MMark Okoye, managing director of the South East Development Commission (SEDC), says the region must prioritise development and long-term solutions rather than emotional responses to the latest court judgment involving Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Reacting on X on Friday, Okoye said the sentencing of Kanu to life imprisonment by a federal high court in Abuja has once again placed the South-East “between emotion and reality”. He noted that many political actors and influencers have rushed to demand a political solution and the unconditional release of Kanu, portraying it as the sole path to peace. According to him, the crisis in the region “did not begin in a courtroom and will not end in one”.
Okoye, a former Anambra commissioner, said he lived in the South-East throughout its most turbulent years and witnessed firsthand how youths were misled, communities destabilised, and families devastated. He stressed that the people who carried the greatest burden were ordinary citizens—traders, transport workers, farmers, diasporas returning home, job-seeking youths, and families striving to raise children in a stable environment.
He cautioned against reducing a complex regional trauma to the fate of a single individual or assuming that Kanu’s release would automatically bring peace, prosperity, or justice. Okoye insisted that the real crisis facing the South-East is underdevelopment and that sustainable solutions lie in economic growth supported by strong investments in hard and soft infrastructure not slogans, emotional shortcuts, or political theatrics.
Addressing claims that President Bola Tinubu should release Kanu to gain political support ahead of 2027, Okoye said such arguments trivialise the structural work required for genuine peace. He stressed that peace cannot be built on shortcuts or symbolic gestures and that the people who suffered under sit-at-home orders and widespread fear deserve dignity and opportunity.
He reminded the public of the years when sit-at-home crippled livelihoods, fear dominated daily life, and families prayed for basic safety. Okoye emphasised that residents of the South-East deserve peace, stability, and economic opportunity rather than continuous anxiety and forced shutdowns.
He concluded that the president does not owe the region symbolic appeasement but rather the fulfilment of commitments under the Renewed Hope Agenda including agricultural modernisation, infrastructure expansion, job creation, industrialisation, better security, and stronger regional collaboration.
Agnes Ekebuike Editor, Naija247news ✔
Agnes Ekebuike is the Editor of Naija247news.com. A seasoned journalist with expertise in Business, Energy, Politics, and Entertainment, she is known for her in-depth reporting and insightful storytelling. Agnes is passionate about delivering news that informs, empowers, and sparks meaningful dialogue across Nigeria and beyond.
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