This is the News Analysis segment of the Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) Broadcasts.
For August 16th, 2003
You have heard the news, now the analysis…
Fellow Biafrans:
We continue to work towards Biafra actualization, because it is only in Biafra that we can be safe and secure from the evil and curse called one-Nigeria. It is only in Biafra that we can show ourselves for what we are, what we truly are, as a talented and gifted nation of men and women, the Nation of Biafra, ready to fulfill our God-given potential. In Nigeria , it is not possible for a Biafran to survive. It is not for lack of trying, because nobody can boast of contributing more to Nigeria than Biafrans and prove it. But, it is because of the way Nigeria is structured, deliberately configured to smother Biafrans, and keep them in bondage.
Consider what Obasanjo is doing in Nigeria . After rigging the last elections, he and his party have usurped power in Nigeria . Mind you, in the last 4 years, he and PDP have achieved nothing for the hapless peoples living in Nigeria , except to afford them more poverty, more misery, more hardship and more insecurity. He goes about doing things without regard to the wishes of the peoples living in Nigeria , and without regard to even the so-called constitution of Nigeria , carrying himself and acting as a dictator.
Recently, Obasanjo personally opened a British Tobacco processing plant in Western Nigeria . He then went on to announce to the peoples living in Nigeria and to the rest of the world that this act and occasion proves that foreign companies are now ready to invest in Nigeria . But, it is not this uninformed proclamation and deduction that we are going to address today. We all know the truth: no serious or self-respecting foreign company is going to start investing in Nigeria today. Obasanjo can pretend that all is well with Nigeria . That is his prerogative, but that does not change the fact that Nigeria is an evil place that has brought a curse on the hapless peoples living in Nigeria .
We want to point out today one of the reasons why Nigeria will not survive. (Do not be afraid: Nigeria will die, but the peoples living in it can be rescued, if they are willing to abandon the carcass of the moribund Nigeria in order to form their own sovereign nations. where they can shine at last). Nigeria will not survive because her so-called leaders, as exemplified by Obasanjo, are not only ignorant, but they broadcast their ignorance to the entire world. As such, they bring scorn and ridicule not just to themselves, but to the rest of the peoples living in Nigeria . Because of the ignorance of the likes of Obasanjo, anybody traveling to any other part of the world with a Nigerian passport is looked down on and treated with condescension. Now, in case you did not know it, that is the reason for such treatment, to which some of you have already been subjected.
What Obasanjo failed to realize is that no civilized country is welcoming Tobacco companies any more. Tobacco products are considered very dangerous to health, constituting a large burden to individual and public health. Tobacco causes lung cancer. It causes oral cancer. It causes emphysema, which makes it extremely difficult to breathe; the use of tobacco products weakens the heart. All these conditions will of course lead to loss of normal function and premature death. Moreover, the use of tobacco leads to addiction, which is a terrible disease, a lethal and expensive life-long habit too difficult to break. Speaking of expensive, tobacco products cost money, money which the user and his or her family can use for beneficial things. The money spent to buy tobacco products is money spent on smoke, literally. It is like burning your money: it is money thrown away.
It is because of these reasons that civilized countries are taking steps to limit the availability of tobacco and tobacco products to their citizens. Cigarette smoking is banned in many locations, making it difficult for smokers to increase their habit. This is also designed to protect non-smokers from exposure to smoker’s cigarette smoke. Laws are made to protect underage persons from tobacco advertisements and they are discouraged from starting smoking or using other tobacco products. The financial burden of taking care of tobacco-related illness and disability is so high that in a country like the United States , the courts have ruled that cities and States can recover billions of dollars from Tobacco companies to repay some of the costs that the States and cities spent in taking care of tobacco-related health problems.
Now that you have this information, can you imagine what a laughing stock Obasanjo must have made of himself by his personally going to the opening ceremony of a Tobacco company in Nigeria , more so when he was bragging about it? But, can you also think of how the rest of the world must pity the peoples living in Nigeria because these unfortunate peoples have found themselves living under ignorant, uniformed and perhaps downright stupid leaders?
Where was Obasanjo’s Health Minister to advice him about the facts on Tobacco and how other countries treat tobacco and related products? Why has he not educated Obasanjo on the dangers and risks and the real illnesses that attend tobacco use? Can we even assume that the Minister of Health is aware of these facts about tobacco and tobacco use? Can we assume that anybody in that Ministry is aware of these things?
Now that Obasanjo has lent his name and “prestige” to the Tobacco company’s business in Nigeria, and has advertised it to Nigerians and bragged about it to the world, who is going to protect the peoples living in Nigeria from the real danger, the diseases and addiction that tobacco causes, and the economic drain that it is both to the individual and their family, but also, to the public and society? Is the minister of health going to protect the health of the people? Is the Ministry itself going to protect them?
You see, fellow Biafrans, the ignorance of these so-called leaders is affecting your health and livelihood—in a negative manner. This, of course you knew; but we doubt that you knew to what extent. Here you see how the ignorance of Nigerian leaders is going to hurt the hapless peoples living in Nigeria . The persons who should be knowledgeable or at least have advisers to inform them, are ignorant, and that’s costing the peoples living in Nigeria and the system in health and productivity, and in real money. Who is going to look out for these peoples? Who can protect them from their ignorant, unschooled, uninformed leaders, or from the effects unleashed by their uninformed actions?
We use this example to point out to you why Nigeria is bound for oblivion. This is just one area—health. The same thing is happening in economics / business / agriculture, education, and even politics. The structure of Nigeria has allowed the entrenchment in power of persons who have no business being in governance, persons lacking in skills, lacking in education, lacking know-how, and lacking vision. Because of their misuse of power, they have made sure that those who are better qualified are not allowed to participate in any meaningful way at any meaningful level. Thus, Nigeria has been marching backwards for 40 years. And, there is no end in sight.
Fellow Biafrans, it is for these reasons that we must continue to double our efforts to actualize Biafra . If we stay in Nigeria any longer, we are going to be crushed by the weight of the burden of the dysfunction bred by the structure of Nigeria and her ignorant leadership. Those who think that we should continue to work out our lot and try our luck in Nigeria should by now know that that is a one-way street to certain oblivion for Ndigbo and other Biafrans.
It is no secret that Biafrans are a capable people. During the Biafran War, we showed our ingenuity in scientific and technology areas. All over the world, Biafrans continue to prove themselves in whatever field we find our selves. We must never forget this; we must never allow ourselves to continue to stay in a situation that would suppress our natural creativity, our industry, our productivity and entrepreneurship.
Events in Nigeria today offer ample opportunities for us to get away from Nigeria . We must seek out these opportunities and use them to our advantage. We must have trust in God and confidence that this is not only possible, but has already been divinely ordained. The talents that God gave us will not be allowed to languish unfulfilled.
A major part of our strategy is unity and solidarity, and the support of APGA and Ojukwu. We shall continue with this, because that is part of the overall plan for our salvation. This will not only help us during these chaotic times, and transition, but also when we start nation-building: the sovereign Nation of Biafra.
Biafra lives, by God’s will and act; Biafrans are the work of God. As such, we are here to stay, at God’s pleasure.
That’s the news analysis. Thank you.
God bless and keep Biafra ; and you, until our next broadcast. Voice of Biafra International broadcast continues. (http://www.biafraland.com; follow “Voice of Biafra ” Link.