The traditional ruler of Opi Ancient Kingdom in Enugu State, His Royal Majesty Eze-Igwe Williams Ezugwu, has criticised President Bola Tinubu’s handling of issues affecting the Southeast, saying the continued detention of the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, is deepening regional alienation and undermining national unity.

In a statement released on Sunday, Eze-Igwe Ezugwu said the Federal Government missed a critical opportunity to foster reconciliation by not addressing Kanu’s case on Democracy Day.

He described the moment as a lost chance to begin meaningful engagement with a region that continues to feel sidelined in national affairs.

“The continued incarceration of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is a deep wound in the soul of the Southeast, and by extension, Nigeria,” the monarch stated. “June 12 presented a historic window for President Tinubu to act as a unifying leader.”

The monarch, who also serves as the Secretary General of the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), said the symbolic significance of June 12 should have extended beyond speeches to actions that reinforce the principles of inclusion and justice.

He said the president has the constitutional tools—either through the Attorney-General or via a presidential pardon—to bring Kanu’s detention to a lawful and humane conclusion, adding that such a gesture would have sent a message of unity to a region that feels “excluded and unheard.”

Ezugwu warned that ignoring longstanding grievances risks deepening disaffection, especially among young people. While distancing himself from violent agitation, he argued that the failure to separate peaceful demands from criminal activity has worsened tensions in the Southeast.

“Our people do not feel like part of the Nigerian project. They feel unheard, excluded, and targeted. Releasing Kanu would have empowered leaders of thought in the South East and undercut the influence of criminals hiding under the guise of agitation,” he added. “I do not support violence in any form, but the failure to distinguish between legitimate agitation and criminal infiltration has led us down a dangerous path.

We have seen this pattern before. The IPOB was largely non-violent until state crackdowns escalated tensions.”

Drawing comparisons with past federal amnesty programmes in the Niger Delta, he questioned why the Southeast has not received similar political engagement. He urged the government to treat the pursuit of peace in the region as part of the national stability agenda.

He called on President Tinubu to act in a way that reflects the values associated with Democracy Day, saying that concrete actions—not rhetoric—are needed to restore faith in the Nigerian project. (The Guardian)