Five communities that made up Aninri Local Government Area of Enugu State have converged on Ndeabor the council headquarters to pray for God to intervene against the continuous detention of their son and former Deputy President of the Senate, Chief Ike Ekweremadu in the United Kingdom.
This even as the leadership of the Greater Awgu People has called on Britain to effect Ekweremadu’s release without further delay.
The prayer summit which was well attended by the people from the area was organised by “Nzuko Aninri” a social-cultural organisation that had been vocal in promoting peaceful coexistence and rapid development in the area and Enugu State at large in conjunction with the Executive Chairman of Aninri LGA.
Speaking with journalists, the Chairman, Aninri local government area, Chief Bennett Ajah described Senator Ekweremadu as a pacesetter and role model to so many individuals, noting that keeping him in detention protends danger, especially to the younger generation who are looking up to him for mentorship.
Chief Ajah who pleaded with the high and mighty to intervene in the matter expressed hope that Chief Ekweremadu will regain his freedom sooner than later.
“We are praying to God to solve our problems for us and when your brother is having issues it is up to you to intercede for him. We are praying for him to come out of the predicament he is in. Senator Ekweremadu’s signature continued incarceration in UK. is worrisome to the people of Aninri and we are appealing to the high and mighty the Igbo Communities, Federal Government, the church to quickly intervene,” he said.
Earlier, the pastor-in-charge of New Life Baptist Church Enugu, Evangelist Mark Maruo, stated that God steps in when people have surrendered their totality and admonished the people to always put their hope in God for deliverance and abundant blessings.
“The voice of the people is the voice of God. When people gather to pray for one purpose, in one spirit and in one accord, most especially from the grassroots where Ekweremadu came from, such prayers must be answered by God. You can see that their faith is certain that God will hear their voices. I also had a great hope and revelations that he’s coming back and very strong even better than he was before. Sometimes when people’s hope are dashed that’s when God work starts, this time around they will see the hand of God in the life of Senator Ike Ekweremadu. Even the sick daughter will bounce back again and continue her normal life, God has taken control, he concluded.”
Speaking on behalf of the traditional rulers of area, the traditional ruler Anekeorji Mpu, Igwe David Ajah, said the absence of Senator Ekweremadu had created a big vacuum and untold hardship especially to those depending on his benevolence.
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Igwe Ajah maintained that the continuous postponement of his trial by the UK government is becoming worrisome and unbearable and appealled to the Nigerian government to intervene.
“We believed that after these prayers our son will be released to us. He has done nothing wrong. His absence and what he is passing through is disheartening. We are going to continue praying until God hears our cry and prayers. We know that God knows the truth about the matter and at his own time he will make it possible. Our brother is a moonshine and they figure that stands by truth and had impacted positively in empowering humanity.”
In an interview, the President, Nzuko Aninri, Barrister Emma Akpa, stated that the essence of the prayer summit was to seek the face of God in the whole issue and pray that Senator Ekweremadu who is the patron of Nzuko Aninri would be released unconditionally.
Barrister Akpa also admonished the people of Aninri to eschew all forms of bitterness, hatred and acrimonies amongst them and remain united and peaceful for rapid development of the area.
“The challenge our brother is having is really touching everybody and we felt that in addition to all the other efforts that we have been making, we also have to back it up with prayers for God to have mercy and save him. God is everything and we believe that with the powerful men of God and the people praying together that God will surely intercede. The mood in Aninri had been gloomy since his absence and people have been anticipating that sooner than later he would come back to rejoin us. We know what he had been doing for us, we know what he’s capable of doing and we know what we have been missing if he’s not around and that is why we are all concerned.”
He reiterated the determination of the organization to championing the developmental course of the people anytime, any day.
In their separate remarks, the President-General of Mpu community, Chief Francis Oshimiriude, and the Secretary of Board of trustees of Nzuko Aninri, Chief Okezie Nwanjoku, called on the UK government through the British High Commission in Nigeria to consider the good records of Ike Ekweremadu while serving Nigeria, Africa and the world in various capacities and pass a fair verdict on him.
They stated that the entire Aninri people have resorted to prayers with a firm belief that God who is an impartial judge will deliver him.
Members of Nzuko Aninri including the Secretary, Bar. Eric Ogudu, and the Publicity Secretary, Barr. Joe Onyeabor, as well as women groups, were amongst the dignitaries that participated in the prayer session.
Similarly, the Coordinator General of the Greater Awgu People’s Protection Solidarity (GAPPS), Dr Oyemaechi Sadiq Okolie, has decried the shoddy treatment by the British legal authorities on Ekweremadu and his family.
“How can the British ignore the fact that a father has to seek the well-being of members of his family when they are distressed?
“As far as we are concerned, Ekweremadu never committed or sought to break any British law, having written officially to the British Mission in Nigeria, intimating them of his intent. That the supposed donor turn-around to allege innuendoes is just circumstantial. We strongly believe some unseen hands are surreptitiously at work against our noble son and his family.
“We call on the British to follow the rules of the law and not to criminalize Ekweremadu for acting as a good African father,” he said.
Dr Okolie who spoke throw Hon Cosmas Chukwu, the Chairman of the GAPPS Publicity Committee, urged the British government to grant Senator Ekweremadu bail with the mildest delay.
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