IPOB And The Pradoxy Of Sit-At-Home.

By Buchi Noel Loris.

De Erudite Communication. Sunday, October 24, 2021.

The news currently flying around in the social media is a statement credited to IPOB’s Directorates Of Affairs in which IPOB members are instructed to brace up for the mandatory impending one week sit-at-home.

In the statement, the one week sit-at-home has been scheduled commence on the 5th of November and terminate on the 10th, Sunday within these days not inclusive as it is that day to pray to and worship God.

A part of the statement states that it is part of their strategies to press home the demand for the unconditional release of their detained leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.

The statement also suggest that anyone who dares to defy the instruction shall be considered an enemy to the ‘struggle’.

Anambra state, presumably in the bid to align its educational activities with the directive, released a statement which affirms the shifting of the schools’ mid-term break from its initial date (27th October) to November 4th.

Meanwhile, nothing has been said about the state’s gubernatorial election whose date falls within the sit-at-home days.

It is stratospherically disappointing that the only strategy the IPOB’s think-box could muster is the regular sit-at-home. It is also a slap on the face of Ndi Igbo, who are well known for sapience and brilliance.

People are still writhing in the pain inflicted by the economic hardship heralded by the Monday weekly sit-at-home, then boom a full week sit-at-home is announced. It is like pressing the neck of a dying man.

To think that the Federal Government will bat an eyelid in respect to the release of Kanu because of the regularity of sit-at-home in the East is the most hilarious joke of this century. The Buhari-led government will rather sit back and applause the sheer foolishness.

The leadership of IPOB should, at this point, apply rationality (if there’s anyone left in their brains) and realize that these incessant sits-at-home will do no good in region. Instead, it will worsen the bottomless economic quagmire which the country in currently languishing in.

Recently, the region stated the substantial sum which it loses every Mondays due to lockdown. A lot of business outfits are also considering relocation away from the region. If it continues this way, the story will be unpalatable.

The irony of it all is that those dishing out these orders are doing so from their abodes oversea. Hence, like the rock in the middle of the sea forever cooled by flowing waters, that knows not the hotness of the sun that dries the open land, they will likely not feel the negative economic impact of the lockdown.

Again, the coincidence of the sit-at-home with the gubernatorial election in Anambra state entails that there will likely be low turnout in the election or the election will be cancelled. When this happens, then declaring the state of emergency in the state becomes imminent. The consequences will be dire!

The leadership of IPOB should go back to the drawing board and brainstorm over the best way to go about the struggle. The sit-at-home strategy is counterproductive and suicidal to say the least. It is instructive they realize that the compliance the sit-at-home has been enjoying is not out of dedication but apprehension, and very soon the people will rather choose to die than to languish in hunger.