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Ohanaeze Declares Igbo Mourning Day, Lambasts South-East Governors Over Ebubeagu’s Failure

September 28, 2021

“Igbo Day of Mourning” with the theme “Ozoemena” will now replace Igbo Day which is usually celebrated annually on the 29th of September.

Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has declared September 29, 2021, the Igbo Day celebration as the Igbo day of mourning.

This was announced in a statement signed by Comrade Temple Chika, its National Publicity Secretary.

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“Igbo Day of Mourning” with the theme “Ozoemena” will now replace Igbo Day which is usually celebrated annually on the 29th of September.

Chika said this followed the systematic and extra-judicial killings of Igbo in recent times by Nigerian security forces, herdsmen and unknown gunmen.

The statement read, “This is to inform all Igbos both home and in the diaspora about the cancellation of 2021 IGBO DAY slated previously to hold in Enugu and Awka, Anambra State, respectively, on 29th September 2021.

“We urge Ndigbo to observe the World Igbo Day of Mourning in remembrance of all Igbo martyrs both at home and diaspora, whose lives were cut short at their prime age during security operations, herdsmen, Obigbo/ Orlu massacres, killings in the North by Boko Haram and banditry. The mood of Ndigbo nowadays depicts mourning both traditionally and religiously.

“Consequently, there will be no fanfare, no jubilation, and acrobatic cultural displays as obtained from the annual Igbo Day Celebrations in the past few years.”

The group also described the inability of South-East Governors to establish the Ebubeagu regional security outfit three months after it was mooted, as “an embarrassment.”

It also asked the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) to reassert its authority and control of the organisation so as to return normalcy to Igboland, insisting that something other than the initial objectives for which the group was formed was taking place and portended great danger.

“Our people must have a security networking agency that is under their control and capable of identifying both internal and external security threats in Igbo land,” he said.