Nnamdi Kanu Biography, Career & Lots More

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In 2014, Nnamdi Kanu founded a group called, the Indigenous People of

Biafra (IPOB). The movement clamours for the breakaway of a group of

states in south-east Nigeria, made up mainly of people from the Igbo

ethnic group from the Federal Republic of Nigeria to form the

independent nation of Biafra.









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The talk of a breakaway is not new. In 1967, Igbo leaders led by

General Ojukwu declared a Biafran state. However, after a brutal civil

war, which led to the deaths of about a million people, the

secessionist movement was defeated. The idea of secession since then

had faded until Mr. Kanu once again, came into the picture and became

the latest Biafran activists taking up the cause.











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Nnamdi Kanu was not known until 2009 when he started a radio station

called Radio Biafra, a station that called for an independent state

for the Igbo people. The radio station broadcast to Nigeria from

London. Nnamdi Kanu grew up in Nigeria and had his university

education at the University of Nsukka. However, Mr. Kanu moved to the

UK before graduating.



Soon after setting up the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), he spoke

to gatherings of the large Igbo diaspora, calling for Biafran

independence. In some of his comments, he urged Biafrans to take up

arms against the Nigerian state.



About Nnamdi Kanu



His full name is Nnamdi Okwu Kanu. He was born on the 25th of

September 1967. He is a British Nigerian and Biafra political

activist. He is the leader of a movement called the Indigenous People

of Biafra (IPOB). The main aim of IPOB is to create an independent

state for the people of the old Eastern Region of Nigeria. It aims to

achieve this through a referendum. Nnamdi Kanu is also the director of

a UK registered radio station named Radio Biafra. Nnamdi Kanu was

arrested by the Nigerian government and charged with treason in Lagos,

Nigeria on the 14th of October 2015. Kanu was detained for more than a

year, despite various court orders that ruled for his release. When in

court, Kanu appeared regularly wearing a Jewish prayer shawl and head

covering. He declared his belief in Judaism and that he considers

himself a Jew. Oftentimes, he has led his Biafran people to various

Jewish prayers and religious observations. He also describes himself

as an Igbo Jew, part of a group who believe they are descendants of

the lost tribe of Israel who settled in West Africa. On the 28th of

April 2017, Kanu was released from prison on bail.







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Early life



Nnamdi Kanu was born in Isiama Afara Ukwu in Umuahia, Abia State. His

father’s name is Eze Israel Okwu Kanu (JP) while his mother is

Ugoeze Nnenne Kanu. Nnamdi Kanu attended Library Avenue Primary School

for his primary school education and then went to Government College

Umuahia for his secondary education. He studied at University of

Nigeria, Nsukka before moving to the UK before his graduation



Activism and Awareness



Nnamdi Kanu was a guest speaker at the World Igbo Congress on the 5th

of September 2015 which was held in Los Angeles. There it is reported

that he told his audience about their need to have guns and bullets.

Later on in June 2017, in an interview, Kanu explained his comment

saying that he had demanded for bullets and guns from a group of

US-based Nigerians for self-defense against the incessant attacks on

Igbos by Fulani herdsmen which were currently reoccurring back in

Nigeria in Igbo lands that were targeted to be Biafran.



Controversy



Since Nnamdi Kanu had begun his advocacy for the Republic of Biafra in

2015, he had made highly controversial comments on various occasions.

Sometime in 2017, a video of Kanu was seen wherein he issued an open

death threat to former Nigerian president Chief Obasanjo. Here, he had

told a gathering of supporters at his home that if any harm comes to

him, members of IPOB should eliminate Obasanjo and his lineage. This

was also made in reference to Obasanjo’s statement at a gathering in

Abuja when he said that all must be done to Stop IPOB.



Arrest of Nnamdi Kanu



On 18 October 2015, it was reported that Kanu had been arrested in

Lagos State by Nigeria’s secret police, the Department of State

Services (DSS). Later, the public got to know that Kanu was arrested

four days earlier. Kanu had told his solicitors that he was arrested

on the 14th of October 2015 while he was in his hotel room at the

Golden Tulip Essential Hotel Ikeja, Lagos State. This means that

between the 14th and 17th of October 2015, Kanu’s whereabouts were

unknown. On the 18th of October 2015, the press broke the news of his

arrest and detention by the SSS in Abuja. The news of the arrest of

Nnamdi Kanu generated protests across Delta State, Enugu State, Rivers

State, Cross River State, Abia State, Imo State, Akwa Ibom State,

Bayelsa State, and Anambra State.







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Detention



After the arrest of Nnamdi Kanu, members of the IPOB movement gathered

in protest all around Nigeria in Delta State, Enugu State, Rivers

State, Cross River State, Abia State, Imo State, Akwa Ibom State,

Bayelsa State, and Anambra State and thus, the movement gained even

more momentum. Many human rights groups also demanded Mr. Kanu’s

release, sighting his months of detention without trial as unlawful.



Several court orders called for Mr. Kanu’s bail but all these were

ignored by the federal government. However, the government finally

bowed to a court order and granted Mr. Kanu bail based â€Ε“on medical

grounds†on the 28th of April 2017,



Civil disobedience



Nnamdi Kanu’s announced that his strategy in demanding freedom for

his people and the establishment of a new republic called Biafra is

the application of civil disobedience, which is peaceful advocacy. In

various air broadcasts, Nnamdi Kanu stated how Martin Luther King Jr.

and Mahatma Gandhi‘s had used different forms of civil disobedience.

He stated that if it worked out for them, he was assured it will also

lead to the â€Ε“restoration of Biafra†.



Before the 2019 presidential election, IPOB had threatened to boycott

the election, describing it as a multi-faceted approach comprising

civil disobedience and passive resistance. However, on the eve of the

election, Nnamdi Kanu lifted the boycott position and urged Biafrans

to participate in the election.

















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