BIAFRA'S BLUFF; NIGERIA’S GOOF

Until now, I had decided to steer clear the subject of Biafra. But be it as it may, there comes a time when one should, in the spirit of patriotism, state the obvious and damn the consequences.

I have always believed that BIAFRA is an idea, an ideology which connotes "home" in the mind of an average Igbo man. Biafra is to the Igbo what Zion is to the Israelite. Hence, at the slightest feeling of marginalization, it is commonplace for the Igbos to think of their home - Biafra - which is devoid of perceived injustice meted on them by the Nigerian state.

This idea, Biafra, never existed until 1966. The pogroms which claimed the lives of thousands of Igbos leading to the mass exodus of Southerners from the North, while the government feigned ignorance of the mass murder, led to the birth of the idea-Biafra.
Consequently, efforts to translate this idea into reality resulted in the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War which ended in NO VICTOR NO VANQUISH. The Gowon administration had introduced programs aimed at national integration, how far these programs have succeeded in integrating the nation is left for events of the now to determine.

Since 1970 several groups sprung up to keep the idea of Biafra alive: MASSOB came into prominence at a time the Igbos were been killed in the north, and now, IPOB has resurrected this idea following the perceived neglect of the Igbo in the political scheme of things by the current dispensation. Hence, an indication that the symptoms which conceived the idea of Biafra in the first place persists till date.

I have always believed in the Nigerian project; and I also believed that every group has the right to self-determination. At this point, I’d like to say that secession is not same as civil war. We are in a democracy where respect for fundamental human right is at the heart of governance. But unfortunately, the government of the day perceived the Biafra agitation as an aggression, hence the use of force to intimidate and hound down peaceful protesters. I suppose that the government should be bold enough to conduct a referendum to nail this issue oncee and for all just like the Scottish struggle for independence from Britain has been put to rest by the last Scottish referendum.

The amalgamation of 1914 was an attempt by Britain to accommodate the interest of numerous groups including the Igbos. Consequently, the Igbos have every right to demand for the dissolution of the union, if it feels that It's not working out nor it's interest is not duly accommodated.
French philosopher, Victor Hugo once said "no army can stop an idea whose time has come" and that "one can resist the invasion of armies but not the invasion of ideas". The CHANGE government ought to know that this is a battle of ideas; you can't quell an idea with use of force, you can only suppress an idea with a superior idea.

All through history, no government has ever succeeded is suppressing an idea with the use of force; the anti-apartheid struggle is a model in this regard. The idea of freedom and liberty led to the American Revolution that even the Britain with all its imperial might could not suppress it.
Obviously, IPOB’s mission is to give life to the Biafra struggle and of course the unlawful detention of Mr Nnamdi Kanu and recent killing of Biafra protesters has attracted more sympathizers than Radio Biafra did. Mr Kanu and IPOB are desirous of global attention to the struggle, He knew the Nigerian state would arrest him at any given opportunity; we all can now testify to his arrest and unlawful detention has played in the favour of Mr Kanu and his group. It’s a pity the APC strategists fell for this ploy.

Last year we witnessed the politics surrounding the convening of the National Conference which was expected to address some of the challenges we are currently experiencing. APC's boycott of that confab and subsequent neglect of its report in addition to the President’s body language and utterances clearly puts in doubt the commitment of the APC led Federal government towards sustenance of the unity of the country. Yes the president is under obligation to uphold the constitution and to defend our unity; I however do believe there are other means to defending our unity other than the use of force.

If after 45 years the issue of Biafra still take centre stage in our national discourse, it’s both an indictment on the political class and a clear indication that successive government have failed to live up to the national pledge. Hence we are left with the option of going back to the drawing board to redress the 1914 union, having in mind the purpose of the union, or undo the amalgamation having in mind the consequences for future generation.

Howbeit our collective decisions, the onus of changing the status quo and healing our land is on us- Nigerians - who find our account running under the 21st Century era, but the government of the day has a greater role to play; It must live up to its bidding as the government of CHANGE, so should the utterances and body language of the President reflect his status as father of the nation.

God bless Nigeria the land of my love and liberty.

Okoye Ugochukwu is a public affairs analyst and an enthusiast for good governance.
okoye.ugoh@yahoo.com

My brother that thing na waste of time and resources.

Nigeria belongs to us so let share her d way we want