Bianca Odumegwu Ojukwu has called for restraint and dialogue in response to the conviction and sentencing of IPOB leader Nnamdi Kanu on terrorism charges, delivered on November 20, 2025.
She’s the Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, and the widow of the late Biafran secessionist General Chukwuemeka Ojukwu.
In a statement issued upon her return from Zanzibar, Tanzania, where she had been on a five‑day NTAC monitoring exercise, Ojukwu described the development as “sad news” and emphasized the need for calm among Ndigbo and Nigerians at large.
“There comes a time in the history of a people when there is need for calm. I therefore advise Ndigbo, and Nigerians as a whole, that such a period is now,” she said.
She cautioned against incendiary actions that could escalate tensions both within Nigeria and in the diaspora, stressing that restraint is vital to preventing further instability.
Call for Dialogue and Collective Engagement
Ojukwu urged constructive dialogue involving governors, senators, members of the House of Representatives, clergy, traditional rulers, politicians, and business leaders from the Southeast to engage collectively with government authorities.
“Beating the drums of fury and sabre rattling will only generate diminishing returns, and in the worst-case scenario, yet another wasteland,” she warned.
Highlighting dialogue as the most effective path toward resolution, she reaffirmed the Igbo commitment to coexistence in Nigeria with justice, equity, and dignity. She reassured Nigerians and international partners that prospects remain for resolving the impasse in a way that reduces national anxiety and societal trauma.
“Now is the time for us all in Ala Igbo to put all hands-on deck, and to have a joint engagement, sincerely, involving all the Southeastern States, to seek a political resolution to this matter,” she concluded.
The sentencing of Kanu has sparked widespread reactions across Nigeria and beyond, with stakeholders closely watching how the situation unfolds.
Calls for dialogue echo similar appeals from political leaders such as Peter Obi, who warned that the conviction could deepen mistrust and aggravate national tension.
Mrs. Ojukwu, highly revered in the Eastern bloc of Nigeria did previously promise that the government she serves would let Mr. Kanu out of jail.
Now with the life sentence imposed, only if a higher court upturns the judgement or there is a special presidential pardon, that promise will stay disappointingly unfulfilled for many.
Rate, Like 👍, Comment 💬, Share this article, Follow us on our social media handles, and Submit your own story to get featured and earn rewards!
WhatsApp Channel
Telegram Channel
