This is the News Analysis segment of the Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcasts
For July 16th, 2005
You have heard the news; now, the analysis…
Once again, we want to warn that no sociopolitical arrangement with the goal of one-Nigeria will ever work for the ethnic nations presently suffering and living a life of subsistence and inter-ethnic strife in Nigeria. Obasanjo just tried that with his conference (the so-called National Political Reform Conference) when he strictly banned his selected delegates from discussing so called “corporate unity of Nigeria” (an oxymoron of a term), and we have seen what happened. It was the colonial British government that started the ill-fated experiment called one-Nigeria; the British failed, and have now admitted that it was a huge mistake. Taking over from the British, one government after another, whether civilian or military, tried to force on one-Nigeria among the truly different ethnic nations, all to no avail, with the result that almost half-a-century later, and after colonialism “ended,” Nigeria never gelled into one nation, but has turned into a sick structure where elements forcibly chained together are being forced to drown together, denied of the chance to unlock the chains and rescue themselves.
We bring this up once again because we see the Sovereign National Conference (SNC) taking shape. We have correctly interpreted “sovereign” and “nation” in SNC to apply to the original nations whom the British stripped each of her sovereignty and national identity in order to balkanize and cobble together a pseudo-entity called [one-]Nigeria into existence. The crux of SNC is to arrange a meeting to be attended by these sovereign nations where they will decide how to relate, one nation to another, on the basis of accepted international diplomatic norms. The idea is that SNC is not about one-Nigeria or even about Nigeria: no! SNC is not about keeping Nigeria one, nor making Nigeria better, nor even breaking up Nigeria, for that matter. The focus of SNC is not Nigeria, period. SNC is about sovereign pre-existent nations which happen to be based on the natural quality and properties of ethnicity. SNC empowers these nations to exercise their sovereign rights and imperatives in the act of deciding how to live as good neighbors, one sovereign nation next to, and with, another.
We take great pains to explain this over again because we have heard Enahoro, who is one of the leaders of the SNC plan, talk about preserving one-Nigeria, or building a better Nigeria, as the goal of SNC. To this, we say:
“Here we go again!”
Does anybody ever learn? Are we learning from past mistakes—from what is rather painfully obvious? If Enahoro is going to insist on one-Nigeria being the goal of SNC, how different is he from Obasanjo, and how much different will SNC results be, compared to the outcome of the failed Obasanjo’s NPRC? SNC represents the last “controlled” and civil mechanism to allow original sovereign nations each to reclaim its nationhood and sovereignty. If anyone, principality or any structure imposes the outcome of one-Nigeria on the SNC process, such a person or entity has condemned Nigeria, not just to death—she is already irrevocably headed to her grave, anyway—but to an explosive finale.
It is to be stressed and made clear that at the SNC—if it holds—ethnic nations will decide individually whether to participate in any aggregation or not at all. Thus, any nations wanting to stay in Nigeria and or as Nigeria or as any other corporate structure, may proceed; but those nations choosing to opt out will not be hampered in their choice of separate and independent sovereign national existence. If all the nations choose the latter, (independent existence), so be it. Thus, the primary purpose of the SNC will have been achieved: each ethnic nation will have participated with equity and mutuality, and especially with volition—choice!—in the determination of its own mode of existence and associations. Anything short of this is short—very short, too short. It is our hope that the conveners of SNC understand these parameters and these atmospherics. Failure to do so will precipitate a disaster.
What everyone has to come to grips with—the sooner we lose the pretense, the better—is what had to await the recent US National Intelligence Agency Report on Nigeria to be spelled out, which is the basis of the Intelligence prediction that Nigeria will face outright collapse within 15 years:
"Nigeria's leaders are locked in a bad marriage that all dislike but dare not leave."
For long, for too long, we have tried to say the same thing, and to point out that hypocrisy and pretense will never cover the obvious, as above. We have said that this forced “marriage” is not working, never really worked, and will not work in the future. We have advocated a peaceful process borrowing the MASSOB (Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra) agenda, which is based on non-violence and meaningful, serious, honest talk with other ethnic nations. Because, we are not going to stay in this forced and bad, “disliked marriage” any longer! We dare leave: we leave, as Biafrans.
We now look at other issues. Some of the MASSOB-53 were released after the silly (like “intimidating Obasanjo”) or ridiculous but serious charges (like “treason”) were dismissed. But, quite a few of our MASSOB-53 people are still being held on the charge of “belonging to a banned organization.” It is in fact as ludicrous as the dismissed charges to accuse a MASSOB member of belonging to a “banned organization” in a country where OPC, Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Force, Arewa, the Nigeria Taliban, and other armed and dangerous groups operate quite freely, and are even rewarded with government assignments and roles, positions, contracts, and perquisites. And, let no one forget for one moment, that their ordeal started almost 1 year ago in September, during which they have been subjugated to the worst kind of abuse and dehumanization, persecution and torture by the notorious Nigeria police and the government of Obasanjo / Nigeria who even disobeyed court orders for their release pending trial since they had been detained for over 4 months before the case was even brought to court. Brazen injustice by Nigeria, selective prosecution—that’s what we see! We are doing everything possible to get relief for our remaining brethren, and we pray God grant them serenity and succor throughout this real, living nightmare.
We must not fail to mention by name, Chioma, one of those MASSOB-53 still incarcerated by the Nigerian police on the remaining, flimsy charge. Chioma is a sixteen year-old girl whose “crime” is that she belongs to MASSOB and she attended the soccer tournament last September named for MASSOB. Obasanjo and his government have had her in jail / custody with the rest of the MASSOB-53 since September 2004, while making no special provision for the girl—technically a child for that matter—including school. This is unconscionable. This is State Child Abuse. This situation screams against every known norm of human decency. Obasanjo and his government—Nigeria, are guilty. We ask the entire world community not to hide its indignation, and to sanction Obasanjo and his government. We maintain vigil for Chioma. Biafra will never forget you, Chioma. Because, you, Chioma, single-handedly, have defeated Obasanjo and Nigeria, for on that day when they became so threatened by Chioma, a little sixteen year-old girl who is a MASSOB member, enough to unleash this level of wickedness hiding behind trumped-up charges and non-existent laws, to go against divine and natural laws and the laws of humanity—on that day—Nigeria finally truly died. Nigeria and Obasanjo and his government are mere ghosts: their soul and body burn in Hades. We pray the Angels of God minister unto you, Chioma!
The heart-wrenching story of Igbo traders brutally and methodically murdered recently by Nigerian police officers of Northern extraction in Abuja is not just shocking: it defies categorization. What nature of wickedness would make a man shoot unarmed persons to death, then, take the survivors back to the police station and shoot them, too? Still not enough, when a victim originally wounded by them is found the following day asking for help, they take him and shoot him right there in the streets, too. That was not low enough for the police: they then fabricated the charge of “armed robbery”; and next planted weapons on the victims’ bodies? The worst part of it is that so-called “Igbo leaders” never spoke up. Neither the governors, nor the representatives, nor the LGA; not those in the Senate, nor those in the House, whether on the Federal or State level. Then, some of the aggrieved relatives are asking for monetary damages, when they have not even been able to recover the corpses of their loved ones for a decent burial, at least; and before even they can ascertain that justice will actually be done to the murderers? God help us! All in all, we see the continuing trend of selective destruction of Igbo lives by the Nigerian government and its agents and agencies all over Nigeria, including Biafraland; we continue to witness the sheepish acquiescence of Igbo people to their unenviable, hapless plight.
A reminder: Biafrans will not participate in the Nigeria census exercise, because the census will be rigged; and participation in the count will only serve to legitimize the rigged results. We saw the same pattern during the rigged 2003 elections: even though it is well known all over the world that that elections were rigged, the fraudster Obasanjo and his criminal party, PDP, today enjoy the support and recognition of the rest of the world, while the opposition is powerless to mount any more challenges, and in fact, isno where to be seen at all. Nigeria is a place where evil-doers not only get away with their bad acts, but actually have their conduct and prize legitimized by default, or for lack of sustained and serious challenge. Besides, ethnic Hausa people of Niger Republic reported now to be crossing over into Northern Nigerian in millions, will swell up the numbers in the North; and who has the guts or the will to go after, or even try to prevent, that huge source of over-counting? The fact that Nigeria plans to NOT collect ethnicity and religion data during the census makes the exercise even more suspect. When the EU representative to Nigeria for the census project tries to play down this deliberate omission, one gets the unmistakable impression that by the same token, the EU, who is co-sponsoring the census, will happily and readily accept whatever figures Nigeria presents as the official census tally at the end of the exercise. In the light of the above, does it even matter to mention that the results of all previous census conducted in Nigeria have always been rigged, in fact, starting with the first one conducted by the British, and rigged by the same?
Biafrans have only one option today—that is Biafra actualization. There, we can build our nation, protect our people, provide opportunities for them so that we can thrive on the fulfillment of our individual and collective potential. We were created Biafrans by God, on the land of Biafra. That’s our heritage. No one can change that.
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), now with the summary of the News Analysis in Igbo language.
Ndi Biafra, ekele e o-o! Anyi e kelee unu.
Nke a wu akuko nke anyi na a kpo News Analysis si na Voice of Biafra International Radio, di na Washington DC, na ala America, na a bia ra unu na abali a.
Anyi na e kwu kwa ya ozo: o nweghi ihe a ga e me, ma o wu ihe ga e me, ka Nigeria wuru otu, maka Nigeria e nweghi ike i wu otu. Ihe o wula onye o wula na e me nke ji nchewkube na Nigeria ga a wu otu, o wu oge ka onye ahu na e gbu. Obasanjo, a si na o wu onye nwere ako na ogugu-isi, gara a ghota ihe nkea; ma na o dighi otu ahu. Obasanjo gwara ndi o digara nzuko ojoo ya a na akpo National Political Reform Conference (NPRC) na ha a e meghikwala eme kpatu ihe gbasara Nigeria i wu otu aka. Unu a hula nu otu nzuko ya ahu siri ga a—na mmebi. O wu otu ihe ga na e mebi mgbe o wula mmadu tukwasiri obi na Nigeria wu otu.
Maka nkea, anyi na a du nde na e du nzuko nke ozo ndumodu. Nzuko nke ozo ahu wu Sovereign National Conference (SNC). SNC wu nzuko nke ndi mba ndi bi na ime Nigeria a na a kpo Ethnic Nations kporo, ka ha ga a ebe ahu ga kwekorita otu ha ga esi e bi, otu mba na akuku mba ibe ya. Ndi mba na ile ga na a chi onwe ha, nwere kwa onwe ha. Ndumodu anyi wu na Nwokem a na a kpo Enahoro, na ndi ozo na e du SNC, na ha a gaghi kwa la ga kwu wa zie na SNC ga e mezi Nigeria ma o wu me ka Nigeria ka noro na otu, maka udi okwu ya ga e butariri odida SNC, ka o siri mebie nzuko ojoo Obasanjo. SNC wu maka mba i nwere onwe ha, noro onwe ha, chi a kwa onwe ha; o wughi ka e mezie Nigeria. SNC kwesiri i wu nzuko ga e nye ndi mba ike na ohere i gawara onwe ha, ka anyi si na a cho na nweta Biafra.
Anyi na e kele Chi anyi na ufodu nde MASSOB nde ndi Nigeria ji na nkporo, kemgbe September afo gara aga, na okaa-ikpe si na o nweghi iwu ha dara, ka a ghapu ha aka. Mana ndi MASSOB ndi ozo ka no na nkporo maka ha no na otu MASSOB; ndi Nigeria were zie otua bo ha ebubo na ha no na otu Nigeria kagburu a kagbu. Anyi si Chi anyi lee wa kwa Obasanjo na ndi Nigeria. Anyi si ka Chi anyi chebe umunna anyi ndi MASSOB. Maka, otu na ime ndi ya wu nwatakari nwa nwanyi gbara naani afo iri-na-isii; o so na ndi e tinyere na nkporo na oge na ile ya. Kedu kwa nu onye nwere obi mmadu ga e tinye nwatakari nwa nwanyi na nga maka o no na otu di ka otu MASSOB? Nke a wu ihe aru buri ibu; anyi na a kpo ndi uwa ka ha wesara Obasanjo na Nigeria iwe di ukwu maka ihe aru ya.
Anyi na kwa e cheta umu Igbo ndi nde police Nigeria nde si Ugwu Awusa gbu ru na Abuja, na o nweghi ihe ha mere karia kwa na ha wu ndi Igbo. Obi di anyi njo na o nweghi ihe nde kporo onwe ha ndi isi na ndi ndu ndi Igbo mere, ma o wu ihe ha kwuru, gbasara ya. Obi di kwa anyi njo na e lieghi bee ndi e gburu-egbu e lie, ma ndi ha a ju wa ajuju ego e ji a kwu ha ugwo. Nke a wu aru. Chineke nyere ndi Igbo ndi Biafra aka, maka obi a dighi anyi mma; isi e zughi anyi oke; anyi ka na e me ka nde okeujo.
Cheta kwa unu na ndi Biafra a gaghi e kwe ka a guo anyi onu na onu-ogugu nde Nigeria ga e me na afo ya (o wuru ma ha me e yaw u Census); maka anyi a wughi ndi Nigeria. Nke ozo wuru maka anyi a marala amara na ndi Nigeria ga e ji onu-ogugu ya gwuo wayo, otu ha siri me na mbge mbu, ma o wu na onu-ogugu ma o wu i gu votu na election.
Naani Biafra wu ihe anyi choro, naani Biafra wu ebe anyi na a ga. Chineke kere anyi ndi Biafra na ala Biafra: o nweghi mgbanwe di na nke ahu.
Biafra, ndu gi! Biafra, ndu gi!! Biafra, ndu gi!!!—na ndu anyi. Ma ka Chineke nonyere la gi!
Ndewo unu!
Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcast continues
Voice of Biafra International (VOBI)
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