KANU'S SECOND CHRISTMAS IN DETENTION: THE PRICE OF WANTING TO BE A HERO (OPINION)

Nnamdi Kanu

It’s Christmas day and Nnamdi Kanu is sitting in a cell in Kuje prison marking his second year celebration (or lack of it) in detention and this has not stopped Biafrans from going about their normal jubilation.

From Nnewi to Abakaliki, from Asaba to Aba, from Umuahia to Nsukka, from Owerri to Onitsha, Christmas celebration is going on with full enjoyment. Those who love palm wine are enjoying it with fried meat. For those who prefer soft drinks, it is available.

Some are celebrating the return of family members who have just returned from Lagos where they have gone to do business. In spite of the recession, Christmas is still the same joyful celebration in Igboland. Yet, Kanu sits lonely in a prison in Abuja.

I live in Enugu and saw the protest against President Muhammadu Buhari and the call for Biafra. The following day, people went about their normal duties looking for daily bread and minding their own business. That is how life is.

No matter how great a man is, he cannot be greater than a country and heaven will not fall if, God forbid Kanu dies in detention or spends the better part of his life in jail. Biafrans will embark on a protest but it will pass away and become history and people will still go about their normal duties. Markets in Igbo land may be closed for a few days but will open later. Igbo business men will still go about their business and Kanu will be spoken about in the past tense.

Kanu is spending another Christmas in prison and when we go to the church on the night of December 31, we will shoot banger and laugh with our friends and wish ourselves Happy New Year while Nnamdi Kanu will be in a cold cell.

No Igbo in the spirit of solidarity for Kanu stopped Christmas celebration in his house; no Igbo in the spirit of solidarity for Kanu refused to cook Jollof Rice and chicken; no Igbo in the spirit of solidarity for Kanu stayed indoors all day to replicate Kanu’s time in prison. Only his family members, particularly his wife, will miss him the most in this time of festivity.

We love Nnamdi Kanu but we can’t love him more than we love ourselves. The bitter truth is that we are humans and we forget very quickly. Hopefully we will remember that Kanu is spending another Christmas in prison.

This opinion was written by Mike Ejoor. He has pointed out that the Biafran leader even though he is greatly loved has not prevented Igbos from celebrating Christmas.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of routenaija.