Dear Senator Hope Uzodinma,
We The Onevoice Women Movement condemn the invasion of Orlu by the Nigeria army. And, we read with dismay, that you, Senator Hope Uzodinma, the Governor of Imo state, and an indigene of Orlu, confirmed in the media that you personally instructed armed soldiers to invade Orlu – Igboland. Why send the army? Was there a war going on in Orlu before this invasion? Did you consider the consequences of your actions in sending in the army to kill our people, your people? All these questions remain unanswered.
Governor Hope Uzodinma, you have deeply disappointed your people, Imo State, and the entire Ndigbo by bringing war to the land of the people you are supposed to protect.
The Onevoice Women Movement in totality condemn your action. Your decision to engage the army in this way makes you an enemy of Imo State and Ndigbo as a whole. You have not presented any valid reasons whatsoever for bringing war to your people, and even worst your own home, Orlu.
If a secret ballot of the Igbo people is conducted today, it will surely reveal that many Igbos welcome ESN and IPOB, and are ready to leave this forced marriage called Nigeria, through peaceful means rather than the war which you have instigated. What security measures have you and other politicians put in place in Igboland for the people? Governor Uzodinma, you have started a war that will lead to the deaths of many Igbos, and as mothers, this breaks our hearts.
ESN and IPOB members are our sons and daughters fighting for the good of the entire Ndigbo. They are not killers like the Fulani herdsmen who occupy our bushes. These herdsmen forcefully occupy our ancestral lands, kill our people, and rape our daughters and mothers. It is a shame that the same energy that you have put in routing out ESN and IPOB members, could not be used to fight against these herdsmen/terrorist in order to protect your people. Igbos are peace loving people that receive and welcome strangers/visitors, but definitely not those whose mission is to kill, maim and destroy.
A recent survey of just over 5 million people in Eastern Nigeria conducted by Dez Mayorz media group over a period of six years (2014 – 2020), shows that about 71% of people want the nation of Biafra. It is our belief that if you were to call for a referendum today, this number would increase as many Ndigbo will vote to leave Nigeria.
We, the Onevoice Women Movement, as mothers, advice you Governor Uzodinma, to withdraw the army from the streets and bushes of Orlu, protect your people, and dialogue with IPOB in order to restore peace to our land.
