National Leader of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazurike, has extolled the virtues of the late Senator Uche Chukwumerije, promising to accord him state honour and burial on May 23, when he will be laid to rest.

He described Chukwumerije as a great Igbo man, who had worked for Igbo progress, stating that his death was a great loss to Ndigbo and Nigeria.

Uwazurike, who spoke through the Assistant National Information Director of MASSOB, Sunday Okereafor, in Umuahia, recalled that Chukwumerije stood behind Ojukwu throughout the civil war period and till death, and remained committed to the cause of Ndigbo.

“He was a chief pioneer of the struggle for the release of Uwazurike, he was incarcerated and for three or four years, he was still coming to court for Uwazurike until he was released,” Okereafor said

He called on Ndigbo to emulate the late senator by loving one another instead of sabotaging themselves and promised that MASSOB would participate fully in his burial and accord him state honours.

“The Igbo should emulate Chukwumerije and work for one another, instead of sabotaging themselves. He worked for the progress and emancipation of Igbo. MASSOB is promising that whenever the burial will come, we will participate fully in the burial and give him a heroic burial. We will give him National honour as our great man, who passed away,” he said

On the nation’s electoral process, Okereafor said MASSOB was not interested in Nigeria and her elections because Ndigbo had no place in the next dispensation.

“The North and the west have conspired against the Igbo. That is why we are saying let us go back to Biafra, create our own state and build our city. The system of Nigerian election is to snatch ballot boxes and MASSOB is not interested in the action,” he said.

The MASSOB spokesman reminded those causing trouble in the country that any eventual crisis, “will affect every one of them.”

•Adapted from Daily Sun. Photo shows late Chukwumerije.

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