The elder statesman had recently led a delegation of prominent Igbo leaders to Aso Rock where he made a case for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
Nigerian President, Muhammadu Buhari, has come under attack following the death of elder statesman and first Republic minister, Mbazulike Amaechi.
SaharaReporters had reported that Amaechi died at early hours of Tuesday November 1, 2022 at his home town of Ukpor in Anambra State, the age of 93.
However, his death has left tongues wagging owing to the failure of the Federal Government to honour his last wish, which was the release of Nnamdi Kanu, the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.
The elder statesman had recently led a delegation of prominent Igbo leaders to Aso Rock where he made a case for the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu.
In May 2022, Amaechi, had pleaded with armed groups to withdraw the sit-at-home order declared on May 5 and 6 in the region over the planned two-day visit of President Muhammadu Buhari to Ebonyi State.
Amaechi had pleaded with the unknown gunmen to withdraw the threat and avoid actions that would embarrass Ndigbo before President Buhari.
Reacting to his death, President Buhari in his condolence message through his spokesman, Garba Shehu, recalled his encounters with Amaechi in Abuja and Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
He recalled Amaechi’s words saying: “I don’t want to leave this planet without peace returning to my country. I believe in one big, united Nigeria, a force in Africa. Mr President, I want you to be remembered as a person who saw Nigeria burning, and you quenched the fire.”
The president said the deceased was a man of wisdom, honesty, and frankness.
He said the former minister’s advice on the situation in the Southeast and the way forward would be missed.
However, Buhari’s encomium on Amaechi has now attracted more angry reactions from Igbo groups.
For the Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Buhari condolence message was nothing short of “crocodile tears," and mockery of Ndigbo.
The President of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Youth Council, Mazi Okwu Nnabuike, who spoke to journalists in Enugu described Amaechi’s death as most devastating, adding, “his death is most devastating because he died with a most unfulfilled wish. No matter how you look at it, he did not die a happy man.
“He begged President Buhari to release Mazi Nnamdi Kanu to him but Buhari did not oblige him. It is cruel of the present administration. This is the last surviving minister of the First Republic, but his wish could not be granted.
“Now the same President is reminding us how Amaechi’s words resonate, how he wished for a peaceful South-East and Nigeria in general. But the same Buhari government made sure that his wish never came to pass.
“So, to us, the entire youths of Igbo land, Buhari’s condolence message is a mockery of Ndigbo; the presidency is smiling over our misfortune, over the loss of an iroko in Igboland.”
On their part, the Coalition of South East Youth Leaders (COSEYL), the apex socio-political youth group in the South East described the death of Ameachi as grave loss to Ndigbo more so as the president frustrated his efforts to bring peace to South East.
COSEYL President General, Goodluck Egwu Ibem who spoke to SaharaReporters, said "his demise is not far from the fact that the Federal Government under President Muhammadu Buhari had promised Chief Mbazulike Amaechi that he would release his son and leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu from DSS custody if the court set him free.
"Regrettably, seeing court discharged Kanu and order was disobeyed. He felt very betrayed that despite his age and standing that President Buhari and the Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami would disrespect him in such a manner.
"The Great Nationalist died because after all the suffering and going to jail in order to get the independent of Nigeria from the British, President Buhari and the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federal cannot respect him by honouring a promise made to him at his age."
He added, "Mbazulike died because the disobedience of the Court of Appeal judgement freeing Nnamdi Kanu by President Buhari is an insult on his person who left everything he was doing to meet Buhari in Abuja and Abakiliki to demand for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The insult caused his death.
"It is very unfortunate that the current leadership under Buhari has no respect for the rule of law and the promise they made with their own mouth. Too sad.
"We commiserate with the entire Igbo nation and Nigeria over the great loss of such an upright nationalist who fought so hard during his youthful age to give us the freedom and democracy which we are enjoying today.
"His contribution towards the growth and development of Nigeria is greatly appreciated by all and sundry. He was selfless in all sense of the word. Indeed, we lost a rare gem."