Biafra
Ohanaeze Youth Council Calls for May 30 Mourning Day in South-East
Ohanaeze Youth Council Urges South-East Governors to Declare May 30 Day of Mourning
The Ohanaeze Youth Council has called on governors in Nigeria’s old Eastern Region, especially those in the South-East, to declare every May 30 a public day of mourning in remembrance of victims of the 1967–1970 Nigerian civil war.
In a statement released on Tuesday, the group also urged Igbo people across the world to wear black outfits on May 30 as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives during the conflict.
The statement, signed by the National President of the council, Igboayaka O. Igboayaka, and Secretary-General, Ifeanyichukwu Nweke, advised residents of the old Eastern Region to shut down businesses and commercial activities on May 30, 2026, in honour of the victims.
According to the group, political leaders in the South-East have failed to consistently commemorate what it described as “Biafra Hero’s Day,” which it said represents a solemn period in Igbo history following the civil war.
The council compared the proposed observance to the annual June 12 democracy celebration linked to the late Moshood Abiola, stating that the Yoruba people continue to honour Abiola’s legacy while Igbo leaders have not institutionalized a similar remembrance for civil war victims.
The youth group also claimed that politicians perceived to have acted against Igbo interests could face electoral backlash during the 2027 elections.
In addition, the council appealed to Bola Ahmed Tinubu to take reconciliatory steps by releasing detained pro-Biafra agitators, including Nnamdi Kanu, ahead of May 30 commemorations.
The Nigerian Civil War, fought between 1967 and 1970, remains one of the country’s most significant historical conflicts, with millions displaced and countless lives lost during the fighting and humanitarian crisis that followed.
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