BIAFRA: NIGER DELTA MILITANTS AND THEIR UNRIGHTEOUS QUEST FOR OIL MONEY

The Biafra Post | Published February 06, 2018

Ateke Tom and his group of militants
Ateke Tom as a street guy joined militancy; he shot and fought Nigerian government to press home the demand for resource control. The people of Biafra in that so-called Niger Delta, a new found name believed youths have taken up the task to fight for them and bring relevance or resource control which would ease their sufferings. As a member of MEND; Ateke Tom was hailed and praised but shortly, militancy paused with MEND, Amnesty came and after Amnesty, Ateke Tom became rich guy and finally the street gun welding militant become a traditional leader and militancy ended, resource control agitation ended because he has possessed oil money. Militancy made him wealthy and famous; and that is the dream of every militant in the creek against the purpose we all thought.

The people kept mum; they are afraid of gun and nobody wants to be on the blacklist of militants, but the simple fact remains that militants betrayed the people. When militancy began; it was a regional crisis and the people suffered the effect, in one way or the other, the people that bear the blunt of the crisis are part of the militancy, and as such, militants have to be accountable. But when that bribe in the name of amnesty came; they dropped their weapons and presented a dish for the sake of their stomach, throwing the purpose of the agitation to the dogs.

Tompolo became the big guy in town; he would keep his shoulders high and flaunt AK47, reminding us that it was his sweat but that is a simple lie because he took advantage of us - hid under the quest to liberate us to pursue his selfish interest. In a normal circumstance; if the people of Biafra are not marginalized and treated like second class citizens, militants will always get it hot because they won’t enjoy the support of the people and as such, it won’t be this lucrative business they made it today.

Asari Dokubo stood out; he is one man that puts the interest of the people above his own, he rejected that amnesty because it did not solve the peoples’ problem and showed that his, is accountable to his people. He has become one man that can be trusted by the people because he won’t betray them when needed.

Don Wanney crowned and murdered shamelssly when he becomes unuseful to the government
Going further; I watched how Don Wanney was murdered by those same men that bribed him with amnesty; for him, militancy became a lucrative business and its pride fizzled out. I watched how Tompolo went into exile; he took that amnesty for the sake of his stomach and trampled on the purpose or agreement with the people which was to fight for a better community for the people. I watched Ateke being crowned a ruler even as children have no clean water to drink and the pipelines he vandalized without achieving the purpose worsening the situation of those children. The simple truth remains that they have lost their pride and will forever remain neutralized or get Don Wanney treatment if proved being a man.

Niger Delta Avengers surfaced; they promised us to be consistent and trustworthy, they told us that they have put their lives on the line and it is either we are liberated or they die, an oath we did not force on them. Then we began to raise our shoulders and nurse hope; our region will be given attention by force because we have been blessed with determined men. Niger Delta Avengers did well to remind us of MEND and their disappointments and betrayals, we felt Heaven has brought a comforter but time proved otherwise.

We heard boom where and when we were told we will hear it; Nigeria had a cut and oil production will be lowered to zero. Nigerian government would shed tears and plead but restructure or resource control remains there for a taking. Niger Delta Avengers brought back hope; they were celebrated and loved but when test of time came, they fell behind. Resource control was not granted, restructure was not granted and neither did any of the conditions listed down was granted but Niger Delta Avengers went into negotiation, possibly paid enough amnesty as usual and everything ended and we are back to square one.

Sufferings increased and here we are, still languishing while the militants are living larger than life. They have made threats of a comeback but that is part of the business, maybe the government bargained below their desire and they threatened to up the bargain. The empty threat to start another round of attack is simply a strategic push to force the government to bring out more money for them.

Finally; Niger Delta Avengers and other militants should please have a seat because we have lost trust in their ability to agitate with a righteous purpose. All we want now is complete freedom that will give us resource control and beyond and any other agitation must go in line with indigenous need or agitation for a referendum. If Niger Delta Avengers could compromise; there is nobody or group that can ever be trusted to deliver restructure or resource control except the united agitation for independent state championed by IPOB which the old eastern region’s territory is the case.

Ateke Tom, ex-militant, now a crown king; what an irony!
Perhaps; if you are still waiting for militants to fight and compel the government to restructure or give you resource control, you are a fool waiting for eternity. Militancy is now all about enriching pockets and becoming famous as to be crowned traditional ruler like Ateke Tom and on the reverse, to be disgraced like Don Wanney. It is time for you to wake up and liberate yourself, do away with relying on militants that hunt for nothing but their pockets.

By Ifeanyi Chijioke - TBP

Editor/Publisher: Chinwe Korie
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