South East: Kanu introduces Economic Empowerment Day, abolishes sit-at-home
By Emma Ogbuehi
In a move to save the South East from the widely condemned Monday sit-at-home order that has caused the zone enormous human and material resources, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Maz Nnamdi Kanu, has abolished all forms of the exercise and declared that every Monday in the region be observed as Economic Empowerment Day (EED).
Since the sit-at-home regime took effect in the region exactly two years ago, many lives have been lost in enforcing the order. Economic activities have also been grounded because of the residents not venturing out for fear of being attacked by enforcers of the order. Even when Kanu had declared stoppage of the exercise, hoodlums, acting on the orders of a certain Finland-based Simon Ekpa, have remained unyielding, making life difficult to the people.
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The directive instituting EED was disclosed in a statement by IPOB’s Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma Powerful, on Saturday.
It read, ”Economic Empowerment Day, EED, 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, educational, and social needs of our people occasioned by the prolonged sit-at-home.
“During the EED exercise, the people of Biafran were encouraged to embark on massive deployment of their resources for the empowerment of the educationally disadvantaged and poverty- ridden population of our people.
“Sit-at-home exercise was initially adopted by IPOB as part of its agitation for a sovereign state of Biafra, but variously it became abused by other variants of Biafra agitation, including the most condemned version of Simon Ekpa.
”Following the total cancellation of all forms of sit-at-home in the entire South-East, as clearly and unequivocally encapsulated in Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s handwritten letter which was recently published by special counsel Barrister Alloy Ejimakor, widely trended and deservedly celebrated, Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has as a follow up to the recorded acceptability and massive compliance with the directive, further directed Umu Chineke , to henceforth, set aside every Monday as an “Economic Empowerment Day, EED, in the entire South-East.
“During this exercise, Biafrans are encouraged to embark on massive deployment of their resources for the empowerment of the educationally disadvantaged and poverty ridden population of our people.
“Through education, employment, health services, sense of identity and community, our people and indeed, the Eastern region can begin to thrive and grow.
“There is an urgent need to reclaim our lost glory by embarking on empowering Biafrans with the resources they need to live beyond mere subsistence as our people are known globally for hard work, resilience, and great achievements.
“Also, the implication of this Economic Empowerment Day, EED, is that Biafrans are expected to devote significant time to adhere to their routine calendar schedule template strictly and uninterruptedly with a view to making up for the humongous time lost to the activities of misguided enforcers of unsanctioned Monday sit-at-home order.”