Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has directed Southeast residents to set aside Mondays as empowerment days in the region.

Spokesperson of IPOB, Emma Powerful, disclosed this in a statement on Saturday.

Powerful said Kanu gave the directive as a follow-up to his earlier cancellation of the controversial sit-at-home usually enforced by a faction of the IPOB on Mondays.

He did not, however, mention when the IPOB leader gave the directive.

“Economic Empowerment Day connotes a day set aside for mass mobilisation of Biafrans to devote their resources and means towards reversing the sharp and unprecedented decline in the economic needs of our people occasioned by the prolonged sit-at-home,” Powerful said.

Continuing, he said, “During this exercise, Biafrans are encouraged to embark on massive deployment of their resources for their empowerment of the educationally disadvantaged and poverty-ridden population of our people.

“Through education, employment, health services, a sense of identity and community, our people and indeed, the Eastern region, can begin to thrive and grow.”

The IPOB spokesperson said the decision was in response to an urgent need to reclaim the lost glory of the Southeast residents by empowering them with the resources they need to live beyond “mere subsistence.”

He pointed out that the people had long been noted for their hard work, resilience and greatness.

“Also, the implication of this Economic Empowerment Day, is that Biafrans are expected to devote significant time to adhere to their routine calendar schedule template strictly and uninterruptedly to make up for humongous time lost to the activities of misguided enforcers of the unsanctioned Monday sit-at-home order,” he added.‘Nnamdi Kanu’s letter authentic’

Kanu in late July, via a handwritten letter given to Aloy Ejimakor, his special counsel, had ordered Simon Ekpa, a pro-Biafran agitator, to stop issuing sit-at-home orders in the region.

But Ekpa, who has been issuing sit-at-home orders in the region, described the letter as “fake,” and maintained that the civil action would go on until Kanu speaks to him directly in Finland, a North European country, where he (Ekpa) resides.

Speaking on the issue, Powerful stressed that the handwritten letter from Kanu ordering the cancellation of all sit-at-home orders in the region was authentic and that it was not written “under any duress, compulsion or influence of any kind.”

The IPOB spokesperson said the State Security Service cannot influence the IPOB leader on what to do or say.

“Anybody questioning the authenticity of the handwritten letter suspending further Monday sit-at-home is patently dishonest and not worthy to be called a Biafran.

“Anybody who claims to know Kanu will also know that nobody will be courageous enough to coerce him to do anything that will jeopardise the restoration of Biafra,” he stated.

PT