Following the passing of First Republic Minister Mbazulike Amaechi, President Muhammadu Buhari has been under fire.
Amaechi passed away on Tuesday morning at the age of 93, according to anaedoonline.ng.
However, the Federal Government’s refusal to carry out his final wish—the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the IPOB leader—has caused controversy in the wake of his passing.
The government led by President Muhammadu Buhari rejected a political option for Kanu’s release in spite of Amaechi’s pleadings before his death.
BREAKING: Mbazulike Amaechi is Dead
The Boy Is Good, a nonagenarian who is well-known in Nigeria, had personally appealed to Buhari to free Kanu, saying that doing so would ensure stability and peace in the region. However, the government did not take his request into account.
However, in response to his passing, President Buhari recalled his interactions with Amaechi in Abuja and Abakaliki, Ebonyi State, in a letter of sympathy sent by his spokesman, Garba Shehu.
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.’
According to him, “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.
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“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.”
Okwu, however, urged the Buhari government to honour the Igbo leader in death by releasing Nnamdi Kanu.
“What they could not do for him while he was alive, they should do now. We are expecting a posthumous honour for him, which is to free Nnamdi Kanu,” the youth leader said.
In a same vein, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Secretary-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Worldwide, said the President should be moved by the news of Amaechi’s passing and heed his final wishes.
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“President Buhari has the exceptional opportunity to rewrite history. Buhari’s best tribute to the late elder statesman should be the Presidential pardon and release of the IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu from custody and we believe that Kanu will honour the bargaining agreement of Mbazulike Amaechi,” Isiguzoro said.
The spokesman of Ohanaeze, Chief Alex Ogbonnia had the same message for Buhari.
In a statement made available to Newsmen, he said, “It is regrettable that the last wish Chief Amaechi presented to President Muhammadu Buhari was rebuffed.
“Amaechi made his way to Aso Rock and pleaded that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu be released to him on trust. Secondly, Amaechi, on hearing that Buhari was to visit Ebonyi State, earlier this year, in spite of his old age, reactivated his combative paws and reflexes to meet Mr. President.
“At Abakaliki, Chief Amaechi in an uncommon oratorical skill, spoke pointedly but passionately to President Buhari on why Nnamdi Kanu should be released to him.
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“Furthermore, Amaechi’s voice waxed eloquent to the universal advocacy that it is the turn of the South East to produce a president in Nigeria.”
Ohanaeze’s position is similar to that of another South-East organization, Voice from the East, led by Comrade Kindness Jonah.
He knew that the residents in the area would have a hard time forgetting the suffering Amaechi endured before dying.
“This is the last surviving minister of the First Republic yet the country he passionately served could not grant his wish till he died. It is quite despicable; Buhari should not deceive Ndigbo with his condolence message, he should keep it to himself,” Jonah said.
Their position is consistent with that of Chief Goddy Uwazurike, President of the Cultural Credibility and Development Initiative (CCDI), who bemoaned the fact that President Muhammadu Buhari broke a promise he made to a delegation of prominent Igbo leaders led by the late Amaechi regarding Nnamdi Kanu.
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“The most recent assignment he undertook was to lead a delegation of the highly respected Eminent Igbo Leaders to visit President Muhamadu Buhari to plead for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. The delegation comprised me, Chief Goddy Uwazurike, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife and Bishop Onuoha.
“Chief Mbazulike Amechi stated firmly that God blessed him with a long life and President Muhamadu Buhari with a second term to bring peace to Nigeria.
“President Muhamadu Buhari promised to give a positive answer because he would not say no to the delegation on account of the age of Chief Mbazulike Amechi. Sadly, this promise was not kept.
“We are in mourning because a highly respected Eminent Igbo leader has departed without hearing from President Muhamadu Buhari that he has released Mazi Nnamdi Kanu,” Uwazurike, a senior lawyer and former president of Igbo think tank, Aka Ikenga stated.
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A senior journalist, Mr. Sunny Igboanugo was not left out.
He wrote in a tribute: “Good night! Buhari denied him his last wish – to see Nnamdi Kanu a free man. He said it was for the courts to decide!
“The courts decided by freeing MNK and the same Buhari who wouldn’t interfere with the courts refused to obey the same court. With a broken heart he died! History!
“Adieu, Mbazuluike Amaechi! Adieu, The Boy Is Good!! Adieu, The Last of the Titans!”
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