This is the News Analysis segment of the Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcasts
For May 17th, 2003
You have heard the news; now, the analysis…
Fellow Biafrans: as we advised you before, do not lose hope; do not despair. Biafra actualization is happening, right now, although we may not sense it. You know, when you plant a seed in the right compost and manure, you know that it is growing. The present smelly condition in the abomination called Nigeria is like the compost; the idea of Biafra actualization is the good seed which shall germinate out of this manure. Even though Obasanjo, PDP and their friends are preparing for celebrations on May 29th, many persons living in Nigeria, and many people in the rest of the world know that such a celebration is like the celebration of pirates who have just finished looting and destroying their hapless’ victims properties. Such a celebration is likened to the party thrown by thieves after easily stealing the wealth of their hapless victims without any challenge from these victims. It is such a shame that Obasanjo who likes to call himself a “born-again” Christian has become the architect and benefactor of this grand theft and grand insult to the political will, wishes, and desire of the peoples living in Nigeria, which was accomplished by his fraudulent rigging of the so-called “democratic” elections in Nigeria.
Fellow Biafrans: we say, do not despair; do not lose hope whether or not the planned coronation of Obasanjo and his fellow thieves takes place on May 29th, because that is not the end of the “story.” Whether or not Obasanjo and his-fellow fraudsters realize it, they are going to be accountable to man and to God. God may be merciful, but man has no such disposition after he, man, has been subjugated to the kinds of treatment, insolence, and subjugation meted to him by Obasanjo, his administration, PDP, and their friends, in the evil contraption known as Nigeria. Their accountability to the peoples whose electoral exercise they fraudulently stole and hijacked shall come in the nature of a popular challenge and continuing rejection of the rigged results which they foisted on these peoples. This challenge shall be mounted against Obasanjo PDP, and their friends for as long as it takes to drive them out of office—if it comes to that. Hopefully, they will not even be able to mount this throne which they have stolen the rights and the key to. The next several days shall tell.
Even AD has finally come to terms with her own conscience by deciding now to join in rejecting the results of an election which AD knew were rigged massively and overtly. AD has never had any doubts that the election results were fraudulently manipulated in the favor of, and by, PDP and Obasanjo. Initially, AD was willing to accept the results anyway, despite known, serious problems. AD’s reason was the preservation of “nascent democracy” in Nigeria. We are relieved to see that AD has acted now in such a way as to underscore that the best way to preserve and nurture a fledgling democracy is not to condone an act that strikes at the very heart of democracy; nor to accept the results of such an act with uncharacteristic resignation; and or to allow the results of such an act to go unchallenged or to stand. For, what Obasanjo, PDP, INEC and their friends did during these so called elections was an assault directed against the essence of democracy, by their act of fraudulent, calculated, deliberate manipulation of the process by which the political will of the peoples was to have been conveyed—free and fair elections.
AD has gone three steps farther: not only has she recognized the fraud engaged in by PDP, INEC, Obasanjo and others, AD has also now accepted that the so-called PDP sweep of the West was the result of fraud directed against AD in Western region. AD, in rejecting these results, has called for SNC (Sovereign National Conference) as a way forward, rather than a “National Unity Government” proposed by the other Opposition Groups. While the proposals differ, at least, we can now say that AD has come full circle and up to par with all parties and peoples and persons of goodwill by doing the morally correct thing, which is to recognize fraud and evil; speak up and speak out against it; and refuse to allow the results of such evil and fraud to stand.
Fellow Biafrans: this is why we counsel you not to despair; it is not over yet. Everyday more and more people living in Nigeria are beginning to question why they should remain silent while great evil and evil-doers dance and celebrate openly in a brazen display of their thievery. Everyday, more and more people living in Nigeria are asking themselves why they should allow a bunch of thieves who stole the elections to usurp political power and rule over the people. Two weeks ago, the same people might have felt that the outcome of the elections, rigged as it was, was okay. Today, the same people are mad and upset that PDP, INEC, Obasanjo and their friends stole the elections in broad daylight, with brazenness and bravado, and are rubbing it in. Today, the peoples living in Nigeria want to make sure that PDP, Obasanjo and his friends do not sit on the throne which they, PDP, Obasanjo and his friends, stole.
In the meantime, ANPP, Buhari and other Opposition Groups are taking their case to the world at large, with plans to present their case to EU, US and other countries. They are not taking any chances with the Nigerian courts and electoral Tribunal, knowing that these bodies are under the control of Obasanjo and PDP’s intimidating and fraudulent machinery. In fact, all that these bodies--the Nigerian courts and electoral Tribunal--would have to do is to stall through the end of May, and Obasanjo and PDP’s fraud will have been legitimized by their coronation. That’s why we support ANPP / Buhari move. We must contribute fully to the internationalization of these well-justified protests against, and the rejection of, Obasanjo and PDP and their friends.
Fellow Biafrans: to the extent that all these activities result in chaos and continuing confusion, the opportunity remains ripe for Biafran Actualization at this time—in this time frame—just as we predicted and planned on. AD is speaking with one voice—for the West. ANPP is acting in a united front—for the benefit of the North. Both are also hoping to make use of this opportunity for the benefit of each her own people. If anybody says that they are acting in defense of Nigeria, or in the interest of Nigeria, they are either dreaming, lying, deceiving themselves, or are playing the usual games that got Nigeria to this troubled, hopeless state today, and that got Igbo-Biafrans in this depraved condition of enslavement by Nigeria. So, we repeat, this not about preserving Nigeria; it is all about what’s in the supreme interest of the North or of the West, even if it means attempting to sustain the corpse of a country known as Nigeria.
So, we ask you: what is in the best interest of Igbo-Biafra? And before we answer that, can you see the continued need for remaining united and in solidarity, under the one banner of APGA, led by Ojukwu? The answer is, Yes! Can you see how, with the deepening uneasiness about Nigeria, we need our unity and solidarity even more, and need our fullest, unequivocal support for APGA and Ojukwu? Yes, it is obvious! Anybody who tells you otherwise today is not one of us, though his or her name sound Igbo-Biafran. Anybody that tells us we do not need unity and solidarity now, or that we do not all have to rally around and fully support APGA and Ojukwu, he or she is not our kin and is not our friend. He or she does not mean us well. Anybody that says that Ndigbo should not participate in the rejection and challenge of the fraudulent results of the so-called democratic election in Nigeria is speaking for only himself or herself alone; if he or she claims that he or she is speaking for Ndigbo, he or she should be held accountable. Anybody that today states that he is speaking for a group of Ndigbo and asks that we support Obasanjo today should pack up his things, leave alaigbo, and move in with Obasanjo in Ota village. Aru! Aru! Tufiakwa!
What is in our supreme interest? Sovereign National Conference! Before AD put forward SNC in their recent statements as mentioned earlier, we had already been writing about, recommending and advising SNC for over two years now. While we cannot take for granted what AD’s SNC means to them, we must restate here once again the only meaningful interpretation of SNC. “Sovereign” in SNC stands for the sovereignty and independence of the different Nations like Biafra, Oodua, Arewa, and others currently residing in Nigeria. It does not mean, repeat, does not mean the sovereignty of Nigeria. By the same token, “National” in SNC refers to the individual Nations living in Nigeria, viz: Biafra Arewa, Oodua, and others. Once again, this does not have anything to do with the failing so-called country, Nigeria. We must never shift our focus from the meaning and applications of these terms in SNC as the terms apply to Biafra, Oodua, Arewa, etc.
The problems and dominant issues of Nigeria are the structure of one-Nigeria which accounts for, and or allows for, all the evil and bad things associated with Nigeria. These problems cannot be fixed by general or special elections, new or old. They cannot be fixed by democracy or pseudo-democracy, since there is no chance that real democracy can even get a toe-hold within such a structure. These insurmountable issues cannot be cured by leadership—good or bad; but in fact, these problems will bring out only the worst of the best leaders and then, corrupt them, while providing fetid nurture for the worst leaders--if “leaders” you call them at all. Only re-structuring, resulting from the shattering and razing of the old one-Nigeria structure, can fix what ails the peoples and nations living in Nigeria. SNC is the best mechanism to provide a peaceful orderly process for this solution.
SNC leads to Biafra actualization. We must be ready for it. We must make it work for us when the opportunity is offered. This will be possible when we maintain our unity and solidarity, and our unequivocal support for APGA and Ojukwu.
Fellow Biafrans: even if events take a different course and SNC is not part of the equation, we shall not forget that we know where we are going; we shall not forget where we are going. Our home is Biafra. It is our heritage. Biafra is at once our spiritual home and earthly residence. This is our destination and our destiny. Biafra shall manifest out of the chaos and confusion existing in Nigeria today—if not one way, then another way—in this time frame.
Let us not forget our fallen brothers and sisters of the MASSOB; and those who suffered injury at the hands of murderous Nigerian armed security agents. Let us not forget that our MASSOB brethren including their leader, Ralph Uwazurike, are still languishing in Nigerian jails, unjustly, unconscionably and illegally detained there by Nigerian security forces. We shall never forget the sacrifices made by them and every other brother and sister-member of our MASSOB. We commend all of them to the divine bosom of our Chi while we do everything humanly possible to gain their release.
Biafra lives, because God lives. May we live in Biafra; may we live as Biafra, so may Biafra live through us!
That’s the News Analysis for the week. Thank you.
God keep Biafra, and you, until our next broadcast. Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcasts continues. (http://www.biafraland.com; follow "Voice of Biafra" link. Thank you.)