04 Jun 2006 |
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The Great State of Biafra Is Strong and Alive When I read some writers, detractors and enemies of peoples’ survival and existence write tirelessly and meaninglessly with venoms, with embellished concocted explanations of what they understand, and see as Biafra/Biafrans, I laugh. This groups and individuals regardless of their ages, their pedigrees in interdisciplinary orthodoxies introspectively found within the four walls of intellectual establishments, yet unlettered on many matters, especially when it comes to the idea, Biafra. This notwithstanding, one is prompted to respond to groups and entities with foregoing dispositions and indeed needs do all within its powers as h/she possibly can to educate and enlighten them or remind them further for record purposes. For other considerations, I encourage these groups, to go and do their research properly. This is because when it comes to what Biafra really represents to Ndiigbo, Nigeria and the world they might discover a world of wisdom for their children and grandchildren. Let there be no contradictions or confusion, Biafra is a republic, a geopolitical space and a great nation. "Because time itself is like a spiral, something special happens on your birthday each year: The same energy that God invested in you at birth is present once gain."—Menchem Mendel Mchneerson {mosimage} {mosimage} On May 30, 1967 in pursuit of their self-determination armed with the Peoples Consultative Assembly and the Advisory Committee of Chiefs and Elders, the two only functioning political bodies in the Eastern region, with the massive killings of Ndiigbo and those that look like them, by the Arab-Muslim fundamentalists in the North and elsewhere, after considerable intensive re-assessments and re-evaluations, ordered Lieutenant-Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu to declare secession of the Eastern Region from Nigeria and establishment without further delays the Republic of Biafra. The Peoples Republic of Biafra was amongst other things were meant and definitely instituted to put to a stop the bleeding of its peoples and fortification of its defenses, in defense of its peoples and territory. The causes of the actions that ensued are traceable to the pogrom that dates back to 1934 through Maiduguri 2006. These and many other inter-generational ills, discriminatory practices, marginalization and containment policies against the enterprise—Igbo, by fed, cannot be overemphasized. Regardless of rescue operations recently deployed by this administration, for example, the appointment of Paul Dike to the top rank of Service Chief position, 39 years later is in short too little too late maneuver. What has sustained the idea Biafra amongst other things is continuous existence of the aforementioned pathological pandemics predicated on unattended pillages and unprecedented breakdown of law and order across the land and, premeditatedly designed to sustain and secure plunderers, liars, looters, mischief makers, and their friends and by so doing, these illegitimate actions squandered the golden hand shake across the Niger by Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu—evidently and thusly, sustaining the disposition and other considerations here and elsewhere that the idea Biafra, is a better idea for Ndiigbo and many other responsible Nigerians and Nigeria-State. By application, this response of inactions and actions by fed showcases the fact that live is not guaranteed within the {mosimage} We all know that 2007 is filled with measures of uncertainties and 1966 issues/concerns are yet to be addressed. Corruption and greed then, corruption and greed today are unprecedented. It has become clear that Obasanjo and his cronies will gamble and heat up yet again the body polity. Third term manipulations will be a child’s play considering the contextual theatrical jibes of the actors of this experiment called Nigeria. By 1967, at the heat of these and similar precipices, one Anthony Eromosele Enahoro arguing against Biafra has this to say in London: "If secession by Ojukwu and his group is accomplished, Nigeria will most probably disintegrate… and a chain reaction will be set up all over Africa. Africa would end up in petty little principalities. Each successor ‘mini state’ would be sovereign enough to acquire foreign protectors and purchase arms. Such situation, with its inevitable dislocations and frictions over boundaries, trade and division of assets, would produce wars." Some decades later, the same Anthony Enahoro and Olusegun Obasanjo have a different tune and speak with both sides of their months… By July 2, 2002, Enahoro remarked at a Polo Club, Lagos: "Given our traumatic experience, I suggest that the following question is pertinent: should the constitution allow for the ultimate change of secession? In the past, this issue has been treated as a taboo topic but the absence of thought and debate on this matter is a poor substitute of judgment. Obasanjo has helpfully opened discussion on it in his book This Animal Called Man, wherein he stated that any future constitution of Nigeria must provide for a right of secession. This is but recognition of the reality that, short of brute force, the only way that different nationalities can be kept together in the long term is by their will to stay together." This apparently is a new trend for a man whose interviews and public proclamations indeed impeded or resisted even the creation of Midwest. It is therefore clear that, "those who do not learn from History are damned to repeat it…" George Santayana. {mosimage} As we celebrate the declaration of the great republic—Biafra on May 30, 1967, a battle of attrition executed gallantly and fearlessly, we remember with pride and honor that it was the right thing to do to secure or existence. The actions and freedom of three years which, actions and freedom was differed in January 15, 1970 is up and running again through peaceful means manned by MOSSAB. The Sun has risen and lighted again east of the Niger and this time around we will not blink because Biafrans will never forget the events that led to the massacre of over 6 million of our men, women, children and old people that culminated to the birth of your statehood, a statehood predicated and born in the defense of your family, children, heritage, religion and humanity. For the unlearned, Biafra is a people, Biafra is Igbo; it is our survival and protection of our identity and industriousness; it is our humanity and our heritage. Without the bravery of our men and women who fought gallantly to protect our villages, territorial waters and lands, the likes of Ngozi Okonjo Iweala, Ekwesiliezes and others would not have survived or lived to have their opportunities today. We owe it to the great men and Women, who acted with candor, resiliency, gallantry and commitment in the defense of the motherland; these heroes braved the incessant bombardments and were necessary paid the supreme sacrifice by laying down their lives for the sake of their friends, follow Biafrans, their motherland and their dignity. We remember, revere and adore these great men and women, living and fallen heroes today and forever. All hail thee Biafra. Without your volunteerism, Ndiigbo would have been destroyed off of its earth-plate by bloodthirsty Arab-Islamic fundamentalists, enemies of righteousness, enemies of God. {mosimage} Obafemi Awolowo, an opportunist and other opportunists like him including Anthony Enahoro waged a war of treachery, a war of criminality and a war of opportunism; they accomplished this criminality by blockading food from international community from entering As we review past and present situations, it is important that we call Ndiigbo and sundry to support MASSOB and its members across our land for championing a just and equitable cause for a just society. This is imperative, just as Arewa and Oduduwa and others within this classification serve the interest of their tribes and regions there is nothing wrong in having our young men and women fortifying our space. There are no pretensions that tribalism and ethnicity is first the beginning of our own statehood, without it there is no I understand some of my colleagues on the other side of the equation will be pretty much disappointed in me having served as NANS Chief Mobilization Officer [CMO] at the national level, were we made a significant impact vis-à-vis June 12 experiment. However, let me say this, dear friends accept my sympathies. Please note that we live in ever changing world and, I am communicating based on the realities on the ground. And, this reality is about life and dead. Since 1999 to 2006, over 20,000 Ndiigbo, men, women, elderly and children have being Balkanized under Obasanjo’s watch and machinations. It is pertinent to ask were would my help come from? As it stand, either by commission or omission, may say that evil triumph in our society because good men do nothing, this is in addition to the lawlessness that has besieged and a-washed our society. Indeed, one is left to himself and his community, left to self-determination to be or not to be part of this arrangement. The chance to provide security and restore law and order to its region, for this reason our people and our families comes first. Historical documents show that regionalism was the original master plan before the Lord Lugard’s British creationism of 1914; of course this criminal creationism served the interest of the We shall return to the right to and control of our geopolitical space and claim anew our right to our territorial integrity in any circumstance. It is therefore, pretty clear that there exist a trajectory, contradictions, conflicts between people’s right to self-determination and a nation’s coerced territorial integrity based on black-gold [oil]; there is also additionally, conflict of freedom and unity built on treachery and fraud. UN charter allows for self-determination found in No. 48, 49 of self-determination documentation. But some of its characteristics are self-evident namely I] it shall be a government based on the will of the people; II] freedom from internal and external dominance; III] freedom to pursue economic, cultural and, social development; IV] freedom to enjoy fundamental human rights; V] the absence of discrimination based on ethnicity, religion and or political beliefs. {mosimage} Recent and past Case studies: We have witnessed several nations who have seceded or attempted to secede from oppressive govermentalities based on doctrine and rule of self-determination. East Timor as a non-self governing in the 60s, Quebec seceded from Canada on many occasions although by 1998 the Canadian top Court-Supreme ruled against that; Biafra attempted and failed to secede from Nigeria and lunched into three year bitter civil war. East Timor By 1999, the UN Security Council reached agreement with the Portugal and Indonesia to allow the people of East Timor to vote on a special autonomy within Indonesia frontiers. Registered voters voted overwhelmingly to move on as independent state. UN was successful in East Timor. Quebec This is pretty contradictory to the success in East Timor. By 1998, the Quebec government asked the supreme court of Canada if there are possibilities for Quebec to secede on self-determination based on international law or based on Canadian constitution. The court shutdown Quebec dreams as its population voted against it self-determination quest. What an irony. Biafra In 1914 British administrator introduced the amalgamation of Northern and Southern protectorates and Lagos colony, this move was pretty unpopular amongst these populations. Nothing is similar amongst these groups. Not even the language or culture or anything is similar except that they somehow look alike or imbibes the hueism or similarity of color skin. Hausa-Fulani in the North, the Yoruba in the West and the Igbo in the East, and, by the time independent came the three regional powers were threatening secessions. Suspicion, envy and others set the stage. Young Igbo military officers destabilized the center installed Umunnakwe Aguiyi-Ironsi as military head and within the space of six months there was a counter coup that brought in Yakubu Gowon [Jack] to power the rest is history, they say. This whole drama, including the killings and displacement of Ndiigbo threw the republic into war. In addition, just recently Montenegro under the watchful eye of the UN Observer mission, with fewer than 5 million followed through with referendum that determined their self-determination and two weeks or so ago, they are free from treachery in, Kosovo. If UN was to move its machinery into Nigeria with its observer mission, the situation will be an astounding 90% in yes for Biafra. Yes Ndiigbo will vote in mass to extricate itself from current experiment, called Nigeria. In the meantime, many MASSOB leaderships are unlawfully held in incarceration or jails; we call for their immediate release from these criminal and unlawful detentions, unconditionally by the government of Nigeria. {mosimage} In conclusion, it’s important to reiterate the significant of self-determination call by Ndiigbo. To free Igbo from these illegalities including corruption and contradictions found inside and outside this whole enterprise, This writer’s response to that remark is this, vote for Igbo presidency, so that we can also have the same opportunity to not only appoint you Ministers and other places of positions but, we will appoint the right and qualified individuals to these positions better than any other group in the history of Nigeria, way better more than any other major tribe[s] have done, past and present including, Hausa-Fulani and Yoruba. We have displayed this capacity in the past, and, we can do it again. It is insulting to hear commentaries like the aforementioned appointment piece of Niigbo by this administration and all. It is relevant to protect people’s freedom, and people’s right to live, worship were, how and whenever they pleases. It’s called freedom of religion. Both Nigerians and Biafrans can live together with equal opportunity when it comes to running the system[s], resource allocations, employment, and restoration of peace and similarly, systemically re-structure, a better measured security conscious society for the safety and security of our peoples, and thusly, value is placed on the essence, the sanctity and divinity of human life at all time. No nation can thrive under lawlessness and corruption. Let me finally state that after 39 years of our existence, the great State of Carlisle U.O. Umunnah Is a New York Based Freelance Writer Contact: cuu1_liberties@yahoo.com May, 2006
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