From the excerpt of a speech delivered by that “super Biafran Son of the Soil” “Igbo bu Igbo”, Prof Philip Emeagwali (Lion of Biafra, LB awardee), delivered at Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia at the commemoration of the 40th anniversary (1968-2008) of Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination, the memory of the massacre of Biafrans is rekindled, relivened and refreshed especially for some of us who were then toddlers. To Biafrans, the years 1967, 1968 and 1969 cannot be forgotten. Injuries heal but the scars are there. To freedom, 1968 is great both to the Americans and Biafrans. Incidentally to the Americans, it is now achieved but to Biafrans, no.. Worse still, the graves of the Biafrans are not yet full in the struggle for this freedom.
The road to freedom for the Biafrans in Nigeria has been tortuous. A farmer who plants does not see seeds germinate must continue planting. Biafrans were sacrificial lambs in religious riots in Jos-1943, Kano-1953 (colonial era), Nigeria/Biafra war-1967/70, Kano-1980, Maiduguri-1982 Jimeta-Yola-1984 and Gombe-1985. The cold blood of innocent and harmless Biafrans oozed along the streets of Kaduna / Kafarchan-1987, Bauchi/Katsina/Kano-1991, Zango-Kataf-1992, Funtua-1993, Kaduna-2000 and 2002, Jos-2003 and Kano 2004. The police with Obasanjo regime’s arrogant, bold and express approval killed about 2000 MASSOB members in 2004. On May 30, 2008, scores of MASSOB members were teargassed and arrested at their prayer session and worship with their Bibles by the Moslem policemen and soldiers. Can a Christian policemen or soldier abuse Moslems at their prayer-session? Pockets of violence where few Christians particularly Biafrans were killed and Churches burnt
down, were not taken into consideration. But the death of an ant is still a loss of life. Worse still, many Biafrans in top Government positions have died in mysterious circumstances suspected to be man-made. What does one who constantly pays another with a pebble ask for if not a perpetual stone in return?
In 1947, Alhaji Shehu Shagari (former President of Nigeria) then a schoolteacher, advocated for the division of Nigeria. In 1994, the Libyan leader, Col Maummar Gaddaffi, also called for the division of Nigeria along religious lines. Recently, Chief Anthony Enahoro called for the dissolution of Nigeria. If the man who moved the motion for Nigeria independence can call for her dissolution, it means that the motive behind Nigeria’s oneness, unity and independence now has question mark thus derailed. Perhaps Lord Fredrick Luggard may be saying the same thing in his graves. And when things fall apart, the centre can no longer hold (Chinua Achebe, LB awardee).
Rhodesia was divided into Zambia and Zimbabwe. Today each is progressing or retrogressing independent of the other. The wise Ethiopians allowed Eritrean’s to pull out. Quebec and Canada separated honourably. Quite recently, Kosovo pulled away from Serbia. But in Nigeria the baboons are opposing the going away of the monkeys so that it will continue to be the usual “monkey de work, baboon de chop”. The world is no longer a jungle of the dark ages era. The palpable fear of failure as a nation because of non-availability of oil is why the baboons ferociously oppose it despite their acclaimed population.. Oil is not everything. Hunger is teaching Nigerians that population is not only for revenue-allocation from oil but also for food-production despite the arrogant declaration of Shakarau of Kano State that groundnut pyramid is no longer feasible in Kano. The joy of procreation through polygamous family is the ability to feed your family otherwise it
turns a killjoy. Quality of human person produced is more important than the number produced. Capacity building of human being or human development should be the target of every Nigerian Government not the population. There is no gainsaying the fact that a well-developed human being is more money spinning than oil well. Without oil, China, Japan, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, Australia etc are super nations. Israel of about 8 million people is a super nation. In Israel electricity is supplied through the Caesarian coal-powered station. What has happened to the Oji River coal powered electricity station located in Biafraland? Because it supplied electricity to Biafrans during the Nigerian/Biafran war, it was permanently close down by the successive authorities.
Biafrans need to be independent and until Nigeria is divided; the corrupt free world will not be attainable. The genesis of many African problem, is traceable to Nigeria: money laundering, drug trafficking, corruption, coup d’etat, Kidnapping, ritualism etc. To say the least, the problem of illegal immigration to USA, Europe, Canada, China, Australia etc are unstoppable unless Nigeria is divided. Since the return of democracy in Nigeria, how many African countries have witnessed coup d’etat? As the acclaimed giant of Africa and role model, whatever happens here is copied by other midget-nations in Africa. This band-wagon attitude prompted “Demi-Goddism” in these rulers of the continent; ldi Amin, Mobutu Sese Seko, Marcus Nguema, Bashir of Sudan, Robert Mugabe, Emperor Bokassa, Samuel Doe, Sani Abacha, Olusegun Obasanjo, Mai Kibathi and Thabo Mbeki. Among the rulers alive, none is qualified to be a member of the World Elders Forum proposed by
Nelson Mandela.
The exodus to USA, European countries etc might suggest that since UN, US, EU, etc are complacent with the misrule, money laundering, injustice etc in Africa, the equal reciprocation is to emigrate to their countries and discomfort them or enjoy with them. When a hunter lays ambush for an animal in the bush, the tse-tse fly also lays ambush for the scrotum of the hunter. Since UN, EU, US etc can only give Africans weapons of war, relief materials, refugee camps, mediation panels or peace keeping soldiers when war breaks out instead of prevention of war by giving African nations peace via independence, the people of Biafra, Niger Delta, Southern Sudan, Niger Republic (NJM) Western Cameroun, Western Sahara, Somalia etc will continue to shout like Adolph Hitler “Fellow countrymen, this the beginning of the end and there will be no rest until the end of the beginning”. In fact, it is only when Biafra becomes an independent nation that the graves of the
Biafrans will be full. Biafrans have fought a war for independence before but now the desire, impatient, quest and enthusiasm for Biafran independence is unprecedented. Therefore the international communities should save lives by supporting the independence of Biafra and anything in the contrary means digging more bottomless graves for the Biafrans.
If Nigeria had divided, the imposed ex-Speaker of the House of Representatives, Patricia Etteh, President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua etc could not have been in their positions. Secondly, as a tenant in her residence, the ex-Speaker could not have used the Oduduwa Republic fund of N685m to renovate her landlord’s house and still remained a free citizen. When Nigeria ceases to be one country, the hypocrisy will stop, of the Islamic Sharia states like Kano, Niger, Zamfara etc that do not allow the sales and consumption of beer yet partake in the sharing of the VAT and Excise Duty proceeds from Beer Breweries. Had Nigeria divided, the discretion of becoming a member of OIC will rest on each entity instead of the imposition against the general wish of the people of one Nigeria. The inability of one Nigeria to have a population-policy is because Islam as a religion practised mostly in the Northern Nigeria, permits polygamy. Even as rich and highly developed and
productive as China, there is population policy. With the division of Nigeria, various nations may decide on the matter. If Nigeria is not one country, would somebody like Obasanjo have become President of Oduduwa Repulic let alone spending $16b on electricity yet darkness is the outcome of this huge investment? If Nigeria is divided, as fraud will be minimized, the newspapers will not be inundated with horrible news of misappropriation of funds like N1 trillion stolen, N50B siphoned, probe panels Gulp N67B, N51B stolen every week, N350B disappear etc. By the way, except Niger Delta, which other nation can even have a national budget of N500B in the event that Nigeria divides? Only Niger Delta as a country can without stress give to each of her youths of 18years and above about N1m per year for ten years and yet survives. Espirit de corps and one Nigeria have stood, as giants to the probing of the past rulers of Nigeria namely Shagari, Buhari, IBB,
Abacha and Abdulsallami and no matter what happens Obasanjo will NEVER be probe. The rejection of the FOI bill is the beginning of the Doom’s Day for Nigeria.
If Biafra, Arewa, Oduduwa, Middle Belt etc become countries of their own, Nigeria illegal immigrants in US, EU countries, Canada, Australia, African countries etc will return. While oil price stablize Above all, unemployment, kidnapping, terrorism funding, armed robbery, child trafficking, hunger, corruption, oil-pipeline vandalization, militancy and other national malaise will automatically stop. And until a rotten tooth is removed, the ache or pain in the mouth will never cease. The graves of the Dele Giwas, Ken Saro Wiwas, Philip Effiongs, Isaac Boros, Gideon Orkas, Chuba Okadigbos, Chima Ubanis etc will not be full until Nigeria is divided. Prison and detention camps will continue to be secundus domus to the Dr Ralph Uwazuruikes (Dike Biafra, DB awardee) and his MASSOB officials, Henry Okahs and his indomitable and fearless MEND etc until Nigeria is divided. If you want to know what a leopard is thinking, you will see what its tail is doing.
In the BBC “Who Am I” competition in 2007, a competitor wrote”, In His infinite wisdom God made me a Biafran but through the amalgamation exercise of Britain in 1914, I am in Nigeria. Here, because of my straightforwardness in my dealing with people, I have continued to be a loser. Here, the end justifies the means hence criminals are welcomed, extolled, hallowed and even coronated. Politicians kill, mains, steal to get victory. To say the least, 98% of the 140m populations openly condemn Britain for her unilateral decision that gave birth to Nigeria-nation. My greatest regret is that I have not been able to become and accomplish why God created me because of my nationality.. But in order not to be a stateless citizen which is utopian I still remain in Nigeria pending when UN, US Britain, EU, Vatican, Canada, Australia, China etc will comply with the divine wish and directive by supporting the independence of Biafra.
Mr Ezennaya writes for the World Igbo Times Magazine, London
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