meccuno:
The slicing off of some Igbo communities out of core Igbo states and merger to other states was a plot to weaken the Igbo's. Here are some

examples:

1. The area of Ndoki south covering the present Oyigbo (originally Obigbo) transferred from the old Aba division and lumped to Rivers State in

1976. Also, in the 1980s, three Ndoki villages namely Ohaobu, Mkpukpuaja and Ogbuagu villages carved from the then Imo State and lumped to

Etim-Ekpo LGA of Akwa Ibom State. It is noteworthy to state that Oyigbo LGA apart from Oloibiri was the first place in Nigeria to produce oil and

gas in commercial quantities (at Afam). Unlike Oloibiri which has dried-up since the 1980s, Afam and other Oyigbo oil-fields keep yielding vast

quantities of petroleum.

2. Egbema communities now in Rivers State: Egbema has 16 villages and out of these 16 villages , 3 namely Mgbede, Aggah and Okwuzi has the

largest reserves of oil and gas in the community. This is apparently the reason they were lumped to Rivers while the other 13 villages were left

in Imo State where they had to contend with more modest reserves of the commodity.

It is important to note that this "punishment" at least as perceived by many Igbos did not end up with the eastern Igbo people. The Aniomas or

Western Igbos had to loose Ndoni area to Rivers State and Osekwenike-Onyah area to Sagbama area of Bayelsa State. Just like the other

examples I gave , all of these areas are oil-producing. It is often claimed that the Nigerian Civil war was a war fought over oil and gas and the

actions of the federal government just like these examples seems to suggest that the federal government had intended to give a tag of non-oil

producing to Igbo areas including Anioma. While it is interesting to note that parts of Igbo land has been excised and lumped to other states, a

good part of Itsekiri land embracing what is defined as Ugbege area was lumped to Ondo State; A state where Itsekiri people are not

indigenous. This is one just an example of the double standards in Nigeria. A common song by Peter Tosh , which has one of its iconic lyrics

"Everyone is crying out for peace but no one for justice" brings to the fore what I am trying to pass across. My support for the renewed Biafra

struggle is for justice which the Igbo race has been crying for in Nigeria, another good example of such is the continued call for the unconditional

release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu who is the leader of the Indigenous people of Biafra.

For those 'efulefus' who quote Prof Chinua Achebe's book "There was a Country" out of context saying it has put to rest any country called

Biafra. Yes, There was indeed a country called "Biafra". However, they should also remember that Col Emeka Odimegwu Ojukwu talked on a

"Biafra of the Mind". This "Biafra of the Mind" has different dimensions to it. Biafra is a part of the history of Nigeria and there is no way we can

forget about it collectively as Nigerians and more importantly as Igbos. Therefore, anyone in whatever guise declaring that "Biafra died

permanently in 1970 with the surrender speech made by Philip Effiong" is being comical. In the United States of America, people freely talk

about the Confederate States of Southern USA and the old Confederate flag is embedded in the state flags of many Southern States because it

is deemed as a part of their heritage. Telling Igbos and other Nigerians who suffered a lot to pretend that no Biafra of the Mind exists is a sheer

display of wickedness and irresponsibility. There is nothing to ever stop a war which led to the death of one-seventh of the Igbo people and left

much of Anioma land in present day Delta state decimated.

Anyone who claims that a "few resentful people of South-East origin" are the ones behind the the Biafran agitation is living in self denial. We

have seen some pictures of the IPOB protests across the world and such pictures do not seem to suggest that the protests were the handiwork

of a "few resentful people". It seems to demonstrate a mass movement among the youths of the South-east region in particular and areas of the

South-south as well. So, the idea of trying to separate the South from Biafra is laughable.

In the 1960s when the Biafra war was fought, the areas that make up south south today were drawn to it. The reason is not far-fetched; the war

was perceived as a rebellion of Igbos and for example, the Aniomas in Delta being western Igbos were involved. This is not a peculiar case. From

Rwanda, Burundi and the Democratic Republic of Congo were drawn into the conflicts between the Hutu and Tutsi. This is sadly a feature of

ethnic politics which manifests at times as war in Africa. Gen Obasanjo who was a major actor in the Nigerian Civil war and former president, did

not hide his understanding that Aniomas are Igbos. In his Niger Delta Special Development Initiative of 2005, he had Imo, Abia and Anioma area

of Delta removed as beneficiaries. Yet he had Ondo and its rocky capital city of Akure included as "part of the Niger Delta".

Whatever map the IPOB is presenting today as the map of Biafra is in tandem with international laws. It was the case with South Sudan. In the

original proposal Southern Blue, Abyei and Nuba were proposed and this was adopted in the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) of Sudan

and South Sudan. Abyei was to decide after a referendum while Southern Blue Nile and Nuba would decide after popular consultation. Claiming

that the "expansiveness of Biafra" has anything to do with oil is ridiculous. Firstly the price of oil has crashed significantly and there is nothing to

suggest that in future, oil will be "black gold" it used to be.

Besides the southeast region even with the exclusion of the areas annexed and lumped to Rivers has some reserves of the commodity. But

anyone who thinks that the future of Biafra , the larger Igbo race or Africa lies in oil or other commodities has serious issues. The main driver of

development is human capital no less no more. Igbos has this factor perhaps more than any other group in Nigeria.

The Western Igbos which includes the people of Anioma in Delta are scattered not just in Delta but also in parts of Edo, Rivers and even Bayelsa

State so, Bringing the issue of a South-south is inconsequential. There is nothing like that in the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Based on International law, people should be at liberty to decide ultimately where they should belong. Sadly, Nigeria has failed to restructure

(based on ethnic groups) and create regions recognized by law just like what was done in India by its first Prime Minister, Nehru.

In the memoirs of Chief Dennis Osadebay who hails from Anioma in the present day Delta state, he was full of praises for Chief Michael Okpara

for all the support rendered to the Midwest regional movement which led to the creation of the new region in 1963 and enthronement of the

NCNC in 1964. It is also well-known that many Aniomas were members of the defunct Igbo State Movement which cemented the ethnic bounds

of all Igbos, west and east of the Niger. There were even agitations to carve out the old Asaba and Aboh divisions and have them merged with

the East with the likes of Rev SW Martin of Issele Uku as the main driver of the proposal.

Finally, to further expose the divide and rule tactics, here is a letter written by community leaders of the Ika East area comprising of Umunede,

Igbodo, Otolokpo, Mbiri, Ute-Ogbeje and Akumazi to Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and goes as thus: ' '' We the undersigned, on

behalf of the people of Umunede clan,Igbodo clan,Akwumazi clan,Mbiri clan and Ute-Ugbeje clan in Ika Division,Midwest take this opportunity to

express our deep gratitude on the historic liberation of the Midwest and wish you God's guidance.We equally take this opportunity to

congratulate His Excellency Major A.O Okonkwo on his appointment as the Military Administrator of the Midwest and pledge our unalloyed

support and loyalty to his government. Although we the above 5 clans in Umunede zone have already donated sums of money and foodstuff

towards win the war funds on individual clans,we jointly donate herewith the sum of 105 pounds to win the war. WE FERVENTLY PRAY FOR GOD'S

HELP THAT WE CRUSH THE ENEMY.While thanking you for what you have already achieved-liberation of Midwest-we wish to place here on record

that it will be your guide while deliberating on any future association,our feelings should be put into utmost consideration'' '' Signatories to this

September 1967 letter to Ojukwu include: HRH Obi N Gbenoba; Obi of Umunede.HRH A.O Iyeke;Obi of Igbodo,Obi S.C Osagie; Obi of

Akwumazi,HRH Obi Ogana; Obi of Mbiri and Regent I Alekwe,Regent of Mbiri. Also signatory to that letter are political leaders including Chief

S.O.Osuhor, Chief Z.C Egbuchinem, Chief L.O.C Azikiwe,Chief Odiase,Chief E O Nwabueze, Madam Julie Onyeagwu and Mr B.O Okoh.

You can get a copy of the letter here: Source- Nigeria: Echoes of a Century: Volume One 1914-1999

By Ifeoha Azikiwe.