The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has credited its leader, Nnamdi Kanu, with playing a major role in mobilising public opposition to the RUGA settlement initiative and the proposed National Water Resources Bill.
In an internal memorandum addressed to IPOB members worldwide, the group’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, argued that Kanu’s activism and broadcasts helped raise public awareness about issues relating to land, territorial control and indigenous rights across Nigeria.
The statement was issued in response to questions about what IPOB described as Kanu’s tangible achievements during his campaign for the restoration of Biafra.
According to the group, Kanu did not hold any elected political office or possess constitutional powers to veto government policies but relied on public mobilisation and his large grassroots following.
IPOB Credits Kanu With Mobilising Opposition to RUGA
IPOB said Kanu was among the early voices that raised concerns when the administration of former President Muhammadu Buhari introduced the RUGA settlement programme in 2019.
The group said Kanu used Radio Biafra and other communication platforms to draw attention to concerns surrounding land ownership, population movement and the future of indigenous communities.
According to the memorandum, Kanu’s intervention helped transform the controversy surrounding the programme into a broader national debate over land and territorial control.
IPOB argued that his broadcasts created pressure that made it politically difficult for leaders in parts of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt to support the controversial policy.
The group, however, acknowledged the roles played by governors, communities, farmers, political leaders and traditional institutions in resisting the initiative.
It specifically noted that several Southern governors and communities across the Middle Belt also opposed the programme before the Federal Government suspended it.
IPOB nevertheless maintained that Kanu played what it described as a pivotal role in creating public awareness and encouraging resistance.
Group Also Links Kanu to Opposition Against Water Resources Bill
The organisation also credited Kanu with helping to mobilise opposition against the proposed National Water Resources Bill.
IPOB said Kanu linked concerns about water resources with broader debates over land ownership, riverbanks, waterways and the level of control the Federal Government should exercise over resources located within communities.
The group argued that Kanu helped bring what it described as a technical legislative issue to the attention of ordinary Nigerians.
According to the statement, public pressure, opposition from communities and concerns raised by lawmakers and regional groups contributed to the bill failing to become law in its proposed form.
IPOB acknowledged that legislators, civil society groups and communities also played significant roles in opposing the legislation.
However, the group insisted that Kanu’s broadcasts and grassroots mobilisation contributed to the wider public debate.
IPOB Says Kanu Popularised ‘Fulanisation Agenda’
The group further claimed that Kanu was among those who popularised the expression “Fulanisation agenda” before former President Olusegun Obasanjo later used the term publicly.
IPOB said the phrase became part of wider national political discussions following repeated warnings by Kanu about issues involving land, open grazing, population movement, resource control and indigenous communities.
The organisation said Kanu’s warnings resonated strongly among his supporters, particularly in the South-East and other parts of Southern Nigeria and the Middle Belt.
‘He Mobilised the People’ — IPOB
According to IPOB, Kanu’s major political contribution was his ability to mobilise people despite not holding public office.
The group said his activities helped encourage citizens to demand accountability from political leaders and pay greater attention to policies that could affect their communities.
“He had only his voice and his people,” the organisation said, arguing that Kanu used grassroots mobilisation to influence public discussions on land, territory and indigenous rights.
IPOB maintained that Kanu’s political influence extended beyond the campaign for Biafra and contributed to wider conversations across Nigeria.
The group listed what it described as Kanu’s achievements as including his role in mobilising opposition to RUGA, contributing to public resistance against the National Water Resources Bill and raising political awareness about land and territorial issues.
The organisation also credited him with building a global communication network and placing the Biafran self-determination movement at the centre of international discussions.
IPOB concluded that Kanu’s supporters regard his legacy not by the political offices he held but by what they believe was his ability to mobilise people and influence public resistance to government policies.
The group said Kanu remained a significant figure in the political consciousness of millions of his supporters, describing him as a leader who “gave the people the courage to say no.”
