₦airaland Forum

squash1986:
What informed this new wave of Biafra agitation?

If you remember very well, Nigeria claimed the war had ended but in reality the battle field only changed dimension in 1970.

It is now forty-five years since the Nigeria genocidal war against the indigenous people of Biafra was officially declared over on paper and media. In a broadcast to the people of Nigeria and Biafra, Yakubu Gowon, then Head of State of Nigeria declared very enthusiastically that there was "NO VICTOR AND NO VANQUISHED". With a broad smile he declared the intention of his government and the people of Nigeria to welcome all Biafrans (Anang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, Ogoni etc.) back into the country called Nigeria. Looking Nigerians and Biafrans in the eye, he promised religiously to implement a programme of RECONCILIATION, RECONSTRUCTION and REHABILITATION designed to re-integrate the people of Biafra into Nigeria and to rebuild the infrastructure of 'Biafra' which was decimated by the genocidal bombing and vandalism of the occupational Nigerian Army.

That government promised to build Nigeria into one united country that is economically strong, politically and socially stable and respected throughout Africa and the World. It promised to respect and protect the fundamental rights of all citizens of Nigeria to freedom of movement, residence, speech, religion, association and lawful ownership of property. It also promised 'Biafrans' the right to safety and security of life and property. The government promised to abolish discrimination and persecution of certain indigenous communities and religious groups in the expression called Nigeria. The government promised to establish a society based on honesty, justice, freedom, equity and fair play for all.

The government of Gowon made these promises to 'Biafrans' and Nigerians. So did the governments of Gen. Mohammed, Gen. Obasanjo, Alhaji Shehu Shagari, Gen. Buhari, Gen. Babangida, Mr. Shonekan, Gen. Abacha, Gen. Abubakar, Yar'Adua, Jonathan, and currently Buhari. They all made these same promises to 'Biafrans' and Nigerians. For 45 years, they have made these promises again and again. But, did they fulfill any of those promises? The answer is no, they didn't.

Biafra is an indigenous name; we were in existence before Nigeria. If my grandfather is older than Nigeria, isn't that obvious I'm not a Nigerian? Well you have asked a question I hope my answer is clear enough for you to understand we are indigenous people and as indigenous people, we deserve the right to manage and govern ourselves. It's a universal right and every indigenous community should have the right to answer their ancestral names.

In a country where my children and I are seen as infidels because we don't believe or practice a particular faith and the constitution empowers them to conquer us, my answer is no, no.

Insecurity of life and property has become the order of the day. The government of Nigeria has converted the Nigerian police into a killer force. If you are a 'Biafran', you can be shot dead by an illiterate Nigerian policeman simply for wearing Biafra T-shirt or refusing to give him N20 bribe. No questions asked. The lives of 'Biafrans' have become worthless as they have been reduced to the status of slaves with no rights, freedoms and privileges.



What is the origin of the current struggle? Did anything happen to prompt it?

When you ask, what is the origin, I assume you are asking what is the origin of the crises or that of 'Biafra'? If you want me to talk about the crises upon our heads, describing them here would take ages but I shall explain the origin of our new movement and the reasons behind it. Those who know me know I practise Judaism, and we remember the holocaust during prayers and high holy days.

Nigeria slaughtered one quarter of the Igbo nation from 1967- 1970 and no single memorial was made for my people. We are not taught in school or our communities why and what happened; Nigeria decided to bury the facts of the war with propaganda, which is another weapon of war. They slaughtered 3.5 million of my people, innocent 'Biafrans' to be precise.

Nigerian propaganda is that the Igbo went to war but they refused to tell the truth that they slaughtered millions of my kind and didn't want me to be born. So, when we gathered and deliberated on these issues, we realised that the easy way to seek justice is to take control of our problem. The war never ended; we are just in different zones and the guns and machines are in the hands of a different generation.

So when you ask what the origin is, I do say to you that this is a continuation of the battlefield we inherited.



You spoke about a memorial that holds every year about Biafra. Tell us about it?

Well, the memorial you are talking about was suggested by Dr. Justine Akujieze at the 'Biafra Council of Elders', and as you may know, we are sacred people, anyi bu ndi nso. According to ancient Igbo ancestors, we bury our dead and remember them. During the campaign to wipe us out of the face of earth- Biafran soldiers had one wish, to be remembered. They knew they would die protecting those of us who are alive today but prayed we should remember them and that is exactly what we do every 30th of May.



We also perform rituals due to every onye nche (protector) of 'Biafra'.

How many people honour it, and what is the goal of the memorial?

The number of people who honour the call runs into millions, as you may know. We led the very first edition in our exile, and those back home also participated, to the surprise of the 'Biafran' children who were flown out in the war days and never returned. As a result, they began to make contacts and desired to return home to 'Biafra'.

In every civilised society, those who sacrificed their lives for others to live are remembered and as 'Biafrans', our omenaana (tradition) fully guides us during this peaceful moment of remembrance, the 'Echezona' spirit. The goal, according our omenaana is to ritually cleanse and connect our soul back to our protector. This is in line with the universal declaration of 1945 when the world said, 'never again', so this is to remind our children of the genocide that Nigeria committed against us that they may say 'never again commit'.



Is there any organised sort of way you people operate?

We are children of the rising sun, umu Eri, children of 'Biafra'; we are one people, but yes, we have various organizations raising the awareness about 'Biafra', like Ekwenche, which is preserving the ancient and truth culture of 'Biafra', there is Biafra24, Radio Biafra London, MASSOB, Bilie Human Rights Initiative, Biafra Foundation, Biafra Zionist Movement, Biafra National Youth League, Biafra Liberation Council, Biafra National Congress, but 'Biafrans' are one. We are all indigenes of Biafra and we run one shadow government, whoever touches one touches all.



If Biafra is achieved, do you think the problems you talk about in Nigeria will be solved?

Well, is Biafra Nigeria's problem? The answer is no. Biafra is not Nigeria's problem, Biafra is an indigenous people. We are not compatible with Nigeria and the problem of Nigeria would be solved once that name Nigeria is gone and never resurrects.

Every indigenous community should go back to their ancestral homeland and build their community as God gave them the land. The Igbo and all other peoples who have lived through the terror of the post-European conquest, in a "Berlin-state called Nigeria" in Africa must abandon it at once to survive and advance towards the construction of higher levels of civilisation. They have no other choice.

Some people believe that only Igbos are fighting for Biafra, and the other ethnic peoples of the original Biafra are not with you. What is your take on this?

My take on Nigeria's propaganda? Do you not know this is Nigeria's plan to continue its mass propaganda to divert the resources of these communities? I have a problem with Africans not understanding what propaganda is. This is war; it is intellectual manipulation of the 'Biafran' communities which they used in 1967-1970 to set some parts of Biafra against Biafrans. What happened today?

It is a military strategy to weaken the people's mindset on the reality of who they are. People writing books and movie scripts depict Igbos as rebels who led their people into war, rather than tell the truth that Nigerian invaders invaded the land of Biafra and occupied it after killing women and children for resources.

I encourage young 'Biafrans' between nine and 15years old to stop watching and listening to political garbage depicting Biafrans as terrors and rebels. It's not edutainment; it's political warfare before the actual storm; they seek to create a reason to justify their military campaign against us.

There are those who are of the opinion that your agitation is for money and once you are settled, the matter of Biafra will die. What do you say?

People would have opinions but when the enemy comes, they attack those with opinion and those without opinion. We at Biafra24 have never for once asked anyone for a single penny. We are all about empowering the mind and physical employment of our people, especially the young. Our target are the young minds; we want to build an economically stable and start-up nation. If anyone says we are collecting money, he or she should come publicly and say it.

We give our resources to young entrepreneurs and developers to build a strong 'Biafra'; we don't take money off anyone, we encourage growth in 'Biafra'. We are revolutionary in every aspect of our campaign. Today, we are able to build our own communication system without anyone's support and we teach young people to be tech nerds in our community.



By what methods do you intend achieving Biafra?

We are out to revolutionize the struggle. Back in the days, it was about old people, now it's in the hands of the young ones. When I say young people, I'm speaking as one of the oldest, imagine what that is. We are heading toward referendum and we support what Lower Niger Congress is doing when it comes to that. The 'Biafra Shadow Government' is also working hard on this as well and Ekwenche is leading in mass education and industrialisation of 'Biafra land'.

They put economic blockade on us, we said no and we revolutionised it; you will hear from our ikuku(air). No man shall tell you this is the voice of young people; the future is speaking without fear or favour.

We will embark on civil disobedience of the highest order without looking back, if the 'Biafrans' kidnapped by Nigerian government are not released.

Your right to your own property including your ancestral land has been taken away from you by Nigerian Government. Today Hausa/Fulani/Yoruba oligarchs have seized your land, rivers and streams. They exploit the minerals in our land, steal the money and use the money to buy arms and ammunition to kill us, to enrich themselves and their relatives as well as to develop cities in their own homeland thousands of kilometres away from us.

They leave us to die from drinking polluted water, eating poisoned crops from devastated farmland, and breathing polluted air from gas flaring. If you protest, they hang you, or send in the mobile police and army to deal ruthlessly with you and destroy your town. This is why they wiped out whole villages in Ijaw land, destroyed Umuechem, Odi and other towns, burned down whole villages, raped wives and daughters, and pillaged several other towns in 'Biafra'.

This is why the 'occupational' government of Nigeria, has killed several 'Biafrans' in the last few weeks--Biafra Zionists, MASSOB, IPOB-- imprisoned thousands without trial and is constantly harassing you the citizens of 'Biafra'.

These are organizations asking for self-determination and right to control their destiny and property in Biafra. The promise of life in abundance made to the Anang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, Ogoni is now being fulfilled with hangings, kidnapping, extra-judicial murders, rapes, broken bones, blood and tears, hunger, joblessness, deprivation and desperation, denial of freedom, liberty and other civil rights. These are the harvests of "ONE NIGERIA " promised you by these rulers, from Yakubu Gowon in 1967 to Muhammadu Buhari in 2015.


http://www.authorityngr.com/2015/10/Why-we-resumed-fighting-for-Biafra-by-Yahgozie-Immanuel-of--Biafra-24