By Frank Otti, Owerri
A pan sociocultural Igbo group, Alaigbo Renaissance Development Initiative ( ARDI), has appealed to the Anambra state Governor, Prof Charles Soludo and a popular Igbo Human Rights Activist, Barr Uche Onyeagucha to partner with the leadership of IPOB and other honest and sincere Igbo leaders to step forward and push for the unconditional release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who has been in detention for months now.
The group also called on Soludo and Onyeagucha to use what they described as “back-and-front door channels” to reach out to Kanu , the leadership of IPOB and the Federal Government to dialogue and find a way of bringing peace to Alaigbo.
The group made the appeal in a statement signed by its President, Dr. Nnaemeka Obiareri after a press conference held recently in Owerri.
The ARDI in the press statement pointed out that, an atmosphere of peace and tranquility needs to be returned in Igbo land and called on Ndigbo not to lend themselves to pronouncements and actions that their enemies and fifth columnists can leverage upon to create havoc in Igbo land.
They added that “beside the irrepressible elder statesman, Chief Mbazirike Amaechi , the other two prominent Igbo men who have been very consistent and at the forefront of demanding for the unconditional release of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu are; Barr Uche Onyeagucha and Charles Soludo
ARDI noted that “any honest Igbo man who has followed these great men will acknowledge without any shade of doubt that unlike other Igbo political leaders, they are full blooded patriotic Igbo men , who love Ndigbo and are working tenaciously to achieve the Renaissance of the Igbo heartland”.
The Alaigbo noted that an average Igbo man has been marginalized and denied right of place in Nigeria, describing IPOB struggle as one that represents the average Igboman’s quest for equity in Nigeria. ” According to then IPOB truly speaks the mind of Igboman.
Alaigbo disclosed that although one may not agree with their approach, but their message and reasons are just, clear and unimpeachable. You cannot wrong a man, be arrogant and intransigent and expect peace to reign”.
The group further urged the leadership of IPOB to suspend the Sit-at-home order in the South East and called on other honest Igbo leaders to join hands with Governor Soludo and Onyeagucha to dialogue with the Federal Government to find long lasting peace in Igbo land.
Alaigbo Renaissance Development Initiative is a pan-Igbo sociocultural organisation, comprising Igbos at home and in diaspora.