By Izunna Okafor
A non-governmental and non-profit organization, Justice and Accountability For All, JAFA, has frowned at the action of the wife of late Biafran Warlord, Mrs Bianca Ojukwu, who recently exchanged slap with the immediate-past First Lady of Anambra State, Mrs Ebelechukwu Obiano; and called on her to publicly apologize for her action.
Recall that, exactly one week today, the two women started dominating the media space, as they literally fought during the inauguration ceremony of Prof. Chukwuma Soludo and Dr. Onyekachi Ibezim as the Governor and the Deputy Governor of Anambra state respective, which held last Thursday at the Government House, Awka, Anambra State capital.
Recall also that shortly after the affray, Obi of Awka Ancient Kingdom, His Imperial Majesty, the Eze Uzu 111 of Awka, Obi Austin Ndigwe gave Mrs Obiano seven days to tender unreserved public apology for her disdainful act, which he described as a sacrilege.
This notwithstanding, the Justice and Accountability For All, JAFA, has also called on Bianca Ojukwu to tender unreserved public apology to Obiano’s wife, former governors of the state, Governor Soludo, Ndị Anambra and Nigeria at large “for her despicable act.”
In a statement signed by the group’s National Coordinator and Secretary, Mr John Ifeanyi and Camela Jude, they described Bianca’s action as a moral tragedy and disrespectful to Ndigbo and the friends of Ndigbo.
The statement reads in parts: “The wife of Ikemba should be virtuous; she should possess the highest mentality of a mother of Igbo nation, a role model to young and old; she should be the worthiest example of womanhood, commanding respect, honour and dignity in private and public places, something larger than life image of her husband, the legend. But no, not Bianca.
“Why should a wife of the great Ikemba be so proud of her despicable action when she disrespected Ndigbo and friends of Ndigbo to the point of celebrating the incident on a live TV interview? No. Something must be definitely wrong.
“If Bianca has any modicum of decorum and decency at all, she should come out openly and apologize to former Governors of Anambra State, Osodieme, Soludo, Anambra and Nigeria. Bianca’s action is a moral tragedy. We condemn it and ask that elders of Ndigbo should call her to order.”
They further alleged that Bianca did not display the attitude expected of her as the wife of the most important Igbo man in history, and described the physical assault as unnecessary.
JAFA, therefore, called on the former Nigeria Ambassador to Spain Mrs Ojukwu, to toe emulate Mrs Obiano, who, according to them, had apologised to Soludo and to the dignitaries present at the event.
They also quoted Mrs Obiano as saying that no excuse could justify such public embarrassment.
According to them, Mrs Obiano, in her apology, said “Those who know me can testify that before and throughout my eight years as the First Lady of State, I pursued peace, promoted philanthropic gestures which empowered many of our less privileged people. No excuse can therefore be tenable as justification for such public embarrassment, no matter the height of provocation.
“Equally, I wish to extend the same apology to all the important dignitaries, the people of Anambra State, as well as the entire Ndigbo for that unintended embarrassment at the occasion.”
