A coalition of three prominent United States-based Igbo advocacy organizations—American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Ambassadors for Self-Determination, and Rising Sun Foundation—has issued a strongly worded joint press statement praising the courage of His Royal Majesty Eze Lawrence Agubuzu of Enugu and HRM Eze Chukwuemeka Eri, while sharply condemning the majority of Igbo traditional rulers for what they describe as “cowardice” and “complicity” in the continued detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The statement, released on Friday, February 20, 2026, and titled “Only Courage, Not Cowardice, Can Save AlaIgbo,” was signed by Dr. Sylvester Onyia (AVID), Chief Evans Nwankwo (Ambassadors for Self-Determination), and Dr. Maxwell Dede (Rising Sun Foundation). It was published amid growing frustration within segments of the Igbo diaspora over the perceived inaction of traditional institutions in Nigeria regarding Kanu’s prolonged detention despite court rulings ordering his release.
The groups unequivocally commended Eze Agubuzu for confronting President Bola Ahmed Tinubu directly during a recent engagement and demanding the immediate and unconditional release of Kanu or his return to Kenya, where he was reportedly abducted in 2021. According to the statement, Eze Agubuzu and Eze Eri are “currently the only monarchs who have publicly understood the depth of the pain, injustice, and anguish inflicted upon our people by the illegal detention of Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.”
The statement contrasted their stance with the silence of other prominent Igbo traditional rulers, specifically naming the Obi of Onitsha (Igwe Alfred Achebe) and Eze Cletus Ilomuanya (Eze Ndigbo of Nigeria), accusing them of remaining mute while “Fulani herder murderers are pampered” and “Yoruba agitators walk free.” The groups described this silence as “complicity” and “betrayal,” asserting that “AlaIgbo cannot survive leaders who place personal comfort above collective justice.”
“What are the titles and crowns of these so-called leaders worth if they cannot stand for the lives, liberty, and dignity of their own people?” the statement asked rhetorically. It further declared that “the time for half-measures, whispers, and veiled statements is over,” urging all Igbo traditional rulers to “abandon cowardice, abandon complicity, and speak with one voice.”
The advocacy groups warned that history would judge harshly those who fail to act: “Step up boldly for Onyendu Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, or step aside and make room for leaders who will. History will not forgive those who chose silence while our people suffered injustice.”
The statement framed the courage displayed by Eze Agubuzu and Eze Eri as proof that “moral authority, not fear of Abuja, is what preserves a people’s dignity.” It concluded by insisting that “the era of self-serving silence is over” and that AlaIgbo now demands “justice, leadership, and courage—now.”
The release comes against the backdrop of Nnamdi Kanu’s ongoing detention by the Department of State Services (DSS) despite multiple court orders—including a 2022 ruling by the Court of Appeal in Abuja discharging and acquitting him of all terrorism-related charges, and subsequent decisions by the Federal High Court affirming his release. Kanu’s legal team and IPOB have repeatedly accused the federal government of disobeying court orders, while the DSS maintains that his continued custody is justified on national security grounds.
The statement has already generated significant reactions within Nigeria’s socio-political space. Supporters of IPOB and pro-Biafra activists on social media platforms have hailed it as a much-needed wake-up call to traditional rulers. Conversely, some commentators aligned with the federal government have dismissed the groups as “diaspora agitators” disconnected from ground realities in Igboland.
The three organizations—AVID, Ambassadors for Self-Determination, and Rising Sun Foundation—are among the most vocal U.S.-based Igbo advocacy groups. AVID focuses on veterans’ issues and Igbo rights, Ambassadors for Self-Determination advocates for Biafran self-determination, and Rising Sun Foundation engages in cultural preservation and human rights campaigns. All three have consistently campaigned for Kanu’s release and an end to what they describe as systemic marginalization of Ndigbo.
The joint statement reflects deepening frustration among sections of the Igbo diaspora over perceived inaction by both political leaders and traditional institutions in Nigeria. It also signals continued mobilization around the Kanu case, which remains one of the most polarizing issues in contemporary Nigerian politics.
As the 2027 general elections draw nearer and tensions persist in the Southeast over insecurity, sit-at-home orders, and economic hardship, the call for traditional rulers to take a more assertive stance on Kanu’s detention is likely to intensify debate within Igboland and beyond.
The groups ended the statement with a direct challenge: “The courage of HRM Eze Agubuzu and HRM Eze Chukwuemeka Eri demonstrates that moral authority, not fear of Abuja, is what preserves a people’s dignity. Let all Igbo leaders take note.”
