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

for June 28th 2003  

You have heard the news, now the analysis…  

Fellow Biafrans:  

In Umuahia area we lost many people. We lost many Biafrans. They were burnt to death in the fiery explosion of oil and pipeline--burned beyond recognition; wounded badly, and many will survive with unsightly scars. We know that many survivors will not seek medical attention for fear that they will be shot by Nigerian security men following standing orders. These are young Biafrans, older Biafrans, our brothers, our sisters; our fathers and mothers; there are aunts and uncles on this casualty list, there are cousins, nephews, nieces, grandpas and grandmas. But we really have only one type of relationship—brothers and sisters—kin. That's who Biafra lost in this terrible disaster, that's whom we mourn and console. How do they say it? “…Ask not for whom the bell tolls...,” meaning: their death is our own death; their wounds are our own wounds; we suffer what they have suffered and what they are suffering.  

Why did this have to happen?  The stupid Nigerian government and their ignorant leaders want to blame the victims. They have given orders to shoot unarmed citizens on sight if the citizens are found or associated with so-called "scooped" oil. But, let us examine what is going on here. Oil, the only source of income now for Nigeria , is of course found and produced in Biafran territory. Thus far, the ignorant, visionless, usurper-leaders of Nigeria have stolen this natural resource from Biafrans. Then, they have misused the revenues from this resource in so many ways. They have enriched themselves and their friends and minions and sycophants with the proceeds. They have failed to do anything with the money that would benefit the common person living in Nigeria . Worst of all, they have actively made sure that not much of it is going back to Biafra or getting into the pockets of Biafrans. This is a deliberate policy. Also, because of their ignorance, these Nigerian so-called leaders do not know anything about economics or how to manage resources on a National scale. So, whatever little money actually ends up in Nigeria 's coffers is so poorly managed that today, Nigeria remains a so-called country with rich oil resources but with the poorest citizens in the world. This has resulted in lack of adequate education, lack of opportunities even for these who managed to educate themselves, lack of jobs, lack of personal security, and lack of security of property. The health of peoples living in Nigeria is so poor and the facilities so inadequate that those that can afford it fly out of Nigeria for the care of even the simplest medical problems. What is so evident is that the leaders of Nigeria have stolen and kept all the resources and revenues to themselves and their friends; some have become filthy rich, while the common person is so poor that he or she has no hope; is despondent; is helpless, and is quite vulnerable. In this state of desperation this person will do anything to survive and protect and feed him/herself and his/her equally despondent family members. Thus stricken, has he or she not been reduced to the status of a mere animal—a wild animal at that? How can you then blame him or her for "scooping" or "bunkering" oil?  

But—the thieves, these hypocrites who are responsible for the impoverishment of the people—they are the ones that make laws and policies. They are the ones that have decided that anybody who is desperate enough to engage in "scooping" of oil should be shot on sight or jailed. These thieves and hypocrites are enjoying the benefits of their stealing the peoples' resources; then, they turn around and make sure that unarmed people desperately seeking a means for survival by scooping are to be shot on sight! So, when a disaster such as this occurs, instead of thinking about the real significance of the tragedy, these thieves and hypocrites want to blame the people. At least, one such thief and hypocrite has come out openly to acknowledge that it was the conditions of dire poverty that drove the people to engage in this activity which has resulted in this calamity.  

Now that one of the leader-thief-hypocrites has acknowledged the obvious, what can be done about it? Can the current crop of so-called leaders who got in there by fraud and dishonesty, come up with an effective governance which will stop the stealing of so-called “national” resources by themselves; and manage the resources better, and alleviate the twin burdens of poverty and lack of opportunity? The answer, of course, is a resounding, No!  These thieves and hypocrites are the same old wolves; whether they reappeared now or have always been there in the field committing their crimes against humanity. But the most basic reason is that it is only a structure such as one-Nigeria and the attendant conditions and policies that make possible all the evils and ills of Nigeria visited on, and over-burdening, the hapless peoples living in Nigeria, but especially Biafra. It is only because of one-Nigeria that these thieves-hypocrites can not only survive, but actually thrive and brag about their loot, and self-perpetuate, while carrying out a deliberate and consistent anti-Biafran policy.  For, it is Biafrans that have consistently borne the brunt of the evils of one-Nigeria, and the ignorance, prejudice, and vindictiveness of Nigeria 's so-called leaders.  

Fellow Biafrans: there can be only one solution: we must leave Nigeria . We must leave Nigeria now! For too long, we have allowed ourselves to be kicked around and played like a soccerball by ignorant, uneducated, uncouth, unethical persons calling themselves leaders of one-Nigeria, operating the evil vehicle known as the country, Nigeria . It is this setup that is responsible for the conditions wherein our people are exposing themselves to unnecessary danger just because there is unfathomable desperation and despondency. Please try to imagine what is going on. You are a Biafran. You live on the land of Biafra --in Biafraland. God Himself has blessed your land with Oil. The Nigerians and their leaders and friends come to Biafra land and take your Oil away. They sell it and keep the money. You don't get anything out of at, except the ecological damage done to your land. They develop the rest of Nigeria , and create opportunities for the rest of Nigeria . You, a Biafran, are left with nothing. They make sure of that—that you are left with nothing—too. In desperation, you start exploring and engaging in all these desperate activities. What a hell!  

As if we have not suffered enough, we are now also being victimized by a few fellow Igbo-Biafrans who have joined ranks with one-Nigeria and their rulers. This group includes all the officers and officials and operatives of PDP. This group includes all the elite whose policy is to serve any government in power, the so-called “AGIP syndrome.” This group also includes the sycophants and praise-singers of enemies of Biafra : those who have sworn to humiliate and torment Biafra . These are persons who are eager to defend the murderous maltreatment being meted to Igbo-Biafrans by one-Nigeria and her rulers; they are the same people that will never find the courage to at least acknowledge that Igbo-Biafrans are being systematically victimized by one-Nigeria and her rulers, never mind actually speaking out or acting out against this. On these persons, we heap scorn. Our answer to them will come in the form of Biafra actualization out of the current dispensation.  

Fellow Biafrans, it is for these reasons that we state that this sad “bell tolls for” you and for me too, not just the injured and the dear departed. This is very much about us, the living, regardless of where we live. We are all victims. We are all being killed by one Nigeria . So, do not be surprised when we ask you to join in the rejection of the recently self-installed fraudulent government, the result of gross dishonesty allowed to take hold. Let us swear to not have anything to do with this illegal government. We must step out and speak out; we must protest against injustice, dishonesty, fraud, poor performance, and malice.  

There is in fact no better time to protest than now. For those of us who are thinking and saying something like "let the Igbo, not get involved; this is Obasanjo Vs Buhari show, let them duke it out..." or suchlike, permit us to ask you a few questions. Granted, Buhari is not a saint nor could he be better than Obasanjo: they are all bad; they are all persons with no eyes at all, in the land of the blind. None of them knows anything about democracy, nor governance—good or bad governance.  But Buhari is fighting on the principle that dishonesty and fraud in elections should not, and cannot, be rewarded by the acceptance of the criminals who engineered the fraud in the first place. He is in fact absolutely correct about this. If he successfully stops these thieves, super-hypocrites and  dishonest bunch, that is, Obasanjo and company, he will have aided the process and mechanism of the breakup of Nigeria, which is definitely in the best interest of Igbo-Biafrans because any significant upheaval in Nigeria will result in Biafra pulling out immediately. As such, anyone who understands the plight of Igbo-Biafrans in the present dispensation in Nigeria will have no problems seeing how our working to maximize the effects of Buhari's agitation must certainly benefit Biafra actualization. For this reason, we must all get up and get out there and add to the efforts of the movement to reject Obasanjo's fraud; and in so doing, bring about the end of Nigeria so that Biafra can move on.  

Yes, we did not forget the questions that we want to ask those who feel that this is not an Igbo-Biafra fight, but should be left as Obasanjo Vs Buhari or the North Vs the West. First, in which region were there places where elections were not held at all and yet winners were declared? Was it in Buhari's territory? Was it in the West? No! It was in Igboland, in Biafraland—in your own backyard, perhaps, in your own very community; then, why would challenging that not be your own business? Why would you not be in the forefront of this fight? Second, in which region did Obasanjo thoroughly insult and issue threats to the people instead of campaigning for votes like all persons/politicians hoping to be elected by the people? Was it in Buhari's region? Was it in the West—in Yorubaland? Of course, not! Are you going to pretend that you do not know that it was in Igboland and Biafraland where Obasanjo insulted the people's representatives and issued threats to Igbo people? When Ndigbo and other Biafrans voted against 0basanjo, only to wake up to the fact that he and PDP changed the results to suit their own selfish constructs, how is it Buhari's and not the Igbo-Biafran business to fight and correct this? Which region suffered the most casualties as a result of election violence? The West? The North? Let us give you a hint: remember the massacre of unarmed MASSOB members in Okigwe? Finally, which nationality living in Nigeria suffered the most unnecessary humiliation during the entire electoral process starting with the primaries? Does the name, “Ekwueme” mean anything to you? Have you forgotten that the police used tear-gas to disperse a popular and orderly Ojukwu's campaign and political rally in the North prior to the elections? Frankly, we fail to comprehend how any Igbo-Biafran can surmise that the rejection and challenge of these fraudulent and rigged elections which had their worst impact in Igbo-Biafraland, is not a concern of Ndigbo-Biafrans, but is just Obasanjo Vs Buhari fight. Buhari really has nothing to lose either way; but you know what? Ndigbo-Biafra have already lost everything. What we are saying is that it is now time to say, “No!” and, time to say, “Give it back!” to Obasanjo and his fellow dishonest criminals. You have to find a reason for not joining us in the mass protest action to reject and recall this fraudulent governance: If you are honest, you will not find any reason. You cannot find even an excuse.  

Fellow Biafrans: we must join in the mass action. It is a moral duty to oppose dishonesty and fraud, especially when this is flaunted with uncharacteristic brazenness. It is a moral obligation to refuse to be enslaved by those whom clearly you did not choose by electoral process to be your representatives. You become an accessory after the fact if you do not rise up to challenge this usurpation of power and stealing of the elections. Regardless of how you feel about Biafra , it is still morally wrong to acquiesce and accept in silence the current self-appointed, self-inaugurated government of Obasanjo and PDP given that they fraudulently and dishonesty rigged the election results, with the worst effect felt in Igbo-Biafraland.  

Join the mass action. Do your part.  

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.