UMUAHIA — A wave of raw emotion swept through the Isama Afaraukwu Ibeku community in Umuahia North Local Government Area over the weekend as a 99-year-old nonagenarian, Mrs. Serah Oparaocha, made a tearful plea to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for the release of the detained IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
The elderly woman, who is the oldest member of the Etitinabu Na Ndagbo kindred—the same ancestral line as Kanu—described the separatist leader’s freedom as her “ultimate heart’s desire” before her passing.
A Nonagenarian’s Final Wish
Mrs. Oparaocha, whose hundredth birthday is fast approaching, spoke during a solemn community assembly gathered to address the continued incarceration of their son. Clasping her hands in a gesture of supplication, she revealed that her daily prayers are now centered on one singular event.
“I am 99 years old. My only prayer now is to see Nnamdi Kanu with my own eyes before God eventually calls me,” she stated in a voice laden with grief. “It would be the most wonderful parting gift the President could give to a woman of my age.”
Community Solidarity and Humanitarian Appeals
The plea was backed by prominent kinsmen and academic leaders from the Afaraukwu community, including Professor Ugochukwu Ogbonna and Professor Leo Obinna. The kinsmen argued that Kanu’s release on humanitarian grounds is essential for regional stability and national healing.
They highlighted the severe psychological trauma the community has endured since Kanu’s 2021 rendition from Kenya and his subsequent life imprisonment sentence handed down by Justice James Omotosho in November 2025.
Critics and National Polarization
While the nonagenarian’s plea has drawn sympathy from many, it has also reignited fierce criticism from those who blame Kanu for the violence and economic paralysis that plagued the South-East during the height of IPOB’s “Sit-at-Home” orders.
- Political Pushback: APC chieftain Joe Igbokwe has previously been a vocal critic of such pleas, often citing the loss of lives and property attributed to the agitation.
- Public Scepticism: On social media, some Nigerians have questioned the timing of the appeal, suggesting that traditional and community leaders should have used their influence to curb the agitation years ago.
The Legal Road Ahead
The appeal comes at a critical juncture as Kanu’s legal team has filed a 22-ground appeal to quash his conviction. Furthermore, a caucus of 50 federal lawmakers recently pressured President Tinubu to seek a political solution to the impasse.
The Presidency has yet to issue an official statement regarding the emotional request from the Afaraukwu matriarch.
