Another MASSOB leader surfaces, rejects Uchenna Madu

FROM PAUL OSUYI, ASABA
T here seems to be no end to the battle for supremacy
between the leading stakeholders of the various South-
Eastern groups at the forefront of the agitation for the
independent state of Biafra.
Erstwhile leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of
the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) which is one of
the agitating groups, Ralph Uwazurike claimed that
MASSOB has been hijacked by charlatans, and has
therefore gone ahead to form the Biafra Independent
Movement (BIM).
Attempts by Uwazurike’s director of information, Uchenna
Madu, to step in as the new leader has been rejected by
the youth mobilization officer, Ndubuisi Igwekani popularly
known as Igwekani Biafra.
Igwekani told Sunday Sun yesterday in Asaba that Mr.
Madu and some other stakeholders in the struggle were
disobeying instructions from the elders of Biafra who
directed that the word ‘sovereign’ in the MASSOB acronym
should be replaced with any other word.
According to him, it was at that meeting which he claimed
was attended by Mr. Madu that the name was modified to
Movement for the Actualisation of the Salvation State of
Biafra (MASSOB), maintaining that he was the spiritual
leader of the modified organisation.
“I am the spiritual leader of MASSOB and not Madu. We
held a meeting where it was agreed that ‘sovereign’ should
be replaced because of the brutality we are receiving from
the Nigerian security forces that makes MASSOB just like
any other pressure group.
“That was how ‘salvation’ came in. But to my greatest
surprise, over night, a meeting was held and Uchenna
Madu sprang up to say he is the new leader of the
movement under the old name which has been modified.
He is not,” he stated.
He said since Uwazurike failed to lead MASSOB properly,
it was his desire to bring all Igbo groups together to speak
with one voice devoid of violence to actualise the struggle
for the independent state of Biafra.
“Every Biafran all over the world is my brother in this
struggle but we must obey instructions. We have been
approaching the elders to resolve the issues but some
persons are bent on disobeying instructions and are
causing crisis within the struggle,” he added.
Igwekani said just as he was allegedly persecuted by
Uwazurike, Nnamdi Kanu, the director of Radio Biafra was
also allegedly persecuted by the same Uwazurike. He
noted that Igwekani was now asking for forgiveness from
all those who felt betrayed in order to forge ahead as one.
“I have no power to expel anybody from this struggle. I do
not want further bloodshed in Igbo land, we have shed
enough blood. All we are saying is that the Federal
Government of Nigeria should release Nnamdi Kanu,” he
stated.