IPOB and the Iberiberism called sit-at-home

BY KALU NWOKORO IDIKA

Confrontational journalism is gradually becoming a thing of the past in Africa as rabble-rousers have hijacked and taken the centre stage of the profession. But this is not to say that there are no more good men in the journalistic circle, who no matter the condition will not sell the truth for a grain of beans.

Journalists are meant to shoulder the burden of informing the masses and also protect them from falsehoods that could possibly harm their mental state. Moreover, this goal of keeping the masses informed must be done with clear objectivity. That is the signature of true journalism.

However, any organisation that lacks the structure to produce actionable solutions to its set objectives has failed. This is a brainer.

Since the arrest of the leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, the leadership of the movement has been wallowing in confusion, taking actions that are counter-productive and inimical to the interest of the people they claim to be fighting for.

The leadership of IPOB is yet to accept the bitter fact that, two years, three years, or even ten years sit at home will never force the regime of President Muhammadu Buhari to release Nnamdi Kanu.

No doubt, IPOB in its quest to restore the much-touted utopia nation has succeeded in inflicting both economic and political injury to the Southeast region, which will take a longer time to heal.

What IPOB is doing under the cover of sit-at-home is pure Iberiberism. The leadership of the movement is further causing more hardship to the impoverished masses. You can’t claim to be fighting to free the people from the oppressors and also turn around to replicate the same wickedness the oppressors are being accused of.

By threatening to embark on ‘sit-at-home’ every now and then, who is to lose at the end? The politicians have nothing to lose. Their salaries will be paid as usual. Even Buhari will be so happy over the Iberiberism as other regions will gain from the economic sabotage.

Over 80% of the people in the Southeast region are daily income earners. Millions of families won’t have food on their table if they don’t go out in a day to sell their wares and how will such people survive under the sit-at-home catastrophe? IPOB should not be deceived. The sit-at-home has no effect on the government. The poor masses are the ones at the receiving end of the economic strangulation.

The south-east region reportedly lost over N50 billion because of the last sit-at-home, coupled with the security breach that greeted the exercise. How can sane people take the most productive day of the week to sit at home over nothing? That is the danger of being led by unrefined minds masquerading as freedom fighters.

If the sit at home can in any way halt the lifting of crude oil from the region, then we can now nod our heads and welcome the protest strategy. It appears more that seven years after its emergence, IPOB has no road map and vision

Kanu supporters also must stop dwelling under the false hope that their leader with his non-existing international connection can pull a diplomatic stunt that could rattle the Nigerian government. No international body is coming for Kanu’s rescue even as a British citizen.

Nnamdi Kanu at a time became a nuisance to his host country and that was why they colluded with their African puppet to arrest and hand him over to Nigeria

Sit at home and protest letters to high commissions in Europe and America will not guarantee Nnamdi Kanu’s freedom. Take it or leave it, the freedom of IPOB leader lies in the hands of the south-east leaders and it must come with a heavy price.

Idika is a writer and investigative journalist

[email protected]