March 31 2007

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

For March 31^st, 2007

You have heard the news; now, the analysis…

Fellow Biafrans:

A couple of days ago, on March 29 2007, MASSOB (Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra), a non-violent organization, held a successful peaceful protest in Lagos Nigeria. What a courageous act and great show—right there in the heart of Nigeria! Many Igbo people in the area who are not even members of MASSOB joined the protest—voluntarily, willingly—helping to swell the numbers of participants into the thousands!

First, we must acknowledge the bravery and commitment of MASSOB and its membership in carrying out this act. Every such act brightens the hopes of our oppressed people; every such act represents a tangible building block added to the process of actualizing our nation of Biafra; every such act restores the faith of our downtrodden people in the fact that Biafra is here to stay, and Biafra actualization is a reality just unfolding in time. Every such act is an assurance that our hope for Biafra, our hope in Biafra, is being fulfilled. So, brave MASSOBIANS: we thank you! Biafra thanks you.

Second, we remind those who seem to have missed a point made by this act: Mention Biafra seriously, and our people will support you in their masses, even in the face of uncertainty and danger. No group at home is more serious about Biafra than MASSOB, for whom Biafra “has become everything.” Whenever MASSOB acts, our people are ready and willing to join in the action. Just ask the Igbo people in Lagos who witnessed, and then, quickly joined, in this march. This is a lesson those who waste time wailing about “lack of unity of our people” should take to heart: acting on a Moral Cause such as Biafra actualization will unite our people—always. But, insisting and harping on “waiting for unity” before you act on a correct principle is the lazy person’s ultimate refuge: it is a sign of lack of seriousness and lack of commitment. MASSOB and its membership believe in action, and our people are uniting around them in support of such action. We thank MASSOB and we also thank our people for this lesson and proof of concept

Now, let us consider the substance of our MASSOB brethrens’ protest:

1) The mass murder of MASSOB members, specifically, the case of the ambush of unarmed MASSOB members travelling in a convoy, by armed Nigerian State Mobile Police on March 29 2003, at Umulolu, Okigwe. These MASSOB victims are our heroes: it’s been four years since they were murdered for the sake of Biafra; we will never forget them, and we won’t let the World forget either. Those responsible will be brought to justice eventually. It’s a promise which we intend to keep—which we will keep.

2) The unconditional release from jail of Ralph Uwazurike, the leader of MASSOB; and all MASSOB officials, including Uchenna Madu, the MASSOB Director of Information; and all other MASSOB members, from Nigeria’s jails. Uwazurike and MASSOB are pursuing a Self Determination agenda: there is nothing illegal or unlawful about that. Uwazurike and MASSOB are using non-violent principles and practice: there is nothing threatening about that. Nigerians should evaluate with honesty for themselves the charges brought by Obasanjo and his regime against these our Biafran brethren: the Nigerians will certainly conclude that it is Obasanjo himself and his regime and friends who are the real danger to their Nigeria, and who have finished off their Nigeria. The security breach in, not just risk to, their Nigeria is Obasanjo and his cronies. Uwazurike et al must be released.

This protest by our valiant MASSOBians also re-emphasized what we all already know and what does not even need to be repeated here: Uwazurike and MASSOB remain a non-violent organization. No amount of attempted deliberate character-assassination, propaganda and or outright brazen lies can change this.

As regards the planned Nigeria’s fraudulent elections, MASSOB and our people will NOT participate in any way: we are Biafrans; as such, having nothing to do with Nigeria’s processes. If Nigerians themselves were people who are committed to honesty and transparency, they would have nothing to do with a dishonest process such as their Nigeria’s elections have become; but that’s their problem, not our—Biafra’s—problem. Therefore, we Biafrans boycott and ignore Nigeria’s elections—if they hold at all. We are not interested.

We join our protesting MASSOBians in reminding the International Community once again of the World’s responsibilities in this matter. We are not going to ask the world to actualize Biafra for us—that’s our own responsibility: it is, indeed, our own responsibility to regain our own freedom by liberating our own selves, and in so doing, teach ourselves and learn the value and cost of freedom and liberty, that, having gained it, we may appreciate how to defend and sustain it for all times. But, we hold the world—the International Community—to the duty of actively maintaining one standard for all humanity living on the planet. Through the United Nations (UN) Organization, the world ratified and upholds the principle of Self Determination for any people; we have seen this principle and practice demonstrated amply in Europe recently. It is, therefore, inconceivable, but also unconscionable, that the same International Community / UN would think to act otherwise by practicing a different standard in Africa where we Biafrans are seeking our Self Determination, and we are doing so under the banner of our non-violent MASSOB using a non-violent agenda. We urge the world / UN to do the legal thing by upholding the principle and practice of Self Determination which it already supports in Europe and elsewhere—by upholding this same principle—in Africa, too, specifically as it applies to the Biafra actualization process in progress now. That’s what we hold the International Community to: the World Community’s own principles and practices.

Again, we thank MASSOBians in Lagos, Nigeria, for reminding us that an Idea never dies. We thank them for proving to us that a Good Idea can never be buried or ignored for long. We can’t wait to thank MASSOB all over and our people in general for demonstrating that an Idea whose time has come comes to fruition in its time—without fail.

Biafra alive! Because it is God Who makes it so.

That’s the News Analysis for the week. Thank you.

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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.

Nkea 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 kele ndi MASSOB Lagos hienne maka ngaari-iwe ha mere na ubochi abuo gara a ga na izu ya ebe ha ziri ndi Nigeria na ndi Uwa na MASSOB ka na e me ire, na Biafra wu a nwughi-anwu. Ezigbo ekele gaara unu, umu MASSOB bi na Lagos ndi soro mee ngaari-iwe ya!

Na omume ya, ndi MASSOB Lagos gwara Nigeria na ndi Uwa na o nweghi otu e siri mee ya ka anyi chefuo ogbugbu Nigeria gburu umunne anyi nde MASSOB—mba! Anyi ga na e cheta ha oge dum; mgbe oge ya ruru, anyi ga a choputa ndi owula aka ha no na njoo na aru ya, weta ha na ulo-ikpe ndi uwa maka ihe ojoo ha mere, ka a maa ha ikpe na nga ahu.

Ndi MASSOB Lagos gwa kwara ndi Nigeria na a ga a hapuriri Ralph Uwazurike, onye isi MASSOB, Uchenna Madu, onye ndu MASSOB, na ndi otu MASSOB ndi ozo, weputa ha site na mkporo ndi Nigeria ugbua. O nweghi iwu ha dara. Uzo nke udo ka ha na anyi na e so na nweta Biafra.

Ihe MASSOB Lagos mere wu kwa i gwa anyi na anyi cheta kwa na oge owula a na e me ihe gbasara Biafra, ndi Igbo na ndi Biafra dum ga a kwu MASSOB na anyi na azu, na ihi Biafra: lee nu unu na ndi Igbo na a zu ahia na Lagos jiri aka ha soro ndi MASSOB ga ngaari-iwe ya!

MASSOB e kwue la ya ozo: uzo MASSOB a wughi uzo egbe na mma na ogu na mgba: mba: o wu uzo nke udo. Onye gwa kwa ra gi ihe ozo, o wu nnukwu asi ka o na a si. MASSOB na kwa e kwu na anyi wu ndi Biafra: maka nkea, o nweghi otu aka ma o wu ukwu anyi ga a ba na election Nigeria: naani boycott na mgbachi nkiti ka anyi ga e me ya wu election o wurugodi ma o ga e nwe isi.

Anyi na MASSOB na a gwa ndi Uwa ka ha soro iwu United Nations (UN) nke si na “Self Determination” (nde mmadu i kewapu, wuru obodo noro la onwe ha, na a chi kwa onwe ha) na o wu ihe di na aka nde mmadu owula. UN na ndi Uwa e gosi la na ha na a kwado Self Determination na ala nde Europe na uwa dum; kedu zie ihe mere UN na ndi Uwa ga a bia zi ugbua si na iwu ahu a dighizi mma na ime Africa ebe Biafra na a cho Self Determination nke anyi? Mba nu o! UN na ndi Uwa kwadoo iwu ha na ihe gbasara Biafra Self Determination.

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

Ndewo unu!

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Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) broadcast continues

Voice of Biafra International (VOBI)
A SHORTWAVE Radio Broadcast Service
transmitting on 7380 kHz (on 41 meter band)
at 2100 - 2200 Hours UTC (Universal Time [Coordinated])
equivalent to 10.00pm - 11.00pm Biafraland time
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A project of Biafra Foundation (BF) Biafra Actualization Forum (BAF)

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Special Announcement:

Information reaching us states that following the recent successful protest rally by MASSOB at Ladipo Mushin in Lagos, the Nigeria SSS / Police have arrested the Chairman of Ladipo Traders Central Committee, Nze Celestine Okonkwo, ostensibly, for allowing such a rally; and have also declared wanted some of MASSOB leaders in Ladipo.

This action is at best preposterous and totally ridiculous. Nigeria SSS / Police, if they are really serious and are looking for something to do, should find and arrest General Obasanjo and his cronies who are single-handedly completing the total destruction of their Nigeria. Scapegoating and victimizing innocent MASSOBians and supporters of Biafra engaged in peaceful rallying, is unconscionable and criminal.

Moreover, neither the SSS nor the Nigeria Police should think for one moment that they can get away with this anymore: this is 2007, and the World, also, is watching. They must release the MASSOBians and our people now: we will certainly hold them accountable for this oppressive act and or should anything befall our people.