Simon Ekpa don show for judgement

Simon Ekpa, wey dey call himself leader of Biafra secessionist movement, dey face him long overdue reckoning afta dem arrest am by Finnish government on top allegation of terrorism.

Ekpa don dey cause wahala for years with him hot comments and actions, so much say him name don turn to terror for di once peaceful and thriving southeastern region of Naija.

Ekpa rise to prominence afta di former leader of Indigenous Pipo of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, wey dem arrest for Kenya and carry come Naija to face justice under di former President Muhammadu Buhari, GCFR.

Kanu, Ekpa leadership and influence don make violence and instability continue wey don make life bad, rough and short (Apologies to Thomas Hobbes).

Even now, afta dem arrest am, IPOB don come out to distance demself from Simon Ekpa, dey deny any connection with am and dey talk say him no be member of di group, not to talk of say dem be leader.

Whether dis claim fit be true, we go see.

But one thing dey sure, Ekpa self-declare sit-at-home order, wey dem dey enforce through fear and brutality, don scatter di region economy and don cause plenty suffering for di pipo wey he dey claim say him dey represent.

Schools, markets, and businesses don close, and innocent lives don lost all in di name of wrong agitation for independence.

Ekpa dem talk say dem appoint am to dey oversee Radio Biafra mata afta dem arrest Kanu for June 2021.

But afta dem sack am from dat role, e come form im own faction.

From dat time, Ekpa begin dey give orders, including di controversial sit-at-home directives, wey IPOB leadership don publicly and plenty times disown.

Dis faction wey Ekpa dey lead don dey linked to di increase violence for di area, including attack for security forces pipo dem and di destruction of public property.

Recently, Ekpa don declare say him be di “Prime Minister” of di Biafra Government in Exile (BGIE) and im dey oversee di formation of armed group wey dem call “Biafra Liberation Army.”

Wetin Ekpa and im followers no sabi be say justice no fit build on top injustice and blind brutality.

No strategy for agitation dey wey go dey more self-defeating pass one wey be like say you dey cut your nose to spite your face.

Throughout history, true leadership don require accountability and commitment to di welfare of pipo, no be di reckless continuation of fear and violence.

Na dis one Simon Ekpa no understand well until dem arrest am recently.

Di consequences of IPOB activities dey shock.

One recent report estimate say sit-at-home orders and violence don cost southeastern economy over ₦5 trillion for lost productivity for di past two years.

Small businesses, wey be di backbone of di region economy, don suffer plenty, with thousands don close dia doors permanently.

Education don also suffer serious disruption, with plenty children dey miss important time for school bicosof fear of attack.

Healthcare systems, wey don dey strained already, don see delay for critical services as movement dey restricted for declared sit-at-home days.

Now, Simon Ekpa don come for judgement not equity.

Bicos who wan come for equity suppose come with clean hands.

Ekpa hand dey stained with di blood of innocent Naija for southeastern Naija.

Wen him dey reign well-well, like I talk before, him declare say him be di “Prime Minister” and create office position wey him later deny for Finnish court.

Make you imagine king wey dey deny him kingdom!

Wetin be dis kind “Prime Minister”?

If Simon Ekpa be Moses, I no sure say him go fit carry him pipo go di promised land.

Dis na pesin wey almost dey run parallel government from Finland, dey give order to him foot soldiers for home, wey wreak havoc anytime him like.

As him dey face jail wahala, im don dey backtrack.

No be dis betrayal of trust go confirm say im dey use di secessionist agitation to chop money for himself and him friends?

If anything wey him arrest and di way dem put am for prison don show, na say di long hand of di law, even if im dey slow sometimes, no dey tire.

Interpol wey dey investigate wetin im dey do dey send strong message.

Incitement to violence and terrorism no get border.

Countries wey before dey shelter such agitators don dey wake up to di wahala wey dey come from keeping pipo wey dey cause chaos for abroad.

Simon Ekpa talk and action don show di wahala wey dey happen Wen diaspora activism meet local instability.

From him base for Finland, him dey use digital platform to spread propaganda and give order, while na Naija wey dey ground dey pay di real price for him commands.

Dis gap between di pesin wey dey instigate and di pipo wey dey suffer na clear sign of di bigger wahala wey globalized radicalism dey bring.

E be like say dis chaos don dey happen for too long.

As Simon Ekpa dey face di chance to go back Naija to face di full anger of di law, him go make sense to think about di bigger meaning of wetin him don do.

Southeast, na area wey pipo sabi for dia hard work and strong spirit, don dey carry story of violence, stagnation, and division.

But, di pipo for dat side deserve beta.

Dem deserve leaders wey go put dialogue for front instead of wahala and unity instead of division.

E don reach time wey correct-thinking Naija dem for Southeast go stand up to challenge talk wey dey hold dia home land progress back.

Dis moment suppose serve as wake-up call to Naija pipo dem wey dey for home and abroad.

Even though grievances and aspirations dey valid for any democracy, di way wey dem take address am suppose remain lawful and constructive.

Ekpa’s judgement no suppose be only as punishment for wetin him do, but also as warning to odas wey fit think say dem fit follow di same road.

Him arrest dey remind me of anoda self-proclaim secessionist leader, Adeyinka Grandson (wey dey don forget), wey bi di advocate for Yoruba nation with him platform, Young Yorubas for Freedom.

Him dey talk bad about oda tribes, especially di major tribes, for social media, but him no take long before hand meet am too.

Him dey serve four years jail term for UK prison now.

E be like say, di country dey suffer from secessionist wahala left, right, and centre, more than sixty years afta independence.

Almost all di regions dey feel marginalized.

And dis don cause mutual suspicion.

South East na region wey don dey feel marginalized for plenty years, im go important make dis administration find way to fully bring South East back into beta hope and national unity.

Dis kind effort go fit counter secessionist talk wey dey thrive on di belief say South East dey unfairly sidelined for di country big plan.

Now wey im don reach dis time, di federal government need to re-establish strong presence and involvement for di region.

Dis one no go be only to reduce secessionist propaganda but e go also show say South East dey important and significant to Naija progress as nation.

Gone are di days wey pipo wey no suppose get power fit dey use undue authority over pipo wey suppose obey only di pipo wey get proper authority.

As Simon Ekpa campaign of terror dey come to an end, we fit only hope say him judgement go bring new beginning of peace, progress and real leadership for South East.

More pipo like am suppose sabi say violence and instability no go fit dey tolerated again.

Naija don already suffer plenty bicos of di reforms wey dey happen under di new government.

While dem dey hope for light for di end of di tunnel, dem no fit afford to suffer more pain and loss from pipo like Simon Ekpa.

For dis point, e go make sense make everybody remember say nobody dey above di law and di way to freedom no suppose dey filled with di blood and tears of di innocent citizens.

For di end, di joy wey follow Simon Ekpa arrest for Finland show say plenty Naija still dey committed to peaceful, prosperous, and united country.

As I dey always talk, wetin dey bind us togeda strong pass wetin dey tear us apart.

Di fault lines dey always dey, but, as pesin don talk before, we go continue to disagree to agree, but we no go ever disintegrate.

Just like our national anthem dey remind us, “though tribe and tongue fit di ffer, for brotherhood we dey stand.”

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