It is almost getting to two months since the military invaded the country home of the self professed leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB). SAM OBINNA UME reports that even though normalcy has returned to the area, life is no longer the same.
Prior to the invasion of Nnamdi Kanu’s Isiama Afara Ukwu country home of Umuahia North Local Council Area of Abia state on September 12, 2017 by the Nigeria Army, the community was a beehive of activities where people from all walks of life came to pay homage to the renowned leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, who took the federal government by storm through the activities of the group.
Kanu can best be described as a thong in the flesh of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government due to the activities of IPOB and his public outburst most times.
Since that historical invasion, the hitherto busy country home of the embattled IPOB leader is now a shadow of its old self.
Regrettably, the once-busy and crowd-puller home of Kanu is now like a grave yard except for some enthusiastic pockets of Jewish worshippers occupying the palace of his father, the traditional ruler of the community.
Some residents gave insights
This fact was corroborated by Hon Ugochukwu Ibeku whose house is a stone throw to that of the embattled IPOB leader. In a chat with Blueprint, he said, “There is no cause for alarm any longer to the inhabitants who live within the palace of Eze Israel Okwu Kanu, the traditional ruler of Isiama Afara ukwu, Nnamdi Kanu’s father whose where-about and that of his wife is uncertain since the said invasion.”
Speaking further, Ibeku said there was no dull moment on their street when the IPOB leader was around, adding that people came in and went out as his abode was a Mecca-of-a sort.
Ibeku however noted that peace has since returned to Isiama Afara after the invasion by the military.
He painted an ugly picture of how the place was during the September 12, 2017 invasion, stressing that the day would continue to linger in his memory as long as he lives because, according to him, he hurriedly left house with his family and ran away for five days during the heavy bombardment by the army and did not return until normalcy returned.
Ibeku said, “For now, there is no problem. Even the police observation post and military checking point stationed at certain strategic locations near the house and the area are not disturbing anybody.”
Ibeku is not the only one with first-hand information about the state of affairs of this once-bubbling community.
Comrade Okechukwu Ijebuonwu, the state coordinator, Tricycle Operators Association who is from Afaraukwu also noted that there is now peace in the land unlike what it was before the military invasion in 2017.
He disclosed that within said period, Biafra agitators held sway in their morbid actions to profess the realisation of the republic of Biafra which he said affected all Ibeku land not only in Isiama Afara or the Afaraukwu community.
“For now, Afaraukwu is safe and peaceful and everybody goes about their businesses without any fear of molestation by the law enforcement agencies or the Biafra agitators,” Ijebuonwu said.
Another resident of the area who is a civil servant, therefore spoke to Blueprint on the condition of anonymity said that the situation during the period the military invaded the area and now can best be imagined than described.
He noted that during the hey days when the IPOB leader came back to his Afaraukwu community, the tension his arrival generated enveloped fears in the minds of the people living there as they do not know what be the next line of actions would be given the influx of the Biafra agitators to the area.
He maintained that the situation was not helped because of the utterances of Kanu which exposes them to threat and attack as the police and army carried out regular surveillance on the area. Kanu, he noted had to run away because of the heavy firepower from the army in order to restore law and order in the troubled Isiama Afara community already taken over by the IPOB. He bemoaned the attitude of IPOB members who worshipped Kanu like a demi-god.
The role of Jewish worshippers
Also speaking during a visit the community, Chibeze Uchechukwu, a Jewish worshipper from Orlu in Imo state said they are in their leader’s house to keep the compound and premises neat pending when he will come back.
Uchechukwu said somehow, life has returned in the house of their leader since they arrival to occupy the palace. He added that the law enforcement agents are aware of their mission therefore are not disturbed but only stationed at strategic places.
The Jewish worshipper told Blueprint that he has no business with Christianity. He admitted having a cordial relationship with the host community who appreciated what they are doing in the land.
He added that they see themselves as an extension of the community but he described the invasion of the traditional ruler’s palace as a sacrilege which he said should be condemned in its entirety.
Meanwhile according to Princess Haleluya Nwachukwu, a 48-year-old widow from Enugu state who is presently the overseer in Mazi Kanu’s Isiama Afara home narrated how in May 2018, she and other Jewish worshippers got what she described as ‘divine message’ to set out to Abia and occupy their master’s house until he returns.
She said that she received a call from ‘Elohim’ (Chi in Igbo language) that she should occupy the place until he returns, adding that she heard the voice of God and not man hence she embarked on the journey with over 150 Jewish worshippers.
“Although some have gone back, a good number of us are still around and have not been having any problem but when we arrived newly, some of the men were arrested and later released through court in Umuahia.”
Princess Nwachukwu further noted that, “In 2018 when we arrived, we were termed Boko Haram terrorists but today, we no longer bear that toga having noticed our calm disposition in the town. Since our arrival, we are keeping the palace and street clean and people of the area are enjoying our stay in Afaraukwu Ibeku community.”
Asked if she has any idea when their leader would be back to the palace and Nigeria, she said there was no idea except that the voice that spoke to her asked her to go and occupy until he returns, adding that their leader was aware that they were in his father’s house to keep the palace neat.
“Nnamdi Kanu cannot forget his own and we cannot forget him; he is praying for us just as we are praying for him,” Nwachukwu said.
On how they sustain themselves there, she replied that the whole world takes care of them especially from Israel, America and other different parts of the world.
On why she chooses Judaism instead Christianity, she said, “Our forefathers worshipped in Arochukwu ancient synagogue, we do go there to do some rituals. The vacuum between Judaism and Christianity is so deep. We worship Elohim in Israel but Christianity came from Rome. The Bible they gave to our people is already manipulated. They added and subtracted some things. We use Torah while Christians use Bible.
The Problems we have in Christianity is that they talk much and do less, adding that her Igbo people allowed Christianity to influence them so much but forgot that Jesus Christ Himself said He was a Jewish man.
Whether people still come to visit the palace as was the case when their leader was around, she answered in the affirmative.
“Yes, people have been coming and Elohim has been using them to do things in the palace.
“This palace was turned into bush before our arrival here but we are now keeping both the palace and the streets clean.
