Bishop says Biafra will have problems because Igbos do not govern themselves properly

LIVING Christ Church Mission Worldwide founder Bishop Hezekiah Walker has scoffed at calls for the immediate creation of the independent Republic of Biafra saying that Igbos do not govern their states well enough to run a nation state.

 

Over recent months, calls for the creation of an independent state of Biafra have gained across Nigeria's Igbo-speaking southeastern geo-political zones. Thousands of Igbo youths have taken to the streets to protest what they see as marginalisation by the Buhari government and the arrest of Radio Biafra director Nnamdi Kanu.

 

While calm heads have called for calm, several youth groups have threatened fire and brimstone if Mr Kanu is not released unconditionally. Wading into the crisis, Bishop Walker, who is also the founder and chancellor of Hezekiah University in Imo State, said there was nothing wrong for the Ndigbo to demand a Biafran state but stated Igbos would not be able to lead themselves.

 

Bishop Walker said: "Sometimes I am worried to ask if we have Biafra today, who will lead us? Is it these governors that cannot lead their states effectively?

 

"Otherwise, I can’t see anything wrong in having Biafra but I don’t want it through war but peace. Were six nations not created out of Yugoslavia of which Macedonia is one of them, was it not from Czechoslovakia that they created Czechs and Slovakia? Was the Soviet Union not formerly 15 nations?"

 

He added, however, that with the current bad leadership Igbos are suffering from, Biafra will run into a big problem. Bishop Walker also warned those calling for war, pointing out that he survived the Nigerian Civil War as a child when he trekked from his village to Owerri and Orlu.

 

"With the way we govern ourselves in Anambra, Imo and Abia states, can we really govern ourselves if dream of Biafra materializes? It’s worse in Abia State as the people of Abia State are suffering too much.

 

"Look at it, somebody travelling to Port Harcourt through Umuagwo normally is stuck for about 10 hours due to bad roads but when the governor will pass he would use a helicopter. It’s very unfortunate as the blessings poured on these leaders by the people matter a lot and the curses being rained on these governors and other leaders by these same people must come to pass," Bishop Walker added.

 

He added that old men and women are raining curses on them because of exploitation and their children will never spare these corrupt leaders. Bishop Walker advised governors to govern their states well so that when they leave office, they retain their respect like Akanu Ibiam, Nelson Mandela and Nnamdi Azikiwe as God answers the prayers of the oppressed.