Prominent media entrepreneur and publisher of Ovation International, Dele Momodu, has once again stepped into Nigeria’s national conversation, this time calling for the release of Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
In a post shared on his X (formerly Twitter) handle on Tuesday, the veteran journalist and former presidential candidate urged the Federal Government to take a more thoughtful and political approach to addressing the Biafra agitation rather than relying on force or legal battles.
His post, which included a clip from one of Kanu’s earlier broadcasts, offered a rare blend of empathy and historical reflection, highlighting why the movement continues to resonate across the South-East.
A Call for Understanding, Not Condemnation
Momodu said that before his arrest and repatriation from Kenya, Kanu had articulated the deep frustrations that fuelled his movement.
“Shortly before his abduction from Kenya by the Nigerian government, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu made this thought-provoking broadcast in which he philosophised about the reasons he and his supporters became radicalised,” Momodu wrote.
According to him, the agitation for Biafra did not emerge in isolation; it is rooted in “decades of marginalisation and deprivation” suffered by the Igbo people since the end of the civil war.
He cautioned that many critics of Kanu and his followers have failed to understand this historical context. “I have taken time to listen to his critics,” Momodu said, “and discovered most of them jumped to conclusions without properly analysing why agitation for Biafra became reignited, attractive, and fanciful after the pogroms that wasted millions of lives in the 1960s and ’70s.”
The Roots of the Biafra Sentiment
Quoting from Kanu’s own words, Momodu noted that the “continuing marginalisation of the Igbo” and the neglect of their talents, people he described as “some of the most energetic and vibrant brains in Africa and globally” have rekindled the Biafra sentiment among a new generation.
He stressed that Kanu’s message, however controversial, reflects a broader frustration within the South-East that cannot be silenced by imprisonment.
“The attempts to exterminate or silence Kanu, including by his own kinsmen, will never solve the problem,” Momodu warned. “The Igbo struggle goes beyond legalese. It requires serious political reconfiguration, and urgently too.”
A Political Problem Demands a Political Solution
Momodu’s tone throughout his post was firm but measured. He made it clear that while he does not support violence, he believes that the Nigerian government must engage the South-East constructively and inclusively.
“I will never support violence,” he wrote. “But any sensible government will keep the geniuses of the South-East very busy with productive engagements, instead of this rabid hatred.”
His statement underscores a growing sentiment among political observers and civil society groups that Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention has done little to quell separatist tension, and may, in fact, be deepening alienation in the region.
A Widening Call for Dialogue
Dele Momodu’s remarks come amid renewed calls from political leaders, civil rights advocates, and Igbo socio-cultural organisations for Kanu’s release and a shift toward dialogue-driven solutions.
Many observers argue that peace in the South-East can only be achieved through a comprehensive national conversation about equity, inclusion, and representation issues that have long shaped Nigeria’s political evolution.
A Thoughtful Takeaway
Momodu’s intervention is not just another political comment; it’s a reminder of the power of empathy in leadership. His words reflect a broader truth: that sustainable peace cannot be enforced through repression, but must be built through understanding and justice.
As Nigeria continues to navigate complex questions of identity and unity, voices like Dele Momodu’s challenge both leaders and citizens to look beyond tribal lines and seek the deeper truths that drive national unrest.
Because, ultimately, as Momodu’s post suggests, the path to unity begins with listening, and with the courage to act on what we hear.
