August 6 2005

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

For August 6^th, 2005

You have heard the news; now, the analysis…

Fellow Biafrans:

Chioma is a 16 year-old Biafran girl who spent 330 days in a Nigerian prison. This week, she made bail, while the charge of “belonging to a banned group” (MASSOB) is still active against her, the judge having earlier dismissed the other charges of Treason against Nigeria and “intimidating General Obasanjo, the president of Nigeria.” For at least a third of this period that Chioma spent in the Nigerian jail, no charges were brought against her. For the last third of this awful period, the Nigerian government and its agencies kept Chioma in jail in open defiance and brazen contempt of a Nigerian court’s orders to release her pending charges and trial. When bail was finally officially granted, it was set too high, both with respect to money and human-surety / guarantor stipulations; hence, Chioma was to spend another month needlessly in the hellish Nigerian jail during the last period of her imprisonment.

Chioma-Biafra is one of the now celebrated “MASSOB-53.” Chioma’s “crime,” and that of others, is that she attended a soccer tournament named for MASSOB and its able leader, Ralph Uwazurike, early in September 2004. Among the 53, many were spectators—regular soccer fans. Others were concessionaires, using the opportunity of the event to hawk drinks and munchies. The rest were players. The tournament had been well publicized—all the way to the global reaches of the worldwide web—and even rescheduled at least once. So, there was nothing secretive about it. Sometime during the game, the Nigeria police, claiming to be reacting to a tip (about this previously well-advertised event taking place in an open field?) swooped down and pounced on these hapless people of Igbo and Biafran origin, manhandled them, arrested them, and accused them of plotting to overthrow the government of Nigeria, and even produced some machetes which they, the police, claimed belonged to the group, as proof of the group’s intent. It was there and then that the ordeal of the 53 would start. As of the time of preparing for this broadcast, eight are still in jail, unable to make bail yet. One is unaccounted for—but even the court system now does not bother to ask about him any more. Another member is psychotic, most likely driven to that state by the unconscionable conditions of incarceration in a Nigeria jail.

Chioma-Biafra was mistreated while in jail. As a juvenile, she never received any legal considerations which should apply to a juvenile—legal by international standards. Note: we are not even speaking of humane treatment, least of all, moral treatment; that would be too much to ask of a Nigeria completely bereft of morality and humanity in her dealings with anybody Igbo or Biafran. Yes, those who unjustly deprived Chioma of her freedom never cared about her make-up education nor her psychosocial development at this most impressionable phase of her life while they kept her in jail. And, we are talking about a sixteen year-old girl!

Today, Obasanjo, apparently, is on the short-list of nominees for a UK prize, equivalent to the Nobel Prize, for peace, we are told. It is one thing for Obasanjo to exhibit this level of inhumanity and wickedness toward a juvenile—a child, because the child is Biafran; it is another thing for the UK to be so blinded and so insensitive as to even consider him for this prize. How far and how wide does travesty extend?

It was General Obasanjo-handpicked and appointed Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria who personally prepared the charges of treason and other capital punishment-fetching crimes against Chioma-Biafra and the rest of the 53. All the while, the direct hand of Obasanjo could be seen leading this attorney and kinsman of his by the nose, earning the latter the deserved appellation of the “General’s attorney” (rather than the Attorney-General), as he insulted the profession of law, debased the post of an Attorney-General, and made a mockery of not only himself, but the rest of humanity in general, by pursuing, defending and prosecuting these charges. Thus, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice of Nigeria was to tell Nigerians, in his justification of her incarceration, that Chioma-Biafra, a child at a soccer tournament, was “intimidating General Obasanjo,” a crime which carries capital punishment in Nigeria. At the same time, the “General’s attorney” would defend OPC and other violent organizations seeking self-determination and waging war against the Nigerian government, claiming that such organizations had committed no crimes when compared to Chioma’s participation in a soccer tournament. What a farce! Such a disgrace! When Obasanjo reshuffled his cabinet last week, it was no surprise that this stupid attorney was dismissed from both posts; what remains to be learned is whether it was his gross incompetence, professional and moral delinquency, or the possibility that he finally came to his senses and questioned “his master’s voice,” which caused his riddance—or both.

Biafrans, peoples living in Nigeria, and peoples of the world: we ask you: Which is more dangerous: a 16 year-old girl attending a soccer tournament named for MASSOB, or the President of a country, its Minister of Justice and the Attorney-General disobeying properly constituted court orders? We ask you: Which is more intimidating: a female juvenile attending a soccer tournament named for MASSOB, or General Obasanjo, his Minister of Justice and Attorney-General of Nigeria trampling on the constitutional rights of the child and charging the child with Treason, punishable by death? Again, we ask: Which is more ominous: Obasanjo, his Justice Minister and Attorney-General publicly defending and protecting violent organizations like the OPC while at the very same time seeking the death penalty for a child attending a soccer tournament? You be the judge.

One thing is certain: Chioma has become a living icon of the Biafra struggle for justice. Chioma has become a legend in her own time at her young age for exposing the hypocrisy, cruelty and wickedness of Obasanjo and the Nigerian system like nothing else and no one else has. Chioma, a mere girl-child, has single-handedly indicted Obasanjo and Nigeria for their inhuman treatment and selective persecution of Igbo and other Biafrans. If Obasanjo and his government and Nigeria intended to (as he would brag) “teach Biafrans a lesson,” this time, the lesson is for Obasanjo. Chioma, a Biafran child, is teaching Obasanjo, his government and Nigeria an unforgettable lesson: Biafra is here to stay, though he and his cabal kill us all and imprison our children and youth, our adults and elderly, male and female; Biafra will never die; Biafra must be and will be actualized. In the final analysis, what hope is there for a country whose leaders and government are so frightened and spooked by a little girl attending a soccer match, frightened enough to throw the child in jail with made up charges, demanding the death penalty for her? Nigeria and her leaders are indeed doomed: thanks to Chioma for exposing to what extent. Thanks to Biafra for providing the only alternative.

Chioma: Biafra welcomes you back to our midst. We love you. We are inspired by your courage. Only our Chi can understand, heal and strengthen you: we pray for nothing less. But, we now have no choice but to follow your example and to actualize Biafra—for you, for us all, for posterity, and for God. You have run your leg of the race superbly; we now carry the baton for the final lap, to certain victory—Biafra!.

The same, for all the other MASSOB-53 members, especially the 8 still waiting to raise bail; and in fact, for all MASSOB members in general. Biafra thanks you, one and all, and God be your strength and succor.

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.

Nwa anyi, nwatakari nwanyi anyi, Chioma, nke gbara naani afo iri-na-isii, nke Obasanjo na ndi Nigeria tinyere na mkporo maka o so na nde anyi na a kpo “MASSOB-53,” a putala na nkporo—a gbaaralaya bail. Ma o ka ga a ga na ulo ikpe ndi Nigeria i ga zoo onwe ya na ebubo Obasanjo na Nigeria boro ya, na ya dara iwu Nigeria ebe ya no na otu Nigeria si na Nigeria a choghi ka o diri—otu MASSOB.

Mara kwa unu na Chioma-Biafra no na nkporo ndi Nigeria onwa iri-na-otu—o foro naani otu onwa ka o wuru otu afo ka Chioma no na ala mmuo ahu a na a kpo nkporo ndi Nigeria. Mgbe o no na nga ahu, o wu naani mmegbu na mkpari na mmekpa-ahu ka Obasanjo na ndi Nigeria na e megbu na na a kpaari ya. O wu kwa nu gini ka nwatakari nwa nwanyi ya mere? Na ya gara nlenle ebe ndi MASSOB na a gba futubolu na Lagos? Na ya wu nwa Igbo, nwa Biafra?—o gwuchaa di la!

Mana ihe anyi na Chi anyi na ndi uwa ndi ozo huru wu na ujo nwatakiri nwa nwanyi Biafra a na a tu Obasanjo na ndi Nigeria na ihi na nwata ahu wu nwa Biafra. Ha e we re zie otu ahu na a cho ka a maa Chioma ikpe na ulo ikpe Nigeria, ka a dogbue ya, gbuo ya wu Chioma. Obasanjo na ndi otu ya e we re zie otua na e me aru nke nwoke ma o wu nwanyi e kwesighi i me. Na ihi otu nwatakiri a, Chioma-Biafra, Obasanjo na Nigeria e mela ihe ruru aru na ihu Chineke na mmadu, na ihu mmuo ojoo na mmuo nso. O nweghi mgbahara mmeghie ga a diri Obasanjo na govument ya na Nigeria.

Anyi na e kele Chioma ezigbo ekele. Anyi ga na etu Chioma aha, maka o wu nwatakiri nwanyi ma ya e mii ra Obasanjo na Nigeria oke ujo. Anyi na etu Chioma aha maka ihe o merela Biafra, na otu ihe mere ya—ihe ndi Nigeria mere ya—jiri nye anyi obi-sie-ike. O nweghi nu otu e siri kpota aha Biafra ma o wu cheta Biafra ka a ghara i cheta Chioma! Biafra e kelee gi, Chioma. Ka Chi anyi na edu gi; ka ndi mmuo ozi ya were nku ha kewaputara gi ebe obibi.

Anyi na kwa e cheta, na na e kele, ndi mmadu asato ndi MASSOB=53 ndi a gbaputaghi bee na bail—ndi ka na na nkporo; na ndi MASSOB-53 ndi ozo; na ndi MASSOB na ile. Biafra na e kele unu; anyi tinyere unu na aka Chi anyi.

O wu Biafra ka anyi na a ga. O nweghi ebe ozo; o nweghi ihe ozo anyi na a cho nke na a wughi Biafra. Chi anyi e nye la anyi Biafra e nye; ka anyi gaa were Biafra a ugbua.

Biafra, ndu gi! Biafra, ndu gi!! Biafra, ndu gi!!!—na ndu anyi kwa. Maka Chineke nonyere la gi!

Ndewo unu!

Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcast continues
Voice of Biafra International (VOBI)
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