“Tell your colleagues who want Biafra
to forget about it.” This is what
President Buhari told corps members
from the Southeast as they visited the
former military ruler in his home
state of Daura, Katsina. Such
dismissive rhetoric has characterised
Buhari’s response to the agitation of
some people in the Southeastern
region of the country.

Buhari, re-lived his experience of the
1960’s Biafran war to the numerous
corpers that came to visit him.

Recounting his role as military
commander, he said, “ I walked on my
feet for most of the 30 months that we
fought the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, in
which at least 2 million Nigerians
were killed”. According to a
statement released by the President’s
Senior Special Assistant on Media,
Mallam Shehu Garba, Buhari said
separation was not the answer to
their (Biafran agitators) grievances,
telling them that the nation had
passed that route before with dire
consequences. “I have seen this
country, I fought for this country and
I will continue to work for the unity
of this country”, the president added.

The president’s words, when taken
together, begin to paint the picture
that the country is better together
because a separation would end in
(necessary) causalities. Before the
message delivered to the Corp
members, he had asserted that the
country’s unity is non negotiable.

Subsequently he quoted General
Yakubu Gowon, who presided over the
1967 Civil War in saying that “to keep
Nigeria one is a task that must be
done”.

Buhari’s response to the grievances
that has stretched for nearly 50 years
has been to threaten the agitators
with the use of brute force, even
alluding to genocide. The message
here is that remaining in the Nigerian
Union is better for the citizens of
Biafra because they would be spared
from the heartache of mourning their
loved ones when an inevitable battle
ensues. This line of communication
does not only add fuel to the fire, but
goes against the democratic principles
that the former military leader
purports to uphold.

In a democratic nation, grievances
are resolved through negotiation and,
if necessary, compromise. A threat of
force is the appropriate response to
issues of national security but the
government has so far deployed the
military to thwart peaceful protests.

In several cases, this has resulted in
the loss of lives of peaceful protesters.
Biafran agitators claim that they have
been disenfranchised for decades, that
the federal government has neglected
its numerous projects in the southeast
and that they are under-represented
in the administration of the national
affairs and national resources. An
independent report coined the
‘Confab Report 2014’ addressed the
concerns of citizens in the Southeast
and proposed solutions which are yet
to be implemented. Among them is a
move towards decentralisation from
the federal government, giving more
autonomy to the state. Others include
a more inclusive power sharing
formula and the creation of new
states to allow for greater
representation of their interests.

However these suggestions have been
side-lined and in their place the
implicit threat of violence.
Buhari’s focus should be making a
compelling case as to why Biafra is
better off within than out of the
Nigerian Union. He could point out
that in African nations that have
successfully seceded haven’t found
much success (e.g.South Sudan), and
ultimately end up trading one form of
oppressive rule for another, making
the case that Biafra will ultimately be
better in a more representative and
unified Nigeria than out, making
credible commitments towards true
federalism and a decentralised state
that allows individual states to dictate
their own trajectories within the
union, a commitment to improving
the completion rate of federal projects
in the area, and commitments to
providing equal opportunities to hold
strategic positions.

The United Kingdom took this
approach in the 2014 Scottish
referendum in which the Scottish
opted to stay of their own accord
through the election. In a democratic
system, the threat of military force
over peaceful calls of a recession
hardly highlights Buhari’s
commitment to democratic rule.
While a defacto threat of genocide
may be persuasive in preventing
members of the oil rich region from
seceding in the short term, it fails to
address the core problems and only
succeeds at kicking the can down the
road.

https://venturesafrica.com/buharis-oppressive-approach-towards-biafra-has-no-place-in-a-democracy/

hmmm

You can't blame him, nobody will like it when the sovereignty of the country he governs is being threatened

BUHARI you should have just calm down as an old man but you are grumpy old man who still walk around on diapers .



your I.Q and emotion's will continue piloting your empty NAMAA brain .



you don't have wisdom at your age probably one side of your brain is dead prior to deserved criminal slaps received from dasuki


release NNAMDI KANU , if you are half smart but you are still grumpy and weak as hell .

Let's say for example Biafra is gotten and nnamdi Kanu is president... What will he do if one okon gets up from no were and say he wants Republic of Oron nation and declear Oron independent??

The nnamdi Kanu we know who can't stand intellectual debate.. What will he do?? Tell me

missKiffy:
You can't blame him, nobody will like it when the sovereignty of the country he governs is being threatened

You are spot on in your assertion.
If it that easy GEJ the biafran abducted hero would have given them an independent state during his own reign.

And this is where it all ends: online rants!

You can insult them, curse them, humiliate them, mock them and they still wont be able to do anything

Ipoop, talkless and do more. We are tired of your threats and ultimatums. Tell your people to forget about biafraudd

missKiffy:
You can't blame him, nobody will like it when the sovereignty of the country he governs is being threatened

Absolutely... The truth is that no leader anywhere in the world would sit back and allow the territory he rules to be divided; not even the amiable GEJ would permit that to happen under his nose. Buhari however needs to talk less on the issue of Biafra.

glassjar1:
BUHARI you should have just calm down as an old man but you are grumpy old man who still walk around on diapers .



your I.Q and emotion's will continue piloting your empty NAMAA brain .



you don't have wisdom at your age probably one side of your brain is dead prior to deserved criminal slaps received from dasuki


release NNAMDI KANU , if you are half smart but you are still grumpy and weak as hell .

Nnamdi Kanu cannot be released just like that, he must first answer for his crimes and if the courts deem it right to free him, then so be it. But Buhari can never never be blackmailed into compromising the security of the Nigerian state. You can insult him all you want on the internet it wont change a thing

mrvitalis:
Let's say for example Biafra is gotten and nnamdi Kanu is president... What will he do if one okon gets up from no were and say he wants Republic of Oron nation and declear Oron independent??

The nnamdi Kanu we know who can't stand intellectual debate.. What will he do?? Tell me

Have your gov tried engaging him in debate? I swear if Kanu gets anyone of you in healthy chart, that day you will denounce Nigeria.

kropotkin2:
Nnamdi Kanu cannot be released just like that, he must first answer for his crimes and if the courts deem it right to free him, then so be it. But Buhari can never never be blackmailed into compromising the security of the Nigerian state. You can insult him all you want on the internet it wont change a thing

How many times did court of competent jurisdiction released him?

APCsupporter:
And this is where it all ends: online rants!

You can insult them, curse them, humiliate them, mock them and they still wont be able to do anything

Ipoop, talkless and do more. We are tired of your threats and ultimatums. Tell your people to forget about biafraudd

Ranting of Almajiri holds no water.

DeleteNonsense:

Have your gov tried engaging him in debate? I swear if Kanu gets anyone of you in healthy chart, that day you will denounce Nigeria.

Bro I have called him and all I got was insult

I let me ask u same question.. . Why not form a political party and contest to be the representative of the people and let the people see ur leadership skills
If u rule well they people will vote for ur party and the party will dominate the region.. Then the party will be the rulling party in the region.. Then u can call for referendum as the party leader.. Then the UN and Nigeria can't day no... Instead of this method that will only kill people

mrvitalis:

Bro I have called him and all I got was insult

I let me ask u same question.. . Why not form a political party and contest to be the representative of the people and let the people see ur leadership skills
If u rule well they people will vote for ur party and the party will dominate the region.. Then the party will be the rulling party in the region.. Then u can call for referendum as the party leader.. Then the UN and Nigeria can't day no... Instead of this method that will only kill people

That method only works in sane country not animal kingdom we have here so forget about it.

DeleteNonsense:

Ranting of Almajiri holds no water.

I delete you

DeleteNonsense:

That method only works in sane country not animal kingdom we have here so forget about it.

Loool now u acting like ur mentor

mrvitalis:

Bro I have called him and all I got was insult

I let me ask u same question.. . Why not form a political party and contest to be the representative of the people and let the people see ur leadership skills
If u rule well they people will vote for ur party and the party will dominate the region.. Then the party will be the rulling party in the region.. Then u can call for referendum as the party leader.. Then the UN and Nigeria can't day no... Instead of this method that will only kill people

different days, same old lies, you did not call him any day any time, the power from the points he dishes out frightenes you people. That is all

mrvitalis:

Loool now u acting like ur mentor

Call him my mentor or not doesn't delete the fact that Nigeria will rarely have a healthy argument about Biafra because from my interactions with Northerners and some Westerners, there's this fear they have about staying alone and I asked myself why? Is it because of oil?

DeleteNonsense:

Call him my mentor or not doesn't delete the fact that Nigeria will rarely have a healthy argument about Biafra because from my interactions with Northerners and some Westerners, there's this fear they have about staying alone and I asked myself why? Is it because of oil?

First of all am igbo... Give me one reason Nigeria should listen to nnamdi Kanu about Biafra when the people we elected as representative are not saying anything about it

What's the difference between nnamdi Kanu and a fool calling himself leader of the igbos

cockoduck:
different days, same old lies, you did not call him any day any time, the power from the points he dishes out frightenes you people. That is all

OK.. I didn't call.. oya respond to my question. .. Why not go about the Biafra demonstraticaly??
Oooh I know.. Nigeria is a zoo and only understand force right?? But have u tried democratic measures no?? When u use force and get force back U cry that the presidency is acting autocraticaly

The blood of all igbos that died for this struggle will be on the hands of Nnamdi Kanu for leading them foolishly

If our igbo senators, governors and house of rep members and state assembly can unanimously demand for a UN referendum there is no how Buhari can say no

mrvitalis:

First of all am igbo... Give me one reason Nigeria should listen to nnamdi Kanu about Biafra when the people we elected as representative are not saying anything about it

What's the difference between nnamdi Kanu and a fool calling himself leader of the igbos

Why is FG listing to Ohanaeze? Who voted them? How do you want our senators to raise the Biafra issues even when Ekweremmadu tried it fight broke out in senate house.

mrvitalis:
Let's say for example Biafra is gotten and nnamdi Kanu is president... What will he do if one okon gets up from no were and say he wants Republic of Oron nation and declear Oron independent??

The nnamdi Kanu we know who can't stand intellectual debate.. What will he do?? Tell me

Nnamdi Kanu has said a number of times that after Biafra is realised, if there are other ethnic nationalities who wish to create their own countries, no one should hold them back because to do so would mean repeating what Nigeria did to Biafra.

obailala:
Absolutely... The truth is that no leader anywhere in the world would sit back and allow the territory he rules to be divided; not even the amiable GEJ would permit that to happen under his nose. Buhari however needs to talk less on the issue of Biafra.

David Cameron was British prime minister when a referendum was proposed by Scotland. Cameron didn't go about saying 'the unity of Britain is not negotiable'. Instead, Cameron allowed the will of the Scottish people to prevail like the democrat he is. If it was Buhari, he would send in Soldiers to gun down people.

DeleteNonsense:

Why is FG listing to Ohanaeze? Who voted them? How do you want our senators to raise the Biafra issues even when Ekweremmadu tried it fight broke out in senate house.

What demand has FG granted ohanaeze??
Ekweremmadu has never made any formal demand for Biafra... Stop lying

mrvitalis:

OK.. I didn't call.. oya respond to my question. .. Why not go about the Biafra demonstraticaly??
Oooh I know.. Nigeria is a zoo and only understand force right?? But have u tried democratic measures no?? When u use force and get force back U cry that the presidency is acting autocraticaly

The blood of all igbos that died for this struggle will be on the hands of Nnamdi Kanu for leading them foolishly

If our igbo senators, governors and house of rep members and state assembly can unanimously demand for a UN referendum there is no how Buhari can say no

He cannot go about getting Biafra democratically because Nigeria was not democratically created. The stance of Biafran agitators is that since Nigeria was illegally created by the forced amalgamation of various ethnic nationalties by the British, it is only fair that those ethnic nationalities be given a referendum to let them decide if they want to go or stay. You cannot ask people to go through a legal process to get Biafra when it was an illegal process that made them 'Nigerians' in the first place. That's like asking a person to seek divorce in court when there was never a wedding.

attackgat:


He cannot go about getting Biafra democratically because Nigeria was not democratically created. The stance of Biafran agitators is that since Nigeria was illegally created by the forced amalgamation of various ethnic nationalties by the British, it is only fair that those ethnic nationalities be given a referendum to let them decide if they want to go or stay. You cannot ask people to go through a legal process to get Biafra when it was an illegal process that made them 'Nigerians' in the first place. That's like asking a person to seek divorce in court when there was never a wedding.

When the people ask for referendum Nigeria will listen... Who is nnamdi Kanu?? Dose he has any position?? Who made him spoke person of the igbos...

Let the true leaders of Igbos ask

attackgat:


David Cameron was British prime minister when a referendum was proposed by Scotland. Cameron didn't go about saying 'the unity of Britain is not negotiable'. Instead, Cameron allowed the will of the Scottish people to prevail like the democrat he is. If it was Buhari, he would send in Soldiers to gun down people.

The Scots have been fighting for independence for over a 1000 years, the UK has been a democratic nation for ages, but they only allowed that referendum in 2014... Don't allow that Scottish referendum fool you, the UK only dubiously gave that referendum in 2014 because they already almost knew the outcome before hand judging by the massive carrot they dangled on the faces of the Scots. We need to be realistic here, not even GEJ or the most amiable saint in this world would allow the territory he rules to be balkanised, else we would be hearing of referendums every day across the world. Unfortunately, Kanu was to some degree right when he said separation cannot be achieved through peaceful means. The most practical and the most beneficial thing to do is to call for the return of regional leadership, not outright secession.

missKiffy:
You can't blame him, nobody will like it when the sovereignty of the country he governs is being threatened

he's the one threatening the citizens. 97℅ / 5℅

obailala:
The Scots have been fighting for independence for over a 1000 years, the UK has been a democratic nation for ages, but they only allowed that referendum in 2014... Don't allow that Scottish referendum fool you, the UK only dubiously gave that referendum in 2014 because they already almost knew the outcome before hand judging by the massive carrot they dangled on the faces of the Scots. We need to be realistic here, not even GEJ or the most amiable saint in this world would allow the territory he rules to be balkanised, else we would be hearing of referendums every day across the world. Unfortunately, Kanu was to some degree right when he said separation cannot be achieved through peaceful means. The most practical and the most beneficial thing to do is to call for the return of regional leadership, not outright secession.

Regional federation isn't ever coming back in Nigeria, we Igbos know this. The core North will never let it happen and they are holding all the aces. To get regionalism back, the constitution has to be changed. To change the constitution, you need a 2 thirds majority in the National Assembly. With the numerical strenght of the core North in the National Assembly there is no way a 2 thirds majority will be achieved, not even if all the SW/SE/SS/NC votes for it. True federalism/Regionalism is never coming back to Nigeria.

attackgat:


Regional federation isn't ever coming back in Nigeria, we Igbos know this. The core North will never let it happen and they are holding all the aces. To get regionalism back, the constitution has to be changed. To change the constitution, you need a 2 thirds majority in the National Assembly. With the numerical strenght of the core North in the National Assembly there is no way a 2 thirds majority will be achieved, not even if all the SW/SE/SS/NC votes for it. True federalism/Regionalism is never coming back to Nigeria.

The point is that, as hard as it may seem to achieve regionalism, achieving regionalism is far more easier and safer than having outright disintegration.

Furthermore, contrary to general beliefs about the core north holding the aces, the truth is that the only impediment to the return of regionalism is the foolishness of the southern blocks (especially the SW and SE) to unite and demand regionalism; even the middle-belt is tired of the domination of the core north and would swing with the south IF only the south can do the sensible thing.