This is the News Analysis segment of the Voice of Biafra International broadcasts

For October 2^nd, 2004

You have heard the news; now, the analysis…

“My peoples and my nations shall not be sacrificed for the sake of preserving a worthless idea called Nigeria.” So speaketh the Lord. And so it is.

“The peoples and their nations must live and thrive, though the name and concept of Nigeria die. The peoples and their nations must not, and will not, be allowed to perish just to save a dying Nigeria.” So says the Lord.

Fellow Biafrans: Commit to the Word of God.

Let us start this week by reminding you to complete the Remembrance and Mourning Week started on September 29, through October 1, and ending October 6, marked by the wearing of a black item on your person during this time. This is to remember with sorrow, and mourn our Biafran brethren brutally murdered in cold blood in genocidal action in one of three major waves of mayhem committed against Biafrans by Northern Nigerians and Western Nigerians at this period in 1966. While this is a voluntary exercise, any Biafran who celebrated Nigerian Independence Day on October 1 (yesterday) with Nigerians will have to look deep into his or her own soul and answer the question,  why? This year, 2004, marks the beginning of the observation of this tradition. For 34 years, Nigeria never admitted any wrong-doing, never apologized, never showed any remorse, and celebrates October 1^st like nothing ever happened to Biafrans on this day. For our part, we went along, like fools, acting as if nothing ever happened either, perhaps, thinking that if we did not remember, Nigeria might be appeased and accept us into their country. Well, the folly is over now; we now know better. It is incumbent upon us to remember and honor our own history, to remember the bloody and capital injustice done, without provocation, to our people. We have seen how, if we do not do it—if we do not do for ourselves—no one else will: certainly, not the  murderers themselves.

We understand that General Obasanjo was recently invited to a US college campus to be one of the speakers at the annual Oliver Tambo Memorial Lecture. What a term in contradiction! What a sham, what hypocrisy! Whoever made the invitation has brought dishonor to the exalted name of Oliver Tambo, one of the leading personalities who fought against and defeated the evil apartheid erstwhile South Africa government. The organizers have shown poor taste, poor judgment and profound ignorance, and have brought mockery to the event by having General Obasanjo even present on such a hallowed occasion, never mind be a speaker.  For, General Obasanjo has personally been responsible for, and has presided over Nigerian regimes which have meted, treatment to Biafrans as bad, sometimes even worse, than what the apartheid regime did to indigenous Black South Africans in those days. Oliver Tambo fought for liberation from malicious, malignant oppression and against pervasive injustice, and for freedom; when victory was won, he went on to appeal for true democracy, for reconciliation and magnanimity, and for unity of purpose. We find the exact opposite in General Obasanjo who is part of the continuing oppression and exploitation of Biafra, one of the architects and strongest defenders of gross injustice directed to Biafrans, a person who has not a fiber of democracy in his psyche, a man given to unusual vindictiveness and meanness, never hesitant to use any occasion to foment divisiveness, even in the position of head of state. What greater disgrace to that event than that General Obasanjo should be present, and should give a talk. The title of Obasanjo’s talk should have been “To Mock a Hero by Practicing Everything He Fought Against.”.

It is only timely and appropriate that Ralph Uwazurike, the leader of MASSOB, should enumerate, in a recent newspaper interview, the reasons why we are irrevocably committed to Biafra actualization as the only option for our people. There, you will find just a few of General Obasanjo’s onerous contributions to the reasons. But, let us re-state some of those reasons again, because we have been reminding you of the same things for a long time—ever since we concluded that Nigeria is truly irreversibly bound for the depths of a bottomless pit, and it wants to take Biafrans along with it to its grave.

1) Nigeria hates Igbo-Biafrans. We do not understand when and where envy and jealousy for the Igbo-Biafran go-getter trait turned into profound hatred for Igbo-Biafrans  by the rest of Nigeria. As long as we are Igbo-Biafra, the hatred will remain. So, you can see that nothing is going to change this for the better. We must go our own way.

2) Economic Exploitation: One-Nigeria, to the Northerner, does not mean that you, as Igbo-Biafran, are an equal citizen or compatriot. To the Northerner, all it means is that they have a structure and a license to reap where they did not sow—to grab all the resources of Biafra and use them for their own ends, while at the same time refusing to accord Biafrans their due and equal rights of Nigerian citizenship in any part of Nigeria. And, they will not share any of their resources with the rest of their one-Nigeria. To this day, they show no inclination to change this avarice. Recall the Resource Control issue.

3) Political Exploitation: Since 1960, The Eastern Region has been politically exploited by the North, whether the North is pairing off with the West  or with the East. This started with the British writ that handed over the political control of Nigeria to the North, in perpetuity. Following the Biafra War of Survival, the North’s grip on power was tightened, using the concept and practice of super-centralized power—which contradicts the “Federation” plan of Nigeria—the very same centralization concept and practice which the North finds intolerable especially in the rare occasion when a non-Northerner happens to approach the apex of the government. Since 1970, plum political positions are reserved for the Northerners, but the political work is done by, and extracted from, Biafrans who are not to be allowed to occupy any position of import in the governments. Political support for the North is expected and extorted from the East-Biafra, while the latter is not expected to ask for anything in return. To this day, this continues: hear the words and  the performance of Northerners at the recently concluded WIC (it really stands for “World Igbo Congress”—believe it or not, although it acts like one-Nigeria Congress)  jamboree in the US. Just think: have you ever known the North to invite any Igbo-Biafran when the North holds its congresses?

4) Social exploitation: Biafrans provide needed basic services and other sophisticated services for the rest of Nigeria; Biafrans have spread deepest into Nigeria, but are the least integrated, by the choice and plan of the indigenes of other parts of Nigeria. This becomes evident by how frequently, and how easily, Biafrans are eliminated from their locations, by state-sponsored murder and mayhem, and destruction and or confiscation of their property, especially in Northern Nigeria, but definitely also in the West. There are locations where a Biafran cannot set foot, let alone settle, in parts of Nigeria, especially in the North, because, Nigerian citizenship notwithstanding, he or she has no right to be there and will never be permitted therein—at the risk of death, by decree.

5) Religious Exploitation: Biafrans are mostly Christians; “thou shalt not kill” is a cardinal Divine law, respected and taken seriously by all. As a rule, Biafrans would never initiate a murderous agenda. If they did, accountability is not only to Man, but also to God. On the other hand, Muslims get up from their prayer sessions and go straight from Prayer House onto streets with murder and mayhem on their minds, finding easy victims in their Christian neighbors, killing the Christians—Biafrans, mostly—and destroying their property and businesses, as if it was a religious duty. There is no remorse at all. As if this is not enough, Sharia ways and laws are imposed on Christian Biafrans without the latter’s consent, with no way out for these hapless Biafrans. And there is no reason to think or believe that this will change for the better now or in the future.

Fellow Biafrans: any way you look at it, there is no place for Biafrans in Nigeria; there is simply too much hatred and exploitation of Biafrans in Nigeria, to the extent that such hatred and exploitation have become entrenched in policy and become habitual and customary and automatic; worst of all, we have learned to live with this abomination, become comfortable with it, and accept it with no plans to challenge it.  No more!

What the leader of MASSOB said in that interview about why we want and will get Biafra is correct. We have to add one thing, though: Biafra fought in 1967-1970 in self-defense. Recall the massacres of 1966 of Biafrans by Nigerians, in several waves, of which we are now observing one wave in this Remembrance and Mourning Week referenced above. Then, there was Aburi, of which, if Gowon and Nigeria had kept their part of the agreement, there would have been no war. Non-violence works in a planned struggle, and we stand by that today, because Biafra actualization today is a planned and deliberate agenda. But, in an emergency, when your trusted neighbor suddenly turns against you and stabs you over and over again, and chases you into your own home, you dripping with your own blood, and nothing is going to satisfy him but your death, you better use whatever you can to defend yourself, any how you can. That was Biafra in 1966-1970. We suffered, but considering that we were fighting not just Nigeria but also Britain, Russia, Egypt, Arab countries, Muslim African countries—all at the same time—we actually did quite well.

Today, we are MASSOB in spirit, in mind, in thought and in deed. Biafra is our prize, because we are going for what God Himself prepared for us.

It is God’ pleasure to create Biafra and Biafrans and to sustain and uphold them in His Divine Grace.

Biafra alive!

That’s the news analysis for the week. Thank you.

God bless and keep Biafra, and you, until our next broadcast. Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcast continues (http://www.biafraland.com/vobi.htm) with the summary of the News Analysis in Igbo language. 

Ndi Biafra anyi e kele unu.

Nke a bu akuko nke anyi na akpo News Analysis si na Voice of Biafra International radio di na Washington DC na ala Amerika na abia ra unu na abali a.

Na mbido, anyi na e wetara unu okwu si na onu Chineke anyi na a si na Ya agaghi ekwe ka okike Ya, nke unu dum bu, la na iyi site na ihi ihe ojo o ahu a na akpo Nigeria. Chineke na ekwu si na Nigeria ga anwu, ma na okike nke Chineke, nke bu unu dum, ga adi ndu, ma na eri kwa ndu, bie kwa ogologo ndu. Nde Biafra: tu kwasi obi na Okwu Chineke.

Anyi na ekele unu ka unu siri we re bido izu ncheta na iru onuma na uju nke gbasara nde Biafra ndi nde Awusa na ndi Nde Nigeria gburu egbu na afo 1966. O ka fo ro ubochi ole na ole rue October 6; biko, mee chakwa unu ihe anyi bidoro na September 29. Site na afo a, 2004, anyi ga na enwe izu emume a na afo na ile na a bia na ihu. Ma ka o wu so o so anyi ga na echeta ihe mere anyi—ihe aru ndi Nigeria mere anyi—ma ka Nigeria enweghi mkpuru obi nde ezigbo mmadu; owu obi okwute ka ha nwere; ha a choghi i cheta ihe ojo o ha mere ndi Biafra na oge ahu ma o bu na oge ozo na ile.

Anyi a nu la na Obasanjo ga ra na a la America i ga kwu o okwu na emume eji e cheta onye a na akpo Oliver Tambo, otu nwoke onye isi ndi so ro lu o ogu (ya na Nelson Mandela) ma merie ndi ochichi ojo o South Africa a na a kpo apartheid, nde na e gbu na na e megbu ndi ojii nde nwe ala South Africa mgbe ahu. Ma na ihe Obasanjo na ndi otu ya na ndi Nigeria na eme nde Biafra ka njo karia ihe apartheid mere ndi ojii ndi nwe ala South Africa. Odi zi ka Obasanjo ga ra ichi emume ahu ochi, maka ihe Obasanjo na eme ndi Biafra ta wu ihe Oliver Tambo lusi chara la ogu na South Africa.

Ihe ojo o na ile Obasanjo na eme Ndigbo-ndi Biafra so cha kwa na ihe kpatara anyi si na a pu na Nigeria ga a no o ro onwe anyi na Biafra. Ihe nde a so na ihe Ralph Uwazurike, onye isi MASSOB, na agwa ndi Newspaper ndi bia ra i ju ya ihe gara na ala Biafra. Anyi kwere na ihe Uwazurike gwa ra ha. Ka anyi kwu o kwa ufodi ihe ndia ozo: 

Otu) Ndi Nigeria kpo ro nde biafra ugwo ma ka ihe na agara ndi Biafra na ihu na ihi na nde Biafra na a ru si oru obula ha na a ru ike; ma ru o kwa ya nke oma.

Abuo) O wu so o so ma ka i kpiri ego Mmanu na i zu ru ihe nde Biafra ndi ozo ka Ndi Nigeria ji acho one-Nigeria. A si na ewepu ihe nde a, onweghi onye na ime ha ga a si na ya choro one-Nigeria ozo.

Ato) Nde Nigeria na e megbu ndi Biafra oge na ile mgbe o bia ra na ochichi Nigeria. Nde Biafra na a ru si oru government ike, jiri ako na ogugu-isi, ma na ndi Nigeria e kwere la si na onweghi onye Biafra a ga enye okwa ba ra uru na ochichi Nigeria.

Ano) Ndi Biafra na a ga na ala ndi ozo na ime Nigeria ga mezie ra ha ala ha, ma nde ahu a choghi ka ndi Biafra biri na etiti ha ma obu biri na udo na ala ha. Mgbe osoro ha, ha ga a chula Ndi Biafra, ma obu gbue ndi Biafra, ma obu su o ulo na ngwongo ahia ndi Biafra oku. Onweghi ihe ndi Biafra nwere ike eme gbasara ihe ojo o na ile nde a na eme ha.

Ise) Nde Biafra wu ndi uka Chukwu ndi Jesu Kristi. Ha a naghi egbu nde mmadu. Ma ndi Alakoba na egbu ndi Biafra na oge na ile ka a na egbu okuko. Nde Alakoba na e so uzo Sharia ha, ma ha jiri ike na eme ka ndi Biafra nde Jesu Kristi so ro Sharia na ala nde Alakoba.

Ma ka ihe ndi a na ndi ozo, one-Nigeria e nweghi isi: o nweghi otu oga esi e nwe isi na anyi wu nde Biafra na ndi di otua—ndi Nigeria—ga ebiri na otu obodo. anyi ga e nweta riri obodo nke aka anyi, nkw wu Biafra.

Anyi kwetara na ihe Uwazurike gwara ndi newspaper. Ma na anyi na acho kwa ka unu mara na Biafra lu ru ogu 1967-1970 maka iji zo o ndu anyi. Ndi Awusa na ndi Nigeria choro anyi onwu; ha egbu o la anyi, churu anyi  site na ala Awusa na ala ndi ozo na ime Nigeria chuba ta anyi na ala nke anyi, ma na a bia kwa na ike na ike, jiri mma na egbe na uta na aku na achu anyi. O nwezi kwa ihe ozo onye obula ozo ga eme ma o bughi i lu si ha ogu iji zo o ndu onye ahu. O wu otu a ka  ihe siri ga na afo 1966-1970.

Ta ta, obi anyi na mmuo anyi na oru anyi bu MASSOB: anyi na acho i nweta Biafra—anyi ga e nweta Biafra—ma na anyi a gaghi e ji mma ma obu egbe ma o bu mgbo ma obu osisi lu si onye obula ogu. Anyi ga na a gba si ike i nweta Biafra; anyi ga e nwetariri Biafra, maka Chineke kere anyi, me e anyi nde Biafra; Ya Onwe Ya ke kwara ala Biafra, we re ya nye anyi.

Biafra, ndu gi! Biafra, ndu gi!! Biafra, ndu gi!!! Ma ka Chineke nonyere la gi!

Nde ewo unu!

Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcast continues
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