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Ex-Nigerian athlete vows to return awards, medals in solidarity with IPOB’s agitation
A former Nigerian athlete, Simon Ekpa, and a leading voice in the call for secession by the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) has vowed to return all awards and medals he had ever won through Nigeria.
Ekpa represented Nigeria at the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships.
The member of the proscribed IPOB group who describes himself as “Best Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Disciple on Biafra Restoration” said this in a post on Facebook where he rejected a nomination he claimed was from the Institute of Management Consultants (IMC).
In his post, Ekpa said; “STOP NOMINATING ME FOR ANYTHING NIGERIA!
“I REJECT YOUR NOMINATION IMC-NIGERIA!!
“I HAVE DENOUNCED NIGERIA LONG EGO AND I AM WORKING WITH MAZI NNAMDI KANU AND OTHER WELL MEANING BIAFRANS AND ODUDUWAS TO DISSOLVE NIGERIA
“This is the highest grade of the Institute’s Membership and is reserved for accomplished professionals of your level and status in the profession.”
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“I reject your nomination publicly, this is the second time the IMC-Nigeria is nominating me whatever reason. I am not interested in your nomination, I am not interested in your award, I am not interested in anything that will move Nigeria forward because Nigeria is not structured nor created to move forward, so anybody trying to move Nigeria forward is already a failure.
“Let me give you a brief break down on these failures: Awolowo, Zik, Ahmedu Bello, Abiola, Obasanjo, Jonathan and every other person that have held any political position in Nigeria from 1960 to 2021 has all failed because they didn’t realise that Nigeria were never created to move forward.
“I am now putting everything I have to the disintegration of Nigeria and restoration of Biafra as that is the only way to move forward, anything outside this, don’t bring my name.
“Finally, I will be returning every award given to me in Nigeria by Nigeria state or organisation within Nigeria acting in the capacity of representing Nigeria, including medal given to me by Nigeria will be returned to the Ministry of Sport Abuja in the nearest future.
“I am Simon Ekpa, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s Disciple on Biafra Restoration”.
Meanwhile, Ekpa was disengaged by the proscribed group as a broadcaster on his online radio, Radio Biafra.
In a statement announcing why he was sacked, the group’s spokesperson, Emma Powerful, “The global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu has observed with regrets, that Mazi Simon Ekpa whom our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu gave an appointment and duty to start broadcasting on Radio Biafra doesn’t want to follow the laid down rules of operation in Radio Biafra. Our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu gave the directive while in detention but Mazi Simon Ekpa has refused to follow the principles.
“Mazi Simon Ekpa has refused to sign the rules of engagement and code of conduct guiding those broadcasting on Radio Biafra. We don’t understand why Mazi Ekpa would not like to follow the steps of other broadcasters on the platform who have since done the needful.
“IPOB is a big movement, and cannot just change the rules because of one individual as this may set a bad precedence.
“While Mazi Simon Ekpa has the right to make his broadcasts on Facebook and other platforms of his choice, he may no longer broadcast on Radio Biafra as one of the official broadcasters.”
