₦airaland Forum

My African brothers & sisters, pls vote in d poll I jst added above. I voted 4 my Biafra of course. Wat bout u?

Remi Oyeyemi's article is a masterpiece!! It 1st appeared on dis other site
( http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/articles/remi-oyeyemi/why-nigeria-must-break-up.html )
I thot d people of Nairaland mst read it.

“Nothing in the world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not; nothing is more common with unsuccessful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated failures. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.”

- Calvin Coolidge

“To choose the right moment in which to act is the great art of men…” Napolean Bonaparte

I have been watching the fast pace with which the so-called country of Nigeria has been tumbling towards tragedy. I have been watching the tragedy it has become for its peoples. I have been watching the disgrace it has become for those who carry its green passports. I have reached the conclusion that salvaging Nigeria is a mission impossible. I have reached the conclusion that breaking up Nigeria is the only viable option. There is no other way out.

I am aware that there are many who mouth UNITY every day when in fact they do not believe in it. I am aware there are people who keep chanting that TRIBALISM is our bane when indeed it is our real strength. I am aware that most of us like to be politically correct and say, Nigeria must unite when in fact we all know that breaking it up is the best thing for the peoples of this geographical expression.

I look through the various component ethnic groups in Nigeria and I am not able to identify a single one that expresses satisfaction. The Edo is not satisfied. The Mumuye is not satisfied. The Ibiobio is not satisfied. The Efik is not satisfied. The Anang is not satisfied. The Ijaw is not satisfied. The Igbo is not satisfied. The Nupe is not satisfied. The Agatu is not satisfied. The Magale is not satisfied. The Yoruba is not satisfied. The Kataf is not satisfied. The Kanuri is not satisfied. The Ogoni is not satisfied. The Karekare is not satisfied. The Tiv is not satisfied. The Khana is not satisfied. The Lamang is not satisfied. Even the Hausa-Fulani is not satisfied.

It is my view that the silent majority are angling to extricate themselves from the contraption called Nigeria. It is obvious that every ethnic group wants deliverance from the bondage called Nigeria. It is evident that no one believes in the quagmire called Nigeria. None of us has any emotional connection to the country called Nigeria. It is not ours. It is not our making. It does not belong to us. No one wants it.

Nigeria is not a nation. It is a country of nations. These component nations desire to be independent nation-states. A country or a nation (for the purpose of this context) is more than the physical buildings. It is more than a beautiful Capital Territory. It is more than the existence of powerful armed forces. It is more than a government that controls.

A nation, to exist has to be ingrained in the psyche of its citizens. There has to be that emotional connection. It has to run as blood in the veins and marrow in the bones of those who subscribe to it. A nation is that consummated indescribable feelings that command the unalloyed love, permeated with buoyant affection and infused with unsolicited loyalty of those who subscribe to it. A nation is that which is patently invisible but translucently obvious and recurrent in the gliding waves of the sea of sub-consciousness, of its people.

This is not the case with Nigeria. We all have nothing in common. Our aspirations are different. Our hopes are different. Our dreams are different. Our primordial attachment is very strong. No one likes to be dominated. No one likes to be in bondage. No one likes to be enslaved. No one likes it when others take advantage of him or his/her people. We are all ethnic jingoists. Yet we are unwilling to accept it. We are all in denial. We all pretend to be Nigeria lovers, when indeed we all hate Nigeria. Our ethnic group is where we derive our identity. It is where we derive our worldview. It is where we derive and form our character. It is what describes us as human beings. It is the kernel of our authenticity. It is what makes us unique. It is what makes us special.

As I wrote elsewhere, a Yoruba man anywhere in the world would do his best to raise his children in Yoruba ways. An Ijaw man would do the same. An Igbo man would do the same. An Efik man would do the same. A Kanuri man would do the same. A Mumuye man would do the same. An Edo man would do the same. Every man would do the same. None of us would raise his child as a Nigerian. This is because Nigeria does not exist in our consciousness. It is not in our psyche. There is no emotional connection. There is no cultural connection. There is no identity connection. There is no sense of belonging of any sort.

It is noteworthy that those mouthing ONE NIGERIA are those benefiting from the tragedy represented by Nigeria. Those who are advocating that Nigeria remains one are doing so not because they love Nigeria, but because they love their pockets. They are the ones who get the big contracts and refuse to execute them. They are the ones who appeal to the primordial sentiments when they lose out in the struggle for the loot. They are the ones who mouth national unity when they get inflated contracts. They are the ones who have no regard for their own people back in their communities. They are the ones who care less for the sufferings of the poor. They are the ones who live ostentatiously and flaunt their wealth to make poor people envious.

They are the ones who are quick to point to their friends in other ethnic groups as if, were Nigeria to break up that friendship would cease. I have Ghanaian friends. I have Togolese friends. I have Senegalese friends. I have Liberian friends. I have American friends. I have British friends. This does not mean that we have to be in the same country to remain friends.

There are those who tout inter-marriage, as a reason Nigeria should remain one. This is balderdash. I know many Igbo who are married to Americans. I know many Yoruba who are married to Germans or British. I know many Ghanaians who are married to peoples from the geographical location called Nigeria. This does not mean that they necessarily have to come from the same country to remain married.

It is my view that there would be better relationships among the peoples of the different nations of Nigeria if each were to control its destiny. It is my view that there would likely be more friendships across the new borders. There would likely be more marriages across the new borders. There would be less hostility across the new borders. There would be more geniality across the new borders. All we need is just go for it and break up Nigeria.

Nigeria is not a viable entity. It is a tragedy. It is a misnomer. It should cease existence. We all have to go our different ways. This is more so because this is what we all want severally. We all do not want Nigeria. We are all dissatisfied with Nigeria. Nigeria has betrayed us. Our hopes are dashed. Our dreams are unrealizable within the Nigerian structure.

Those who work hard are in penury. Those whose lands are producing the resources are in poverty. Nigeria deprives those who value education. Nigeria impedes those who value cattle rearing. Nigeria constricts those who want to be international businessmen. Nigeria is rebuffing those who want to make Arabic education a priority. Nigeria is holding back those who want to jump into the age of technology. Nigeria is denying those who want Sharia law. Nigeria is depriving those who want a secular state.

Nigeria is impeding those who want merit. Nigeria is humiliating those who value integrity. Nigeria is disgracing those who want self-respect and dignity. Nigeria incubates crime and criminals. Nigeria is lawless. Nigeria encourages uncouthness. Nigeria encourages abuse of elders. It disparages the youth. It undermines our age long traditions.

I am not a religious person. I hate churches. I loathe mosques. But something nudges me about the existence of the Supreme Being. Though, I am not sure about this, I am willing to entertain myself with the thoughts of such. To this extent, I am declaring that I have the proof that Nigeria exists against the WILL of ELEDUMARE.

I do not know about the Jewish Yahweh. I do not know about the Christian God. I do not know about the Islamic Allah. But I know that the Eledumare of Yoruba people is not deaf. He does not wait 47 years without responding to supplications as the Christian God and Islamic Allah have obviously done. The Yoruba Eledumare is swift and effective. But the problem is that the Yoruba have abandoned their Eledumare for the Christian God and the Islamic Allah. Now they are in quandary. They are in disarray. They are in dilemma. They are in predicament. I believe this problem is replicated among most of the ethnic nations in the geographical location referred to as Nigeria.

We have abandoned our roots. We have abandoned our fore fathers. We have abandoned our ways. We have abandoned our identities. We go around in borrowed robes. We are following the wrong faiths. This is why the prayers would never avail Nigeria. This is why Nigeria would NEVER make it. It is why Nigeria would break up whether we like it or not.

Why, for example, should the Ogonis remain in Nigeria when they are bigger than 22 countries represented in the United Nations in terms of population? Why? After all there is a country (Monaco) represented in the United Nations which size is just 1 square mile! Then talk about the Edo nation. Talk about the Efik nation. Talk about the Igbo nation. Talk about the Tiv nation. Talk about the Nupe nation. Talk about the Yoruba nation. Talk about the Hausa/Fulani nation among many other nations chained together in bondage and subjugation in the Nigerian miasma. Why do we all choose to believe the lies that Nigeria cannot break into as many countries as the peoples of the presented geographical location called Nigeria want?

The Hausa/Fulani should consciously seek their freedom from this miserable Nigeria. They could go it all alone. If Burkina –Faso and Niger Republic could survive, the Hausa/Fulani could survive too. The Katafs need to be free from Nigeria. The Igbo have to be free from Nigeria. The Ijaw have to emancipate from Nigeria. The Yoruba have to extricate from Nigeria. The Edo have to disentangle from Nigeria. The Efik must seek freedom from the Nigerian burden. The Tivs should throw off the yoke of Nigeria. We all must work together to consign Nigeria to the dustbin of history. It is Nigeria’s destiny. It must break up.

If Nigeria breaks up, it would increase the competition among all of us. Those who want to move fast to develop would do so. Those who want to slow down would do so. Those who want Sharia would move to adopt it. Those who want to be an extension of the Vatican City could do so. Those who want to educate their citizens could do so. Those who want to rear cattle would do so. Those who love Osama Bin Laden could follow him. Those who want a Taliban dominated nation would have the freedom to do so.

The Yoruba nation is saddled with the governments it loathes. The Yoruba nation is prevented from following its vision. The Yoruba nation is impeded from the pursuit of its dreams. The Yoruba nation is made to abandon its true character under duress. The Yoruba nation is made to denounce its true self under the threat of economic and political annihilation. The Yoruba nation has had its fabric torn to tatters. The Yoruba nation has fallen to the in-house enemy in Olusegun Obasanjo and his clique. All these have been possible because the Yoruba nation is chained to the tragedy called Nigeria.

This is true of every other nation within the Nigerian contraption. Nigeria must break up. It is the only way out. It is the only means to realize our dreams, severally. It is the only way to realize our hopes, severally. It is the way we can stop the renegades from representing us. I am sure that Andy Ubah does not represent the real Igbo people. I know that Chief Lamidi Adedibu may be “strong” in Ibadan. But Ibadan is not the entire Yorubaland. I know that Muhamadu Buhari does not speak for the entire Hausa/Fulani people.

I am aware that Olusegun Obasanjo is not a Yoruba man. I am aware there are so many traitors from the Niger Delta who feast on the misery of their people. I am aware there are many politicians who revel in the tragedy that the lives of their people represent. It is time to stop them by breaking up Nigeria.

If it were within a Hausa Fulani nation, Sani Abacha could not have emerged Head of State. If it were within the Igbo nation Andy Ubah would not be relevant. If it were within the Yoruba nation, Olusegun Obasanjo would be a persona non grata. Nigeria is incubating them and their ilk. Nigeria is rearing them and their ilk. Nigeria is protecting them and their ilk. Nigeria is feeding them and their ilk. This is one of the most important reasons why Nigeria must break up.

We all want to have our nation-states where we can hold people accountable. We need to do away with the protective evil umbrella that Nigeria spreads over the evil doers in our respective nations. We ought to stop pretending that we want Nigeria. Nigeria must break up. We all need to work towards this. It is the best option available.

I know breaking up Nigeria is a titanic task. I know most people are afraid to express this truism. I know most people are scared to contemplate this reality. But I am convinced that this is the DESTINY of Nigeria. I know that those who are benefiting from the Nigerian misery would resist. But we have to take a cue from Calvin Coolidge to be persistent and determined.

I call on the nations of Nigeria to begin their liberation from Lord Lugard’s contraption. The DESTINY of Nigeria is the freedom of all nations subjugated under its misnomer. Nigeria can never give us peace. It must break into pieces. It is Nigeria’s DESTINY.

REMI OYEYEMI

"NIGERIA IS A BRITISH TIME BOMB!"

& any one who decides 2 fight 4 One Nigeria or WORN NIGERIA is nothin but a foolish British beast.

Biafra, Oduduwa, Arewa, Middle-Belt & Niger-Delta shall b free. Soon!

*wavin BIAFRAN flag*

Well, it 1ce happened 2 Chinua Achebe. He wrote a novel dat later came 2 reality almost in d same way he wrote it. D same Nigerian govt dat wanted 2 charge him 4 treason den is d same govt houndin him 2 accept their worthless national award now.

So keep ur searchlight on me if u lik, I AM THE LIGHT OF AFRICA after all. I'm not hidin

kingoflag: so tell me, "MR-I-Love-To-Argue-Just-Cus-I-Think-I-Can : HOW THE HELL IS HIS WRITING AN ATTEMPT TO OVERTHROW A GOVT?!

Ask am 4 me o! Many Nigerians hate 2 use their imagination. If u tell a Nigerian 2 fix a fire extinguisher in his house in case of emergency, he'll shout "GOD 4BID!" & start lookin at u as if u'r plannin 2 burn up his house. Dats d disgustin tin bout Nigerians.

Wen a research group in d USA predicted d break up of Nigeria in 2015. Did u arrest dem? Hav u accused Boko Haram of treason?

F*CK TREASON! & thank God 4d freedom online. Even if u cud eva arrest me, I'd still come out free.

*wavin Biafran flag*

On wat frequency can I get Radio Biafra here in Lagos?

BIAFRA SHALL BE FREE! PEACEFULLY!

I concur

"Nigeria is a British time bomb!"

BIAFRA, ODUDUWA, AREWA, MIDDLE-BELT, NIGER-DELTA & other nations shall b free.

It's only a matter of soon.

I luv speculative fiction. I hope u continue dis story o! Jisi ike nwanne m.

Hmmm... I'v noticed d similarities b4 now.

And considerin dat Europe was afraid of d rise of Biafra in d late 60s cos they knew we'd become d Japan/Taiwan of Africa, it's beginnin 2 make sense.

Meanwhil, as par culture, we'r more related 2 Israel. Or do I say they'r more related 2 Ndi Igbo? Every1 knows dat d human race began in Africa, so we must b their origin, their genesis.

So NO, we cant abandon our Israeli brodas 4 our Japanese cousins. He he he...

WOW!!! Ekene diri Chineke! Thank u BILIE!

D whole world must read dis.

BIAFRA SHALL BE FREE!!

*wavin Biafran flag*

Interestin. Nwanne m, jisi ike. A journey of a thousand miles has begun wit ur step.

F*CK TREASON! F*CK NIGERIA!

I'm a BIAFRAN nationalist!

& if dis story I'v written happens, make una no call me prophet o! *winks*

LUCKY DUBE *winks*

"Nigeria is a British time bomb!"

I know that BIAFRA, ODUDUWA, AREWA, MIDDLE-BELT & NIGER-DELTA SHALL BE FREE!

It's only a matter of when.

*wavin BIAFRAN flag*

Hmmm... I like dis. Every story has more dan 1 side 2 it.

I also agree dat Ibrahim Badamosi Babangida is ten times worse dan Sani Abacha.

No wonder Ojukwu never spoke ill of Abacha.

Nigeria is a British lie. But thank God d truth cannot stay buried foreva.

*wavin BIAFRAN flag*

“President Jonathan’s plane crashes while returning from an official visit to the UK.” The news broke out today. Today is the 25th of September 2014. Today is the day CNN, BBC and Aljazeera reported that the president of Nigeria was feared dead. Today is the day NTA reported that Jonathan was still alive in an undisclosed hospital. Today is the day Boko Haram released a broadcast on YouTube claiming responsibility for the plane crash and death of Jonathan. Nobody knew what to believe.

“Goodluck Ebelemi Jonathan is dead!” The news update flashed 24hours later, on the 26th of September. The news generated anger, shock, jubilation, fear, tears… The ex-militants were angry. Igbos and Yorubas all over the country were shocked. Muslims in the North jubilated as Namadi Sambo was sworn-in as the new president. Muslims in the South-East and South-South were afraid. The people of the South-South, especially the Ijaws, were weeping… Meanwhile, rumours kept spreading that Jonathan had been assassinated by the British government and that the black box of the ill-fated plane was missing.

On the 27th of September, gboom, gboom, gboooom… There were multiple explosions in Bayelsa, Delta and Akwa Ibom states. Shell, Chevron and other multinational oil installations were the casualties. The Movement for the Emancipation of the Niger-Delta (MEND) took responsibility for the attacks and promised more. The US president appealed for calm in Nigeria. Protests broke out in Lagos. The British High Commissioner to Nigeria denied rumours of the involvement of Britain in Jonathan’s death. The black box was still missing.

On the 28th, the mosque at the Main Market, Onitsha was razed to the ground by rioting youths. Governor Chris Ngige of Anambra pleaded for peace. Senator Dora Akunyili pleaded for peace too. Minister Diezani Allison-Madueke resigned from the Federal Executive Council in Abuja. Pastor Tunde Bakare, convener of the Save Nigeria Group, called for a Sovereign National Conference at a protest march in Lagos. Gi, gi, gi, gi… Gunshots erupted in the South-South between soldiers and militants. The UN appealed for talks in Nigeria. The black box was still missing.

On the 29th, churches were bombed in Kano, Kaduna, Sokoto and Niger states. President Namadi Sambo condemned the bombings, announced amnesty for Boko Haram members who would agree to surrender. Protesters in Lagos chanted, “No to amnesty! No to amnesty!!” Protesters in Onitsha and Owerri shouted, “Biafra!! Biafra!! Nye anyi Biafra!!” While rioters in Bayelsa set Nigeria’s flag ablaze.

That same day, in another YouTube broadcast, the Boko Haram announced: “Jonathan was an infidel! We killed him for ordering the massacre of innocent Muslim women and children in the North. We demand an Islamic Republic of Arewa, not amnesty!” They also alleged that the Nigerian Army was hiding the black box.

On the 30th, Ateke Tom, Boyloaf, Asari Dokubo, Chris Ekiyor and other MEND militants declared a Federal Republic of Niger-Delta. President Namadi Sambo responded by declaring a state of emergency in all the states of the Niger-Delta. Few hours later, the Chief of Army Staff announced at a press briefing that a thorough examination of the black box had confirmed that Jonathan’s plane crash was only an accident. Nobody believed him.

On October 1, 2014, Nigeria’s Independence Day and five days after the death of Jonathan, Chief Ralph Uwazurike declared the independence of the Democratic Republic of Biafra from Nigeria. Gani Adams and other Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC) leaders were arrested in Lagos before they could declare a Republic of Oduduwa. And in a most shocking move, the US president ordered the US Marine Corps of AFRICOM to protect the people of the new Federal Republic of Niger-Delta from genocide by Nigerian soldiers. Soon after, France, Israel and South Sudan recognised the new nation.

That was when President Namadi Sambo realised that all hope for a united Nigeria was lost. He was indeed the last president of Nigeria.


NB This is pure fiction