A traditional ruler from the South-East, Eze Lawrence Agubuzu, has urged President Bola Tinubu to release the detained leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, or return him to Kenya, where he was arrested.

 

 

 

Agubuzu, who is the Eze Ogbunechendo of Ezema Olo Kingdom in Enugu State, made the appeal on Tuesday, February 17, at the 2026 National Traditional and Religious Leaders Summit on Health held at the State House, Abuja, with President Tinubu in attendance as Special Guest of Honour.

 

 

 

Addressing the President during the segment for remarks by traditional rulers, the monarch said the continued incarceration of Kanu was fuelling agitation among youths in the South-East.

 

 

 

“I must tell you, Mr President, that personally, I don’t feel very happy,” he said noting that the situation in the South-East had become increasingly tense.

 

 

 

Referring to earlier speeches at the summit which emphasised unity and national cohesion, Agubuzu said genuine reconciliation would be difficult while Kanu remained in detention.

 

 

 

 

 

“The ball stops in your court. Bring this man out. If we don’t want him in Nigeria, return him to Kenya or London, where they took him from” he said

 

 

 

According to him, traditional rulers in the region face growing hostility from youths who accuse them of failing to speak out.

 

 

 

“Some of us here are being asked to go and work, but the young people in the South-East are so agitated that they can even beat us. They see us as sellouts. We come to Abuja they may think we’ve come to collect money and then keep quiet. So Sir, please do something about this. Do something about this. We cannot make progress if we do not tell ourselves the home truth” he said

 

 

 

Agubuzu also questioned the structure of the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council, insisting that “there is nothing like a Southern Traditional Rulers Council” representing the entire South. He warned against allocating resources through a body he claimed did not reflect the region’s diversity of traditional institutions.

 

 

 

“If you want to deal with us, deal with us in the South-East. If you have resources for us, give them to us. Don’t give it to people who come and say they represent a traditional rulers council” he said

 

 

 

However, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Ogunwusi, dismissed claims of disunity, describing the Southern Nigerian Traditional Rulers Council as optional but formidable. He said membership of the council was voluntary and maintained that traditional rulers across the South were working together.

 

 

 

“You don’t need to join us if you don’t want to, but it is a force — a formidable force — among traditional institutions,” he said, adding that there was no division among southern monarchs.

 

 

 

 

 

Watch the video of him speaking below

 

 

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