”Restoration of the State of Biafra – A case for clear and forthright leadership from the The UN.The challenges we face as indigenous peoples all over the world cannot be over emphasised. It has been often noted that the core concerns of indigenous people both at national and international levels should be recognised in a clear, forthright and honest manner.
There is therefore a universal relevance to recognise those values which are particularly dear to indigenous people, such as the freedom from discrimination, the right to live in freedom, peace and security, good governance, cultural diversity and the right to self determination.

The dangers we face today are monumental and if not address will lead to the enslavement and even total annihilation of some indigenous people.

This is very true of the dangers Indigenous People of Biafra face today in Nigeria in the hands of the federal government and the Hausa Fulani terrorist group Boko Haram.

The National Assembly of the United Nations in its declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples affirmed, that indigenous peoples are equal to all other peoples, while recognising the right of all peoples to be different, to consider themselves different, and to be respected as such.

Articles 3 and 4 of the Charter clearly states that “Indigenous peoples have the right to self-determination. By virtue of that right they freely determine their status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development.

Just like the indigenous peoples in Asia, S. America, Europe, UK etc Indigenous People of Biafra are now seeking credible ways and means to exercise their right to freedom, peaceful existence, security, good and honest governance, after so many years of being denied these rights. Genocide and pogrom has been committed against us, our children and women slaughtered. As we speak now, we face extreme danger of extermination by the Boko Haram and Hausa Fulani herdsmen.

There is therefore an urgent need to establish a clear road map for indigenous communities to achieve self determination in order to protect them from dangers posed by terrorists, deeply corrupt and inept governments and from effect of climate change and other natural disasters.

The Millennium Development Goals therefore need to enshrine clear systems through which self determination can be achieved in order to minimise unwarranted invasions and to encourage peaceful separations of unions that have proved unworkable and counter-productive for many years.

Indeed, Diasporas have immense roles to play in both drafting the principles and designing appropriate and practical measures through which this can be accomplished.

The indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB), under the leadership and direction of Radio Biafra are currently seeking peaceful ways to achieve self determination, which will create an enabling environment for eradicating extreme poverty, reducing income poverty, hunger, disease, lack of adequate shelter and exclusion while promoting gender equality, health, education, security and environmental sustainability.

So, a clearly designed, defined and funded programme by the MDG initiative working closely together with indigenous communities would be incredibly helpful, and most importantly would help avert most of the series of costly conflicts as we have witnessed and continue to witness in parts of Africa and the Middle East.

And I sincerely hope that this road map will ensure the search for an independent state of Biafra does not turn into yet another costly conflict story.

Biafra had existed for over 500 years before Nigeria was created 1914.

The British had diplomatic dealings with Biafra at the time. John Beecroft was the British Consul of the Bight of Biafra from 30 June 1849 to 10 June 1854 with his HQ in Fernando Po in the Bight of Biafra. It was from the Bight of Biafra that Beecroft, eager to control the trade in the west and supported by Christian missionaries at Badagry, bombarded Lagos which became a British colony in 1851.

The Republic of Biafra which was declared by Gen. Odumegwu Ojukwu in 1967 was not a new country but an attempt to restore the ancient Biafra Nation that existed before Nigeria was created, in order to protect the lives of Biafrans who were being slaughtered in large numbers in Northern Nigeria.

The Ibo people practiced democracy and freedom of expression long before the British arrived. One of the things that made strong impression to the first European visitors to Igbo land was the extent to which democracy was truly practiced. Henry Johnson, an early Christian missionary to an Igbo town, Asaba, said, and I quote “I felt I was in a free land among a free people”.

The Amalgamation of North and South Protectorate was a monumental error which merged different peoples together to create new country with total disregard to native tribal boundaries.

The Governments of Nigeria have failed from 1947 till now to leave up to its responsibility to protect the lives of Indigenous People of Biafra. There are hard evidences available to support the killing of Biafrans over this period of time. In fact, current events and activities of Boko Haram and the Hausa Fulani Muslim herdsmen are there for everyone to see…..

Chinua Achebe in his book “There was a Country” said this about the killing of Biafrans in 1967, “I watched horrified as the Northern officers carried out a revenge coup in which they killed Igbo officers and men in large numbers. If it had ended there, the matter might have been seen as a very tragic interlude in nation building, a horrendous tit for tat. But the Northerners turned on Igbo civilians living in the North and unleashed a wave of brutal massacres that Colin Legum of the Observer (UK) was the first to describe as a POGROM. Thirty thousand civilian men, women and children were slaughtered… and no one asked questions.

A sierra Leonean living in Northern Nigeria at the time wrote home in horror: “The killing of the Igbo has become a state industry in Nigeria”. What is terrifying was that this was a detailed plan for mass killing, implemented by the government – the army, the police, the very people who were there to protect life and property, not a single person has been punished for these crimes.

So, coexisting in a nation with such desperate people and religion and cultural background like the Hausa Fulani Muslims have become a suicide venture for Biafrans. This same trend had continued unabated as Biafrans are slaughtered in their thousands and their property destroyed. In the civil war alone over 3.5 million were killed, over 1 million from starvation as a result of the blockade imposed by the Nigerian government. This number could have been more but for the bravery of some aid agencies like the Red Cross, the World Council of Churches, The Canadian Council of Churches, Caritas etc who against all odds delivered food and medical materials to the hungry, sick, weak and dying people of Biafra in Biafra land. The world turned its back on Biafra as genocide was committed against her.

We can, together through the MDG banish the evil of the past and confront and defeat the monster of today by showing true and honest commitment to fairness to all people knowing that the light we bring will shine in the darkness and the darkness can never withstand that light.

The IPOB are ready to partner with MDG to free our people from the chains of discrimination, poverty, corruption, insecurity, youth unemployment etc through transparent and focused leadership and trust in the management of resources on projects around spring water production, palm oil and palm produce, clean coal technology, automobile technologies and medical science and research which will create good paying jobs and help reduce crime as the hope of millions of our unemployed youths are renewed and their dreams realised.

Only in an independent state of Biafra will these dreams be realised and hopes renewed, lives protected, the dignity of women restored and smiles return to the lips of all children.

Now is the time to prevent future conflicts and we need strong and honest leadership from people in this room today. A leadership that will be honest, fair and fearless in dealing with these fundamental issues, knowing that this is not only an emerging problem but a fully matured one that require clear direction and bold economic and political commitment.

Thank you.”