Chief Ralph Uwazuruike's Bail and Igbo Leadership

On December 19, 2006, leader of the militant group, Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) Gani Adams and five others walked out free of charge from a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja, strucking out the case on the ground it lacked jurisdiction. Adams, whose faction of the OPC through the course of its demand for self reliance had been backed by notable grassroot Awoists and radical eggheads in Yorubaland was released not because his case lacked jurisdiction. He was released on many grounds. The Yoruba elite was behind him, and Adams knew he had serious backing by his kith and kin.

Before Adams' unconditional release, Dr Frederick Fasheun who led another faction of OPC was released on health grounds. His release had come about on the advocate of the pan Yoruba group, Afenifere, another stronghold of Obafemi Awolowo's ideals. On the other hand, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike and his followers who had been locked up on the same charges and who had lodged complaints of illhealth was denied bail to seek medical attention. The Igbo elite group did not have the guts to follow up his case for whatever reason, but like his counterparts charged for alleged same crime and released unconditionally, Uwazuruike was remanded indefinitely in jail. Sick and desperate for medical attention, he was not a free man until Justice Binta Murtala Nyako, on Friday, October 26, 2007, granted Uwazuruike bail to enable him fulfill the burial rights of his mother.

Also, the Niger Delta militant, Muhajid Asari-Dokubo, who had caused all sorts of havoc, raising arms and annihilating innocent citizens with members of his deadly gang, was granted bail through the legacy of a profound Ijaw leadership.

But Uwazuruike's detention was without Igbo leadership being tight-lipped and doing practically nothing for the release of the MASSOB leader. Upon Uwazuruike's arrest, and on November 28, 2005, the so-called "apex Igbo socio-cultural organization," Ohanaeze Nd'Igbo through its Secretary General, Chief Joe Achuzia whose war credentials had been questioned, issued a statement denouncing and disowning MASSOB saying it was not backing MASSOB for whatever purpose the non-violent group was agitating for. Achuzia in this interview with Cajetan Mmuta of the Daily Champion issued a statement saying:

Ohanaeze cannot lend support to Uwazuruike other than ask Uwazuruike and his group to recant. They can fight against Igbo marginalization if that is what they are fighting for under a different name, not actualization of sovereign state of Biafra. It is unfortunate that everytime MASSOB is mentioned, everybody looks on the Igbo as if they were the architect and activists of MASSOB. I want to make it abundantly clear that at no time did Ohanaeze or Nd'Igbo in any meeting of any kind sit down to fashion out an organization called MASSOB.

This line of policy abstaining from affairs of the Igbo nation like that of Uwazuruike and MASSOB was typical of a bunch that had no clue what was going on and what the bigot Olusegun Obasanjo who had suddenly become a stateman after his command had committed rape and pillage against the Igbos. This kind of statement obviously fired up Obasanjo's quest in determining how to handle the Igbo nation when it comes to situations like this - the slamming of Uwazuruike and his followers. But Achuzia who thought he was doing his efulefu Igbo bunch a favor in order to pacify Obasanjo, was totally wrong and missed it entirely.

It also made one fear for Igbo unity because when Afenifere and elders of the Yoruba leadership forum are asking that Adams, Fasheun and the rest OPC gang be released without charge, Achuzia and his confused efulefu bunch were busy trying to see what leftovers could reach them in Abuja. It made one fear for Igbo unity because when Adams and Fasheun had had all sorts of backing from every aspect of Yoruba leadership, neverminding the havocs caused by Adams faction of OPC, Achuzia and his inept dovish group were busy keeping funny books in disguise and on the ground they were representing the Igbo nation. It made one fear for Igbo unity because when other militant groups around the nation were fighting for what they figured was a just cause, the do-nothing World Igbo Congress was busy chasing money at Abuja on the pretence it was Igbo umbrella.

However, Uwazuruike would continue to suffer in detention without proper medical attention nearly one year after Adams, Fasheun and Asari-Dokubo had been released and their respective cases struck out for one reason or the other; struck out for lack of jurisdiction in the case of Adams and his colleagues. It took a sound Igbo political leadership of freshman Senator Ikechukwu Obiora (Nnewi Senatorial Zone), Senator Uche Chukwumereije, Eze Nd'Igbo of Abuja, Nwosu Ibe and Eze Nd'Igbo of Lagos, Christian Uchechukwu Nwachukwu whose tallied sureties were required for the MASSOB leader's bail.

Eventually, Uwazuruike got out with his trial scheduled for January 28, 2008. Good job, Obiora, Chukwumereije, Nwosu Ibe and Uchechukwu Nwachukwu. I salute your courage!