The Indigenous People of Biafra ( IPOB) has restated that the ban on consumption of Fulani cow meat in the South-East is still in force.
The group’s media and publicity secretary, Emma Powerful, stated this on Wednesday in a statement circulated to journalists.
IPOB had in 2021 announced that from April, 2022, the consumption of Fulani cow meat would be prohibited in the South-East, stating “Effective from that month, Fulani cows will not be used for any social or ceremonial events and festival in Biafraland.
“Our native cows will be used instead for these events. Traditional custodians of our culture, the clergy and town unions must ensure that this message gets to the grassroots.”
But on Wednesday, the secessionists said after due consideration it decided to be flexible about the implementation of the decision to give the people of the region the room to gradually transit to the new order, saying that it did not back out from the injunction because of cowardice or lack of will as being touted by its detractors.
Lambasting those who mocked it for not yet implementing the rule, IPOB said,
“We promise to achieve every of our agenda, ” enjoining the people of the area to commence aggressive cow rearing in order not to be caught in the web of a total prohibition of the commodity in the area.
The group’s statement read partly, “We the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership and command of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu wish to reiterate once again that any projects or advice or order issued by IPOB is either as a short, mid or long term project must be accomplished.
“The saying that ‘old habits die hard’ is applicable to some attitudes and lifestyle that have been with our people for long time and cannot be changed over night. For instance, stoping long preservation of corpses in the montuary and ban on consumption of Fulani cow meat. These are lifestyle that have been with our people that cannot be changed overnight but it’s a mid/long term project that must be accomplished.
“IPOB giving advice or issuing orders as the case maybe does not mean that everything will stop over night. Therefore, IPOB members who have been toughened by the long term project for Biafra struggle and people with intelligent minds understand instructions that are immediate and the ones that require a bit of time to accomplish.
” Whatever advice or order IPOB gives, will always have our people’s interest and welfare at the centre of such order. Some of the brilliant advice or orders we have issued will require time and continuous efforts and sensitization before it can be accomplished.
“IPOB has never and can never abandon the project of ending Fulani cow meat consumption in Biafraland but we want our people to increase the breeding of our own local cows (Efi Igbo) before the order will be fully implemented.
“We are happy that the order has recorded very good progress in the sense that hitherto we have one or two people rearing Efi Igbo( Igbo cows) but today more people are going into that business. We have not reached our objective yet and this why we encourage more people and more investment in ranching for local cows so that when the order is fully implemented we have cow meat sufficiency in Biafraland.
“Concerning the appeal to our people to start burying our departed loved ones within the shortest possible time and later fixed date for burial ceremonies also require sensitization and engagement with relevant bodies or institutions in order to impact the benefits to our people.
“The sensitization will continue until our people understand the negative spiritual implications and the financial burden inherent in keeping corpses in the montuary for a long time. We will involve both Religious and Traditional institutions to ensure this advise is implemented for our own good.”
