The death today of this beautiful lady http://www.nairaland.com/2776547/blood-sister-killed-today-biafra sister to a popular Nairalander today Viviangist has prompted me to finally put my thoughts into writing about this increasingly violent agitation of some igbos for the succession of their region to form what they believe will become their Eldorado, How Naïve ?
I say to the rest of Nigeria, who are we to deny a people their right to self-determination, it is a basic human right and the fact still remains that Nigeria as presently constituted is a faulty contraption. So for whatever reason they believe they would have it better being a separate entity, They have a right to it…Absolutely. But the way and manner these youths are going about it shows their limited intellect, Your right to protest should not deny others the right of movement as witnessed at the Onitsha bridge yesterday, The Police would have being within the ambits of the law if they had applied force to remove yesterday’s protesters. Also, These IPOB youths seems to be making these protest about one man, you do not make such a struggle about one man an undeserving one at that, so what if he is released today, will that be the end of it all. Mandela and fellow black Africans didn’t make the struggle against apartheid about themselves, Ghandi didn’t make the struggle against Imperial Britain about himself and for a man that has called for violence against his fellow citizens, brazenly calling out to igbos to kill Non- Igbos in their Land, stupidly ignoring the repercussions of such action (Check Youtube for videos and other hate Speeches)..I can boldly say here that he deserves his present predicament; some sense needs to be put into him
But Still I say if The Igbos wants to leave Nigeria, so be it but permit me to suggest more viable and sensible ways to go about it
1 Igbos must be united in their cause: Try to convince your fellow Igbos especially Those that proudly consider themselves Nigerians and live outside Igboland to join in the cause because these ones will sabotage whatever efforts the others makes, You cannot spoil their business. Maybe an Initial referendum with all Ndigbos partaking to show if In Fact it is what 99% of Igbos want
2 Once Unity of Purpose has been achieved, All Igbos holding Public Office in The Nigerian Federation must resign their post and join in the Struggle which will surely show Nigeria and the rest Of the World that The Igbos ain’t playing, you can’t be crying marginalisation on one hand and at the same time, agitating for a separate country.
3 Move enmasse to Ala Igbo : This reason is for your own safety and common sense, as much as I abhor violence, the reality is that a totally peaceful separation looks unlikely, so an obvious massive movement of Igbos living in Lagos, Kano etc to Ala Igbo will force the Nigerian nation to take note and probably allow a demarcation because obviously, with the disadvantaged position of South Easter region of Nigeria, Biafra will only be if Nigeria agrees to it, So my dear brothers from the land of the rising sun, Let the homecoming or homegoing begin.
4 Civil disobedience instead of threatening Violence: apart from that you are more likely to win international and even national sympathy this way, Threatening Violence have repercussions, one of which is loss of life, Folks that have witnessed war would never want to go through such ever again. Disobey the Nigerian Constitution; Boycott all Nigerian civil and social activities, October 1, May 29, All National Teams, The Nigeria Premier League, refuse to represent Nigeria at international tournaments and I can bet you, Nigeria and the world will take you more seriously
I must add here I believe that what this Nation needs is a realignment of our federation, True and Fiscal Federalism is what will catapult Nigeria into a Nation every Blackman can be proud of and reduce the mutual suspicion every other tribe has for the next, Our Population is an advantage that can be used to develop our economy, There is no guarantee that if Biafra, Odua republic or Niger Delta become a country, all the problems of their citizens will disappear, in some cases, it could even become worse (See South Sudan).
Long live the people of Present day Nigerians irrespective of their country tomorrow!
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