By Dr. Chiedozie Alex Ogbonnia
On Monday, October 27, 2025, the media were flooded with the news that “the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, abandoned his earlier plan to open his defence and instead opted to file a no-case submission before the Federal High Court in Abuja”.
It added that Kanu informed the presiding judge, Justice James Omotosho, that after reviewing the case file, that he, Kanu had concluded that “there was no valid charge against him and that the prosecution had failed to establish any prima facie case”. And that proceeding with the defence would amount to validating what he described as an “unlawful and baseless prosecution.”
For eight years, I served the Igbo; first as the President, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Enugu State Chapter and later as the National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide. Throughout the eight years, I was at the centre of discussions on the welfare of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. Thus, when he was granted bail in April 2017, Chief Nnia Nwodo, the then President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, was amongst the first few Igbo dignitaries that held intimate discussions with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. On his arrival to Chief Nwodo house at GRA, Enugu, I was the person who received Kanu and took him in, to see Nwodo. We discussed warmly and took pictures.
When there was a conflict between Ohanaeze and IPOB, I was at Ukpor, Anambra State, in the country home of Chief Mbazulike Amechi, of the blessed memory. The Ohanaeze delegation was led by Chief Damian Okeke Ogene and the IPOB delegation was led by Barr. Aloy Ejimakor. At the end of the invaluable discussion, Chief Amechi concluded that both the Ohanaeze and IPOB had a convergence on the Igbo predicament, but a divergence on the approach to the solution to the Igbo plight in Nigeria. Chief Amaechi could not withhold his joy as two groups who had seen each other through a pigeonhole, turned round to embrace themselves in a jubilation galore.
I also worked closely with Professor George Obiozor, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, and later Nze Fidelis Ozichukwu. As the media chief of Ohanaeze, I issued uncountable press releases in defence of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, some of which can still be assessed on the net. At a point, I warned the federal government that “Mazi Nnamdi Kanu should not die in custody.”
