Britain support for genocide remains the same, from Nigeria to Yemen

About 2 million civilians died in the Nigerian-Biafran war - many of them children -from starvation and disease. The war for Biafran independence lasted from July 6, 1967, to Jan. 15, 1970

January 23, 2020 | The Biafra Times

By Robert Inlakesh

More than 50 years now since the Biafran/Nigerian civil war, Britain is again backing a genocidal force against a national liberation movement. Showing that the British policy of endorsing weaponized man-made famine and indiscriminate bombings of civilians has remained exactly the same. Sending a strong message to the world that the UK government willingly participates in what many consider to be genocidal military adventurism.

On January 15, 1970, the Nigerian civil war officially ended after three years of untold horrors. The war was fought against Biafran separatists, who sought to fulfill their nation-state aspirations, and the Nigerian government, which was run by puppets installed by the British. Due to the British interests in Nigeria, the UK government instantly stood behind the Nigeria government forces.

The UK stood by as the first-ever fully televised, man-made famine was broadcast to the world. The tactic of famine was weaponized by the UK’s puppet government in Nigeria as a means of applying pressure on the Biafran opposition. In its entirety, the famine was estimated to have mass-murdered roughly around one million ethnic Igbo-Biafrans. Not only, however, was it famine that was used as a means of illegal warfare but also indiscriminate bombings of civilian population centers. To give an indication of how extreme the warfare was, within the space of the three-year war, Nigeria used more small arms ammunition than the Western-allied forces did in all of WWII.

The British link to the genocidal act of weaponized famine was clear to all, so much so that those suffering from severe malnutrition would be regularly referred to as caught Harold Wilson syndrome. Harold Wilson was the then-Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.



What makes all of this worse, of course, is that since the Biafran war, Britain has not changed its mentality toward the global south. Allowing millions more to perish as Britain has stood behind illegal wars in all corners of the globe. Most notably now is Britain’s role in the ongoing Saudi-led coalition war on Yemen.

Over one hundred thousand people have been killed in the illegal, indiscriminate and targeted bombardments of civilians in Yemen. The UK has not only been implicated in this slaughter via their weapon sales and diplomatic support for Saudi Arabia, but has also admitted to directly playing a role in the coordination of strikes against the people of Yemen.

What is perhaps most disgraceful, on the part of the UK government, is the role they have played in justifying Saudi Arabia’s brutal blockade of Yemen, which has led to famine and outbreaks of diseases such as cholera. It will not be long before over one million people will have starved to death in Yemen and, depending upon how long this genocidal war against the people continues, perhaps many more than that.

If anything, due to the UK being allowed to get away with its role in the Genocide of Biafrans, it has been emboldened by the international community. This sense of entitlement and lack of regard for human rights has now paved the way for the British to commit a crime much greater in volume against the Yemeni people. Instead of a three-year war, this war has been currently ongoing for five years in Yemen, with many years of battles occurring even before this.

The only difference between now and 50 years ago is that despite the impact of social media and the global awareness of the ongoing genocide in Yemen, there is even more global apathy.

The only question now remaining is: how many more illegal wars will the UK get away with participating in before they are brought to justice? And for how long will the Union Jack stay submerged in the blood of those living — or dying — in lands far from their own.


Robert Inlakesh is a journalist, writer, and political analyst, who has lived in and reported from the occupied Palestinian West Bank. He has written for publications such as Mint Press, Mondoweiss, MEMO, and various other outlets. He specializes in analysis of the Middle East, in particular, Palestine-Israel. He also works for Press TV as a European correspondent.)

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British govt ‘worst enemy’ of Nigeria - Nnamdi Kanu

January 3, 2020 | The Biafra Times

By Chimaobi Nwaiwu

The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Thursday berated those asking IPOB to go through “appropriate channel” to secure Biafra, accusing them of being hypocrites.

Mazi Kanu also alleged that the twelve Northern States allegedly practicing Sharia Law have systematically and unlawfully removed themselves from Nigeria and its Constitution without the Nigerian government questioning their action, adding that Biafra agitation for self determination should equally not be questioned by Nigerian government and its people.

The IPOB leader in the last edition of the 2019 Radio Biafra broadcast and New Year Message alleged that British government is the greatest enemy of Nigeria as a country and Nigerian people, accusing them of supporting all manner of evils in favour of the people he described as “Almajiri Fulani” they allegedly easily manipulates.

The IPOB leaders also alleged that all the actions and projects of the All Progress Congress, APC, government in Nigeria are geared towards promotion of Islam, making all the Nigeria States embrace Sharia law and empowering the Fulani ethnic group in Nigeria with strong and committed British government support.

According to Mazi Kanu, “When the Jihadist in Abuja wanted Sharia law they did not go to the National Assembly or call for referendum to vote to get it, rather the twelve Sharia States went outside the Constitution of Nigeria and agreed and introduced Sharia Law, but today they are asking us why we are agitating for Biafra and telling us to go through the appropriate channel when they did not go through appropriate channel to get Sharia they are practicing today.”

“Who in Nigeria today voted for Sharia Law to be practiced in Nigerian Northern states today, is Sharia in Nigerian Constitution, they willingly subverted the Constitution of Nigeria and imposed Sharia on the Northern Nigerians.

“If they believe in the Constitution of Nigeria, they would not have introduced Sharia Law within Nigeria where the Constitution exist, so when they tell us not to agitate for Biafra, what is their moral right and justification for telling us that, Biafrans should ask them how they got Sharia being practiced in Nigeria Northern States anytime they kicks against Biafra agitation.

READ MORE: Christian communities panic as Boko Haram increases attacks in Borno

“We should ask them which channel did they use to introduce and get Sharia Law being practiced in the twelve Northern States. You cannot tell us that one law operates for people in the North while another operate for the people in the South under one country that you said operate a Constitution.”

Kanu who accused the British government as the worst enemy of Nigeria as a country and its people said, British government and some off its nationals see evil in Nigeria happening, see Satan and Lucifer in Aso Rock and keep quiet because it is in the interest of their neocolonialism act of empowering the almajiris they manipulates.

“The greatest enemy of Nigeria is British government and some if its nationals, they are the ones perpetrating, support and financing terrorism with the people occupying Aso Rock and deceiving Nigerians that they mean well for them.”

The IPOB leaders also regretted the treatment being meted against the people of Southern Kaduna, who are mostly Christians, by the Nasir El Rufai government, and blamed them their woe for wrongly believing that theh are hated by the Biafrans who he said are rather their saviours.

“The mistake the Southern Kadunas are making is that they think Biafrans hate them, but only Biafrans can save them,.no amount of peaceful resolution of intervention can save them because their Governor hate them and has confirmed that the state is divided between Muslims and Christian.

“The dichotomy that exist in Kaduna State between Muslims and Christians has never existed in any part of the country, El Rufai said his state is divided between Muslims and Christians and if it wax IPOB that said it, they will say we are stoking crisis.”

READ FROM SOURCE HERE

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One Nigeria: The marriage is over, a new revolution has come!

By Okoafor Odinaka | The Biafra Times 

March 22, 2019

Let me begin with the fact that will not cause confusion or division, but to motivate us to conquer the world, not to create fears due to the evil powers that has been in existence. Fear has been an instrument of destruction for some of our people since the time of history and ever since we have been going round and about seeking solution from the Almighty.

But before I go into this very discourse, I want us to examine the many countries of fanatic jihadists that has deployed their arsenals against the people of Biafra. I want to state the fact that some people simply doesn't understand how things are being set up; they are just wondering about, pretending as if all is well until they are lowered down to their graves. They seem not to understand where things have gone wrong.

Now, we ought to be ready in order to rise and tackle our common challenges for the future is at hand, and it begins with what we have in our hands today. Fighting for a sustainable development to regulate the system of our future generations through the actualization of Biafra.

When the Portuguese and Spain were in our land, so many Biafrans were kidnapped, there was an exportation of our people and other resources to unknown destination. So many did not make it as they died of starvation, hunger, malnutrition, and inhumane treatment by the slave traders while some died as a result of suffering from different illnesses.

Back to Africa where the whole thing began, Britain were buying slaves from the Portuguese. When the Portuguese left Biafra to South Africa, Britain fully stepped in, and the game plan changed as it were. More than 20 thousand Biafran slaves were taken to America every year. The total Biafran slaves that were taken to America, Britain, Spain and other European countries are more than a million, and over 800,000 of them are from the Igbo-speaking region.

The level of increase in the violation of human rights was indescribable, Biafrans cried to the churches to help in stopping the slave trade era, but the slave merchants paid deaf ears to the human rights observers in the church. Britain introduced and foisted new rules on our people which is why they abandoned their local culture and religion. They destroyed our unity, provided guns to our people to fight against themselves. Kingdom rose against Kingdom and brother against brother.

We are the descendants of Abraham, we are the Israelites, that is why we are peculiar to other people only if we realize who we are; and don't let the hardship to blindfold your intellectual ability or your sense of reasoning.

We contributed in the revolution of science and technology; the most intelligent people of Africa are Biafrans. We were republican in nature before the Whites stole the ideas from us. We are scattered across the 7 continents of the world due to the severe consequences of the brutality of Britain against our people. But where light doesn't exist, we bring light to that area because we have the intellectual capability to apprehend, and render help to people in distress in different parts of the world.

Amalgamation of the people of Biafra with other irreconcilable tribes in Nigeria, warranted the heavy immigration of Biafrans from their homeland to foreign lands in search of a suitable and sustainable standard of living.

In Biafra land, there is no constant distribution of power supply, no good functioning automobile road, there are moribund seaports and airports, no potable water supply, no good hospitals, schools, there's no employment. The citizens are harrased, molested and killed extrajudicially by the police and army personnel. The government clamp down on dissenting voices and the opposition using state security personnel.

The Nigerian government through its harsh policies contributed to the decay and dilapidated infrastructural projects in Biafraland such as oil refineries, Nkalagu cement industries, Aba textile industry, Premier Breweries, AVOP, and other similar infrastructures which has now gone moribund to patronize that of other regions providing an opportunity for other nationals to exploit our people economically, including Hausa/Fulanis.

The enormous corruption in politics has made it impossible for the process to be properly regulated. Elections are rigged and leaders are selected by the few cabals. The people are being ruled by the cabals who are there for own benefit and that of their cronies.

If we don't rise up to correct all these anomalies by joining hands to restore Biafra, then it may be too late when we realize the extent of damage it has brought to our people. Nigeria's amalgamation is over and a new era revolution for the Biafra nation is here.

The Biafra Times
Edited By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
Publisher: Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
Contact us: [email protected]

Why FG deliberately shielded Prince Charles from visiting Niger Delta – Gov. Wike reveals

...Frowns at sitting arrangement of royal fathers

By Chukwuemeka Chimerue, Chief Editor | The Biafra Times

November 10, 2018

The Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wike, has accused the Federal Government of ignoring the Niger Delta Region in the schedule of visits by the Prince of Wales and his wife, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Camilla.

According to him, the visit of the royal couple to Nigeria could have been another opportunity to bring the devastation in the region to the fore.

The Governor, as gathered by our correspondent, said this on Friday during a meeting with a group at the Government House in Port Harcourt, the State capital.

He described the Niger Delta as the bedrock of the nation’s economy which he says should not be ignored.

According to him, money generated from the region is what has been used to develop other parts of the country.

“They don’t want them to come here to see those who produce the wealth of the nation and see how they are suffering.

“They kept them in Abuja and Lagos. That is the country we are in. And then you say I should be happy.

“I produce the wealth, you use it to develop the other areas and the Prince of Wales will come and he won’t see how we are suffering here? He won’t see the people who are producing the wealth of the nation.

“It is our money that is used to develop Lagos. It is our money that is used to develop Abuja. But see where we are. Look at the traditional rulers that they brought, those who produce the wealth were kept at the back and you say we are one country,” Wike said.

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Prince Charles and The New British Concoctions in Nigeria

Dave O. Umahi | For Biafra Writers

November 7, 2018

It is now obvious that certain elements in Britain who are the grand masters of foul concoctions are currently in the business of concocting new schemes around the world, especially in its colonies, particularly Nigeria and West Africa. This has become more evident since their failed attempt to hijack the European Union, and manipulate it to their own advantage and they had to opt out. This also can be confirmed in the way their so-called “royal family” members are touring the world, looking for communities to deceive. They even married a half African woman into their “royal family”, just to see if they could deceive the African populations with such stunts.

The one they call Prince Charles was in West Africa recently, particularly in Ghana and Nigeria, trying to deceive their house-slaves once again, to have them do their bidding.

However, the message to them (the British) is that “they can concoct all they want; they can meet with whatever communities they like, but they must not think of having Biafrans in their plans. Biafrans have suffered enough in their hands and would now take their destinies into their own hands. They should completely leave Biafrans and Biafraland out of whatever they are ‘cloning’.

Charles Philip, they called Prince Charles, is the son of Philip Andrew. Philip Andrew, the one called Prince Philip, and later Duke of Edinburgh, is the husband of Queen Elizabeth, Prince Charles’ mother. Charles and his father are supposed to be Danish or Greek, and Elizabeth is supposed to be a German. But due to some political concoctions, they are English, and have continued in the tradition of concocting things to deceive the people.

READ ALSO: Return our stolen artifacts – Oba of Benin tells Prince Charles

It was such political concoctions they brought to the region of West Africa in 1914, and called it Nigeria. The accursed country they created was for their sole interest, which is the exploitation of the people’s resources against their will. In making sure that the concoction remained unchallenged and unbroken, they armed and commissioned their slave-raiding band of Fulani militia to hold the people down under jackboot.

Using various guises, the Fulani have been slaughtering the people under the direction and/or supervision of the British royal family. Their atrocities with slave-trade have not dissuaded them from inflicting pains on the people. This was how under three years, the British royal family and government armed the Fulani militia masquerading as Nigerian army to slaughter more than four (4) million Biafrans in the worst recorded pogrom in the world.

Charles went to Ghana to apologise for slavery. When he arrived Nigeria, what did he apologised for? I guess nothing. Instead, I would bet he strategized with his Fulani house-slaves on how best to supply them with more arms to slaughter Biafrans since the Biafrans have resolved not to participate in any of their sham called elections next year until a date for referendum is fixed and conducted.

Let it be well understood by Charles that Biafrans are no longer interested in the killing-field they concocted and named Nigeria. Let Charles know that Biafrans are not Nigerians; and Biafra is not Nigeria. Let him know that we are neither interested in the sham they call elections nor in the criminals and bandits that would be selected like the impostor, Jubril (the fake Muhammadu Buhari) or Atiku Abubakar.

We are Biafrans and what we want is referendum to determine those who want to remain with Nigeria from those who wants to separate with Biafra.


Edited By Chukwuemeka Chimerue

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Return our stolen artifacts – Oba of Benin tells Prince Charles

By Chukwuemeka Chimerue, Chief Editor | The Biafra Times

November 7, 2018

The Oba of Benin, Ewuare II, on Tuesday, asked the Prince of Wales, Prince Charles, to lend his voice to the call for the British empire to return all the ancient Benin artifacts that were taken by the British authorities in 1897.

The Biafra Times gathered that he made this call while speaking at the parley, the visiting British royal persons had with royal fathers in Nigeria.

The Benin monarch asked Prince Charles that the repatriation of the artifacts would enable him establish Oba Palace Museum for the promotion of tourism in his kingdom.

In his own words, “Suffice to say that Nigerians in general and Benin people in particular will be most delighted to have your royal highness throw his royal weight behind our efforts to have some of our ancient artifacts that were taken in 1897 from the Royal Court of Benin returned to Benin to establish Oba Palace Museum for the promotion of tourism in Benin City, Edo State.”

READ ALSO: Herdsmen Killings: Women protests in Delta community, barricades roads to enforce govt action

The royal fathers in attendance during the parley were; the Ooni of Ife, Enitan Ogunwusi; Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar; Obi of Onitsha, Igwe Alfred Achebe; Emir of Kano, Lamido Sanusi, and others.

Recall that the Prince of Wales, Charles and his wife, Princess Camilla arrived Nigeria at about 1:34pm at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja, on Tuesday.

During his visit, Prince Charles is expected to engage in peace-building activities, including addressing the Fulani herdsmen killings in Nigeria.

President Muhammadu Buhari had a closed-door meeting with the Prince of Wales, Charles and his wife, Princess Camilla.

The meeting between Buhari and the visiting Prince Charles was held inside his office at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

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The Euphemism Of ‘One Nigeria’: A Call For The Dismemberment Of The False Lugardian Empire

By Chikwas Onu Ikpe | For Biafra Writers

October 11, 2018

It is utterly decipherable, to a greater degree, that every artificial creation is inexorable of expiration. Resultantly, the existence of Nigeria is in conformance with a commodity that has been fore-ordained to expire.

Following 104 years of existence of the amalgamated entity called Nigeria, and almost six decades after her supposed ‘Independence,’ Nigeria is still groping in the dark for unanimity. Is that not ironic? Is Nigeria really one nation or is it a conglomeration of many nations forced into an artificial and unworkable structure?

It is not unclear that Nigeria’s unity has been a charade. On a rational analysis, a man who still begs for unity between himself and wife for over 58 years of their marital bliss; what does that portray? What is the rationale behind that? This is a man who is supposed to be convening a large get-together for his wife, children, and perhaps grandchildren, as a clear result of a fruitful and sustainable marriage. But alas! There has been a continous dysfunction of marital bliss and a cataclysmic matrimony. In that regard lies the situation of Nigeria. In lieu of productive qualities, by virtue of the aged union; corruption, despotism, ethno-religious bigotry, administrative inefficiency, et al, are borne out of the very unification.

Axiomatically, Nigeria is neither a unified country nor a free one. I vehemently affirm, Nigeria is not a nation, and she is yet to attain nationhood but that’s unfortunately not possible due to her incompatible components. Nobody is a Nigerian in realism as there are “English,” “German,” or “French”. The word “Nigerian” is ordinarily a discrete username to identify those bound within the geographical expression called Nigeria. What makes a nation is a common value system, which is not far from homogeneity in culture, language and history. Where lies the stability, essence, and ethos of a heterogeneous and incompatible multi-nationalities, in which the latter are required to sacrifice their primevial heritage on the altar of an artificial entity known as Nigeria?

Read Also: ‘Atikulation’: Frustration and Desperation makes a grown-up appear stupid in thinking

Nonetheless, despite being independent, the country has been grappling with a deluge of quagmires which ostensibly will never meet a redeemer. Nigeria in its ‘democratic state’ has been able to develop a kind of (its own) democracy. If democracy is basically defined as government of the people, by the people and for the people, the Nigerian version of democracy has plunged world intelligentsias to think that their fundamental description of democracy is refutable and unequal. A democracy that is founded upon crud; where leaders are selected in preference to election, electorates are held sway instead of being liberated; then the result of votes cast are cooked up by certified "cooks" (collation officers) from their kitchen. In fact, Nigerian politicians are simply ‘gamblers of democracy.’

How about corruption? A congenital disease that has stigmatised Nigeria internationally. Nigeria has won another medallion as a "fantastically corrupt" country. A country whose leaders care less of the basic amenities of her citizenry but at the forefront of developing other countries, through the looting and siphoning of public funds and dumping same in foreign banks. Then every four years they would embark upon renewal of this exercise (corruption). Incessant killings have become a norm where distinct ethnic nationalities are earmarked for "blood sacrifice" by the Islamic handlers of Nigeria in order to preserve the country. Consequently, the unflagging carnage is a subtle continuation of the Fulani jihad with an engineered agenda to “dip the Qu’ran into the Atlantic Ocean”.

Why We Must Exit The Enclave

On October 12, 1960, a couple of days after the so-called independence, one of the Nigerian patrons, Sir Ahmadu Bello (the Sarduana of Sokoto) emphatically declared that, “The new nation (sic) called Nigeria should be an estate of our great-grandfather, Uthman Dan Fodio. We must ruthlessly prevent a change of power. We use the minorities of the North as willing tools and the South as a conquered territory and never allow them to rule over us, and never allow them to have control over their future.” That was his exact words.

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It is inarguable, to all intents and purposes that Nigeria is a vassal State; a fiefdom (domain) under the auspices of a crop of feudal overlords, who believe that Nigeria is the ‘Canaan land’ which their forefathers guaranteed them.

Howbeit, it is pitiable why most ‘slaves’ would never realise they are bound; peradventure because of the ‘glittery’ appearance of the chains they are tied with. Then Harriet Tubman would say, “I freed a thousand slaves. I could have freed more if only they knew they were slaves.”

To understand this theory, however, the parable of the ‘field Negro and house Negro’ comes to play. The latter lived in the house with master. The house Negro would eat of the master’s food but crumbs that fell from the table. A House Negro would give his life to save his master’s house. If the master said "we gonna move on," the house Negro would say, "yeah, we gonna move on." Whenever the master said "we," they would re-echo. That is how you know a house Negro. And if the field Negro came to the house Negro and said, "let's run away," the house Negro would look at him and say, "Man, you're crazy. What do you mean? Is there any better home than this?" That was the house Negro.

Today, there are multiples of house Negroes (in the government) who would readily dance for their slave masters (Hausa/Fulani cabals) without musical rhythm. House Negroes who would be told in the morning that it is "Reconstruction," and they would say, "yes, it is reconstruction" then in the evening their Hausa/Fulani masters would say, "it is restructuring;" and they would not hesitate to give that a nod without a unanimous decision of the people whom they are supposedly representing.

Read Also: Atikulated: Only shortsighted persons celebrate Atiku; another sponsor of Fulani terrorists, we want referendum - IPOB

It is exigent to note that the Sovereignty of a State is built on equalitarianism, not in the tools or agents of the government that tends to repress the people. Hence, all actions pertaining to any constitutional amendment or policy of general application, have to be submitted to the people for ratification and approval by the way of a referendum. That is the very essence of democracy – "Vox Populi" meaning voice of the people.

At this point, being the crux of the matter, it is about time several nationalities in this enclave, Nigeria, began to struggle for their inalienable right to self-determination. The aspirations of the people shall never be undermined as enshrined in the universal declaration of the United Nations; upon such lies the dignity and existence (freedom) of humanity. We, the indigenous people of Biafra, are a people whose solitary objective is anchored on Self-determinism — a process of Self-determination, which is the right of indigenous peoples to "freely determine their political status and freely pursue their economic, social and cultural development". Despite the intimidation, subjugation and despicable carnage meted on the indigenous people of Biafra, we shall continue to ply the laid down principles by the United Nations (UN), in pursuance to self-determination.

We want a referendum, to put a test to our determination to be completely free. A referendum is a democratic tool to resolving the trauma inflicted upon the inhabitants of the abominable contraption called Nigeria. If United Nations and the world at large fail to speak up and organise a referendum vote for Biafra’s exit from Nigeria, then civil unrest is inevitable and another ‘Aleppo’ is bound to be created in West Africa.

ALUTA CONTINUA; A VITÓRIA É CERTA
[THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES; VICTORY IS CERTAIN].

The Biafra Times
Edited By Chukwuemeka Chimerue
Publisher: Chijindu Benjamin Ukah

Contact us: [email protected]

Editorial: Nigeria’s Paper Independence: The Shattered Dreams Of Its Founding Fathers And The Way Forward

•With an approach to the Biafran conundrum

By Chukwuemeka Chimerue, Chief Editor | The Biafra Times

October 7, 2018


The expectations of Nigerians were high when the British Union Jack was lowered and the ‘green-white-green’ flag was hoisted on the 1st of October 1960, to mark the end of British colonial rule, which the country’s nationalists finally won in the struggle for independence, and the readiness to build dreams.

The expectations the founding fathers of Nigeria had were undoubtedly high. The likes of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa, Dr. Alvan Ikoku and many others hoped to forge a country that would be truly one in name and attitude.

A country where citizens, irrespective of tribe or religion, would be free to pursue their dreams in any part of the country, where there would be justice, equity and fairness; a country where the law protects the poor and rich equally and is regarded as supreme;

A country where the citizens would be free to choose their leaders and where leadership is seen as an opportunity to render selfless service to the nation; A country where the wealth of the nation is used for its development and not squandered by the privileged few; and so on.

Read Also:Voter Apathy And Boycott Of Elections, The Only Way To End Abusive Political Selection In Nigeria

The past heroes of Nigeria did not fail in their assignment, in fact they displayed utmost commitment, selflessness, dedication and integrity in the service to their fatherland.

They utilised the provisions of the first post-independence constitution of 1963 to construct a workable structure that would accommodate the interest of more than 250 ethnic groups which formed part of the federation and make Nigeria ‘one nation bound in freedom, peace and unity’.

They pursued their dreams with ‘heart and might,’ and one of the expectations of these founding fathers was to ensure the wealth of the nation is used for its development and not squandered.

But let’s ask ourselves these questions: Are the present leaders really making good use of the nation’s wealth? Are they really doing justice to issues of utmost concern in the country with less emphasis or too much importance attached to religion, culture, ethnicity, political affiliation and what have you?

It is no news that Nigerian leaders no longer rule with commitment, dedication, selflessness and integrity; they no longer rule with their heart and might; they no longer have the people’s interest at heart. Instead, they now use the nation’s wealth to enrich themselves through embezzlement.

People are suffering! people are dying in the riverine areas and other parts of the country because there is no good water to drink; accidents here and there due to the deplorable state of our roads.

Read Also: Amnesty Programme: Ex-militants laments neglect after surrendering, threatens to resume hostilities ahead of 2019 elections

You see massive queues at fuel stations with their gallons to purchase petrol because there is no power supply. Hence, they have to power their generators which causes noise and environmental pollution that affects the people’s health.

Worst of it all, in government(of all levels), political office holders and their counterparts in other arms of government attach too much importance on regional, political and ethnic diversity in employment, political appointments, citing of infrastructural developmental projects and even in dishing out judgements to the average man on the street. Was this really the country the past heroes dreamt of?

As Nigeria recently marked its 58 years anniversary, many believe that all hope is not lost as the country can still come out of the woods and make urgent amends where it has completely lost its direction but this can only be feasible if and when the current leaders are willing to uphold the tenets of justice and equity. They need to totally and unconditionally embrace the acts of commitment, selflessness, dedication and integrity as emulated by the founding fathers in service to their fatherland. They need to render accountability for their past and present misdeeds and bring forward with genuine concerns to the table, the pressing issues that has brought the Nigerian state to its conundrum as many believed that it is their total failure and inability to tow the path of the founding fathers contributed to Nigeria’s present mess.

Today, they are singing a different tune, grandstanding as the prime apostles of Nigerian unity but if those issues perceived to be the harbingers of Nigeria’s disunity and separation is not addressed, if referendum, resource control, restructuring and other burning political issues is not wholly addressed, the Nigerian state shall continue to slid down to the abyss without the political game players realising this until it has became too late for any possible remediation.

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Those politicians and unconscionable leaders who has made themselves an arrow-head of the Biafran opposition which is at the spur of the moment should better realise that they cannot even make any meaningful progress in the country if the issue is not brought up for possible address. They also need to realize that indeed, they are the real elements of disunity and dismemberment of Nigeria. They are simply using a fleeting prank for the unity of the same country they are helping to set on fire. They so-called “unity” campaigns, however, unknown to them, is fanning the embers of disunity and division in Nigeria.

It was none other than the Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar III during the one-time visit of the incumbent governor of Rivers state, Chief Ezenwo Nyesom Nwike that pointed out that the secessionist movements did not come out of the blues. In Abubakar’s words, “A lot of things were done in the past by some people with impunity and nothing was done.” The Sultan appealed that statesmen across Nigeria “should help the country by championing a dialogue.” Though the unflappable Sultan apparently is yet to make any move to mobilize Nigerian leaders in the direction he has stated nevertheless, his comments goes a long way to show that most acclaimed leaders in the country are aware of the root causes of the situation and challenges that has bedevilled the Nigerian state, yet remained adamant and/or feigned ignorance of what exactly should be done to ameliorate the situation. Every one of them appears to be mostly concerned about his benefits while relegating the national interest of masses to the background.

Be that as it may, the solution to the Biafran crisis does not have to be complicated. It is all about being able to face the truth. As Sultan Abubakar hinted, it lies in broad dialogue to correct past atrocities. Apart from the obvious imbalance in the current government, a starting point is to quickly uproot the poisonous seeds that were sown by the state during and after the Biafran war that have grown and are today swirling wildly, engulfing the entire nation. It ought to table why and how there is lack of general development in the densely populated South-East and South-South zones, for example, lack of reliable seaports and international airports despite the region’s overflowing resources. There is also the need to revisit whatever policy—the lingering war scar—that denatured the Igbo heartland into what is now being ridiculed as the “landlocked” South-East. More essentially, such dialogue must not fail to look within: Now is the time to bring to book the local politicians who connived with contractors to loot development projects in the region, particularly during the regime of Goodluck Jonathan, where the Igbos and their South-South kith and kin held sway.

This bare exposé should be done with all honesty and open-mindedness and not be misconstrued as a veiled sentiment to favour a particular region. Nigeria cannot continue to hope to solve a problem by creating bigger problems. Thus, the prevailing pattern where the state attempts to deflate the Biafran agitation by nurturing seeds of discord within the Igbo or balkanizing South-East and South-South into hostile units, or rolling out military armored tanks and all kinds of ammunition against agitators is not only profoundly corrupt but also does more harm than good. Needless, therefore, to mention that any attempt to embrace corrupt politicians and unrepentant ethnic irredentists in addressing the Biafran agitation is tantamount to a pyrrhic victory. It is a hallowed equivalence of embracing a Judas as a Muhammad or Jesus Christ as the case may be.

The Biafra Times
Publisher: Chijindu Benjamin Ukah
Contact us: [email protected]