Use Dialogue, Not Violence, to Free Kanu — Bianca Ojukwu Tells South-East

The Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mrs. Bianca Odumegwu-Ojukwu, has called on the people of the South-East to adopt dialogue and peaceful engagement in addressing the imprisonment of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Speaking at the 14th Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu Memorial Day held on Wednesday at the Ojukwu Memorial Library in Owerri, Imo State, Ojukwu said that although a court of first instance had sentenced Kanu, “all hope is not lost.” She stressed that constructive dialogue remains a viable path toward securing his release from the Sokoto Correctional Centre.

The annual memorial event, instituted by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), drew participants from across the five South-East states and beyond.

During her address, Ojukwu called for a minute of silence in honour of late BBC journalist Frederick Forsyth, “who resigned his job to cover key events during the 1967–1970 Nigeria–Biafra civil war.”

She cautioned against violence, saying:

> “Nnamdi Kanu is in prison. We must not get angry or resort to knives, guns, or fighting ourselves. That is not the solution.”



She urged South-East residents to engage their political representatives:

> “This Christmas, let us meet our National Assembly members and governors. Ask them the way forward to ensure Kanu’s release.”



Ojukwu also appealed for collective efforts to meet President Bola Tinubu and pursue an amicable resolution, saying other regions have successfully used peaceful approaches to address their challenges.

Beyond Kanu’s case, she expressed concern about the declining use of the Igbo language among children, warning that the erosion of mother tongue harms cultural continuity. She encouraged parents to ensure their children learn and speak Igbo at home.

On insecurity in the region, Ojukwu lamented the violence, noting that even during the civil war, Igbo people “were not killing themselves or kidnapping for ransom.” She described the current trend as “strange” and economically damaging, adding that foreign investors—from Cameroon, Ghana, Togo and others—had withdrawn because of rising insecurity.

She urged youths to embrace peace, patience and dialogue, noting that after the civil war, her late husband, Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, received unconditional pardon from former President Shehu Shagari “through peaceful means.”

Chairman of the occasion, Chief Ugwunna Ajaelu, supported Ojukwu’s call, stressing that diplomatic efforts must be prioritised to ensure Kanu’s release “in no distant time.”