BIAFRA: IPOB WRITES THE AG. PRESIDENT, PROF. YEMI OSIBANJO IN RESPONSE TO THE OPEN LETTER WRITTEN TO HIM BY THE NORTHERN COALITION

By Kutanya Obi Ezeuchu | Biafra Writers

July 11, 2017

His Excellency
Professor Yemi Osibanjo
Acting President
Federal Republic of Nigeria
Aso Rock Presidential villa
Abuja.

OPEN LETTER FROM BIAFRAWRITERS IN RESPONSE TO THE OPEN LETTER WRITTEN BY THE NORTHERN COALITION TO THE ACTING PRESIDENT – PROF YEMI OSIBANJO

Your Excellency

APPRECIATION (Response)

On behalf of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) and other peace-loving people of Biafra, we wish to specially thank you for the genuine efforts you have continued to make to see that the political tension in Nigeria, which was undoubtedly, originally engineered and hatched by the Arewa in Nigeria, but which has been falsely blamed on the Igbo-Biafrans by the mischievous northern coalition elements, is doused. We are aware of your sincere and relentless efforts to ensure that there is calmness in Nigeria, which has become evident in your earnest move to have talks with the leaders of the South-East and the North.

We want to inform you that we sincerely appreciate these efforts you are making to see that there is normalcy and unity within the Nigerian enclave. However Mr President, with due respect sir, you also have to remember that desperate times calls for desperate measures. Although every tribe in Nigeria is aware of the mischief that characterizes the Arewa group and in particular this time around, the mischievous northern coalition, we share a common stand in this very matter which puts a doubt on the efficacy of your current approach in putting a lasting end to the acrimony that has been long created by the Northern Coalition and the Arewa in general.

RESPONDING TO AND DISMANTLING ACCORDINGLY, THE FALSEHOOD GENERATED BY THE NORTHERN COALITION IN THEIR LATEST OPEN LETTER TO THE ACTING PRESIDENT.

PAST EXPERIENCE (Response)

1 – The coalition falsely remarked that the Igbos manifested their hatred when Igbo army officers conducted the first mutiny. But we all know that these are treacherous lies that the north have fed and continued to feed the public. This is a technological era and you can no longer hide the truth from the people. The truth and the fact of the matter remains that the north through its savagery, plunged Nigeria into an abyss of corruption and nepotism that brought about the chaos now experienced in Nigeria. The truth is now in the public domain that the very mutiny falsely referred to by the northern coalition as Igbo coup, was never an Igbo coup but was conducted by army officers from various tribes in Nigeria including the north. Facts on this can be found in literatures elsewhere. The coup was widely accepted by the generality of Nigerians because of its intent to rid Nigeria of the corruption, nepotism, destruction and viciousness in which the North has drenched everyone since the inception of Nigeria. Additionally, the mutiny was clearly to salvage Nigeria and rid her of corrupt and nepotistic leaders, such as the major political and religious leaders of the north, to install Awolowo as prime minister and to prevent the chaos that would have arisen when the north ferociously denied Awolowo his rights as the legitimate prime minister of Nigeria.

2 – They also mentioned that the coup only took out the leaders of the north and the west, which perhaps may be one of the reasons they refer to it as an Igbo coup, when in fact, Eastern Army officers also fell in the mutiny.

3 - Also, in addition to debunking the lies that Igbo officers alone participated in the coup, it also took the combined efforts of Igbo Army officers such as Odumegwu Ojukwu and Aguiyi Ironsi to break the back of the coup or put an end to it. Yet these extremely mischievous northern elements falsely tag it an Igbo coup, claiming that Aguiyi Ironsi appropriated the coup, in order to continue to misinform the public.

4 – It is no longer a hidden fact that the Arewa is made up blood-thirsty vampires who are always willing to kill and spill innocent blood anytime with ease especially that of Igbos because of the cultural hatred the north has for Igbos as exemplified recently by current trends. This is why the north embarked on a killing spree after the January coup and slaughtered several millions of innocent Igbos in the north including children and pregnant women and cutting their wombs open. What a marauding and blood-thirsty group of people!

5 – The Arewa is unrepentantly characterized by lies and propaganda and so is incapable of telling events as they are. The indiscipline, rascality and stupidity that exists in the military today was originally brought about by the Arewa who dominated the military. Ojukwu refused to recognize Gowon because Gowon was not the next senior Army officer to carry on as the Head of State. But because the north ruthlessly murdered Aguiyi Ironsi in the so-called counter coup, they imposed a junior Army officer – Gowon, over other senior Army officers such as Ogundipe and others, including Ojukwu himself who was also senior to Gowon – a singular act which brought about the corruption, irregularities and indiscipline witnessed in the military today. This is because the Arewa (North) wanted the insensitive and unintelligible Yakubu Gowon to continue the flame of the killing spree as a willing tool and a perfect stooge, given that it was a conspiracy to continue with the extermination of the Igbos (Easterners). Eventually, this led to the war of genocide led by Nigeria under Gowon against Biafra where over 6 million Biafran people, including women and children, were murdered in cold blood at market squares, hospitals, schools and other public places and with an imposition of total food-blockade as advised by Britain and Awolowo, where several millions more of Biafran children were conscientiously starved to death simply because the Biafran people wanted an identity different from that of their oppressors.

6 – It is in the public domain, that the Arewa visited grave wickedness and atrocities on the Igbos by killing millions of Igbos residing in the north, reneged on the agreement to allow the Eastern Army officers return with their arms to enable them defend themselves against a possible attack by ruthless marauding northern mobs, but instead seized their arms, rendered them armless and killed them all and further killing innocent Igbo civilians including pregnant women and children even on their return back to the eastern region. Hence, Ojukwu declared Biafra when it was obvious that the entire north conspired to exterminate the Igbos and so continued to go on with the killings, even when the Igbos returned to the north – trusting on Ojukwu’s words that normalcy had returned. Additionally, it should be noted here that Ojukwu did not only declare or form Biafra on the 30th of May, 1967, but that Biafra had existed in peace and tranquility many centuries ago, even before the arrival of the colonial masters who formed or amalgamated Nigeria, following the brutal conquest of the component nationalities in Nigeria today.(Ref: see link). Therefore, this is why Biafrans are demanding to be allowed to return to their original nation – Biafra, prior to the vicious colonization by the colonial powers, to enable them like any other progressive nationa, develop at their own pace and not be stifled in an unworkable Nigerian union of savages and lazy blood-sucking vampires who cannot contribute anything meaningfully towards the advancement of an economy.

BIAFRA REINCARNATED (Response)

1 – Biafra has been in the heart of every Igbo man and other component ethnic nationalities in the Biafran nation after the Arewa or northern-dominated military forced Biafrans back into Nigeria by killing and starving over 6 million Biafran people. However, the Arewa-controlled fantastically corrupt Nigerian government (as testified by a former British prime minister - David Cameron), once again frustrated Uwazuruike’s effort to achieve the Biafran dream when they incarcerated him unjustly and finally forced him with enticements and/or threats, to compromise the struggle.

2 – The Arewa through the northern coalition element is obviously hell-bent on tarnishing the image of the peace-loving IPOB group and so concocts all sorts of lies in order to achieve their aim. The northern elements or the Arewa group has always been known for incompetence, violence, wickedness and brutality since the inception of Nigeria as can be testified by every other nationality in Nigeria. On the other hand, the Biafran people have always been known as a peaceful people but because the Arewa-dominated Nigerian political space has continued to maltreat the Biafran people, the Biafran people have resolved to seek self-determination and to leave the corrupt and fraudulent contraption – Nigeria.

The Arewa established a radio station (Arewa24) and many of such mediums, where it propagates hate-speeches against the Biafran people. How can it refer to Radio Biafra as an illegal radio station when it is duly registered in the country where it is domiciled? Radio Biafra signal only reaches the Nigerian airspace just like every other signal from the likes of BBC, CNN and others could reach Nigeria. Does that mean that BBC, CNN and others are all illegal broadcast Stations? This is once again, a proof of the unintelligibility and ineptitude of the so-called northern coalition and Arewa in general. Below are few references and proofs of hate-speeches on record among numerous others, made by the Arewa against the Biafran people.

Example is the bigoted Ahmadu Bello (Ref: see link). It is also on record where a certain unlettered northern element and a former member of House of Reps hatefully and delusionally claims that the oil in Bayelsa – Biafraland, belongs to the north (Gigawa) and threatens that it would spill the blood of the Biafran people to keep the oil in Bayelsa and Delta to themselves, that it would not relinquish hold of the oil in another man’s land. Isn’t this a display of the height of savagery, ignorance, irresponsibility and fatuousness that characterizes the Arewa? (Ref: see link).

Concerning the claims by the Arewa, that Kanu made hate-speeches, it is obvious that Kanu was only demanding his rights and that of his people – freedom and self-determination of the Biafran people. He did not just threaten anyone with violence but was only talking about the possible consequences of trying to deny the Biafran people of their God-given rights of freedom and self-determination. Additionally, would it not be a wise idea to defend oneself against the savagery of the marauding hausa-fulani herdsmen, who destroy Biafran farmlands, slaughter farmers and rape their women and girls?

3 – The Arewa is clearly delusional in their bogus claims and treacherous lies. It would please anyone who is interested, to know that neither IPOB nor MASSOB nor the Biafran people in general, has ever asked anyone to leave Biafraland. The Biafran people are only asking to be left alone and be allowed to exit the fraudulent and oppressive Nigerian union viciously created by the colonial powers for their own selfishness and benefit and that of their marauding northern custodians who are incapable of running an economy alone or independently without the Biafran people. Additionally, the Biafran people as is done everywhere in the world, decided to sit at home to remember their dead, the over 6 million people including women and children, brutally murdered by the Arewa or hausa/fulani-controlled Nigerian military in the 1960s, since the Arewa-controlled Nigerian military is in the habit of murdering peaceful innocent Biafran people who would often come out on the streets to embark on peaceful rallies.

4 – Nigeria is a fake and fraudulent contraption, created by the colonial powers, why should any sensible human being pay allegiance to such an unprogressive and retrogressive concoction whose affairs are piloted by decrepit, inept and uncivilized lots. Did the Arewa group or the northern coalition observe or speak against the gross violation of human rights which characterized the present administration? Can the Arewa coalition be honourable enough to condemn the oppressive tendencies of the present Arewa-controlled administration which has continuously flouted several court orders to release those unjustly incarcerated by the uncivil Nigerian security agencies? Yet the Arewa is shameless enough to claim that Kanu has breached his bail conditions - all of which are clearly violations of his fundamental human rights.

5 – Yes, the “peaceful” attributes credited to the IPOB by the South-East governors’ forum as referenced by the Arewa group, is a clear proof that Biafrans are peaceful in their quest for freedom, self-determination and for a progressive egalitarian society devoid of savagery, nepotism, hatred, laziness, corruption and murderous tendencies as exemplified by the current Arewa-controlled, so-called Federal Government of Nigeria.

6 – How can any reasonable human being condemn those who are demanding their inalienable fundamental rights because they have continued to be subjugated and marginalized? Unlike the unintelligible Arewa group, every reasonable person knows that when a condition is unfavourable to a man, he seeks to change it in order to advance his well-being. But because of the incivility and barbarism that characterizes the Arewa, it resorts to violence when there is an issue to be addressed.

GROUNDS FOR SUSPICION (Response)

Every well-meaning Nigerian must disregard the treacherous lies propagated by the Arewa group which suggests that the Igbos or the Biafran people in general are resorting to violence in their quest for self-determination and must realize that Biafrans do not have anything against Nigeria but to be given an opportunity to decide where they want to live. They have found the Nigerian union unworkable.

The seed of hate being referred to by the northern coalition is clearly a brainchild of the Arewa. Their leaders were the first to nurture feelings of hatred and disgust against the Igbos, when Ahmadu Bello said categorically as referenced above, that he would rather give a job to a foreigner instead of give it to an Igbo man even if the Igbo remains the most suitable for the position. Is this not a clear instance of hatred against the Igbos? Additionally, there are other instances of threats and hate-speeches by the north against the Biafran people and Nigerians in general (Ref:see link)

It should be noted that the Biafran demand is a legitimate and sincere desire of the people. Also, leaders are elected to represent the people and therefore, when the people make a demand, what the leaders should do would be to listen to the demand of the people. The so-called Igbo or South-East leaders cannot have a talk with you, Your Excellency, the Acting President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria out of their own selfish interests and greed without the consent of the people who are making the demand and come back to claim that they are talking on the people’s behalf.
With due respect Your Excellency sir, the so-called South-East leaders are sycophants and are not sincere to you. If they were, you would realize that the people do not have confidence in them and so they do not have the mandate of the people. 

The coalition has also claimed that Igbo opinion leaders are supporting the comments by Kanu. Kanu’s Biafra agitation is legitimate and sincere and so should be supported by all men of good conscience. Given the numerous incessant destruction of Biafran farmlands, killings and rapings of Biafran people by Arewa/hausa-fulani herdsmen, none of the political leaders of the Arewa has openly condemned these barbaric acts, thereby giving credence to the general knowledge that these acts of savagery are conspiracies by the Arewa, fully supported by their political and religious leaders.

OUR CONCERNS (Response)

1 - We are aware of the incivility and unjustified resistance that the North or Arewa-controlled government of nigeria will pose to the Biafra restoration quest. This is because all efforts in the past, to have a civil and friendly discussion on how to further advance Nigeria in equity, fairness and justice, where everyone will feel a sense of belonging, has ruthlessly been opposed and frustrated by the Arewa. The attitude of the Arewa towards the report of the latest national conference is a vivid testimony. All the past and successive governments of Nigeria which has been evidently controlled by the Arewa has proven time and again that it is incapable of enthroning justice, equity, fairness and equal developmental strides, instead they have openly proven their grave ineptitude and the unwillingness to make things work for all Nigerians.

2 – As we all know, Nigeria was unjustly, brutally, selfishly and unilaterally formed through the merger (amalgamation) of previously distinct ethnic nationalities by the colonial administration without any consent from the component units whatsoever, namely and majorly – The Biafrans in the East, the Yorubas in the Wast and the Arewas in the North.
(Ref: see link)

3 – Just like everyone else, we acknowledge that Nigeria is not a nation but merely a geographical expression as confirmed by Earliest nationalist - Ernest Okoli
(Ref: see link) and corroborated by Obafemi Awolowo
(Ref: see link). Also, there are obvious convictions that led the war stooge and genocidist himself –Yakubu Gowon, to agree that there is no basis for unity in Nigeria (Ref: see link)

4 – Contrary to the lies and propaganda been peddled by the Arewa, It is equaly a well-known fact that the Igbos have been at the forefront in the support and promotion of a unified Nigeria and the encouragement of the virtues of a united, fair, equitable and just Nigeria. This is evident in their eagerness to live in and develop other people’s lands and communities including the northern region. Unfortunately, the north or Arewa does not share these virtues, since you will hardly find the Arewas living or owning substantive landed properties in Igbo lands, either because as mediocres, they are incapable of competing healthily in a level plain field without quota systems and gross nepotism or simply out of sheer hatred for the Igbos. The unalloyed love and support of one-Nigeria by the Igbos, is also evident, given that the Igbos waited for the Arewa to be ready for independence in 1960, because by 1958, when Igbos were ready for independnce, the north lamented they were still not ready to govern themselves and so preferred to remain under colonial rule.

5 – Your Excellency sir, on preserving the younger generation and ensuring that they inherit a just society devoid of anarchy, hate, suspicion, negativity, also mediocrity and nepotism, we share the same sentiments. Hence, this can only be achieved through a peaceful disintegration of the fantastically corrupt colonial, imperialistic edifice – Nigeria, or to gracefully and peacefully allow Biafra pursue her own destiny while the Arewa remains in Nigeria if they so desire.

OUR STAND (Response)

While we debunk the propaganda by the Arewa which gives the impression that Biafra is pushing for violence (which is undoubtedly and widely known to be the position of Arewa on such cases and other national issues [Ref: see link)
(Ref: see link) as a means of achieving-self-determination, we make bold to say that we share Arewa’s sentiments on facilitating the actualization or the restoration of Biafra using the necessary United Nation’s instruments on the right to self-determination of a people.

As a reminder and as made by the coalition in the letter in question, the principles of self-determination is evidently adopted in the following two documents: The United Nations Declaration on Civil and Political Rights and The United Nations Declaration on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights. Therefore, we enjoin you, your Excellency, the Acting President, to make efforts to facilitate the necessary processes using the beautiful opportunities presented by these UN instruments and declarations in order to allow the Biafran people decide their political fate and future.

PRAYERS (Response)

While we sincerely commend the Arewa for her unusual civil consciousness or for at least recognizing the legitimacy of the Biafran quest and unequivocally advising the Federal Government of Nigeria under you, Your Excellency, the Vice President – Prof. Yemi Osibanjo on the need to heed to Biafrans’ desires and aspirations to allow the Biafran people express their right to self-determination, we also want to remind the Arewa that it will not be necessary to advice you, Your Excellency, the Acting president to review the references with a view to deciding who is wrong or right, since it is natural that people will not pledge allegiance to a country where they are not wanted or where they do not belong.

Even though the Biafrans have far more than anyone else built the various sectors of Nigeria and Nigeria as a whole, Nigeria has repeatedly demonstrated to the Biafrans that they are not welcomed in Nigeria through the perpetual hatred being perpetrated against the Biafran people. Therefore, it is normal that Nigeria will lose the allegiance of the Biafrans, since it has proven times without number to be an Anti-Biafran State through it conscious policies of alienation and subjugation against the Biafrans.

CONCLUSION, OUR STAND AND ADVICE

Your Excellency sir, we wish to reiterate our high regards for you and your office and to express deep appreciation for the sincere efforts you are making to see that there is peace and for seeking possible means of building a united Nigeria that is devoid of acrimony.

Your Excellency sir, may we remind you that Nigeria is not and would never be a natural nation, therefore, there was no sincere justification for forcing the various component ethnic nationalities together to form Nigeria in the first place without the consent of the components that made up Nigeria. (Ref: see link).

Additionally, there is never any basis for unity in Nigeria as confirmed by the genocidist – Yakubu Gowon, (see link), before he displayed his insincerity and savagery by murdering Aguiyi Ironsi, reneging on the Aburi Accord and visiting the Biafrans with a war of aggression, extermination and of genocide on the devious advice of the Arewa, the marauding British empire and Obafemi Awolowo. Nigeria as we all know, is a colonial concoction, which was put together selfishly by colonial compulsion and force, pillaging, slaughter, looting and destruction. The following reference though not particularly of Nigeria, would give an insight on exactly what the colonial machination was to Nigeria. (Ref: see link)

Your Excellency sir, given these indisputable facts, Nigeria sought for her independence from the colonial powers, summarily because the colonial machinations were unfavorable to Nigerians or the various individual ethnic nationalities that made up Nigeria. Therefore, Your Excellency, given also that there was nothing uniting Nigeria together because of the large differences in customs and traditions, values, religion and ideologies among the various ethnic nationalities forcefully joined together by the colonial powers, would it not amount to hypocrisy and stupidity to leave Nigeria as one after we sought to and got rid of the colonial hold on us? Would it not be the most honourable and reasonable decision to dismantle Nigeria and let the various ethnic nationalities go their separate ways, seeing that we had successfully gotten rid of the colonial powers and knowing that the formation of Nigeria was borne out of the selfishness of the colonial powers.

Your Excellency sir, Knowing that the Biafran quest is a legitimate one, and given your integrity, prestige and religious inclinations, was there a justification for launching a war of genocide on Biafrans, simply because they considered the Nigerian union, inhuman and degradable and as a result opted to leave the union?

Your Excellency sir, may I remind you of a Bible passage where Jesus Christ told his disciples to shake the dust off their feet at the door of anyone who is unwilling to receive the gospel. Given your religious consciousness, would you visit war on the Biafran people simply because they consider a house unfit for their continual happy habitation, knowing that it’s a natural instinct of man to seek comfort? Your Excellency sir, acknowledging that the Biafrans reserve the right to self-determination and given your religious status and your knowledge of the ordeals experienced by the children of Israelites, would you rather prefer to be the Pharaoh and succumb to sinister pressures to kill the Biafran people simply because they want an identity different from that of their oppressors?

Your Excellency sir, we’re aware that the unscrupulous politicians and cabals have cruel motives and intentions out of their selfish desires and interests and for the fear of losing their sources of immoral loots and unethical acquisition of wealth and hence are ill-advising against the noble Biafran quest for their own selfish benefits. But you must remember that power belongs to the people and that it’s usually unpleasant to assume otherwise.

Your Excellency sir, as mentioned earlier, power belongs to the people and public office holders are only out to represent the interest of the people, as a result, a genuine government should be willing at all times to listen and to address the will of the people otherwise there’s usually an atmosphere of chaos and anarchy. More so, when the people make an honourable demand, the public office holders should most honourably listen to the aspirations of the people, instead of trying to thwart or frustrate and circumvent the people’s demands.

Biafrans are not the enemies of Nigeria, the real enemies of Nigeria are those who consciously and deviously resist sincere efforts to enthrone justice, equity and fairness,
(Ref: see link), those who do not realize that developmental strides in a prospectively progressive independent Biafra or other resultant independent nations will trickle down and eventually be beneficial to closest neighbours and indeed the entire African continent. The real enemies of Nigeria are those who consciously and unconsciously, resist possible developmental efforts through their actions and inactions.

Some people mischievously argue that “referendum” isn’t featured in the constitution and so would go against the dictates of the constitution. However, they forget the saying that, “laws are made for man and not man for the law.” Similarly, according to the Holy Bible, in the book of Mark 2: 27, “The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.” Additionally, to corroborate our stand here, may I refer you back to recent past, to the circumstances that led to the invocation of “Doctrine of Necessity” by the Nigerian parliament, during or following the demise of President Yaradua. Therefore, all instruments invented by man are geared towards addressing man’s challenges, and man continuously adjusts his various systems to suit each scenario that presents itself as a potential challenge.

We may be able to understand your pressure, but problems are meant to be solved by man as pointed out earlier, therefore we implore you to imbibe the spirit of courage, integrity and boldness, do the needful and make a lasting and significant mark in the sands of time.

Remember, all Biafrans are saying is, “Let us exercise our inalienable rights to self-determination” through the necessary internationally recognized instruments. No more, no less. We were Biafrans and a distinct people before the invasion, conquest and eventual amalgamation of Nigeria. We reserve the right and desire to retain our stolen identity. All we are asking as Biafrans is to be allowed to associate with our “lost but found” identity. All we are asking is to allow us chart a political, social and economic future that is peculiarly desirable by the Biafran people. All we are asking is to be allowed to institute developmental strides in a pace that is acceptable to the Biafran people. Finally, all we are asking is, give us our Blessed BIAFRA.

Long Live Biafra
Long Live Biafrans

Kutanya Obi Ezeuchu

Biafra Times

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