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| President Muhammadu Buhari |
September 25, 2016
President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria is obviously under pressure from foreign quarters after the total compliance to the stay-at-home protest in Biafra Land and the massive protests and demonstration by Biafrans in diaspora who submitted petitions to several foreign governments and international organization in over 100 cities in the globe. The next day after the protest, Muhammadu Buhari, declared he will not allow a referendum as a path to bring healing and closure to the clamor for Biafra. Instead, he advocated that Biafrans should form a political party that would advance their interest within Nigeria. Buhari made the statement during a press conference at the 71th United Nations’ General Assembly in New York, USA.
I am not surprised by the statement from Muhammadu Buhari because he is ignorant over the true situation in Nigeria. It is very fortunate, that those in recent past he had dismissed as kids who did not see the Biafra Genocide of 1967-70, are the same people who have forced him to talk about the clamor for Biafra in an international event. I remember vividly when the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, were trolled and mocked as ‘facebook warriors’, but we remained resolute until we dominated the internet and media and got the attention of the world over our plight. It is hypocritical that Buhari has given directive for the clampdown of Biafrans seeking their right to self-determination but has vigorously advocated for the independence of Palestine and Western Sahara.
It is a known fact that the nations that were forcedly amalgamated to form Nigeria are totally different; culturally, religiously and politically. The Biafran way of life is different from that of the Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba. Biafrans are republicans in nature while the Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba are monarchical. Our mode of dressing, food and cultural practices have no hint of resemblance to that of the Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba people. Religiously, we are different and freely allowed the imposition of Christianity on our ancestors by the British missionaries unlike the Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba people. The creator of Nigeria, Fredrick Lugard, truthfully agreed that the amalgamation of the North and South is like mixing oil and water together, there will never be unity.
The people of Biafra have suffered severe subjugation and marginalization since the forced amalgamation by Fredrick Lugard despite the vast wealth of resources in their ancestral home. Why must Biafrans be forced to be together with those who target them as ‘infidels’, even when we have tried to live peacefully together for over a century but to no avail. Biafrans have become easy prey for rampaging Fulani Herdsmen and Boko Haram terrorists. The Yorubas always feels threatened by the enterprising nature of Biafrans and seems to want to get back at them with their incessant increment of rents, levy and taxes on purpose against Biafrans sojourning in their land. The Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, even threatened to drown Biafrans in the lagoon if they refused to vote for his preferred candidate for governor. Investments worth millions and more belonging to Biafrans are usually bulldozed without adequate notice or compensation by state governors especially Lagos state.
Chima Onyekachi obtained a report by the United Nations, UN, on Nigeria’s Common Country Analysis, CCA; the report revealed that Nigeria is a deeply divided society on the basis of the plurality of ethnic, religious and regional identities that had tended to define the country’s political existence. The report also showed that most of the development and social indices in the country are at very low levels. It is obvious that Nigeria will continue to be underdeveloped as long as there is no unity. For how long will the pretense of unity in Nigeria continue?
The amalgamation treaty of 1914 which was concocted to benefit the British urge for oil and signed to last for only 100 years has expired. Biafrans will not be forced again into a union like their ancestors.
IPOB led by Nnamdi Kanu is registered in the United Nations and seeking to exercise their right to self-determination peacefully, as enshrined in the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. The arrest and illegal detention of Nnamdi Kanu by the State Security Service (SSS), sparked worldwide protests and demonstrations which overwhelmingly changed the tide of the struggle for the restoration of the sovereign state Biafra. Hundreds of Biafrans on peaceful protest in Biafra Land for the release of their leader were massacred by the Nigeria military and police. Unforgettable, is the well-coordinated crime against humanity committed against Biafrans by the Nigeria military and police on 30th May 2016 in Nkpor-Onitsha, Anambra State during the commemoration of the Biafra Heroes Day.
The people of Biafra have sacrifice a lot in their torturous journey to freedom and will not relent until Biafra is restored. The forced unity to save the British creation named Nigeria can no longer be feasible. The international community must continue to mount pressure on President Muhammadu Buhari for a referendum in order to avoid a looming crisis that will make the Syria crisis look like a child’s play.
Mr.Chima Onyekachi writes for BiafraPost
Editor/Publisher: Akachukwu Udo
For Biafra Reporters
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