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| Dr. C. K. Ekeke |
I like to begin this article by saying that I am not a card-carrying member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and does not belong to any freedom fighter group in Nigeria. I’m still a Nigerian citizen, however, I am very proud to say that I’m a Biafran because I was born in Biafra Republic and will remain a Biafran no-matter what citizenship I hold currently.
Having said that, I must state that the on-going agitation for Biafra nation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other Biafra groups is not a quest for equity or justice but a clear and sincere call for freedom and liberation from the Hausa-Fulani Sokoto Caliphate agenda to enslave and Islamize the former Eastern region of Nigeria.
Biafra agitation is not even a call to restructure Nigeria which, off course is urgently needed as many wise and eminent citizens have voiced out, but the agitation is a genuine and urgent call to liberate the former Eastern region from systemic marginalization, suffocating economic exploitation and political oppression against them by the Hausa-Fulani caliphate, Yoruba oligarchy and Igbo sellouts, saboteurs, and puppets. Therefore, the agitation for Biafra nation is a sincere call for separation—to liberate a godly people and free a nation of Biafra from Islamic Nigeria.
Today, the Gospel and message of Biafra being strongly preached by IPOB leadership through Radio Biafra and several Biafra media outlets including Biafra TV as well as IPOB protests across the world have rekindled the aspiration and hope of millions of Biafrans who are scattered worldwide.
In fact, the “Sit-At-Home” protest ordered by IPOB leadership on September 23, 2016 was hugely obeyed by all Biafrans across SE/SS region. The strategy was impactful and consequential. Everything from market shops, stores, schools, banks, etc., was shut-down that day. Most of SE/SS region was deserted. The ‘Sit-At-Home” protest was a clear evidence that Biafra nation is here and that Nigeria will never be the same again.
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| “Sit-At-Home” protest ordered by IPOB leadership on September 23, 2016 |
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| “Sit-At-Home” protest ordered by IPOB leadership on September 23, 2016 |
It must also be noted that it is ironic that IPOB leader and director of radio Biafra, Mr. Nanmdi Kanu has been in detention at Kuje prison since October 14, 2015 for asking for freedom of Biafrans from oppression. The IPOB leadership and their millions of members are doing what other freedom fighters and groups have done throughout history. Many northern leaders have said and done things that are worse.
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| IPOB leader and director of radio Biafra, Mr. Nanmdi Kanu |
And so, the continued detention of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and clamp down, arrests, maiming and barbaric massacre of unarmed peaceful protesting Biafra youths by the Nigerian military personnel have amplified the message of the systemic marginalization and satanic oppression of the Biafrans in Nigeria. Despite these atrocities, they are not deterred. This informs me that IPOB is a serious movement led by courageous leaders and committed followers.
Throughout history, great movements have been propelled by the charisma of their leaders and commitment of their followers. Additionally, great movements are known for what they stand for—their articulated goals, ideals, aspiration and purpose. For little over a year, I have been studying IPOB and those who lead it and I can say without hesitation and fear that IPOB is a great movement and it is led by courageous men and women.
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| IPOB in a protest |
Time will come when history will properly write about IPOB and its leadership. But for now, I want to focus on the clear purpose of IPOB, and that is to liberate Biafrans and Biafra land from satanic agenda of the Hausa-Fulani caliphate to enslave and Islamize the entire Nigeria comprising Eastern region of Southeast and so-called South-south regions.
The islamisation agenda of President Muhammad Buhari is no longer a secret to millions of Nigerians now—his lopsided appointment, relocation of military headquarters to his State, the unleashing of EFCC, DSS, Boko haram, Fulani herdsmen, Army and other military squad that terrorize, arrest, maim that imprison his political opponents and massacre his enemies and unarmed peaceful Biafran youth protesters is unprecedented in Nigeria.
Furthermore, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu and IPOB leadership are exercising their constitutional rights of freedom of speech and peaceful assembly. The agitation for Biafra independence fulfills the requirements of the United Nations Charter General Assembly Resolution of September 2007—articles 1 and 2, and article 20 of the African Charter on human rights recognizing and supporting the rights of all ethnic nations and peoples have the unquestionable and inalienable rights to self-determination of which Nigeria is a signatory to.
According to United Nations Charter General Assembly Resolution (A/61/295) of September 2007:
“Self-determination” is the principle and practice whereby a nation, for example, an ethnic nation is in control of its own people, its own land, its own resources, and its own governance, independent of any other subtending political structure. “
Additionally, constitutional freedoms of speech and expression as enshrined in the Nigerian law, do not forbid anyone from canvassing peaceful self-government which in any event is legally permissible under diverse international humanitarian laws including the Covenant on Civil and political Rights and the Universal Declaration of Human rights (UDHR) which Nigeria as a United Nations member signed on to.
So, I do not understand why President Buhari and his supporters are not aware of all these documents but continue to unleash such relentless, ruthless and unspeakable brutality on IPOB members seeking self-determination for Biafran people and region. President Buhari himself knows this quite well because he has stood at the United Nations and pleaded for two-state solution between Israel and Palestine as well as spoken out for an Islamic region known as Western Sahara, a disputed territory in the Maghreb region of North Africa, bordered by Morocco to the north, Algeria to the northeast, Mauritania to the east to be an independent nation.
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| President Mohammadu Buhari at UN |
So why this sort of hypocrisy in Nigeria. Why does President Mohammadu Buhari and his northern caliphate want Biafra people—mostly Christians to remain in Islamic Nigeria only to be butchered and massacred at will? Why does Nigeria need Biafran people by the way?
The President’s dictatorial and fascist tendencies, his imperial, fanatic and tribal leadership have sharply divided Nigeria. His disdain and condescension toward Igbos, his assault on the legislative and recently on the judiciary shows his cowardice and incompetence in governing a democratic Nigeria. I wonder if the President still remembers that Nigeria is no longer in military regime but has transitioned to democratic system of governance since 1999.
The President’s leadership failure as his wife—Mrs. Aisha Buhari correctly made us to understand recently during her interview with BBC Hausa Voice, coupled with the President’s unguarded response and comments, unwise actions, his lack of communication skills and presidential etiquette have been a complete disgrace. It is a really a shame that Nigerians—led by SW and crony Bola Tinubu and jihadist north elected a man who lacks the capacity to lead a democratic Nigeria in the 21st century. And to read from the President’s puppets who defend his dictatorship, impunity, tyranny and fascist government in this 21st century world is very disturbing and disgraceful. Nigeria is a failed State and an absolute global disgrace.
Here are the seven factors fueling the current Biafra agitation for separation and freedom from Nigeria.
I’ll share only three factors in this part-one and give you the remaining four factors in part-two of the essay next week.
Flawed foundation.
According to my study and research, there is no crime in history of human history that equals the cobbling of variant groups of people with vast differences into one country without any set of parameters and value system that give them true identity of their new nation. This is the case of Nigeria and most of sub-Sahara Africa. But Nigeria is worse case scenario in human history, Rwanda, Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and many other Africa commonwealth do have similar problems but more of tribal superiority and not radical Islamic religious fanaticism like Nigeria.
Colonization of Africa is an indescribable rape and destruction of the mother continent. British colonization is the worst crime against humanity. No atrocity in human history equals it.
Nigeria has become simply a den of death, of sorrow, sadness, pain, suffering and hopelessness – a lawless and failed nation Nigeria is a corrupt and failed experiment. Earlier this year, the former British Prime Minister, David Cameron called Afghanistan and Nigeria ‘fantastically corrupt’ nations. But I’ll go further to state that Nigeria is not only fantastically corrupt, but uncontrollably lawless and rudely barbaric. And so it baffles why the former and evil British Empire continues to support and back Nigeria’s “status quo.”
Today, Britons have peacefully conducted a referendum to exit the European Union (EU)—the so-called BREXIT, but will not support Biafra do the same in Nigeria. What a hypocrisy! I think it is time for Britain and global powers do the needful to reorganize, restructure and dismantle this continent of blood and death called Africa starting with Nigeria.
This is the primary reason fueling the current Biafra agitation for freedom and separation from Nigeria.
Ethnic hatred, envy, jealousy, tribalism, and injustice.
There is enormous hatred toward Igbos and Biafrans in Nigeria. Before the coming of British colonial empire, all Biafran people lived in peace and harmony with their neighbors and traded with them without conflict and violence. But after the conquest and colonization of the variant groups in present-day Nigeria by British imperialist, each ethnic group began to hate each other.
One major reason for this hatred is the social, linguistics, religious and common ancestral heritage that Biafrans have with Jews. It is believed that the two sons of Gad— Eri and Arodi are said to have fathered clans, established kingdoms and founded towns still in existence in Biafra land today.
Secondly, Biafrans like the Jews are very intelligent, innovative, hardworking, enterprising, and prosperous people.
Thirdly, the Igbos are called the ‘Nyamiri’ in the North, which means ‘money lover.’ And so, the Igbos are viewed as a people with an unbridled lust and love for money.
Fourthly, the Igbos are enterprising and adapting. They migrated and lived in the North, SW and across the width and breath of Nigeria and prospered as entrepreneurs.
Because of these four factors among others, Biafrans are hated by Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba tribes of Nigeria.
The ethnic hatred and tribalism led to state injustice against Biafra. And so, Nigeria, despite her enormous human capital and abundant natural resources—a nation with so much promise of prosperity and greatness is today a failed State because of ethnic hatred, tribalism, and injustice. Today, the State sponsors ethnic and religious massacre using Boko haram, Fulani herdsmen, and military as well as political motivated killings. This is another major reason Biafrans want to restore their nation.
The rise of state sponsored jihadism and killings of Christians in Nigeria.
Radical Islamic terrorism and jihadism is another critical reason why Biafra wants to separate from Nigeria. State sponsor of terrorism is a serious threat to the security, prosperity and unity of Nigeria. There is awful level of religious ignorance and intolerance, which breed violence and killings. Since the 1930’s, religious violence and ethnic killings have escalated in Northern Nigeria against Biafrans. Religious killings have decimated more Christians in Northern Nigeria in the last 50 years than hunger, disease, accidents and even wars combined together.
Since, the 1940’s, pogroms have been committed against the Igbo in the North. In 1945, Igbos were massacred in the city of Jos. In 1954, there was another massacre of Igbos in the city of Kano and in 1966 there was a prolonged series of pogroms. The 1960’s political crisis, tribal and religious killings led to unforgettable genocidal civil war of 1967-70 in which more than more than three million Biafra lives were wasted. That bitter civil war left an unforgettable anger, bitterness and hatred among the peoples of Nigeria. Even the end of war slogan “No Victor No Vanquished” could not bury the tumultuous and fractured history of a people that had been traumatized and to live peacefully and to trust each other until today.
Until today, Igbos are being massacred all over Nigeria without any arrest or punishment of the perpetrators of such heinous and barbaric massacres. Since 1999, we have seen the rapid rise of radical Islamic violence and the authoritarian corrupt political leadership. There is a growing religious intolerance and conflict, ethnic bias and strife, rise of Islamic fundamentalism especially in the northern part of the country, where jihadist sects like Boko haram, a group that detests Western education and social norms, are bombing businesses, Churches, Temples and Police stations killing people at random. The sect is also agitating for a Sharia Republic in the north.
Many sections of the country are currently under siege by Boko-haram and Fulani herdsmen—armed with AK-47, sharp knives, bows & arrows among other assault weapons—openly raping young girls, married women, killing and massacring local farmers including the recent massacres of unarmed Biafra youths by Nigerian DSS, Army, and Police in several Southeast and South-south cities.
It is unfathomable that this sort of barbarism is happening in Nigeria in the 21st century when nations are seeking ways to tap into the limitless opportunities for development and progress, Nigerian illiterate and murderous cattle rearers are busy massacring the future Biafran engineers, scientists, entrepreneurs, etc., – the future leaders of Africa and the world.
Instead of the Nigerian military forces—Army, Police and DSS to clamp down on jihadist Boko harm and murderous Fulani herdsmen—who are carrying out mayhem and heinous crime against Biafrans in Nigeria, the military forces are rather aiding and protecting Fulani herdsmen murderers.
And no one is perturbed about these barbaric and senseless killings. Due to poverty, suffering, selfishness and hopelessness, Nigeria does not have men and women with common sense, civility, and compassion any longer. We have become a coward citizenry, lawless, hopeless, uncivilized, debased, and degenerate society.
Nigeria’s erudite scholar and top diplomat, Dr. Joseph Garba, captured it in his masterpiece book “Fractured History,” when he said:
“We (Nigeria) have degenerated into a nation of lawlessness and hopelessness; making an unprecedented turnaround; going from a nation of hope, strength, abundance, economic prosperity and high aspirations to a nation which has become the embodiment of a degenerate society’”.
Millions of citizens have lost hope in the Nigerian project. And we, in the Eastern region have had enough and want to be freed from the systemic marginalization, economic exploitation, political oppression, extreme poverty, senseless massacres, and most importantly the satanic agenda to make Nigeria an Islamic State by Sokoto Caliphate sponsored by Saudi Arabia and other radical Islamic Arab nations.
C. K. Ekeke, Ph.D., M.Div., is a theologian, author, consultant and leadership scholar. He is the President of Leadership Wisdom Institute.
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