₦airaland Forum

MIBB: This is the bit i really cant understand, if the Ibos desire a nation of theirs, why don't they go alone. They are large enough. must they drag unwilling southern minority tribes along?

Southern minority tribes are fast fusing together. we don't need a big brother role from any tribe. If Nigeria breaks up, we sure know our boundaries.

I agree. I prefer that we The Igbo should go alone. The last thing we need to do is to be managing the rivalry the minorities of the Niger Delta have for themselves. If the Igbo and others that identify with them can go to the South East and continue the trend of entrepreneurship that is encouraged in Anambra to build their own ports and refineries and power plants, if this can be extended to other parts of the economy and the big government Nigeria encourages is gotten rid of by the Biafran state, Biafra will rival Singapore and other Asian tigers in no time. We are not intimidated by anyone so, unlike Nigeria, Biafra can get rid of Federal Character that Nigeria has infected everyone with. We are not afraid of meritocracy. We are not afraid of free enterprise. We, very much unlike Nigerians, are not afraid of the kind of thinking that is needed for progress. We see prosperity beyond natural resources that we did not work for. We see it in technological innovation and trade. We see it in Biafra.

Please someone explain to me how the fear of being a "minority" clouded the judgement of Adaka Boro and other Niger Deltan leaders? How would the Niger Delta ever experience development if they contend that all ethnic groups should stay in their villages like their ancestors did? All this talk of the Igbo making one group or another a minority is just plain silly. Minority or majority depends on numbers and demographics which can change with time. Do you hear Chinese complaining about being minorities in the USA or Indonesia, or other parts of the world where they reside and prosper? Did the same Adaka Boro not win the elections for student union leader in the "Igbo dominated" UNN? The people who deceived the Ijaw are their leaders and demagogues who used hate as a propelling force to fight for their own personal interests. Whether one group or another is a minority cannot be controlled by any leader or government. The government is there to provide jobs not ensure one ethnic group is a minority or another is a majority. Ojukwu did not give in to parochial requests by minority leaders because he knew their demands were fueled by hate.
The Igbo who settled in the Niger Delta before the war developed the place and resided in the place. Port Harcourt was in a much better shape than it is and even the people who got fed on the Igbo hate that was prevalent at the time know it. Since Diete Spiff seized Igbo properties, what has happened to the property market in Port Harcourt? The Igbo people would rather invest in Lagos property market where a majority of their seized property were returned and this is why Lagos is more developed than Rivers state that Adaka Boro fought for. As long as the Niger Delta subscribes to the thoughts of demagogues, they will not see the Economic advancement that should ordinarily come to them given their natural endowments. They would scare investors away with talk of domination. Investors will say, "If they can wake up and seize Igbo properties, imagine what they would do to my property". Any region that wants economic development must welcome investments. This is how Singapore became a First World Country. It is not by wishful thinking, but by application of wisdom. And stop thinking that it is having the control of government that brings economic advancement. The North has had control of government, created a few millionaires from this situation with Niger Deltan oil but has the highest rate of poverty in the country. Do know that if you keep fighting for demagogues, you fight for their pockets. Adaka Boro was eyeing the 5000 pounds budget the student union leader controls and resented the fact that he was not elected quickly into the position. These sort of people use sentiments of the population to make them fight for their pockets.

I have not read all the comments but I need to make it abundantly clear that Biafra does not need any part of the Niger Delta. I would even prefer the Niger Delta to not be part of Biafra because the last thing the Igbo need is to be managing the inter-ethnic hatred the Niger Deltans have for themselves. Those who mention Adaka Boro should know how much his beef was about the election of Student Union Leader in University of Nigeria Nsukka and the huge amount that the leader controls. Despite the fact that the Igbo majority in that school voted him into power (read http://ajol.info/index.php/ad/article/viewFile/57356/45736), he kept complaining about domination and all that crap. He is a typical Nigerian voice of hate that is based on his imagination of discrimination. Many who complain about the Igbo driving them to slavery should explain the historical president that warrants that. It was the Ijaw who sold mainly Igbo slaves so why are Niger Deltans talking like the Igbo are out to suppress them, if anything it is the other way round. The abandoned property issue by Diete Spiff is yet to be addressed till today so please explain how the Igbo "maltreated" the Niger Deltans when historically it has always been the other way round.
Either way, Biafra is for those that identify themselves as Biafrans. Even if Onitsha for any reason does not identify with Biafra, they are free to remain in the hell hole called Nigeria. They can watch Biafra progress leaving Nigeria behind but would need a visa and skills needed in Biafra to be let in.

Just joined NairaLand because I was depressed reading the posts and sad at how low the conversation sunk into bigoted insults avoiding the truth.
I would like to raise the level of conversation where I can.
The poster asked and intelligent question and asked every1 to avoid stupid comments.
A lot went off course.

The fact is oil has always sold for a higher amount in the east than in Lagos. Don't know why, but this is a major reason there is no point protesting.
The easterners are also battle wary. The civil war has thought them that having a just cause is not enough. Fighting a just cause does not necessary ensure victory.
The end of all the FSR protest did not bring any change.

It is unhealthy to think or especial Igbo everywhere to think the same way. There are Yoruba in the east who are also not protesting. This foolish thinking that all Igbo think the same way was what led to the pogroms in the north. The Igbo think in accordance with what their interest are where they reside. You point out there are Igbo in the South West protesting vehemently. Making every1 think the Igbo in the east are not cooperating is unhealthy and untrue. The rest of Nigeria did not protest the poor economic condition of the east and the higher fuel prices. Besides if they protest, Igbo haters would relish the opportunity to set security forces on them. When Ogoni declared independence, nothing happened. Same when other did. But when BZM declared Biafran independence, what happened? Massive arrests, tortures and crackdowns.