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| Kanu: the prisoner of conscience |
At this point, it is better pointed out that what
Nnamdi Kanu is going through is simply persecution by a blood-cuddling dictator
and not prosecution. We are talking of a dictator who cannot bring himself to
accepting the truth that under the law people have rights – rights to
self-determination; right to fair treatment; right to freedom of speech; and
several other rights.
It might seem uncharitable to describe Nigeria as
one man’s empire. But happenings within it, in the past few months, leave one
with no choice. In view of the fact that Muhammadu Buhari, the President of the
country is the one defining treason for Nigeria and Nigerians makes it all the
more obvious that the country has gone beyond redemption.
Late last year, Buhari on national television defined
what he called the offence Nnamdi Kanu, the Leader of Indigenous People of
Biafra (IPOB) and Director of Radio Biafra committed. He called it treason and
then found him guilty. In his own understanding, Kanu had two passports – one British
and the other Nigerian – but entered the country without any. Buhari did not
even stop there, he also said that Kanu imported sophisticated equipment into
the country, he could not name the equipment, yet he claimed it was treason for
which he expected Kanu to be jailed by the courts.
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| Buhari: the African Hitler |
His words: “Do you know he has two passports, one
Nigerian, one British, and he came to this country without using any passport? …
“Do you know he brought in sophisticated
equipment and was broadcasting for Radio Biafra? There is a treasonable felony
against him, and I hope the courts will listen to the case.”
Here, we see why it is no longer expected that
anyone should be angry if Nigeria is called a one man’s empire – an empire
where one illiterate ruler is the judge and the jury, while the populace (even
the highly educated and informed) is silent as if under one huge spell.
At this point, it is better pointed out that what
Nnamdi Kanu is going through is simply persecution by a blood-cuddling dictator
and not prosecution. We are talking of a dictator who cannot bring himself to
accepting the fact that under the law people have rights – right to
self-determination; right to fair treatment; right to freedom of speech; and
several other rights.
To make the matter most appalling, the one who is
persecuting Kanu with treasonable felony charge is a certified felon. Yes,
Buhari is a certified felon who did not only commit war crimes and genocide
against humanity, but also overthrew a democratically elected government and
killed many in the process.
In 1968, he was accused of taking soldiers to a
church in Owerri (now Imo State capital) to massacre innocent women, children
and the aged who ran to the church to take refuge from his rampaging troops. He
promised he was going to do worse to Biafrans as President and has not
disappointed; but have perfectly lived up to his words.
Immediately he settled in as head of state in 1984,
he set about persecuting his perceived enemies. Many of them who were
politicians, he gave outrageous jail terms, up to 100 to 240 years. One of the
first things he did was to commence the printing of new currencies (with new
colours) for the country. The intention was to render illegally acquired funds
in the hands of the people to also render them useless. To make the programme
effective, borders were closed to persons and goods; to make sure nobody
smuggled in the old currency into the country. But Buhari allowed the smuggling
into the country of 53 suit-cases, which many people believed contained the old
currency. Talk about a leader undermining the good of his country.
What Kanu had done was to legitimately float a radio
station that is registered legitimately in Britain (the most civilised and
law-driven country in the world); and the signal is received worldwide. Kanu
preaches self-determination for his Biafran people, which is a legitimate
aspiration under the United Nations Charter on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
of 2006. So, how is that treason?
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| Kanu must be free |
What is treason? Merriam-Webster’s dictionary defines
it as the crime of trying to overthrow your country's government or of helping
your country's enemies during war. Compare what Buhari has done, and is still
doing, and what Kanu has done, and then determine who is the treasonable felon
between two of them.
With the foregoing, it becomes imperative that
Nigerian judiciary should quickly set Nnamdi Kanu free to save their country
from the Buhari madness; as well as save it from the growing toga of a one man’s
private empire.
By Tim Tochukwu
For Biafra Choice Writers
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