MOST Nigerians do not remember their
country’s civil war. A large majority were
born years after the 30-month fight
between Nigeria and the breakaway
region of Biafra, which ended when the
secessionists surrendered in 1970. Yet
over the past month independence
protests have erupted in cities across the
south-east, where the self-declared state
once was. Agitators say that this time they
will not be beaten. “Biafra is a country to
be restored,” declares one of them. “We
are determined to fight to the end.”
This is a concern for Nigeria’s new
government. Secessionist organisations in
Biafra have been agitating for years, but
analysts reckon the scale of the current
marches is unprecedented. Superficially,
they were sparked by the arrest of Nnamdi
Kanu, the outspoken head of the
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
movement, and director of Radio Biafra, a
pirate station. But the grievances run deep.

Nigeria did not exist until British
colonialists drew a line around hundreds
of fractious ethnic groups dominated by
the Igbo in the east, the Yoruba in the
west, and the Hausa-Fulani in the north.
The country’s regions have jostled for
power ever since. Predominantly Igbo
protesters have not forgotten that tens of
thousands of their people were killed
before Biafra unilaterally declared
independence in 1967. Between 1m and
3m people died during the war, many as
the rebel territory was starved into defeat.
In the 45 years since the war ended, they
feel they have been blocked from senior
political posts, denied public services, and
impoverished by a post-war programme
that they say auctioned off their houses
and returned just £20 ($320, in today’s
money) to them.
In the presidential election in March most
south-easterners voted for the incumbent,
Goodluck Jonathan, who comes from their
region. He lost to Muhammadu Buhari, a
Muslim from the north. “#NigeriaWillRot”,
Mr Kanu’s radio station declared after the
results were announced. Politicians have
fired up impressionable agitators by
claiming that the new government is
marginalising Igbos, says Nnamdi Obasi of
the International Crisis Group, a think-tank.
In the oil-rich Niger Delta, a revolt
beginning in the 1990s was focused more
on winning power and a share of the
spoils than on ideology. Many analysts
think the same is true today.
So far the demonstrations have been
mostly peaceful, though locals say shops
have been looted and tyres set ablaze, and
protesters claim police have killed several
of their crew (the police deny those
charges). That could change if Mr Kanu is
killed or mistreated by Nigerian security
agents . Boko Haram sets an unhappy
precedent. The Islamist movement became
a full-scale insurgency only after its leader,
Mohammed Yusuf, was shot in police
detention in 2009. Another worry is the
impending end of a six-year-old amnesty
for militants from the Delta. They could
return to violence if it is not extended next
month, spelling wider instability in the
region.
Mr Kanu is not averse to playing with fire.
He called for arms earlier this year and an
unverified Twitter page in his name is full
of extreme rhetoric and images of
mutilated Biafrans, which Mr Obasi says
often seem to be fake. Last week, his radio
station inferred from a Boko Haram
bombing that the “killing of Igbos in large
scale has already commenced”. Many of his
followers speak with an equally
intimidating tone. “Give us Biafra or we all
die getting Biafra,” one of them proclaims.
The real concern is not alleged government
brutality but poor governance. Despite
huge oil wealth, Nigerians were twice as
likely to be poor in 2010 as they were in
1980. Frustration is not confined to the
south-east. Poverty and joblessness have
driven conscripts into the arms of Boko
Haram terrorists, who want to establish a
caliphate in the mostly Muslim north-east.
Insurgents battled for self-rule in the Delta
until they were paid to stop. Over the years,
too many of Nigeria’s politicians have been
too busy filling their pockets to think of
solving the common underlying problems,
ignoring them until they got out of control.

http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21679210-half-century-after-war-angry-biafrans-are-agitating-again-go-your-own-way?fsrc=scn%2Ftw_ec%2Fgo_your_own_way

This entity is sitting on a keg of gunpowder

A point to make here is that during the civil war, the then Colonel Benjamin Adekunle (Black Scorpion), as one of the three war commanders, was ruthless or very cruel in carrying out his military campaigns. But what will he be most remembered for?

The remarks he made during that fratricidal civil war. The New York Times of May 20, 1968, in page 1, col. 7 wrote: On May 17, 1968, Col Adekunle said that he has besieged thousands of Biafrans inside the city of Port Harcourt "with no escape route except to jump in the water”.

In another interview with reporters on July 14, 1968, Col. Benjamin Adekunle termed all relief plans for Biafra as "misguided humanitarian rubbish".

The Sunday New York Times of Sept. 8, 1968, quoted Col. Adekunle, in answering a question about Biafran relief, as having said rather pompously:
"I want to see no red cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no U.N. delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo having even one thing to eat before their capitulation." On another occasion, Col. Adekunle told the interviewer that in Biafra, "we shoot at everything that moves", and in response to another reporter’s question about how he would treat Biafrans when he gets into the "heartland of the Igbos", he replied "Then we shoot at everything, even things that don’t move."

The Economics too has joined the movement.
Truly, Biafra is unstoppable!

Good observation
lalasticlala over to you

Ala Biafra bu ala mara nma
Ala Chukwu goziri
Ka ndi nke ya biri n'ime ya.

Of course the various doom prophecy did not work. Now it is to sink lower. Go your own way but in peace.

The Biafra issue isn't like the Catalonia or Palestinian issue. The worlds medias know about it and are pinning it all on "Bad governance". BBC said they are protesting for a "Better Nigeria", The economist said the protest was fuel by politicians and bad governance. They equally mentioned Boko haram and the militants.

The real concern is not alleged government brutality but poor governance. Despite huge oil wealth, Nigerians were twice as likely to be poor in 2010 as they were in 1980. Frustration is not confined to the south-east. Poverty and joblessness have driven conscripts into the arms of Boko Haram terrorists, who want to establish a caliphate in the mostly Muslim north-east. Insurgents battled for self-rule in the Delta until they were paid to stop. Over the years, too many of Nigeria’s politicians have been too busy filling their pockets to think of solving the common underlying problems, ignoring them until they got out of control.

The world are not really in sympathy with you, It is unlikely for you to even get your Biafra soon because they have been an unlikely change of government. Buhari just has to prove he isn't like the past leaders and the UN would shut your Biafra mouths.

Idrismusty97:
The Biafra issue isn't like the Catalonia or Palestinian issue. The worlds medias know about it and are pinning it all on "Bad governance". BBC said they are protesting for a "Better Nigeria", The economist said the protest was fuel by politicians and bad governance. They equally mentioned Boko haram and the militants.

is that all you saw?

Anyway the argument is flawed because it doest explain why Biafrans abroad have as much interest in her restoration as those at home

BTW, bad governance contributes a lot. But like most write-ups pointed out, the duo of injustice and incompactibility as major factors that trigger pro biafran agitation can't be wished away.

Even God is supporting Biafra because of the hypocrisy of various Nigeria ethnic nations



Doubt me at your own peril.

Nawa ooo

The government should just allow Biafra its freedom!!! Are they blind or do they want to give the citizen of Nigeria another reason to cry?

..

We will never, ever allow biafrauds to go. We will never set y'all free. The monkeys and baboons must be ruled. If u agree with my honest view, i want to hear a loud, thunderous shout of eeeeesssssseeeeeeeeeeee!

adamskutty:
We will never, ever allow biafrauds to go. We will never set y'all free. The monkeys and baboons must be ruled. If u agree with my honest view, i want to hear a loud, thunderous shout of eeeeesssssseeeeeeeeeeee!

BIAFRA or DEATH

demielvis:

BIAFRA or DEATH

hehehe! Biafra or what? Commmmmon shout again. . Take a knife and stab urself in the stomach, u meber can tell, we might just have a change of mind, 30mins of freedom only.

Noneroone:
is that all you saw?

Anyway the argument is flawed because it doest explain why Biafrans abroad have as much interest in her restoration as those at home

BTW, bad governance contributes a lot. But like most write-ups pointed out, the duo of injustice and incompactibility as major factors that trigger pro biafran agitation can't be wished away.

The SS as well due to tribal diff is not compatible wit Bifrags!

The zoo must collapse, Biafra must emerge!!

ALISMILE:
The SS as well due to tribal diff is not compatible wit Bifrags!

what is 'SS' ?

This is good news!! the economy will crash very soon!! the investors will zoom off!! the Indians will be convinced to stop buying nigeria oil by the biafrans living in india! the economy will collapse!!!

lalasticlala, MTN don block your sim?

adamskutty:
We will never, ever allow biafrauds to go. We will never set y'all free. The monkeys and baboons must be ruled. If u agree with my honest view, i want to hear a loud, thunderous shout of eeeeesssssseeeeeeeeeeee!

It's unfortunate that u are jesting with Biafra while Fulani Herdsmen are using Kogi people to count scores, ranking the world's 4th ruthless terror group.

It's a pity broh.

I am so sorry for Kogites, esp hypocritical ones like u.

adamskutty:
hehehe! Biafra or what? Commmmmon shout again. . Take a knife and stab urself in the stomach, u meber can tell, we might just have a change of mind, 30mins of freedom only.

How old are you?

Your post is silly...

EasternPride:

It's unfortunate that u are jesting with Biafra while Fulani Herdsmen are using Kogi people to count scores, ranking the world's 4th ruthless terror group.
It's a pity broh.
I am so sorry for Kogites, esp hypocritical ones like u.

shaaaarap! We live peacefully with the fulanis in ankpa l.g.a of kogi state. Search the web, u will never see any incident involving fulanis and igalas in ankpa.

Anyway, how are u doing in the face of the Biafra brouhaha?

demielvis:

How old are you?
Your post is silly...

not younger than u.

Please what and what is stopping Biafra from going? Are they waiting for a send off party from Buhari?

Let Biafra set a date that it will go and n that day, let the movement begin.

All these Biafra is going, Biafra is goinG don tire me.

I support Biafra to go, oya start going

Nnamdi Kanu will soon join you, Abi una need him to pack?

Armaggedon:
what is 'SS' ?

The geo-political region of of d southern pat of Niaja which comprised of 6 states, namely; Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River! The SS I completely diff frm d South east which is comprised of yeeebbooo pple!

ALISMILE:
The geo-political region of of d southern pat of Niaja which comprised of 6 states, namely; Edo, Delta, Bayelsa, Akwa Ibom, Rivers and Cross River! The SS I completely diff frm d South east which is comprised of yeeebbooo pple!

you dont respect your zoo and you want me to respect it

Armaggedon:
you dont respect your zoo and you want me to respect it

if u hate Nigeria sooooo much why ve u not declare biafrag republic of d 5 yeeeboo states?