This is the News Analysis segment of the Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcasts  

For April 26th, 2003  

You have heard the news, now, the analysis…  

Fellow Biafrans:  

We shall continue to exhort you all to stay the course and maintain our solid support for APGA and Ojukwu as a show of the Unity and Solidarity of the people and nation of Biafra . While Obasanjo and PDP may declare victory after predictably well-rigged elections, remember that it is not yet over. It will never be over until Biafra is actualized.  

So that you do not despair or allow yourself to be talked into feeling defeated, let us point out some things to you. The International community has now acknowledged that without a doubt, the elections were fraudulent. And they singled out the Southeast and Delta—Biafran territory—as where the fraud was most heavy and most evident. Our plan of unity and solidarity and block vote for APGA and Ojukwu forced this overt rigging of the elections in our region, enough that the whole world now knows, and enough so that PDP and Igbo-Biafran efulefus would not get away with it. When we, Biafrans, make our move in God’s time—which is in this time frame—the world will know that it is justified.  

Some have questioned the wisdom of our participation in the election process. For one, if we hadn’t, there would be no way to expose Nigeria ’s rigging machinery at work, to the International community. Then, by now, the efulefu PDP Igbo-Biafran governors would have already continued in full force the killing and enslavement and exploitation of our people in broad daylight, without qualms, and without fear of discovery. Now, even though they rigged their way to victory, these efulefu governors are still full of trepidation, full of anxiety, knowing that they are about to be given the challenge of their life. Second, we have seen this as an opportunity to get our people united and in solidarity, and to express such unity by a block vote for APGA and Ojukwu. Unbeknownst to many of us, the mere fact of a serious suggestion of Igbo-Biafran unity sent huge shockwaves through the fabric of Nigeria and forced action and changes in behavior in places and at levels that we shall never know about. Nevertheless, no one should entertain the nonsensical idea that our participation is an endorsement or legitimization of Nigeria and Nigerian politics, nor that this is an act of pre-positioning for continuing in future politics in Nigeria . In the first place, Nigeria HAS NO FUTURE. In the second place, our sole interest is Biafra , nothing less, nothing more.  

These are exactly the kinds of sociopolitical context that we want to have, both locally and globally, going in for the next phase. So, do not despair and do not think that we have failed. Far from that, everything is working according to God’s plan. We may not see the whole of it at any one time or just yet, but it is still working.  

We also predicted chaos, before, during or after the elections, and it is coming. Obasanjo and his fellow PDP election riggers can declare victory now, and pretend that 1) the world does not care and 2) the peoples and nations living in Nigeria , used to repression and passivity, will swallow this massive fraud. Unashamedly, Obasanjo is claiming that God made it so. Fellow Biafrans, he is actually right in this—not in the way he thinks and assumes, but in another very significant way. Recall when Moses was asking for the release of the Israelites from Egypt . Did not Pharaoh refuse with vehemence? Remember how the situation was correctly stated? It is quite instructive to note that it is stated “God hardened Pharaoh’s heart.” Another way to put it: Whom the gods would destroy they first make mad. So, cheer up: God is not done yet, in spite of victory laps and lies by Obasanjo and PDP. But, we must do our part, which is to continue to fully support APGA and Ojukwu as we remain united and in solidarity, no matter what. Anybody tempted to join PDP and Obasanjo because they have rigged their way to victory, should think twice before acting, and should desist. The part crafted for us and demanded of us by the Divine Plan in this entire matter is full support for APGA and Ojukwu, as a show of our Unity and Solidarity. We shall do our part.  

Anybody thinking that there should be a swing in our direction so to work with Nigeria or work out an existence in Nigeria is crazy; he or she is mad. Every single event in this past year has shown how Igbo-Biafrans are systematically being disenfranchised by Nigeria . We see fraud  committed in broad daylight by Nigeria without any qualms, without any remorse. Any nation that accommodates this evil by staying with Nigeria , or any nation that allows herself to be assimilated by and in Nigeria where such evil is accepted and never challenged—that nation is headed for moral decay and has no future. We happen to think—we know—that Biafra has a future, a bright future at that, so we shall have nothing to do with Nigeria .  

Fellow Biafrans: we shall not, however, sit out all alone in the next phase. As a people, we shall remain united and in solidarity, and we shall mandate and support APGA and Ojukwu to press our case and to work with all other nations or parties whose goal is the challenge of the recent crime of fraud committed by INEC, PDP and Obasanjo in these Nigerian elections. Even if this leads to chaos—and we trust that it will—we must work with those working towards making Nigeria suffer the consequences of her amorality, immorality, and shameful fraud. We must not be on the sideline. The Yoruba can afford to be on the sideline; they, with AD, cut a deal with PDP and got settled before and after the elections, because since their man was being rigged in as the President, and since this man, Obasanjo, has shown that he will play barefaced nepotism in favor of his people, with the resources of the country (stolen from Biafra) they—the Yoruba—do not care and have nothing to lose. We cannot emulate them. The North under Buhari appears ready and poised to fight tooth and nail to bring Nigeria to book and to accountability. We must press on with them, but we must also point out to them that their best interest—everybody’s best interest—is served not by Nigeria as presently constituted, but by the result of a Sovereign National Conference which formally destructs the current structure and character of Nigeria, a structure and character responsible for what we have seen today, a structure and character that makes it possible for massive fraudulent elections such as these. That is the only way to clean up and clean out Nigeria .  

We need our unity and solidarity for this and subsequent phases. We ask MASSOB members to re-integrate with the rest of our population so that we are all MASSOBians—which we all are—and MASSOBians are us. This can be done on an individual basis, or even at an organizational level. The most important thing now is the realization that the destiny of all of us is together tied in Biafra actualization. We are all going there, so, why not unite now so that we can walk together, work together, and enter together, in one agenda and one purpose— Biafra actualization? As for the issue of non-partisanship, of what importance is claiming non-partisanship now? We are involved in a struggle to liberate our people and our selves. We are being killed daily because of who we are, not because of what party we belong to.  We must do everything in our power to stay united and in solidarity as a people, as a nation, and we must express that unity through one vehicle, the people’s vehicle, which at this time happens to be APGA and Ojukwu. That is all part of that one agenda of Biafra actualization. There is strength in numbers, there is force in focus, and there is power in unity.  

Fellow, Biafrans, we take pains to explain some of what has happened, not to rationalize, but to place things in perspective—as much as we can. We predicted violence with the elections, and we were right; but we also asked for divine intervention to avoid this as much as possible, seeing that usually we are the ones victimized by such violence. Those that are saying that, “well, you were wrong in your predictions—the whole thing was peaceful...” let us remind them that there was / is violence; and that the majority of  the casualty from the election violence has come from Biafra, in the murderous occasion of the slaughter of over one hundred MASSOB members and injury of hundreds of more. In case you forget, that is election violence, and we have paid the price disproportionately.  

By the same token, we have predicted chaos, and there will be chaos, but we have also prayed that it should not be to such an extent that even we shall get caught up and burnt up in it. So, do not expect a major cataclysm as proof. Nevertheless, however much it is, do remember: we must take advantage of it (chaos) to move towards Biafra actualization—outrightly—or through the intermediate mechanism of a Sovereign National Conference. This becomes easier when we remain united and in solidarity as a nation, the people of Biafra , and speak with one voice through APGA and Ojukwu in this phase of the plan.  

Fellow Biafrans: There is nothing that has happened so far that should constitute a cause for despair. And, nothing that happens or will happen in the future should be allowed to cloud our vision, a vision that God shares with us. That vision is Biafra actualization. God is with us because He created us Biafrans, and He created Biafra , and it is He who planted us in Biafra . God has lit this candle, so we know that God shall not allow this candle to be hidden; God shall not allow this light to be snuffed out in the stinky, dark and heinous armpit of Nigeria .  

God is not done with us yet. God is not done with what He is doing with the current situation in Nigeria . God’s plan is operational and operative even as we speak, with every turn and every tide in the affairs of man, in every direction of the wind of time. The result shall be Biafra Actualization.  

Biafra lives, because God guarantees it. You: live in Biafra —do your part: to maintain our unity and solidarity, with full support for APGA and Ojukwu.

This is the news analysis for the week. Thank you.

God bless and keep Biafra, and you, until our next broadcast. Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcasts continues (http://www.biafraland.com/vobi.htm)