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By Chuks Eke
Founder/leader on the Movement for Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has described the late Biafra warrior, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu as a rallying force for Igbo unity.
He therefore pledged to continue to celebrate Ojukwu’s Memorial Day on a yearly basis, as long as he (Uwazuruike) remains alive.
In a press statement issued on his behalf on Tuesday by MASSOB’s National Director of Information, Mazi Chris Mocha, ahead of the 2026th Edition of Ojukwu Memorial lecture billed to take place on November 26, Uwazuruike recalled how he started organizing Ojukwu’s Memorial lecture since 2012, as a reminder to Ndigbo that the quest for Igbo unity begins and ends with General Ojukwu whom he identified as former Head of State of the Defunct Biafra Republic.
According to Uwazuruike who has a Chieftaincy title of Ijele Ndigbo which has a similarity with Ojukwu’s own Chieftaincy title of Ezeigbo Gburugburu, “Ojukwu Day is the greatest event East of the Niger but Ndigbo would never move forward in Nigeria without unity and the only name that would foster such unity is Ojukwu, even after death”.
“It is for this reason that I have celebrated the late warrior’s birthday since 1994 and have been organizing lectures in his memory of him every year since in November 26, 2012”.
“İ see Ojukwu as the Mahatma Gandhi of India and I believe that if Ndigbo respect and honour Ojukwu as Indians honour Gandhi, the unity of Ndigbo would be guaranteed”.
Uwazuruike who maintained that Ojukwu had been his Hero since his childhood, further declared: “I used to hear and read about Ojukwu as a child. But around 1992, or thereabout, İ was privileged to see Ojukwu during a meeting of non-indigenes in Lagos where I led the group representing the Igbo community in Lagos State”.
“Due to my contribution in that meeting he personally invited me to his residence in Vilasca Lodge, İkoyi, Lagos. From that private meeting with him, the late Emeka Ojukwu developed some likeness for İ found in him a man of unquestionable character and someone who had genuine interest for the well-being of Ndigbo”.
“I subsequently began to work under him for the interest of Ndigbo. Even when he was still alive, İ started celebrating and organizing his birthdays since 1994 until his demise in November 2012. Infact,
MASSOB and Biafra Independence Movement, BİM and I have hosted Ojukwu Memorial Day since 2012 Unbroken.”
He disclosed that the activities lined up for the 2026th edition which is the 15th, and the greatest event East of the Niger, would be unveiled shortly after Ojukwu’s posthumous birthday scheduled for November 4, 2026.
