A House of Representative aspirant for Orumba North/South Federal Constituency of Anambra State, Captain Casmir Nwafor has called on the State Houses of Assembly of the Old Eastern Region to pass a law declaring May 30 of every year a public holiday in those states to serve as a memorial day for the Easterners who lost their lives during the Nigerian-Biafran civil war.
Nwafor who made this call in a solidarity message to mark this year’s Memorial Day on Wednesday in Oko, Anambra State described as unfortunate the attitude of some governors in the East who he said did not understand the significance of that date.
He however noted that it was a date a collection of patriots decided to lay down their lives so that the Igbos can live adding that it was a day the people rose against the senseless killing of their people including pregnant women and children and a day that signaled the highest genocide in modern African history, yet some of the elites opposed the remembrance.
According to Nwafor who is also a legal luminary,” The Yorubas celebrate June 12 while the Ijaws and some South-South States celebrate Isaac Adaka Boro day without any federal antagonism. Some States even declare public holidays on those dates. Why then should the celebration of 30 May be opposed by Nigeria? Do not confuse the issue with Armed Forces Remembrance Day, both are different. While Nigeria observes 29 May as Democracy day in Nigeria, the Yoruba has continued to observe June 12 as her own democracy day, yet heavens have not fallen on them.
“I therefore humbly call on the State Houses of Assembly in the old Eastern to pass a law declaring 30 May a Public Holiday in those States. This will further give legal backing (though not even needed in a true Federation) to the memorial date so that it’s not wrongly seen as IPOB or Pro-Biafran groups affair. It is an affair of all Easterners to remember these heroes who laid down their lives that we may live.
“Who knows, if not for their patriotic intervention and declaration of Biafra, Easterners might have been wiped out in Nigeria. Their death must never be allowed to be in vain. Equally to be remembered are those who suffered serious injuries some of whom are handicapped today. Anyone who is ashamed or afraid to honour those fallen and wounded heroes does not know the value of his own life today.
“I pray that the good Lord should continue to grant them eternal rest and provide for the handicapped among them. Let us show them love, let us celebrate them”.
He however declared that despite the absence of coercive forces as was alleged in the last year’s episode, this year’s Memorial Day was remarkably successful across the country.
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