HURIWA to Tinubu: Fulfill South-east “Taiwan of Africa” promise, fix failed peace plan

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has called on President Bola Tinubu to honor his campaign promise of transforming the South-East into Africa’s equivalent of Taiwan through industrialization and economic rejuvenation.

HURIWA also sharply criticized the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Kalu, for his failed six-month peace initiative aimed at restoring stability in the region.

HURIWA recalled that during his 2023 campaign, President Tinubu promised to address the longstanding neglect of the South-East by revitalizing industrial hubs in Aba and Owerri and providing access to credit facilities for traders.

At a town hall meeting in Owerri, Tinubu pledged to make the South-East the “Taiwan of Africa,” focusing on economic development, peacebuilding, and education.

These promises were further reiterated at a campaign rally in Abakaliki, where he emphasized that his administration would bring peace through negotiation with regional agitators and prioritize education to secure the future of the nation’s children.

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However, almost two years into his presidency, Tinubu has yet to make significant progress on these promises, according to HURIWA.

The group expressed disappointment that despite appeals from South-East leaders and civil rights organizations, including HURIWA, President Tinubu has not taken concrete steps to initiate the promised development projects or release Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), whose detention is seen as a major obstacle to peace in the region.

The association also criticized Benjamin Kalu’s “Peace in South-East Project” (PISE-P), a six-month action plan launched in December 2023 to address the region’s security challenges through non-kinetic means.

The initiative, which aimed to focus on education, agriculture, infrastructure, and reconciliation, has not delivered the promised results, according to HURIWA. The group lamented that Kalu’s plan, which was supposed to promote sustainable development and peacebuilding, has failed to restore stability or stimulate economic growth in the South-East.

Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, HURIWA’s National Coordinator, urged Kalu to apologize to the people of the South-East for his unfulfilled promises and to initiate a dialogue with the region’s leaders, including those advocating for self-determination, to bring about lasting peace.

The group emphasized that convening a regional leadership meeting is crucial to halting the ongoing violence and instability in the South-East.

HURIWA also reiterated its call for the immediate release of Nnamdi Kanu, stressing that this would be the first step toward meaningful economic and political progress in the region.

Without addressing the underlying issues, the group warned, any attempts to fulfill Tinubu’s campaign promises would be undermined by continued unrest and dissatisfaction in the South-East.

The rights group concluded by reminding President Tinubu of his solemn campaign promises and called for swift action to deliver on his vision for the region, which has seen little improvement since his administration took office.