WE REFUSED TO BE GIVEN NAMES LIKE DOGS

Frederick Lugard, the Amalgamator of Colonial Nigeria

By Odirah Ezeobi

As a teenager and growing into a man, hearing the story of how a particular race was attacked by a supposedly combined force of many nations; how these people fought the good fight of defense and honor, how they were overpowered not by strength of the enemies or their heavy weapons but by a well-orchestrated genocide. The genocide was aggravated with starvation and blockade, where even infants were not spared but were referred to as "infant rebels".

I asked questions and ventured into research and to my greatest chagrin, these people massacred in cold blood were my ancestors, and their only crime was wanting to live in their natural way of life. The anthem I sang enthusiastically for years became the greatest poison because the people we refer to as our "heroes past" were the murderers of my ancestors.

To this end, Biafrans had maintained so far that no man born of woman has the right to force us into a union and any unwarranted nomenclature. It is only a dog that answers any name its owner decide to give to it. Let me state categorically that even the dog does not respond a name given by any other man except its owner.

Fredrick Lugard and his girlfriend Flora Shaw assaulted our integrity and looked at us as being lesser humans. They forcefully merged us with the Hausa/Fulani and imposed on us the mocking name NIGERIA. It is worthy to note that their main aim of this unholy union is never for the interest of Biafrans but designedly for their interest.

The decision of whom to interact with or be in union with remains strictly our choice no one has the right to infringe on that right. If we decide to be in any union with the Hausa/Fulani and Yorubas, it should be our decision, not a Britishman who has no respect for our dignity and honour. And even if we need any union, will it be with people who have entirely different culture, religion,identity with us?

Biafrans are no dogs to be given a name by a mere mortal who is not our creator. Britain might be the maker of Nigeria but not the creator of Biafra.
We must be free from this contraption to serve our creator Chukwu Okike Abiama.

Mr.Odirah Ezeobi writes for BiafraPost
Editor: EmmaNnaji
Publisher: EmmaNnaji