This is the News Analysis Segment of the Voice of Biafra International Broadcasts.
For October 12th 2002
You have heard the news, now, the analysis…
Fellow Biafrans, we want to remind you that Nigeria has only one consistent policy: whether we are talking about what General Obasanjo signed or did not sign with Northerners in 1998; or commercial activity in which Igbo-Biafrans are engaged in Nigeria , or anything else for that matter. That one consistent Nigerian policy is to do everything possible to suppress Igbo-Biafrans in Nigeria ; to repress Igbo Biafrans, to dispossess Igbo-Biafrans. Based on this policy, Nigeria has made sure that no Igbo-Biafrans are in powerful and influential ministries such as Defense, Finance, Petroleum or Security. Do not even mention the National Assembly where Igbo-Biafrans are supposed to get one Chair position, but General Obasanjo has been pulling the strings, and makes no secret of it, replacing and appointing at will any Igbo-Biafran who must do the General’s bidding or be removed. And that’s not even the General’s area of influence according to the constitutional separation of powers and authority.
Fellow Biafrans, this Nigerian anti-Igbo-Biafran policy and resultant anti-Igbo-Biafra agenda has always been there since 1966, prompting Madiebo to recently title a speech to WIC “Agwo ka no n’akirika” which at once recognizes this past danger while at the same time reminding us that such danger still exists today. All the recent news streaming in go to confirm that today—the Nigerian policy and agenda of Igbo-Biafran repression, suppression, subjugation and relegation.
Fellow Biafrans, we want to remind you that Nigeria has been treating Igbo-Biafrans as if they do not exist. General Obasanjo and his government, along with previous Nigerian governments, have made it a point and policy to carry on in Nigeria as if Igbo-Biafrans are not present, should not be seen, and ought not to be heard. The General and the aforementioned governments have in fact made it a custom and a habit to go out of their way to humiliate Igbo-Biafrans, and to laugh in the face of Igbo-Biafrans.
Fellow Biafrans, we thus see today that Igbo-Biafrans produce the wealth of Nigeria —against all odds—but Igbo-Biafrans are not represented in the Finance departments and finance institutions in Nigeria . Crude Oil is found and drilled in the Igbo-Biafran region, but the Nigerian government would never even consider having Igbo-Biafrans in the Petroleum-related cabinet and business institutions.
Fellow Biafrans, we remind you of these things because many of you seem to have forgotten—we don’t know how you could. Many of you have joined Nigeria and General Obasanjo, forgetting what they are doing to us. Why? Is it because of the mere crumbs that they throw your way? Is it because of the lowly positions that they offer you, where you do all the brain work, only for less educated, less deserving, less capable and often outrightly incompetent Northerner or Westerner to take credit for your superb work? And, to add to the insult, are you not replaced whenever they feel like it?
Fellow Biafrans, we want to remind you that there is nothing that you are doing well now in Nigeria that you could not do better in Biafra and for Biafra . We want to remind you, fellow Biafrans, that there are those things that you are well endowed by our Maker, our Chi, to excel in, which thus far have been severely repressed by Nigeria; we want to say to you that in Biafra, all these talents shall be re-awakened and reactivated, and be usefully deployed for the betterment of both self, the Nation, Biafra and the world in general.
Fellow Biafrans, we want to remind you that you can be all you can in the Nation of Biafra. We want to remind you that only in the Nation of Biafra can you achieve your potential—both human and spiritual. Only in the Nation of Biafra shall you be honored properly for your efforts and your contributions; only therein can your honor be restored from the battery it suffered at the hands of Nigeria and Nigeria ’s rulers.
Fellow Biafrans, you must make a conscious choice today between Nigeria and Biafra . You will realize that there is in fact only one choice— Biafra , because you are not wanted in Nigeria . You have been in Nigeria all these years, and look what you have to show for all that patriotism for a so-called country that has paid you back with unfathomable cruelty and mistreatment. The choice is clear: Biafra !
In Biafra , the government and its chief executive will never say to you: “…I am not interested in the tangibles…” It is only in Nigeria , with its inept leaders that the President of the country, General Obasanjo, can brag openly to the press and the rest of the world that he is not concerned about good roads in Nigeria . Biafrans, ask the General: "have you not seen the results of bad, un-motorable roads in Nigeria ?" Motorists are dying needlessly—such a waste of life and potential. The Nigerian General has no clue that bad roads shorten the service-life of even automobiles, and lead to frequent breakdowns, a safety issue that plays out everyday as fatal road accidents. The Nigerian General does not realize that goods are moved efficiently through good roads, resulting in better commerce. This type of ignorance will never be exhibited in Biafra .
In Biafra , power supply shall be steady, adequate and reliable. This is one of those “tangibles” that the Nigerian General says he is not interested in providing for Nigeria . How does he think any industry can survive if the power supply is intermittent or not available at all? Does the Nigerian General think that he can lure any serious businesses or investments to Nigeria given that he and his government do not consider reliable power supply a necessity? We have already given up in the area of the common peoples living in Nigeria and how epileptic power supply can affect them: we realize that the Nigerian General is either insensitive to the plight of these peoples, or does not think that they are human enough to deserve better. Biafra will not tolerate this situation; Biafra shall never support insensitivity to her people and their needs.
But, we must have Biafra now! Nigeria is fast approaching another precipice in her continued downhill spiral. While the impeachment of General Obasanjo is going on, we can be sure that there is no governance going on in Nigeria . The General is too busy planning how—for his own personal egotistic and political ambition—to buy, divide, conquer or destroy the National Assembly, of which the members are too busy trying to jockey for a position with the right clique, group or participating party, in order to stay alive—literally. This means a bleaker future for Nigeria . And this is the type of hopeless future—a rotting Nigeria that would continue to include Igbo-Biafra-—that we Biafrans must have to accept as UNTHINKABLE.
We must have Biafra now. We cannot wait for elections, which although scheduled for next year, may never—shall not—hold. The foundation of a free and fair election is an accurately conducted voter registration. If you agree with that, then consider the recent so-called voter registration exercise in Nigeria . We have today lost cards, horded cards, stolen cards, unregistered eligible voters; registered ineligible voters, and uncountable extra cards. Nobody knows how many cards were put out there, and where these cards are. So, can you guess what would happen if the elections were actually to hold next year? Any result would be contestable, because this antecedent registration exercise ended in suspicion and fraud. Of course, the politicians do not want to say anything now, because they are waiting to see if this fraud results in a favorable election result for them; if it does, they will accept it. Where it does not, they will shout FRAUD and move to quash and nullify the elections. If the elections do hold, then, we can predict the result now: chaos and uncertainty, turmoil and mayhem. For how long, fellow Biafrans? For how much longer shall we allow ourselves to wallow in this dirty quagmire called Nigeria ? We have to take our destiny in our own hands now and actualize Biafra .
All the turmoil in Nigeria today presents opportunities for Biafra actualization. Nigeria is continuing its implosion, brought about by its deliberate willingness and willful act to kill off Igbo-Biafra and relegate us to nothingness. Nigeria has failed. We shall not go down with a sinking ship, a Slave Ship called Nigeria , which has thus far locked up Igbo-Biafrans as slaves in its hull. We shall take this opportunity to press our case and achieve our one goal: Sovereign Independent Nation of Biafra. We shall accomplish this with non-violence as our motto and mode of operation.
Give us Biafra !
We have Biafra !
Biafra lives.
This is the news analysis for the week. Thank you.
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God bless and keep Biafra and you, until next week. VOBI broadcast continues. (Audio version part of weekly VOBI broadcast posted on Biafraland website, http://www.biafraland.com : follow Voice of Biafra link.)