IPOB fumes over Uzodinma’s invitation to Oxford University’s award ceremony

The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have expressed anger at the organisers of the 2022 James Currey Literary award at the Oxford University, London, Professor Onyeka Nwelue, for inviting the governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma to the ceremony.

The group said the presence of Uzodinma at an occasion to be graced by erudite scholar like Professor Wole Soyinka, which would have also been attended by late Chinua Achebe if, he were to be alive, speaks of insensitivity to the many injustices meted to the people by governor Hope Uzodinma.

The group added that the presence of Uzodinma at the award ceremony which is held annually was demeaning to the highly revered occasion.

In a statement which was issued by the IPOB’s Director of Media and Publicity, Emma Powerful and made available to journalists on Tuesday, he said, “Uzodimma’s invitation is not only shameful but a spite on the grave of the formost Biafra heroic writer Professor Chinua Achebe who was an associate of Professor James Currey in whose honor the event is being held.”

Warning the professor, IPOB said, “Acclaimed Prof. Nwelue should be guided so that IPOB will not cook food for him that he can’t finish. If he still cherishes his Igbo ancestry, he should listen to these words of advice and reason.”