By Tosin Olatokunbo
The time worn rivalry between two Igbo groups fighting for the emancipation of the south east region, MASSOB and IPOB is not about to go away soon, following, the former call on Nnamdi Kanu, to return home to fight for his people.
Kanu fled the country to London, three years ago after soldiers invaded his home in Abia state.
The IPOB leader has however ramped –up his agitation for an independent Biafra state since he left for exile.
MASSOB said the IPOB leader would not be able to achieve Biafra by speaking from London, Canada and America where he now resides.
In an interview with The Punch , MASSOB’S Director of Information, Sunday Okereafor, said it was wrong for Kanu to stay in Canada, United States of America or London and think that he could achieve Biafra from outside Nigeria.
Okereafor also warned Kanu to stop accusing Uwazuruike of thwarting the fight towards achieving a sovereign state of Biafra, adding that the MASSOB leader brought the IPOB leader into the struggle.
According to MASSOB “On Biafra, we stand. Nnamdi Kanu can’t say that he is fighting for Biafra and he is staying in America, London, Canada, Australia.
Every day, he is flying; he should come back home and pay the price.
MASSOB is telling Nnamdi Kanu to come down home and fight for the freedom, rather than hiding abroad. Nnamdi Azikiwe was in Nigeria as Governor General of Nigeria and Muammar Ghaddafi was there fighting for the freedom of his people, Jomo Kenyatta fought for the freedom of Kenyans from Kenya.
Okereafor said the IPOB leader should learn from other freedom fighters particularly, Odimegu Ojukwu, Igbo war time leader who refused to run away during the Nigerian civil war.
He said “Thomas Jefferson of America stayed in America and fought for their own freedom.
So, Nnamdi Kanu should come home; he should bring his own members home and fight, rather than castigating Uwazuruike.
Odumegwu Ojukwu never castigated Michael Okpara and Uwazuruike never castigated Ojukwu. Kanu was an employee of MASSOB. Uwazuruike employed him.
It is now that he wants to be the boss. Does Kanu know about the struggle? No.”
