Good work, mrmayor. I see we have come across the same articles. Allow me to add a few more quotes:


"I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move,  " (Benjamin Adekunle. Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army).


And, excerpts from speeches made in the Northern House of Assembly session in 1964:


MALLAM BASHARI UMARU: "I would like (you), as the Minister of Land and Survey, to revoke forthwith all Certificates of Occupancy from the hands of the Ibos resident in the region (Applause) ,  "


MR. MEGIDA LAWANT: "In fact it is quite a long time that we in our part of this Region have known the Ibos and I do not think that at the moment there is any Ibo man owning a roof in Igbirra Division ,  I am appealing to the Minister to make life more difficult for them ,  "


ALHAJI YUSUFU BAYERO: "Mr. Chairman, I would like to appeal to the Minister of Establishments and Training if he will appeal to the Minister of Local Government about some employees who are Ibos and are working under some Native Authorities here ,  I cannot see why they should be in our Region. We are all sure that they are the poorest people in the country".


ALHAJI USMAN LIMAN (Sarkin Musawa): "What brought the Ibos into this Region? They were here since the Colonial Days. Had it not been for the Colonial Rule there would hardly have been any Ibo in this Region. Now that there is no Colonial Rule the Ibos should go back to their Region. There should be no hesitation about this matter. Mr. Chairman, North is for Northerners, East for Easterners, West for Westerners and The Federation is for all. (Applause)."


To all these clearly ethnocentric requests, Northern Nigerian Ministers replied:


ALHAJI SIR AHMADU BELLO, K.B.E., Sardauna of Sokoto (The Premier): "It is my most earnest desire that every post in the Region, however small it is, to be filled by a Northerner. (Applause)."


ALHAJI MUSTAFA ISMAILA ZANNA DUJUNA (Minister of Establishments and Training):"Mr. Chairman, Sir, since 1955 this Government had laid down a policy. First NORTHERNERS, second EXPATRIATES and third, NON-NORTHERNERS . Mr. Chairman, Sir, I have noted very carefully all the speeches made by all the Members in the Honourable House and I am ready to put up to my Government their views and I hope my Government will give them consideration ,  I think these two things are the major things I have to answer now. One is on scholarship and the other is on how to do away with the Ibos."


ALHAJI IBRAHIM MUSA GASHASH, O.B.E. (Minister of Land and Survey): "Mr. Chairman, Sir, I do not like to take up much of the time of this House in making explanations, but I would like to assure Members that having heard their demands about Ibos holding land in Northern Nigeria my Ministry will do all it can to see that the demands of Members are met. HOW TO DO THIS, WHEN TO DO IT, ALL THIS SHOULD NOT BE DISCLOSED. IN THE COURSE, YOU WILL ALL SEE WHAT WILL HAPPEN. . (Applause)."


All this took place in 1964 - two years before the coup - lest any be in any doubt.


They said we should leave the North; we stayed because we believed in Nigeria.

They started victimising us in our offices, homes and businesses; we still stayed.

They started attacking us (first in Jos in 1945 and later in Kano in 1953); we held on.

A pogrom started in 1966 (with the coup as the pretext for such blatant atrocities); we left.

Ojukwu appealed to them to do something and they reassured us of our safety in the North; we returned because we believed in Nigeria.

They immediately resumed the killing of innocent men, women and children; we left for the safety of the East.

They pursued us into the safety provided by Ojukwu to satisfy their increasing thirst for Eastern blood; we fought back.

They tried to destroy us on their own; they couldn’t.

They then connived with other countries (particularly Britain, Russia and Egypt who provided aircraft and pilots to bomb civilian targets). The collusion of Britain and Russia is particularly interesting because it was the first time these two countries genuinely collaborated on any ‘project’ during the cold war. They set aside their cold war differences to kill Biafrans!

Despite their collaboration, despite their sophisticated armoury of killing instruments, we fought back with knives, cutlasses, spears, dane guns, bows and arrows, and our bare hands. Later, with local ingenuity we invented weaponry that rivalled some of the best in the world, thus preventing the annihilation of a whole people.

They wanted all of us dead; we are still here.

They still want all of us dead; we will not allow them have their depraved way!

This guy is sick

Disagree with u there madlawyer.

This is tempting, but as I was told, no amount of links I paste would make them see things from any viewpoint other than theirs, so, I hold my peace.

Hmnnn, interesting, Nutter. Verrry interesting.

what is?

madlawyer1:

Yes, our beloved country has problems that still need sorting out but if all we do to continue to focus all the negatives - and they are aplenty - then it will become increasingly difficult to move forward.

Enough said. Let's close this topic.

Same advice I give to you now, though I couldn't resist adding this: http://nigeriantimes..com/2005/12/biafra-dares-nigeria.html

Chxta Chxta,

I'm so disappointed with you,I was waiting for you to come up with another thesis about how Ibos brought the Pogrom on themselves.
You could actually give your Latin speaking Priest a call to come up with some interesting points but no Sir nothing from you.

You denfence of Niaja and your well instilled Nigerianess is Lets Close This Topic!
Next time don't start threads you can't defend,this is the word of an Elder kapish

Cheers

Chxta:


My mentor is of the opinion that the Igbo, the Hausa and the Yoruba need Nigeria as much as Nigeria needs them. But that Nigeria in its current state needs a lot of readjustment.

Lastly, he told me that I am rather stupid for carrying on with this argument. He says that when people are motivated by hatred, there is nothing you would tell them, no matter how reasonable that would make them change their view points. So that this whole argument according to him is a solid waste of time.

With that rebuke ringing in my ears, I left Benin for Lagos, and got back at 1430, an hour and a half before the game.

This brings to an end my participation in this argument.

You sir, can't goad me

Chxta,

After your training you got beat again!
You are running back home with your Naija tail well stuck where the sun don't shine
I can't stop laughing.

PS.
Did you RSM,Sargent Hassan tell you how many Ibos he killed during his days in the Nigerian Army?

@ Mrmayor,

in the words of Leo da Vinci: Il silenzio e la risposta migliore per uno sciocco

Chxta,

In the words of Mrmayor,

Se inizialmente voi non riesca, provare ancora. Allora rinunciato. Non ci è uso che è uno sciocco maledetto a questo proposito

Kapish

Your verbs are not properly conjugated. Need a lesson? Email me: chxtab@gmail.com. Will teach you for free. Web translators don't work fine. Many 419ers have been caught because they used them.

Who cares about my verbs,the fact is you understand me.just for the benefit of others I'll repeat in English.

"If at first you don't succeed, try again. Then quit. There's no use being a damn fool about it"

If you need lessons in Nigerian History,you can contact me on manpikin@ntlworld.ie

Daalu

Typical reply from you. Reminds me of those you give in the other thread (especially the one about flags). Point is this: nutter is brain, you my friend are chaff.

One thing (am I sounding arrogant or what?), I HAVE FORGOTTEN MORE HISTORY, NIGERIAN OR OTHERWISE THAN YOU'VE LEARNT.

One more thing: it is dalu, not daalu

But then this is getting ridiculous. I think I have too much time on my hands

I'm sorry,did I touch a sore nerve. I didn't mean to offend,you however didn't answer the questions I asked you in my previous posts.
Its never being my style to write thesis after thesis on internet boards,when I write I shoot like sub machine gun,in short bust for everyone to understand.
Please give the most recent arguments to your Priest,I'm waiting to hear whats he's got to say about Genocide denied in Nigeria.
All your hero's,Babangida,Buhari,Domkat Bali,Dogoyanro,Danjuma etc should all be tried for Crimes Against Humanity.

Chxta:

Typical reply from you. Reminds me of those you give in the other thread (especially the one about flags). Point is this: nutter is brain, you my friend are chaff.

Typical African,when you can't give any conclusive arguments or points you resort to Insults.
OK,I wait for your Intellectual Equal Nutter.


Thanks

Dalu or Daalu, it makes no difference.Like I stated earlier I'm not Ibo

O brother, you just don't get it do you?

mrmayor:

Dalu or Daalu, it makes no difference.Like I stated earlier I'm not Ibo

I'm not Hausa, Italian, German or Roman either ;

And no, I'm not offended. Just enjoying the evening bantering with you before wifey closes from work.

U just called. Work is over. Nice talking to you mrmayor. I'm off to Kano (in the North ) tomorrow. See you later alligator,

@Chxta,

Is it because of me that you left Lagos for Benin? Biko, exercise greater caution next time - more Columbo, less Kojak! Those YOUR Nigerian roads are a peril.

At 0600, I was on the way to Benin City (my hometown for those who don't know) to see one of my mentors

Benin is your hometown? I didn’t quite get that. Anyway, ‘to each their own’, I guess.

It wasn’t a sin that made me enter the road so to speak, but an argument; remember all those Chinese movies we used to watch as children? Where the hero of the movie would pick a fight with some bad guy (the boss) and would get soundly whipped? Then he would run back with his tail in between his legs and get properly trained by his master, so he could come back to fight another with the boss again, and this time whip the boss?

This Chxta sef. Are you alright? Drinking ogogoro first thing in the morning is never a good idea. Contrary to what you may have seen in the movies, it wouldn’t help you perfect your ‘Drunken-Monkey’ fighting style  . This is not a movie! Your Titanicesque arguments are really sunk, you will not be getting the girl in the end, and you most certainly will not be riding off into the sunset. Repeat: This is not a movie! Ah, ah?!

First, a lot of the Igbo in the argument who are on the side of a break up of the country are of the opinion that the problem the Igbo face in Nigeria is from the North. He asked this question: who initiated the 1959 carpet crossing in the Western House of Parliament which effectively introduced ethnic politics into Nigeria?

Actually, a lot of the Igbo on the side of a break up of the country are of the opinion that the problem the Igbo face in Nigeria is from NIGERIA. After all, the very first recorded occasions of violence against the Igbo were in Jos (in today’s Middle-Belt) and Kano (in the North). Additionally, in 1966, other attacks against the Igbo were recorded in the West and parts of today’s South-South. You will also find that due to the West's betrayal, most Biafrans are angrier at the West than they are the North.

The next question he asked me was to name the principal actors in the January 1966 coup de tat, both plotters and victims.

Accounts of the January coup will always be incomplete without the acknowledgement of certain incontrovertible facts regarding the so-called ‘Igbo coup’. These facts are wholly accepted by historians (the good monsignor, I am sure, would agree):

1.The coup had the major purpose of releasing Awolowo (a Yoruba) from his unjust incarceration in Calabar prison and making him President.

2.The coup was foiled in Kano by Ojukwu who at that time was the CO of the 5th Battalion. This ‘betrayal’ was the origin of the strain that existed in his relationship with Nzeogwu even though both went on to fight on the Biafran side during the war.

3.The coup was foiled in Lagos by Ironsi, then GOC Nigerian Army. When Nzeogwu found out that Ironsi had escaped death (he was warned by Lt-Col James Pam) from the hands of Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna (who was in charge of Lagos operations), he was forced to hurriedly draft his speech declaring martial law. Ifeajuna was to later flee to Ghana to avoid arrest by Ironsi but was sent back (to prison in Nigeria – first Uyo and later Enugu) after Nkrumah was removed from office.

4.Lt-Col Arthur Unegbe (an Igbo Officer) was killed by the plotters as his close relationship to Brigadier Maimalari suggested him to be, in the minds of the plotters, part of the Nigerian (not Northern – he was Igbo) problem.

5.Many of the soldiers that participated in the coup were of non-Igbo extraction. Particularly, many of the soldiers involved in storming residences belonging to Bello and Balewa were from the North. If they were genuinely against the action and saw it as an Igbo coup, Nzeogwu would have been shot dead immediately bullets were issued. He wasn’t. Nzeogwu himself was to later describe the detachment of troops accompanying him to Bello's house as "a truly Nigerian gathering" (New Nigerian - 18th January 1966).

Captain Ben Gbulie (in a 2005 interview) described Ojukwu as ‘a reactionary who teamed up with General Aguiyi Ironsi to subvert the 1966 coup that was staged to restore sanity to the Nigerian polity.’ You will also find this assessment in his book, ‘Nigeria’s Five Majors’. See also, the book, ‘Why We Struck’ by Major Adewale Ademoyega (who, aside from Ojukwu and Ironsi, also mentions another Igbo officer: Colonel Hilary Njoku, as one who helped crush the coup). Similarly, you will find an account of Ojukwu’s activities to counter the coup in his own book, ‘Because I am Involved’.

Since I am listing books, I might as well include one which states that a certain Colonel Ralph Shodeinde had previously reported Nzeogwu to Army Headquarters on the charge of ‘attempting to poison the minds of junior officers against the government’ (see the book by Obasanjo - yes, him - "An Intimate Portrait of Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu"). Therefore, the North had an inkling of Nzeogwu’s recruitment for the January coup but may have chosen to let it go on in order to obtain the perfect pretext for the pogroms that were subsequently unleashed. I may, of course, be wrong on this.  What I am sure of is that Northern politicians wanted the Igbo done away with (refer to my previous post), they knew of Nzeogwu’s treasonous activities, they did ‘nothing’.

All these accounts prove that the coup was not an ‘Igbo coup’ as the North and some other parts of Nigeria would have us believe. We know this because it involved many officers of non-Igbo extraction and was foiled by officers of Igbo extraction. Where then is the ‘Great Igbo Conspiracy’? History cannot be re-written. Facts are facts.

When I answered that question, he asked me to put myself in the position of the North. Their brightest lights in both the political sector and the military were killed, and you want them not to assume it was an ethnic coup when Okapra, Osadebe and Aguiyi-Ironsi by some ‘miracle’ escaped assassination. The truth is this: we asked for trouble.

As mrmayor has pointed out, this in NO WAY justifies the killing of thousands of innocent men, women and children who had NO PART in the coup. Further, it in NO WAY justifies the killing of millions - mostly children - during the resulting war.

But to be fair to both Awolowo and the North, they also supervised a scheme whereby properties belonging to Igbo people in all parts of Nigeria before the war were returned. This scheme was implemented to the letter except in one state, Rivers.

This is not true. You give them more credit than they deserve. The scheme, as supervised by the Nigerian government, was heavily skewed against the Igbo. Everybody knows that. You should ask yourself these questions:

1.Why was Rivers State, by your account, the exception to the rule? Surely Rivers, a State created by Gowon himself, should have been subject to the scheme.

2.You say the scheme was implemented to the letter except in Rivers. What about Lagos where property belonging to Ojukwu (originally belonging to his father) was withheld? A case in point is the JAMB building in Ikoyi. This was not returned, as far as I am aware, until the late 1990s. Many Biafrans (especially the Igbo) up and down the country (especially in the North) also suffered a similar fate. Indeed, loads of Igbo, after very many years of trying and failing to regain ownership of their properties, simply gave up. This is a well-known fact. Conduct your research and you will see that I am right.

In my book, people who hate us would not have returned our things to us. No, they would have used the opportunity to put us down forever.

Firstly, the Igbo cannot be ‘put down forever’. It simply cannot be done. We will not only find ways to survive, we will thrive.

Secondly, after the war, every Biafran with a bank account was given only 20 Pounds (irrespective of how much these accounts held). That way, billions were stolen from the Igbo. Can you imagine how it must have felt to have an account running into several millions, only to be paid-off with 20 quid? What happened to the rest? Let’s not forget that this was done in the period when an Indigenisation Program came into effect. The Igbo were thus financially incapable of investing like other ethnic groups (20 quid each didn’t go very far). We are still suffering from the effect of this - especially in the banking sector. First they took our buildings and then they took our money. So, Chxta, I don’t understand what you mean by ‘our things’ being returned. They were not.

My grandfather was killed during the war, but my uncles got back everything he owned in Kano, not one brick was missing. And according to one of my uncles,  Sadiq the caretaker gave them every penny of rent that he collected when from when they took off in a hurry in July 1966, up until they returned in 1971. If the man hated them, he would never have done that.

Surely you are not suggesting that every Biafran who abandoned property in the North and other parts of the country returned to find a humble, smiling Sadiq, ready and willing to tender an account of his stewardship? Or are you?

My friend on this forum always points out that the Ikwerre are Igbo. Yes, they claimed to be Igbo up until the war, but let us accept for the sake of this argument that they are Igbo, remember that in 1970, the Ikwerre were the only peoples who refused to return any property owned by other Igbo before the war? So, granted that they are Igbo, doesn’t that go to prove my point that we Igbo are always fighting amongst ourselves?

The government, whose intention to restore the dignity of the Igbo you laud (since ‘they didn’t hate us’) actually allowed the Ikwerre go against its directive? How does that add up? The Ikwerre at that time were doing their utmost to distance themselves from their Igbo roots. The Ikwerre at that time, driven by the fear of reprisal, were falling all over themselves to do the bidding of the government. How is it then that they were able to stand so boldly in defiance of a Federal Government directive? Let us face facts. The truth is the government stood to gain from sowing division in Igbo land. Rivers State was created by Gowon to divide Igboland. Exempting the Ikwerre from the directive only served to further establish the principal aim of dividing our land and sowing discord. That is the truth – if you are prepared to accept it.

So the question then becomes; is Chxta the one promoting Igbo disunity? That he refuses to paper over it doesn’t mean he is promoting disunity. On the contrary, methinks he is asking his people to take a long hard look at themselves.

The long answer to your question, like I have said many a time on different threads, is that you do not provide any balance in your reports concerning the Igbo or indeed, Nigeria. You, for instance, once described Northerners as the ‘warmest, most open and receptive people in Nigeria’. With all the premeditated killings of Southerners in their midst from the 1940s (for all sorts of stupid reasons – Igbo Coup, Sharia, Miss World, Danish Cartoons, Sport, Exercise, Boredom, etc), I struggle to understand how you can arrive at such a glowing assessment. With the fact that Southern settlers in the North were directed to cemeteries outside city limits to build their homes (One Nigeria right?), I am simply unable to understand how one who is supposedly objective can arrive at such a skewed portrayal of the situation. You really should take time to deeply consider these issues before you throw yourself boldly in the line of fire. You accuse me of being sentimental but what does your statement demonstrate? Does it not show the thoughts of one filled with strong sentiments for a united Nigeria – by any means necessary and at any cost? When all sentiments are stripped away, to be accepted as valid, facts need to stand naked in their truth. Mine do, yours don’t. Following from the above, the short answer to your question is thus, inevitably, ‘Yes’.

Lastly, he told me that I am rather stupid for carrying on with this argument. He says that when people are motivated by hatred, there is nothing you would tell them, no matter how reasonable that would make them change their view points. So that this whole argument according to him is a solid waste of time.

I am not motivated by hatred, my dear man. You did me a great injustice by leading the good monsignor along that dark, bigoted path. Anyway, I wasn’t there to ‘defend’ myself so you must have run riot. Suffice it to say that I treat people as I find them. I’m sure that deep down (in a place you may not like to visit), you know this. Mine has never been a drive fuelled by sentiment. Granted, in matters concerning ones people, a certain level of that is involved. That cannot be avoided. However, in my defence, I will state without hesitation that in all I have written, I have written as one who took time to find things out for himself. One who asked questions and listened carefully to proffered answers. One who thirsted for the truth and ONLY the truth.

I once believed in One Nigeria (perhaps even more than you do now). I once had hope that change would occur in some way and at some time. It is easy for me to counter the arguments of those in favour of a united Nigeria because at one time, I used the very same arguments. At one time, I headed Nigerian Students’ Associations in Nigeria and the UK. At one time, whilst Nigerian students in the UK were busy aligning with cultures and countries other than theirs, I embraced my ‘Nigerianess’ (let’s just adopt that as a bona fide word, shall we?) with an uncommon ferocity and passion. At one time, at the risk of sounding immodest, I liaised with the Nigerian High Commissioner to the UK and other officials of the High Commission here in London. All these I did to promote a better image for that country; to create a favourable atmosphere in the UK for Nigerian students; to somewhat ensure, in my small way, that Nigeria would be moved, guided, prodded even, along the path of peaceful coexistence of all its diverse peoples. I wanted Nigeria to ‘work’ so badly that I turned away from all the facts that showed it simply could not (this, IMHO, is the stage you are currently at). Not so for me anymore. There came a point when I could no longer ignore what was ‘in my very before’. Put another way, I could no longer live in denial. My current outspokenness for Biafra is thus neither blind nor is it bereft of a strong need for justice to be done, safety to be guaranteed, fairness to be assured, and freedom to reign. All these I have shared on this and other threads. If you are fair, you’ll at least grant me that much.

In the end, it is quite simple. On this matter, I doubt that we shall ever agree. I said before on another thread that you are entitled to your opinion. Even Obasanjo is entitled to his opinion. He, when questioned about the 2001 religious riots in Kano that claimed many Igbo lives said:


"I don't worry. . . We knew there would be people who would want to express [themselves]."


This was the response from our supposed President. This was the response from our supposed defender. Chxta, you have hope in Nigeria and that’s fair enough. But, at least, concede to me my right to lose hope in Nigeria.


PS

1. Have a safe trip to Kano, mate. Keep your head down. E fit 'shele' for that 'warm, open and receptive' State at any time 

2.I wonder what the good monsignor thought of your plan to assassinate Nzeribe. Bet that didn’t come up in your conversation . Naughty, naughty. Wish I was there. I’d have spilled the beans for sure just to watch you squirm. I’d have sung like a canary on Pop Idol!

To Chxta


Как же я тебя ненавижу сукин ты сын,мне стыдно когда я читаю то что ты пишеш,никакой ты не ИБОСКИЙ ты козел.
Прекрати это все -ты себя позориш!, this is the only advice I've got for you.

Hello all,

My name is Aminu, a Nigerian from the northern part of the country. I have been following this topic since I first read about it on chxta's blog and some of the replies here make me sick.
I usually don't comment on public forums such as this and after this comment i think i will return to that status, but i feel that i have to make my stand known because it looks like chxta is being overrun.
I think that if people want to air their views and be taken seriously, they shouldn't do it in anonymous places like an internet forum where they can hide nehind pseudonyms. chxta has done just what i think should be done. he has a blog which i read regularly because i like his writing, and thru that i can say very well that i know a little about him. some of the other people here, i don't know. they are anonymous. another reason i don't participate in public forums such as this is because of the range of IQ of folks discussing here. some are plainly dumb and i wouldn't want to waste my time arguing with such people.

Here we have a case of a nationalist like me who believes oin one Nigeria versus a lot of people who don't. let us make one thing clear first, everyonje is entitled to their opinion so whatever i write here is mine.

I'm going to quote from another blog that i read often in an article about Biafra:
As most Nigerians above forty-years will likely know, issues of Biafra are not to be taken lightly. In 1967, Eastern Nigeria broke away from the Federal Republic of Nigeria and named itself the Republic of Biafra. Biafra had its own national anthem ('Land of the Rising Sun' set to the tune Finlandia by the Finnish composer Jean Sibelius) as well as its own currency and was seeking to join international bodies such as the Organization of African Unity and the United Nations. But the Nigerian government was not willing to have any of that. A civil war ensued which lasted for over two years. At least one million Biafrans died mainly through starvation. The Nigerian government headed by General Yakubu Gowon cut off food access points to Biafra. The Biafrans, though ingenious in the use of home-grown technologies to fashion weapons used to fight off Nigerian soldiers, were forced to give up in 1970. General Gowon in his well-publicized 'No Victor No Vanquished' speech made all Nigerians see that the war was necessary to keep the nation one.

In 1967 Biafra may have had reasons to leave Nigeria. Depending on whom you ask or what you read, viewpoints on the civil war are as diverse as the stars in the sky. One, which this blogger however liked so much, is that of Frederick Forsyth, the acclaimed British author. Mr. Forsyth happened to be in Biafra for much of the civil war as a journalist and wrote The Biafra story just after the war. Mr. Forsyth was unapologetically sympathetic toward the Biafrans, often accusing Western governments of complicity in the war. The Biafrans employed mercenaries to assist in flying missions. They also had the sympathy of Irish Catholic missionaries, several of whom chose to stay behind to aid with their humanitarian needs.

The question remains: why did Biafra choose to break away from Nigeria in 1967? The Igbos, the majority ethnic group in the Eastern Region, complained of marginalization and mistreatment in other parts of Nigeria. Igbos were often killed in Northern cities like Kano for no just reason. The concept of one Nigeria united in its diversity seemed like a charade. This led Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army and Military Governor of the Eastern Region of Nigeria to declare his region as the sovereign and independent Republic of Biafra. Given that most of Nigeria's newly found oil wealth lay on Biafra soil, the Nigerian government, supported by nations like the United Kingdom, wasn't ready to buy into the idea of a seceding province. Civil war was the name of the game that followed, unfortunately.

Nigeria has changed a lot since 1970. Though the concept of ethnic and ancestral lands still remain deeply enshrined in the psyche of its diverse peoples, melting pots have been created. In some of these--like Lagos, Abuja and Kaduna--can be found mini-Nigerias where people of diverse ethnic and religious affiliations live side by side. It is not uncommon to see that a significant number of trading businesses in Northern cities like Sokoto, Kano and Kaduna are owned and run by the Igbos, whose ancestral lands are some 1000 km away. Hausas from the North are present in the East, though on a much smaller scale, where they also trade in certain unique items and sell their "suya snack." The monolithic Nigeria of the early 60s where ethnic groups were more or less solely confined to their 'States of Origin' has changed tremendously and continues to change by the day.

Those calling for the creation of a State of Biafra in the 21st century happen to be misguided. They seem to be inward looking and fail to realize that the world has been significantly reshaped since 1960. Nations can no longer rely on the export of raw materials for their survival and innovation is the key in the cat-and-mouse game of global capitalism. Bonsai nation states have little role to play in this game, except they choose to be controlled by more powerful neighbors or allies. Were Biafra to be created it would be equivalent in size to Benin Republic a tiny African nation, though richer in terms of natural and human resources.

And the viability of a Biafran Republic is open to questioning. Who is Biafra? The Igbos? The Ijaws? The Efiks? The Ibibios?, I could go on and on. In 1967, non-Igbos in the Eastern Region of Nigeria joined the cause for the creation of the Republic of Biafra. My guess is few of them will be interested in such a cause today. They no longer share common States with the Igbos and now have their own sense of identity both geographically and politically.

The Nigerian government should not give in to any secessionist or rebel movement. Such movements need to be crushed before they start spreading out their propaganda. West Africa has learnt the hard way about what rebel movements can be like. Although rebel movements all-too-often start by claiming to be fighting for just causes, some of them end up committing some of the worst crimes known to man. Take a look at Liberia and Sierra Leone. There should be zero-tolerance in Nigeria to any movement which, without a referendum, agitates for the break up of the nation based on ethic or religious lines--and absolute-zero-tolerance when such a movement arms itself illegally. Democracy may entitle citizens to air their views freely, but when such views are directly geared towards inciting violence and hatred, they need to be silenced for the collective good of all.

As the author of the blog Nigerian Times wrote: "One God and One Nation Nigeria under the sun, [The] romantic Biafran flag belongs to the Nigerian Civil War museum." Nothing more and nothing less for now.

I wholeheartedly agree with this article. those who feel that hausa people don't like yoruba people forget that we all voted for abiola 14 years ago. thoe who say that they once had faith in Nigeria and have lost it, all well and good. but remember one thing, you don't lose faith in God because he didn't grant you one request. those who are quoting satements made in 1964 by people long dead should remember that the embers of hate are fanned by a few.

The last thing i have to say is this: i notice that all those clamoring for biafra and dassa and whatever else republic they want carved out of nigeria are safely in europe and america, miles away from the fighting that would follow such declarations of independence. if you all don't feel nigerian, we don't want you. we are plenty enough already, so stop being hypocrites and give up your nigerian passports since you are not nigerian.

I can be reached at aminu_70@yahoo.co.uk so we can talk like adults, not like noisemakers in a marketplace. like chxta i have been all over nigeria, which i don't think most of the noisemakers have bothered doing, and i have developed a loathing for stereotypes such as all yoruba are cowards, or all igbo are greedy or all hausa are dumb. the lt one i consider to be a personal insult because i am a PhD holder.


Thank you all for reading.

Aminu70,

I started to write a response to your post but half-way through, I realised I was just repeating myself. Similarly, if you have any input to make, it should differ from what has gone before. You say (or the article says – don’t know which is which) that things have changed since the war ended. Some of us here have presented facts to the contrary. Therefore, if these facts are inaccurate and thus do not bear out the situation, tell us how and/or why. It really is unsatisfactory to regurgitate tired lines that have so far been proven to be far from the truth.


A few other things I noticed:

1.You said that to be taken seriously, one shouldn’t express views in ‘anonymous’ places like an internet forum. You have just done that. Are we to regard you (and your post) as unserious then?

2.You said people shouldn’t hide behind pseudonyms. Is ‘aminu70’ your real name?

3.You say you know Chxta because you have been reading his blog (which represents views presented on the anonymous internet BTW) but I don’t see how that makes him ‘known’ to you in the real sense. If you were to read all my responses on this forum (let's call it my blog for present purposes), would I cease to be ‘anonymous’ as well?


Aminu70, you need to point out the facts presented by myself and/or others (who have chosen to tell the truth about Nigeria) which are wrong. Failure to do that and your foray onto this thread will remain symbolic (because of your obvious loyalty to Chxta) but yet, empty.

Look who is talking about empty. Time after time you forget points that people brought up in reply to you and you keep steering d conversation towards your own myopic view.

igbo this igbo that.

the man introduced himself in the very first line of his post but u didnt see it obviouly. he even gave his email address so u can join isues with him but once again u fail to notice.

you're probably d most myopic person around here. I enjoin u to take up his advice: throw away your nigerian passport since u hate nigeria so much.

Look who is talking about empty. Time after time you forget points that people brought up in reply to you and you keep steering d conversation towards your own myopic view.

What points? List them. I cannot help but notice that you have made no contribution to this thread. None. Make a contribution for once if you can. Anyway, I wouldn’t be holding my breath or rushing my cornflakes.

the man introduced himself in the very first line of his post but u didnt see it obviouly.

The man did not give his full name, Mr Lawyer. Will his identification as ‘Aminu, a Nigerian from the northern part of the country’ be sufficient in any court of law? That name remains a pseudonym.

he even gave his email address so u can join isues with him but once again u fail to notice.

The email address he provided was: aminu_70@yahoo.co.uk; a reflection of his username. Again, no identification. Moreover, why should I engage him via his email address? If the facts he has are solid, let him post them here for all to see. You guys are always uncomfortable when the truth comes to light. Always, always in a hurry to shroud everything in secrecy and darkness.

you're probably d most myopic person around here.

Thank you. But, my myopia clearly bothers you. I wonder why.

I enjoin u to take up his advice: throw away your nigerian passport since u hate nigeria so much.

And you are sure I haven’t done that already?

Ordinarily, I wouldn’t even bother to engage. You have been following me from thread to thread, serving up your ignorance in generous measure, clearly smarting from the put-downs you have received. Now, allow me to make this very clear. You have been throwing insults in my direction but I haven’t, as yet, responded in like manner. The usual thing that happens in these situations is that the person who starts throwing insulting remarks usually turns around and complains when things get heavy. Therefore, I’ll let you know this: I shall continue to ignore your random outbursts until you cross the line (which only I know) and then it’ll be open season on this thread and every other I find you on. Be in no doubt, things will get very heavy, very quickly.

O I'm scared

You forgot that u called me mad (my username)?

Wiaiting to see u unleash ur full power

I really enjoy it when people begin to lie. Here is a more accurate account:


Otokx: this is amazing

madlawyer1: what is? the madman raving all over this thread and others?

Nutter: This from the man who enthusiastically chose the username [b]mad[/b]lawyer1? .


So, there! Also,


1.Why haven’t you continued your defence for aminu70?

2.You are yet to list the points you claim I ignored.

3.You are yet to make a contribution to this thread.

Hey people, why the quarrel? It won't lead anywhere you know.

By the way, I was just pursued by a blood thirsty mob from Kumi to the safety of Sabon Gari,

@ Nutter, Madlawyer1 and all the others, we have all agreed to disagree, so those of us in the Nigerian boat would remain here, while those in the Biafran boat can sail away.

Ku ji kwo?

Hmm Chxta, even Sabon-Gari is not safe oh!

So I gather. I heard that Al-Qaeda are everywhere nowadays. They even killed one or two Igbos in London on July 7 last year.

Breaking news: CRAP!!!

:d :p

Stop that! I take my Juve extremely seriously

;d