By Gideon Njoku
Three months after he lost his mother, Her Royal Highness,Ugoeze Sally Kanu, self-exiled Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, has suffered another loss.
His father, His Royal Highness, Eze lsreal Kanu, traditional ruler of Afara Ukwu, Umuahia Abia State, has also died.
Trouble started for the Royal Family since September 2017, when a detachment of soldiers on “Operation Python Dance”, inexplicably raided the Palace. At the time of the raid, Nnamdi Kanu was in the Palace.
A couple of people lay dead, but Nnamdi escaped, and resurfaced in Isreal more than a year later. Since then, he has been travelling the world, promoting the ideals of IPOB. His parents were also nowhere to be seen, until the passing of his mother, in Germany, was announced four months ago.
Her body is yet to be laid to rest, amid the argument between IPOB and the Police on whether Kanu would attend the funeral or not.
IPOB insists he would. The police says he is welcome, but says he would be arrested on arrival because he jumped bail.
The head of the traditional council of Afara Ukwu, Edward Ibeabuchi, announced the Eze’s passing, aged 86, on Friday. It was also confirmed by one of the late Eze’s sons, Emmanuel.
Abia State Government, in mourning his death, said it would stand by the Royal family.
But IPOB says it holds the Federal Government responsible.
If soldiers had not raided the Palace, dislocating their Royal Highnesses, IPOB said, perhaps, they might still have been alive today.
Whether Eze Kanu, also, died in Germany like his wife, or elsewhere, was not made public.
