Biafra:
The Great State of Biafra Is Strong and Alive New York[RR]New York–When I read some
writers, detractors and enemies of peoples’ survival and existence write
tirelessly and meaninglessly with venoms, with embellished concocted
explanations of what they understand, and see as Biafra/Biafrans, I laugh. This
groups and individuals regardless of their ages, their […]
When I
read some writers, detractors and enemies of peoples’ survival and existence
write tirelessly and meaninglessly with venoms, with embellished concocted
explanations of what they understand, and see as Biafra/Biafrans, I laugh. This
groups and individuals regardless of their ages, their pedigrees in
interdisciplinary orthodoxies introspectively found within the four walls of
intellectual establishments, yet unlettered on many matters, especially when it
comes to the idea, Biafra. This notwithstanding, one is prompted to respond to
groups and entities with foregoing dispositions and indeed needs do all within
its powers as h/she possibly can to educate and enlighten them or remind them
further for record purposes. For other considerations, I encourage these
groups, to go and do their research properly. This is because when it comes to
what Biafra really represents to Ndiigbo, Nigeria and the world they might
discover a world of wisdom for their children and grandchildren. Let there be
no contradictions or confusion, Biafra is a republic, a geopolitical space and
a great nation.
“Because
time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each
year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once gain.”
– Menchem Mendel Mchneerson
On May
30, 1967 in pursuit of their self-determination armed with the Peoples
Consultative Assembly and the Advisory Committee of Chiefs and Elders, the two
only functioning political bodies in the Eastern region, with the massive
killings of Ndiigbo and those that look like them, by the Arab-Muslim
fundamentalists in the North and elsewhere, after considerable intensive
re-assessments and re-evaluations, ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu
to declare secession of the Eastern Region from Nigeria and establishment
without further delays the Republic of Biafra.
The Peoples Republic of Biafra was
amongst other things were meant and definitely instituted to put to a stop the
bleeding of its peoples and fortification of its defenses, in defense of its
peoples and territory. The causes of the actions that ensued are traceable to
the pogrom that dates back to 1934 through Maiduguri 2006. These and many other
inter-generational ills, discriminatory practices, marginalization and
containment policies against the enterprise – Igbo, by fed, cannot be
overemphasized. Regardless of rescue operations recently deployed by this
administration, for example, the appointment of Paul Dike to the top rank of
Service Chief position, 39 years later is in short too little too late
maneuver.
What has sustained the idea Biafra amongst other things is continuous
existence of the aforementioned pathological pandemics predicated on unattended
pillages and unprecedented breakdown of law and order across the land and,
premeditatedly designed to sustain and secure plunderers, liars, looters,
mischief makers, and their friends and by so doing, these illegitimate actions
squandered the golden hand shake across the Niger by Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu
Ojukwu – evidently and thusly, sustaining the disposition and other
considerations here and elsewhere that the idea Biafra, is a better idea for
Ndiigbo and many other responsible Nigerians and Nigeria-State. By application,
this response of inactions and actions by fed showcases the fact that live is
not guaranteed within the Nigeria political space, especially when it comes to
these massive killings. Igbo has therefore, revealed or unveiled new doctrine
called Igbo-Doctrine. Armed with this new doctrine,
Ndiigbo and law abiding
Nigerians have been warned to prepare itself and defend itself, within this
unchartered frontier, to fight to a stand-still from and within the space they
were attacked as this shall be backed-up by a speedy response across the
Eastern landscape. This measure is our God given right in defense of our
family, elderly and our children. The nation has been warned.
We all
know that 2007 is filled with measures of uncertainties and 1966
issues/concerns are yet to be addressed. Corruption and greed then, corruption
and greed today are unprecedented. It has become clear that Obasanjo and his
cronies will gamble and heat up yet again the body polity. Third term
manipulations will be a child’s play considering the contextual theatrical
jibes of the actors of this experiment called Nigeria.
By 1967,
at the heat of these and similar precipices, one Anthony Eromosele Enahoro arguing
against Biafra has this to say in London: “If secession by Ojukwu and his group
is accomplished, Nigeria will most probably disintegrate… and a chain reaction
will be set up all over Africa. Africa would end up in petty little
principalities. Each successor ‘mini state’ would be sovereign enough to
acquire foreign protectors and purchase arms. Such situation, with its
inevitable dislocations and frictions over boundaries, trade and division of
assets, would produce wars.” Some decades later, the same Anthony Enahoro and
Olusegun Obasanjo have a different tune and speak with both sides of their
months… By July 2, 2002, Enahoro remarked at a Polo Club, Lagos:
“Given
our traumatic experience, I suggest that the following question is pertinent:
should the constitution allow for the ultimate change of secession? In the
past, this issue has been treated as a taboo topic but the absence of thought
and debate on this matter is a poor substitute of judgment. Obasanjo has
helpfully opened discussion on it in his book This Animal Called Man, wherein
he stated that any future constitution of Nigeria must provide for a right of
secession. This is but recognition of the reality that, short of brute force,
the only way that different nationalities can be kept together in the long term
is by their will to stay together.” This apparently is a new trend for a man
whose interviews and public proclamations indeed impeded or resisted even the
creation of Midwest. It is therefore clear that, “those who do not learn from
History are damned to repeat it…” George Santayana.
As we
celebrate the declaration of the great republic – Biafra on May 30, 1967, a
battle of attrition executed gallantly and fearlessly, we remember with pride
and honor that it was the right thing to do to secure or existence. The actions
and freedom of three years which, actions and freedom was differed in January
15, 1970 is up and running again through peaceful means manned by MOSSAB. The
Sun has risen and lighted again east of the Niger and this time around we will
not blink because Biafrans will never forget the events that led to the
massacre of over 6 million of our men, women, children and old people that
culminated to the birth of your statehood, a statehood predicated and born in
the defense of your family, children, heritage, religion and humanity. For the
unlearned,
Biafra is a people, Biafra is Igbo; it is our survival and
protection of our identity and industriousness; it is our humanity and our
heritage. Without the bravery of our men and women who fought gallantly to
protect our villages, territorial waters and lands, the likes of Ngozi Okonjo
Iweala, Ekwesiliezes and others would not have survived or lived to have their
opportunities today. We owe it to the great men and
Women,
who acted with candor, resiliency, gallantry and commitment in the defense of
the motherland; these heroes braved the incessant bombardments and were
necessary paid the supreme sacrifice by laying down their lives for the sake of
their friends, follow Biafrans, their motherland and their dignity. We
remember, revere and adore these great men and women, living and fallen heroes
today and forever. All hail thee Biafra. Without your volunteerism, Ndiigbo
would have been destroyed off of its earth-plate by bloodthirsty Arab-Islamic
fundamentalists, enemies of righteousness, enemies of God.
Obafemi
Awolowo, an opportunist and other opportunists like him including Anthony
Enahoro waged a war of treachery, a war of criminality and a war of
opportunism; they accomplished this criminality by blockading food from
international community from entering Biafra territories. The deployment of
starvation as a means to starve off Biafra volunteerism predicated on their
determination for self-determination, in an effort to free itself from foreign
dominance real and imagined within its frontiers is self-evident. We remember
your crimes, hypocrisies, chameleonism against humanity and you will pay one by
one. As long as the spirit of Biafra lives, so does Biafra. Long live Biafra.
Long live motherland.
As we
review past and present situations, it is important that we call Ndiigbo and
sundry to support MASSOB and its members across our land for championing a just
and equitable cause for a just society. This is imperative, just as Arewa and
Oduduwa and others within this classification serve the interest of their
tribes and regions there is nothing wrong in having our young men and women
fortifying our space.
There are no pretensions that tribalism and ethnicity is
first the beginning of our own statehood, without it there is no Nigeria. To
postulate the craziness of the fraudulent and pretended engineering,
nationalism was deferred. This was practically displayed by even the barbaric
Abacha. Abacha wanted the nation to adopt French language as nation’s second
language after English language. This is irresponsibility, way ahead of the
three major tribal languages – Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba. That’s how crazy and
mundane this place is. Not until there is a true nationalism amassed with
sincerity, built and based on enduring sustainable nationalistic tendencies
that would produce and trigger a viable progressive enterprise for the good of
our peoples there will be no turning back.
I
understand some of my colleagues on the other side of the equation will be
pretty much disappointed in me having served as NANS Chief Mobilization Officer
[CMO] at the national level, were we made a significant impact vis-à-vis June
12 experiment. However, let me say this, dear friends accept my sympathies.
Please note that we live in ever changing world and, I am communicating based
on the realities on the ground. And, this reality is about life and dead. Since
1999 to 2006, over 20,000 Ndiigbo, men, women, elderly and children have being
Balkanized under Obasanjo’s watch and machinations.
It is pertinent to ask were
would my help come from? As it stand, either by commission or omission, may say
that evil triumph in our society because good men do nothing, this is in
addition to the lawlessness that has besieged and a-washed our society. Indeed,
one is left to himself and his community, left to self-determination to be or
not to be part of this arrangement. The chance to provide security and restore
law and order to its region, for this reason our people and our families comes
first. Historical documents show that regionalism was the original master plan
before the Lord Lugard’s British creationism of 1914; of course this criminal
creationism served the interest of the British Empire and its vassal states
with its African late-comers at one end, and, their greedy beneficiaries that
serves as its atlantics interlocutor or, links on the other end.
We shall
return to the right to and control of our geopolitical space and claim anew our
right to our territorial integrity in any circumstance. It is therefore, pretty
clear that there exist a trajectory, contradictions, conflicts between people’s
right to self-determination and a nation’s coerced territorial integrity based
on black-gold [oil]; there is also additionally, conflict of freedom and unity
built on treachery and fraud. UN charter allows for self-determination found in
No. 48, 49 of self-determination documentation. But some of its characteristics
are self-evident namely I] it shall be a government based on the will of the
people; II] freedom from internal and external dominance; III] freedom to
pursue economic, cultural and, social development; IV] freedom to enjoy
fundamental human rights; V] the absence of discrimination based on ethnicity,
religion and or political beliefs.
Recent and
past Case studies:
We have
witnessed several nations who have seceded or attempted to secede from
oppressive govermentalities based on doctrine and rule of self-determination.
East Timor as a non-self governing in the 60s, Quebec seceded from Canada on many
occasions although by 1998 the Canadian top Court-Supreme ruled against that;
Biafra attempted and failed to secede from Nigeria and lunched into three year
bitter civil war.
East
Timor
By 1999,
the UN Security Council reached agreement with the Portugal and Indonesia to
allow the people of East Timor to vote on a special autonomy within Indonesia
frontiers. Registered voters voted overwhelmingly to move on as independent
state. UN was successful in East Timor.
Quebec
This is
pretty contradictory to the success in East Timor. By 1998, the Quebec
government asked the supreme court of Canada if there are possibilities for
Quebec to secede on self-determination based on international law or based on
Canadian constitution. The court shutdown Quebec dreams as its population voted
against it self-determination quest. What an irony.
Biafra
In 1914
British administrator introduced the amalgamation of Northern and Southern
protectorates and Lagos colony, this move was pretty unpopular amongst these
populations. Nothing is similar amongst these groups. Not even the language or
culture or anything is similar except that they somehow look alike or imbibes
the hueism or similarity of color skin. Hausa-Fulani in the North, the Yoruba
in the West and the Igbo in the East, and, by the time independent came the
three regional powers were threatening secessions. Suspicion, envy and others
set the stage. Young Igbo military officers destabilized the center installed
Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi as military head and within the space of six months
there was a counter coup that brought in Yakubu Gowon [Jack] to power the rest
is history, they say. This whole drama, including the killings and displacement
of Ndiigbo threw the republic into war.
In
addition, just recently Montenegro under the watchful eye of the UN Observer
mission, with fewer than 5 million followed through with referendum that
determined their self-determination and two weeks or so ago, they are free from
treachery in, Kosovo. If UN was to move its machinery into Nigeria with its
observer mission, the situation will be an astounding 90% in yes for Biafra.
Yes
Ndiigbo will vote in mass to extricate itself from current experiment,
called Nigeria. In the meantime, many MASSOB leaderships are unlawfully held in
incarceration or jails; we call for their immediate release from these criminal
and unlawful detentions, unconditionally by the government of Nigeria.
In
conclusion, it’s important to reiterate the significant of self-determination
call by Ndiigbo. To free Igbo from these illegalities including corruption and
contradictions found inside and outside this whole enterprise, Nigeria. For
those who are wondering about the Igbo race and its dream for
self-determination and the actualization of Republic of Biafra, know yeah this
day that we are more determined today, organized, mobilized, stronger more than
any other time in history.
Those who think we are not united must think again.
We might sound differently on issues, that happens because we are republicans
and believe in the rule of law, freedom of expression within our political
space, freedom which our engineering and democracy was showcased for three
years of freedom. Freedom is our heritage, we will not comprise that under no
circumstance. Make no mistake, when handshake turns into shoving, it shall be
revealed unto you that our body politics is our body unity. By application, it
is essential that the government of the day do the right thing. We are racing
against time. It must be a must do item that Ndiigbo wherever they may be, at
home or in
Diaspora, must support self-determination. This has become critical
that, if, after 45 years of existence, our extraction will not be allowed the
opportunity to produce the president of the enterprise, Nigeria. I hear someone
remarked at some quarters that this administration appointed more Igbo than any
administration in history.
This
writer’s response to that remark is this, vote for Igbo presidency, so that we
can also have the same opportunity to not only appoint you Ministers and other
places of positions but, we will appoint the right and qualified individuals to
these positions better than any other group in the history of Nigeria, way
better more than any other major tribe[s] have done, past and present
including, Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba. We have displayed this capacity in the
past, and, we can do it again. It is insulting to hear commentaries like the
aforementioned appointment piece of Niigbo by this administration and all. It
is relevant to protect people’s freedom, and people’s right to live, worship
were, how and whenever they pleases.
It’s called freedom of religion. Both
Nigerians and Biafrans can live together with equal opportunity when it comes
to running the system[s], resource allocations, employment, and restoration of
peace and similarly, systemically re-structure, a better measured security
conscious society for the safety and security of our peoples, and thusly, value
is placed on the essence, the sanctity and divinity of human life at all time.
No nation can thrive under lawlessness and corruption. Let me finally state
that after 39 years of our existence, the great State of Biafra is stronger,
better organized and ubiquitously alive. Biafra will be, Nigeria will be.
Carlisle
U.O. Umunnah
Executive
Director, International Human Rights Monitor, IHRM,
Publisher, Republic Reporters New York
This
piece was first published on May, 2006.
Contact us at: RepublicReporters@gmail.com
May, 2006
