, then their position on the case today does not reflect that.



Among the Igbo traditional and cultural leaders and the Igbo clergy, you see the same incredible levels of confusion. Ohaneze mooted the idea of appointing a monitoring team to monitor the trial by observing proceedings in the courtroom. And an Igbo chieftain and former governor of one of the Igbo states leads a group of lawyers and some brethren to court each time to monitor the proceedings. But how would they? Do they want to know whether the judge listened well to the arguments of counsel and if her rulings are based on fair and informed judicial analysis of evidence and the law? But how could they when most of them are not lawyers? The idea of monitoring the trial is very unusual and meaningless, really.



The latest in this show of confusion was the recent statement attributed to Igbo Council of Traditional Rulers and the Association of Igbo Bishops, asking the Federal Government of Nigeria to release Nnamdi Kanu immediately and unconditionally. That is very strange, to state the obvious. I wonder whether they have ever considered how the government of Nigeria would react to such demand. It is an effrontery to a sovereign state. As I stated in an earlier post, what these Igbo leaders should do is to demand that there be a fair trial. To ask that a person standing trial be released outside the judicial process is an unprecedented and precarious position to assume. Let the trial occur. Let it be fair. Then apply your political solutions to the outcome, if need be. But to abort a trial and sideline the judicial process is a fundamental challenge to the sovereign status of the state. If it is done in the case of Nnamdi Kanu, then why can’t it be done in other cases in the future? What will the Igbo leaders do if next time the person standing trial is an Ijaw man or Benue man? Taking a step that you will oppose if taken by others is plainly capricious. Indeed, these are all signs that these Igbo groups are totally confused over the Nnamdi Kanu challenge.



Again, emphasis should be on fair trial and the preservation of the integrity of the courts over this case. To threaten to file a petition against the judge at the International Criminal Court, as Mr. Bruce Fein openly did or to publicly accuse the judge of bias and corruption as some Igbo leaders have been doing, is foolish and counterproductive. It is actually an attempt to cease to be part of Nigeria without using the word secession. And if Nigerian Government sees it as that, it will naturally resist, thereby exacerbating the crisis of mistrust. I suggest that all those in support of Nnamdi Kanu should only insist on due process and fair trial for now. Any outside interference in the judicial process will not help the Igbos in the long run.



NOTE: I was very pleased that many Igbos are reading my posts on this topic and sharing them. I am also very pleased that more and more of the Igbo intelligentsia could not resist the appeal of my argument, even if they express it by way of dissonant attacks on my post.



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https://trendsdynamics..com/2021/11/how-case-of-nnamdi-kanu-has-continued.html?m=1

It has caused the biggest confusion in the whole Nigeria, nay Africa.

I have never seen a case where the whole judges, FG legal team and even the AGF are running away from an accused

They can only run but cannot hide.

Nnamdi Kanu is a great man indeed.

vanbonattel:
It has caused the biggest confusion in the whole Nigeria, nay Africa.

I have never seen a case where the whole judges, FG legal team and even the AGF are running away from an accused

They can only run but cannot hide.

Nnamdi Kanu is a great man indeed.

He only created problem for the igbos

Any reasonable person understands the dangar of kanus miscalculation to igbos in nigeria politics

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xborr:
Any reasonable person understands the dangar of kanus miscalculation to igbos in nigeria politics

Kanu did not miscalculate, if he did, then every igbo person has miscalculated and that's impossible, the only reason more than 95% igbos are behind Kanu is because they feel what he feels and I and agree with what he wants, as a fact more than 80% of Nigerians want the same thing but are so dumb to realise that or so afraid to speak up, anyone who sees beyond one year ahead will know that Kanu's court case is the average nigerian's court case

This thing long aswear.

mbaise1000:
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Kanu did not miscalculate, if he did, then every igbo person has miscalculated and that's impossible, the only reason more than 95% igbos are behind Kanu is because they feel what he feels and I and agree with what he wants, as a fact more than 80% of Nigerians want the same thing but are so dumb to realise that or so afraid to speak up, anyone who sees beyond one year ahead will know that Kanu's court case is the average nigerian's court case

The miscalculation lead to unknown gunmen saga lost of life and destruction of businesses and even reduced the chance of igbo presidency.

Nigeria will never know peace until MNK is released. This is what I have seen

Burruchaga71:
Nigeria will never know peace until MNK is released. This is what I have seen

Normalcy is already retuning to south east.

DawnStudios:
This thing long aswear.

Don’t bother reading it.....it’s bullcrap!

xborr:


The miscalculation lead to unknown gunmen saga lost of life and destruction of businesses and even reduced the chance of igbo presidency.

Dude, there was NO miscalculation! The UGM are a creation of northern elements with ties to some evil bigots in the Buhari gov’t as well as the Fulani hegemony! FACT!

As for your useless presidency, you can firmly stick it up your ass!

At op, I wanted to respond to this your post but I just understood you merely quoted someone ...so please can you direct me on how to get this person on Facebook, I want to respond to him directly.

xborr:


He only created problem for the igbos

I agree with you honestly. In Kanu's determination in what he believes, he innocently brainwashed a lot of people into accepting even what is untrue. Now the political future of the south east is somehow uncertain.

xborr:


The miscalculation lead to unknown gunmen saga lost of life and destruction[color=#990000][/color] of businesses and even reduced the chance of igbo presidency.

The average igbo man is not interested in who rules nigeria, the average igbo person is only asking for a level playing ground but you are afraid of competition, what did the average Yoruba person gain from obasanjos presidency or what is the one from katsina getting from Bucharest presidency? Just bragging right from zombies, we simply know that they are the same, and what did Jonathan do for his own people in bayelsa or in igbo land except enrich a few of his friends? We are not against anyone being the way they want to be but we are not comfortable with any group wanting us to be like them or accept what they want to accept because they are afraid to speak up, Igbos are not following Kanu because he is Kanu but because they know he is saying the truth the only group of igbos that are against kanu are the thieves who claim to represent us but the power here belongs to the people more than 98%igbos know and agree that Kanu is speaking their minds, may not agree with his choice of words sometimes but it's the content that matters

xborr:


The miscalculation lead to unknown gunmen saga lost of life and destruction of businesses and even reduced the chance of igbo presidency.

guy killing has been going on in naija be4 KANU. police brutality, extortion, accidental discharge of gun. has been on and welcome by naija state. can u tell me what lead to killing up north.
is it buhari that started it. the elite which he is part of allowed it.
ppl like saro wiwa DAT went peaceful in their approach what was the result. GEJ was given vice to compensate his ppl and militant. but we don't want that give us Biafra that all

it quite easy for anyone to come out and write long note on happening in east, while not write on north.
and for the op to take home. agitation is never done peacefully quote a country that did their peaceful from start to finish

vanbonattel:
It has caused the biggest confusion in the whole Nigeria, nay Africa.

I have never seen a case where the whole judges, FG legal team and even the AGF are running away from an accused

They can only run but cannot hide.

Nnamdi Kanu is a great man indeed.

A great terrorist you mean? He's in for the ride of his life