₦airaland Forum

Amberon:
Baby factory product

KINGOFTHEEAST:
inconsequential fuul

bantudra:
okay..i apologies to you too for what i wrote...

hamilton62:
Kid! have you forgotten that you started the harsh words before my reply: 'you toss me i rode hit you"?
cry me an ocean, cry baby!
Open you defunct kevlar skull or heart for knowledge then you will understand that you are IQ grounded!
Knowledge is power...
Ciao! for the last time because a lost soul is one that lacks knowledge of what he "thinks" he knows and still opaque against more vivid and hallmark enlightenment!
God bless you with this delusion state of persistent-no-upgrade!

Kelsonic:
Wic one is bastard again.....

Wen u c ur Father if u don't call him bastard it will never be well with u.

Amberon:
are you people not ashamed? Bandtura just like me is an urhobo. Accept it or use the lagoon.

greatnation2:
I careless about the shithole you crawl out from, I'm more concerned about Igbos in Niger delta.

Amberon:
Inconsequential? Which region runs Nigeria? Your igbos are the inconsequential people begging and crying to be heard everyday. Lmao.

greatnation2:
You that is more consequential, I can see how developed your shithole is, can you give me one single name from your tribe that ring bell in Nigeria

Amberon:
The entire Ibru family... Lmao you're so pained.

Its now about names yeah? Hahahhaha what have you people achieved with your names? You're still inconsequential in Nigeria.

greatnation2:
Second name

Amberon:
The entire Ibru family...

Amberon:
#ByeFelicia

greatnation2:
You can see how Igbos in Delta dominated you guys, we don't even know your tribe exit

greatnation2:
Second name

greatnation2:
http://punchng.com/what-nnamdi-kanu-told-us-in-prison-utomi/ 
A renowned economist and former presidential candidate, Prof. Pat Utomi, tells Tobi Aworinde of the Punch Newspaper that Nnamdi Kanu’s continued detention is a violation of the rule of law
 
Please, narrate your experience during the visit of Igbo leaders to the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Nnamdi Kanu, in prison.
 
For some time now, a group of us have been involved in leadership mentoring. We have mentored a group of Igbo professionals who are scattered around the world, many in the United States, some in Nigeria, some in Europe.
 
A number of us had argued that the time for a new generation of leaders is needed. But in some ways, there has been a failure of leadership across the country. But more importantly, in Igboland, we needed a new vision and new kinds of leadership vistas. That discussion resulted in a global group known as Nzuko Umunna. Nzuko Umunna in Igbo basically is a sort of town hall meeting of brothers.
 
We’ve been active on a couple of communication platforms in which we are essentially ceding leadership to a group of people in their late 20s and 30s, some of whom are in the US coordinating activities nationwide and around the world. That has resulted in a number of leadership initiatives in which issues, political, economic and social, have been advanced and canvassed, and matters of education, industrialisation and all of those have been in the offing.
 
Among the issues that have come out of such discussions are those that are central to the new Igbo essence, to uplift and uphold the dignity of every Igbo man and engage stoutly to make sure nobody abuses and takes the Igbo person for granted anywhere in the world. So, one of the test cases obviously, which was staring us in the face, was the case of the incarceration ultra vires the rule of law. Of course, there was an imperative of engagement. As part of worldwide consultations, we were asked by this group to pay a courtesy call and get the point of view of the gentleman (Kanu) himself, and after that, to express views to the world. And that was what happened yesterday (Tuesday).

For how long has Nzuko Umunna existed as a formal entity?
 
In some ways, it is a migration from several groups and platforms. There is, for example, what is called the Igbo Intelligential Forum. There are several other groups, like the Think Tank, Aka Ikenga, all of these. Because values were central to redeeming the Igbo nation, people of strong values were literally handpicked from various other groups to form this kind of body. In this particular form, it has been in existence for perhaps a little less than a year or about a year. But it still has reference into some of the other groups and platforms.

Who are the executive members and the overall leader of the group?
 
There is a steering group from the US. There are people in Nigeria who are also (steering). There is a board of trustees, in which I am active. But as I said, the essential leadership was given to the 20- and 30-year-olds, who are typically intellectuals but they are youngand more active. The person playing a steering role in this group from Texas used to be an assistant of mine a couple of years ago. He is currently a PhD candidate in the US. His name is Joseph Oduomoko.

How many of you went to visit Kanu in Kuje Prison?
 
There were many people who wanted to go but we had to keep it trimmed. We were about 14, if I recall correctly. We had interesting conversations with him. We asked him to tell us what his perspectives were on things, to share on his current incarceration experience, and that was a useful conversation. It helped give us an insight into his consciousness because really, the group (IPOB) is a consciousness movement. If you remember Steve Biko and the Black Consciousness Movement in South Africa, this group is (also) an Igbo renaissance consciousness movement.
 
Can you share some of the things he told you?
 
We discussed the state of the country and perceptions of levels of justice in the country and why the economy is challenged: because of policies of exclusion. We discussed what we generally called the democratisation of discontent in Nigeria. That is to say there seems to be unhappiness about Nigeria everywhere around Nigeria, and therefore, the need to change course for the country. The whole idea is to create a platform for continuing conversation, to harmonise the views of different people about what the most appropriate solution is to this challenge of malcontent.

What are Kanu’s perspectives on these things you discussed?
 
I don’t think it is fair to be his spokesperson. He can represent himself and speak for himself. What I took away from the meeting is that he is a very intelligent person. He clearly is not mad. He’s very strategic and focused.

What did you notice about the conditions in which he is being kept?
 
He seemed quite calm and relaxed. There is a meeting area; he came to the meeting area. We didn’t go to into the cell. We did not discuss food and stuff like that. But I think the prison staff and wardens were very polite and professional. That was good.
 
The Federal Government has accused him of treasonable and inciting acts. Do you think it is fair to call Kanu a felon and a threat to national security?
 
From my perspective, certainly not. Freedom of expression does not constitute threat to national security, especially when you have the right to reply. The Americans have a doctrine on freedom of expression and I have been privileged to be on the US International Visitor Programme that was focused particularly on freedom of expression.
 
Among those that participated in that programme with me were Senator Shehu Sani and Hon. Abike Dabiri. Part of the convention on freedom of expression is, “Let a thousand flowers bloom, if there is a lie being told, enough truth will suffocate the life in the marketplace of ideas.” I think that is a very healthy way to look at expression because the converse to restrict or prevent expression drives down people’s ideas into silos with more threatening future consequences.
 
So, I think that there are enough outlets for a different perspective offered by any citizen that the rule of law and the ideas of freedom of expression are much more important in the order of what is good or bad for society than repressive prevention of expression.
 
In your meeting with Kanu, was there any discussion of him setting aside his pro-Biafra agitation in exchange for his release?
 
To start with, two courts of competent jurisdiction have tried him. One gave him a bail because he did not find the matter to be of high treason, obviously. If it was high treason, he (the judge) wouldn’t give him a bail. The second completely discharged and acquitted him, calling for his immediate release. Surely, not doing so is to do damage to the concept of the rule of law. And where the rule of law is assaulted, when impunity reigns — because this is the reason we (All Progressives Congress) ran against the Peoples Democratic Party; we argued that they were a party of impunity. It would be inappropriate for us to become a party of impunity. So, the law is there and courts of competent jurisdiction have asked for his release. I think that it is inappropriate to continue to hold a person like that. And I think it is even more inappropriate to ask a person to submit to a denial of his freedom, to express himself in the future as basis for giving him his freedom, which is what, ‘Promise that you can’t talk again, so we can let you go,’ amounts to. One of the most important factors in the development and human prosperity is when institutions have their legitimacy challenged by impunity or by refusing to obey law, for example. That brings greater harm to the rest of society than whatever may be dysfunctional about allowing a person to express views that you are not happy with.
 
How do you think Kanu’s detention will affect the Igbo in the 2019 presidential elections?
 
I am not a soothsayer. It is not my place to speculate on presidential elections. It is just my place as a citizen to exercise citizenship behaviour and point to the fact that abuse of the rule of law jeopardises my freedom because I could be the next victim. That’s all.
 
Are you in support of Biafra?
 
I don’t know what that means. I don’t think you have met anyone who is more Nigerian than me, both in my upbringing and the things that I have said. If you want to evaluate, you just go back to my history and read, and find out if you or anybody you know is more Nigerian than I have been. I was born in Kaduna (State). I was baptised in Jos (Plateau State). I lived in Maiduguri (Borno State) as an infant. I started school in Kano (State); the bulk of my primary education was in Gusau, now in Zamfara State. I started secondary school in Onitsha (Anambra State). Then I had the bulk of my secondary education in Loyola College Ibadan. I attended the University of Nigeria (Nsukka, Enugu State). If you check my history, one of the things I am accused of is that I am more Yoruba than anything else. So, I think that you don’t need to ask me a question about that.
 
How do you think Kanu’s continued detention could affect Biafra agitations going forward?
 
There is a book that was published last year and at the presentation of that book, former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar called for a restructuring of Nigeria. The title of that book written by Chido Onumah is We Are All Biafrans. Now, Biafra is used in that title as a metaphor to suggest that across the board in Nigeria, people feel this great discontent. In effect, all Nigerians literally have become Biafrans in the sense of discontent with the Nigerian project. If you see the statement that we made, it began with a quote from a statement made just last week by Prof. Ango Abdullahi, in which he said “Nigeria is not working.” So, if Nigerians are honest in expressing it (their discontent) in all kinds of different ways and the metaphor for that expression is the word that rallies a people who felt discontent with Nigeria many years ago, that word being ‘Biafra,’ I think you have to be careful with your interpretation of what people mean when they say ‘Biafra.’ Biafra essentially is a catch-all phrase for being unhappy.
 
Are you still with the APC?
 
Of course, I am a passionate, committed member of the APC still, and one of my major commitments is to work internally for the reform of the APC from within.
 
If the Buhari government has not heeded calls to release Kanu so far, what new approach will you take as Igbo elders?
 
We will cross the bridge when we get there. We pace it and take it one day at a time.

Funlordjnr:
See this one? Talking about respect! Nonsense! Now let me break something down for you...every since the day I gave you the sort of cyber beating you have never seen in your life over 8 months ago you have been pained and crying all over my mentions like the little girl you are! I must say your pain gladdens me a lot though! I actually even saw you cowardly referring to one of your fellow ignorant ipob youths that you wish you could fight me? Even with 4 hands you won't be able to fight me! You are just a cyber cowardly kid! Nothing more nothing less!


I am more brilliant than you, more respected than you, more important than you and lastly more influential than you in every sphere of life both online or offline so allow that sink into your skull 1st! All you do is go around creating foolish monikers, crying afonja up and down and trying to form like one tribal crusader like that useless prisoner called kanu in kuje! Instead of you to act like my reasonable igbo friends who make cash and believe in bettering their lives, those of their families and helping the country progress your own quota is to be acting foolish all over cyber space screaming about bia-fraud and spreading lies and propaganda all over the forum! I have ended the careers of greater nairaland nitwits so your own case would be like taking candy from a baby! Go and do a census amongst your fellow tribalist chums and see if any of them would dare to challenge me in discussing politics or in engaging in vitriol!


Now let me give you some expo...out of pity I will allow you use this account for a while...if you come writing nonsense all over my posts like a demented creature unnecessarily I will send mynd and seun to kick you back to where your other accounts are currently chilling! If you are so pained by how I disgraced you once why don't you kuku open a thread and invite me there and watch the way I will come and decimate you on that thread too! Now go and find some afonjeezys to insult before going to beg your mummy for breakfast! Litttle boy!

greatnation2:
You can see how Igbos in Delta dominated you guys, we don't even know your tribe exit

fratermathy:
The Igbo people do have an inalienable right to self-determination. If the majority of Igbos support Biafra, there is certainly no problem with that. Nigeria was never a discussed nation. I believe that the FG should look into the request of the Igbos and find a permanent solution to their agitations. The international community should as well be consulted and wooed to the Igbo cause. However, my issues with the current Biafra ideology being propagated by IPOB are as follows:

1. The addition of tribes that have historically not been in Biafra such as Urhobo-Isoko and Itsekiri. These tribes have never been and have never pledged or advocated for Biafra. In fact, many Urhobos have never even heard of the word before. So there is no basis for the addition of these people.

2. The addition of non-Igbo tribes in the South South. It is true that many of the minorities in the former Eastern Region were in the extinct Biafran republic but it must be emphasised that only a few of them commiserated with the cause. Currently, less than 1% of members of these ethnic minorities are sympathetic to the Biafran project. Many trust the motives of IPOB, which added them to maps without due consultation. The mistrust is further exacerbated by the reactions of IPOB youths online when confronted with the reality that members of minority tribes are NOT interested in Biafra.
I have been hearing the common idea of a referendum from IPOB and Igbos but as far as I am concerned, there won't be any referendum in the South-South because the people haven't asked for it. Referendums are conducted on request and no minority tribe has asked for any in line with the Biafran ideology. In the SE, an overwhelming majority subscribe to Biafra so there won't also be a need for any referendum as the outcome would be certain.
If IPOB is to succeed and attract sympathy, it should remain an IGBO affair as it is. After all, how many of the so-called minorities join in protests and the propagandist movement? Will they eat from where they did not work? From all the comments on the internet and the reality on ground, it is obvious even to the blind that minorities do not want Biafra. Why force yourself and your ideology on them? Isn't it wise to speak for only your ethnicity and agitate for an Igbo Biafra? If the minorities want Biafra, they should agitate for it then an agreement will be reached. Don't force it down their throats. Many of these minorities have strong voices in the nation because of their oil and Nigeria WILL NEVER let them go except the minorities themselves reject Nigeria -which I have not seen any doing-. If Biafra is to leave Nigeria smoothly, focus on Igboland and leave areas where Nigeria has huge investments in. It simply won't work as Nigeria won't lose Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Delta and Bayelsa, etc, without a fight! Biafrans should cater for their own first and if Biafra is achieved, she may then extend a hand of fellowship to the neighbouring groups.

3. Use of emotions, rather than logic and reason to make arguments. I will concede that this is shown mainly by the semi-literate IPOB member with an internet connection. If you come online to hear the arguments proferred for Biafra, many are ridden with tribalism against the Hausa-Yoruba. The Hausa-Yoruba are people too and have their own wishes and aspirations. You may not want to be in a country with them doesn't mean you should hate them. I also understand that they return the hate as well but the circle will never end if you guys don't get your priorities right. As an Urhobo, I have seen many comments by Igbos geared towards annexing us whether we want it or not. To them, the whole of Delta is Biafraland without even realising that Delta was never part of Biafra to begin with. This campaign of calumny, heightened by sentiments, have created enemies of many minorities. I have heard discussions by Urhobos/Itsekiris and even Ibibios about Igbo and Biafra and nothing good was said whatsoever. I won't blame them for it. They simply reacted to what they've seen, especially on the internet.

4. Playing Lugard. Although this is just a repetition of what I had said, I wish to emphasise again in concrete terms. The Igbos frequently reference Nigeria as the Lugardian experiment. This is totally correct. One of the problems in Nigeria is multilingualism. At the onset, we operated a regional system and tribalism was still a very serious issue. In fact, so bad was tribalism in the regional system that it caused a civil war. Biafra proponents frequently cite regionalism and resource control as the basis for the addition of non-Igbo speaking tribes to Biafra. If regionalism didn't work in a multiethnic Nigeria, what will be different in a multiethnic Biafra? A lot has happened since the previous agitation and many of the Nigerian minorities are genuinely wary of Nigeria's major ethnic groups, including the Igbos. You cannot sweep this under the carpet all of a sudden. IPOB should focus more on building bridges and building its public image to the minorities if they really want them in Biafra. You can't force people into a marriage that they don't want. Don't play Lugard all over again.

5. Lack of good strategy. If you need a nation. You have to get intellectuals - political scientists, economists, scientists, sociologists, lawyers, etc - to draw a map and make useful contributions to the cause. This is where MASSOB has done better than IPOB. Many of the modern day Biafran agitators are traders, who are not even in Igboland to begin with, semi-literates and pure illiterates. They lack the wherewithal to draw a good action plan that will involve all Igbos. Protests are good but what have they achieved so far? NOTHING!!! Biafra also needs a charismatic leader. Nnamdi Kanu preaches too much violence and he is a war-monger. Biafra tried violence in 1967 and it didn't work. You need a different strategy. Organise a think-tank, engage the many Igbo professors, scientists, business moguls, innovators, economists, politicians, etc, and draw a clear roadmap. You don't need to fight Nigeria to get Biafra. No one owns Nigeria so fighting her would be in vain. Once Biafra gets a clear vision and roadmap towards its actualization, many things will fall in place naturally. The campaign shouldn't be all about violent protests; you guys should go to towns and villages and sensitise people, write letters to heads-of-states, make more calls, use more coercive forms of protests such as civil disobedience, solidarity walk, etc. Protest more in Abuja, rather than the South East.



I have more issues with the movement but I have made my point with the few I have listed. Amarabae, you have spoken well and reasoned the way I expect all Biafrans to do. Biafra is a good cause. Every ethnicity has the right to create its own destiny. No one can force any determined group into anything. Just the way Igbos struggle for their inalienable rights to determine her faith, so also should Igbos recognise the minorities' right to fashion their own destiny. No one should play Lugard with people's future. Let us correct the sins of the past. Every ethnic group is independent and has the capacity to become a nation-state.


God bless us all!

Udmaster:
I am talking about SS minorities, as an obigbo lga guy, you are an Igbo man.

ConqueredWest:
fratermathy

Pls answer these two questions

1) If you are told to choose between Biafra and Nigeria, which will you choose.?

2) If your ethnic group is told to choose between Biafra and Nigeria, which will they choose.?


Pls take note: Let's assume UN did not put NigerDelta Republic on the ballot paper.

victorvezx:
South south may have lost hope in Nigeria, but they never told u that Biafra is their solution

Maduawuchukwu:
Nice one Frathermarty. But u should also knw that the Igbos in the south-south also have the right to choose where they belong to. They are Igbos after-all and you cannot alienate them from the south-east just because of an artificial creation.

Amberon:
Inconsequential? Which region runs Nigeria? Your igbos are the inconsequential people begging and crying to be heard everyday. Lmao.

nengibo:
Useless Osu. Dont quote me again

fratermathy:
Urhobos have also not advocated for Niger Delta Republic. Personally, I don't believe in it as well.

As for your questions:
1. Nigeria!
2. Nigeria!

This is not something we would think twice. The current Biafran agitation is not really known in Urhoboland. The few of us that have heard of it only did so online or in papers and what we make of it at the moment is that it is an Igbo affair. Since Urhobos have no affinity with Igbos and are indifferent to the Igbo cause, we don't show any sympathy to the Biafran agitation.

We would say... Ihwo r'Igbo vwi Biafra. That is, Biafra is an Igbo affair.

fratermathy:
Urhobos have also not advocated for Niger Delta Republic. Personally, I don't believe in it as well.

As for your questions:
1. Nigeria!
2. Nigeria!

This is not something we would think twice. The current Biafran agitation is not really known in Urhoboland. The few of us that have heard of it only did so online or in papers and what we made of it at the moment is that it is an Igbo affair. Since Urhobos have no affinity with Igbos and are indifferent to the Igbo cause, we don't show any sympathy to the Biafran agitation.

We would say... Ihwo r'Igbo vwi Biafra. That is, Biafra is an Igbo affair.

Ekinematics:
See foolishness made in nnewi. 70% of Rivers is ibo
Please stop writing nonsense here.
You can't be typing rubbish/lies about my State and I'll be scrolling pass it. Please stop the lies, because it won't help you.

fratermathy:
Oniovo

Oteri. Yanjia wo biko. It's not worthy it.

Dont descend to that level. We are bigger than that

Omoluabi16:
I probably know more about the civil war than some of these block heads will ever know.