Posted by By Fred Iwenjora on
LOLO Ngozi Uwazurike, wife of Chief Raph Uwazurike, detained leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) laments the recent burning of their Okwe, Imo state community home, the continued detention of her husband
LOLO Ngozi Uwazurike, wife of Chief Raph Uwazurike, detained leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) laments the recent burning of their Okwe, Imo state community home, the continued detention of her husband and the entire worries of the family especially when the embattled freedom fighter has not been allowed to meet with his lawyer, his family and was not brought to court, Tuesday, when the case came up for hearing.
What's the latest concerning Chief Ralph Uwazurike?
We are very much worried about my husband's state of health in detention. His lawyer, Mr. Festus Keyamo has not been allowed to see him. I cannot tell why. There is complete apprehension within the household and the extended family because we all expected to see him in court, Tuesday. MASSOB members all travelled to Abuja to witness his court appearance. But he was not brought to court, neither did the case come up.
Since his detention, only Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) has been allowed to meet with him. I don't know his state of health. It is very difficult to miss your bread winner for so long and still be the same. It is very difficult to cope with the nagging question of your children about the whereabout of their father.
My last son heard about it on television and came to confront me with the lie I had earlier told him. I had told him that their father travelled. Just yesterday (Tuesday), he confronted me with the real story. He said I had been telling him lies for long and that he heard from the television that his father is facing trial. I was dumb-founded about that. He didn't sleep throughout that night.
To say we are very much worried is an understatement. My second son came and started making some statements and asking certain questions that can only get you disturbed. He said and I quote him: 'are you sure daddy is still alive?" I waved it aside but I couldn't help worrying about that at my private time because nobody knows why he was not brought to court on Tuesday. Yes, why didn't they bring him to court if he's hale and hearty? I just pray he is okay. I had raised an alarm sometime ago that there is a grand design to poison my husband. I am still worried about that. I want to send out a message to whom it may concern through this medium to say: 'Don't kill my husband in detention." Let no other person feed him except those who are keeping him.
Well, one knows that God has been keeping the family...
Just on the 30th of November, 2005, the agents of the state stormed Okwe, our hometwon and devastated the small community. What have the people of Okwe got to do with Uwazurike except that he is one of their illustrious sons? These evil men stormed our home in the village, did all they wanted and set the entire property ablaze. When would these kinds of persecution end? Is burning people's property the best way of calling them to order? If Nigeria is a democratic country, then why should this flagrant abuse of human rights be perpetrated on only a particular section?
The Federal Government should address these things. Did they see anything incriminating in Uwazurike's home to warrant the burning of people's property? They had gone to the house of MASSOB leader's mother and uprooted the old woman's doors and smashed the louvres. Today, the old woman is living in a room without doors and windows. I won't forget the shrill voice with which she told me on phone that she has no door or window anymore. What did the old woman do to warrant all these? Or just for being the mother of Ralph Uwazurike? It's unbelievable.
This is not to talk about the suffering and deprivation of the innocent citizens of Okwe. I plead with the government and the President to stop the army, police and all its agents from going to Okwe to molest innocent citizens. Uwazurike is no more in Okwe. They have him with them. His immediate family members are not in Okwe. I am trying to imagine the trauma our mama (Ralph's mother) went through during this last attack. I told her to take heart as God would avenge for us in due time. They may have their gun and other weapons while we have God.
But was that enough for MASSOB to have given this sit-at-home order which eventually resulted in the death of some people in Owerri?
I believe that's why the members of the organisation organised a sit-at-home order which, to the best of my knowledge, was very effective. The success of this event shows that we are aggrieved about the continued detention and the charging of Uwazurike for treason. It is very unfortunate because he had not done any harm to anyone. It was even worse that some persons were shot and killed in Imo State.
A lot of people thought that his detention would dilute our own resolve. But they have learnt that without Uwazurike, the seed which had been sown by him, continues to grow. We're only worried that they won't leave us alone.
Is MASSOB a violent organisation? The answer is no. Do we have weapons? The answer is still capital NO. Then, why should they continue to harass innocent souls whose main crime is that they want to be set free from the troubles of Nigeria? Government should have a rethink because killing and maiming our people won't kill their resolve to achieve what they want. It's quite tough but we won't give up. The suffering we go through is the price for what we believe in.