By Jonathan Ugbal
The Obong of Calabar, Edidem Ekpo Okon Abasi Otu V, Saturday denied sending any emissary to the acclaimed leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
The Obong who superintends over the Efik kingdom spread across southern Nigeria and the Cameroons made this known in a statement signed by the chairman of the Etuboms’ Traditional Council of the Palace of the Obong of Calabar, Etubom Bassey Okor Bassey Duke, said that the freedom of speech which is a right to all citizens does not extend to the propagation of falsehood.
This was in reaction to a video posted on YouTube with the title: BIAFRA: I’m very very happy we are now a nation shows Mr. Kanu addressing some people led by a man who claimed to be an emissary of the Obong of Calabar that said the Obong is in “support” of the Biafra agitation.
The statement read: “The attention of the Obong of Calabar-in-Council has been drawn to a video currently making the rounds on social media in which a person is seen claiming to have been sent by the Obong of Calabar to ask Nnamdi Kanu of IPOB to visit him.
“The content of this video is therefore a ridiculous insult and the Obong of Calabar-in-Council dissociates itself completely from everything to do with the person and fake message carried in the video.
“From the poor illegitimate dressing, intonation, accent and comportment, it is clear that the person is a petty impersonator with dubious intentions.
“While freedom of speech is guaranteed by the Nigerian Constitution it does not extend to endorsing the propagation of falsehood of making fraudulent claims.
“The Obong of Calabar-in-Council, therefore calls on the security agencies to live up to expectation and immediately arrest and prosecute the impersonator whose face can clearly be seen in the video.”
According to the unidentified man in the video, the Obong whom he said sent his greetings supports the Biafra cause and the Obong as well as Calabar people want to see Nnamdi Kanu.
Mr. Kanu had replied: “Tell him he was one of the people I was praying for while in prison and one of the people I would go to. Tell the Obong of Calabar, I will go to see him that I would be honored to see him in person.
“I will come to see him in his Palace. Tell the Obong that. Thank you very much for coming,” Kanu replied in the video.”
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