https://www./igboville/869886583066180/?comment_id=869979849723520&notif_t=group_comment_reply

There is a new Igbo man who was not born in 1966 and
neither knows nor cares about Nzeogwu and Ojukwu. There are
Igbo men on the street who were never Biafrans. They were
born Nigerians, are Nigerians, but suffer because of the actions
of earlier generations. They will soon decide it is better to fight
their own war and may find an honorable peace, than to
remain in this contemptible state of perpetuity. The Northern
bourgeoisie and the Yoruba bourgeoisie have exacted their
pound of flesh from the Igbos. For one Saduana, one Tafawa
Balewa, one Akintola and one Okotie-Eboh hundreds of
thousands have died and suffered. If this issue is not addressed
immediately no conference will solve Nigeria’s problems.”

Now, if you guessed who made the above statement to be a
prominent Igbo politician or a foreign observer of Nigerian
politics, you guessed wrong. The comment and the ominous
warning was made by no less a person than Alhaji Sanusi
Lamido Sanusi, former Governor of the Nigerian Central Bank
and present Emir of Kano. The above excerpt was part of a
paper he presented at the national Conference on the 1999
Constitution, jointly organized by the Network For Justice at the
Arewa House, kaduna on Sept 11-12 1999. In that same speech,
while supporting Balarabe Musa’s contention that ‘the Yoruba
bourgeoisie are the greatest problem to nation building in
Nigeria’, Alhaji Sanusi also remarked that the Igbo people
comparatively have made a mark in the history of Nigeria, as
the people who successfully prosecuted the first military coup
in Nigeria and subverted the constitution , hence they should
share some of the blame. However he also opined that the
nation must realize that the Igbos have more than paid for their
foolishness, adding that they have been defeated in war,
rendered paupers by monetary fiat, their properties declared
abandoned and confiscated, kept out of public sector
appointments, deprived of public services and forced to remain
in a Nigeria that denies them equity. In a nutshell, he claimed
the Northern and the Yoruba bourgeoisie have conspired to
keep the Igbos out of the scheme of things.
At the time these comments were made, there was nothing
really news worthy about it because it was common knowledge
that the Igbo’s were not receiving and still do not receive a fair
deal from the powers that be. The news worthiness was in the
person who made the comments, a Northern Hausa/Fulani
aristocrat. After the first world war, the victorious powers
treated Germany with the same contempt Nigeria is treating
the Igbos. But after the second world war which Germany
under Hitler lost again, the allied powers did their best to
rebuild Germany. The same was done for Japan under the
Marshall plan. Comparatively Nigerian leaders have no sense of
history. 45 years since the end of the civil war, the Igbos
continue to be marginalized. Just when many prominent Igbo
organizations are attempting to appeal to the conscience of our
new president and other well meaning Nigerians about the
second class status of the Igbo’s here comes Junaid Mohamed
with his idiotic and treasonable comments regarding the Igbo
request for restitution and need for another war of secession.
Talking about reparations and restitution, is it not a sign of
double standards, that the Igbo nation which lost more than 2
million of its citizens during the three year war and whose local
economies were damaged and their properties declared
abandoned have continued to be marginalized and neglected
while the Federal government has recently taken or accepted a
$1.2 billion loan to rehabilitate the North East and Boko Haram
victims?. There are some Nigerians who have said the Igbos do
not deserve any reparations for a war they brought on
themselves. Yet the same people are not saying the same about
Boko Haram, a group of Hausa/Fulani Islamic terrorists who are
busy killing their fellow northerners.

Cont'd

The reality of our present situation is that many Igbos have
come to lose faith in the ability and willingness of other ethnic
groups and especially the various Federal governments to fully
accept them back into this entity called Nigeria. 45 years since
the end of the war, the history of that war is not part of our
school curriculum. How can you talk about integration when
millions of our young people have no knowledge of what
caused that war and what lessons the country has learnt from
it.? For the Igbos, their one serious quest for the highest office
of the land with the prospective candidacy of Dr Alex Ekwueme
as the presidential flag bearer of the PDP was squashed by the
same Northern and Yoruba political elite when they pushed him
aside in favor of Obasanjo who had just come out from prison.
A rejection and humiliation Dr Ekwueme will hardly forget. But
it was not just Ekwueme, it was the same political cabal telling
us they were not ready for an Igbo presidency.
Today, the number of Igbos in the federal civil service have
been reduced or have remained stunted over the years. Right
now the Yoruba’s who make up 18% 0f the population occupy
close to 40 % of all civil service employees, with the 5 other
zones sharing the remaining 60%. The same could be said of the
defense forces where the North dominates. Just recently the
president retired about 4 of the few Igbo Major Generals in the
army, while none made the list of the newly appointed service
chiefs. Despite having lost the war the Igbo’s have done their
utmost to integrate themselves into the socio-economic and
political fabric of the country. They have migrated to various
parts of the country, setting up businesses and owning
property, despite being harassed, killed, abused and in some
cases as it was with the Oba of Lagos, asked to go home or
drown in a lake. But the Igbo’s, because they have experienced
the most and have suffered so much have ceased to hate. Hate
is more for those with a slightly guilty conscience and who by
chewing on an old hate in times of peace wish to demonstrate
how great they were during the war. It is the reason why the
Igbo’s are the most adventurers and forgiving Nigerians, willing
to live amongst people who once threatened their existence.
Today there is a sense of mistrust, despair and injustice
amongst the Igbo’s which is quite understandable. In Jonathan
they saw someone who they thought was a kindred spirit, even
though he really didn’t do much for them. The rest of the
country may criticize them for their voting preference but it
was one based on who they thought will best represent their
interest. Should they be punished for doing so? Some think
they should, but it is my hope that despite President Buhari’s
recent assertion during his recent visit to Washington that the
5% who did not vote for him should not expect the same
preferential treatment as the 95% who did, cooler heads will
prevail.
While the Igbo’s complain of being discriminated against, other
ethnic groups see them as whiners. In Nigeria, our socialization
renders us ethnically illiterate .When you add a lack of humility
to that illiteracy (because we refuse to accept the obvious) you
get the breakdown we so often see when trying to engage in
meaningful conversation about ethnic prejudice and
discrimination. Studies have shown that groups or people who
receive some form of ethnic or racial preferences , most often
than not are oblivious to the complaints and concerns of those
who are not so privileged.
In Nigeria today when we talk about FEDERAL CHARACTER, we
are talking about a process that is invariably skewed to favor
certain groups. A good example is in 2013 when the Federal
Ministry of Education released the cut off point for that year’s
common entrance exam into Unity colleges. What it revealed
was that in the name of federal character some states expressly
benefitted more than others. Out of a ceiling of 200, the 5
south eastern states had the following cut off points. Abia 130,
Ebonyi 112, Anambra 139, Enugu 134, Imo 138. The numbers
were similar for the South western and South South states.
Comparatively these were the cut off numbers for some
northern states. Zamfara 4, Yobe 2,Taraba 3, Sokoto 9 and
Kebbi 9. The only northern state with a moderately high cut off
point of 91 was kaduna state. What the above figures tell us is
the absurdity of the continued use of Federal Character, which
in my opinion as one prominent Nigerian put it “a celebration
of mediocrity” hence both the student who scored 130 and the
one who scored 2 will be offered admission supposedly on
merit. The northern student with a pass mark of 2 may
somehow become a good student, but the point here is that he
stands a better chance of getting a better job, possibly a
ministerial appointment because of his ethnic group and the
federal character principle, while his Igbo counterpart who
scored 130 may remain unemployed for a while and may end
up being a cab driver on the streets of Aba, Umuahia or
Onitsha.
There are some who will say the Igbo’s once had the sway of
the federal civil service and the army, especially before the civil
war. That may be true but what is not acknowledged is that the
Igbo’s just like the Yoruba’s embraced western education early
and as such had a highly qualified, literate and educated
personnel to occupy those positions. To compensate the north
in terms of federal character, many northerners with barely
high school education were given top administrative positions.
That is not to say many of them did not perform admirably well,
the point is that the Igbo’s got those positions by merit than by
being beneficiaries of a quota system or a deliberate practice to
take care of their own as is the case today .
As an Igbo man I have spent a considerable amount of time
wandering what it means to be an Igbo man in a country that
proclaims national unity and practices the principle of Federal
character yet deeply divided by ethnicity and ethnic privileges.
Years ago as a young college graduate, who graduated top of
his class at the University of Benin, I tried to get a job at UBA
(United Bank Of Africa ) but was rejected by the recruitment
manager who told me that I did not have a degree in Finance or
banking. Yet as I left his office I saw a staff member I knew from
the north who had studied Islamic Studies. I tried to get into
the Immigration service but was told the quota for my state
was full. I even tried to get into the Navy but was also told the
quota for my state was again full. Even here in New York I could
not escape the prejudice, favoritism and the federal character
principle I experienced in Nigeria. After I had completed a
Masters program in International Relations , having written a
thesis on ‘Nigeria’s Voting pattern At The UN” I thought I could
get a job with the Nigerian UN Mission. After attending an
interview during which one of the interviewers told me I was
the most qualified, one of the 2 positions available was given to
lady I am told who studied Theatre Arts. I am sure there are
thousands of young Igbo men and women who have similar
stories to tell, so mine is not unique. However it has become
necessary to tell it as it epitomizes some of the reasons for this
renewed agitation by some Igbo’s for Biafra and a possible
secession. It is this obvious denial of justice, of equity and fair
play that has given rise to this reactive, pervasive elements in
the Igbo nation in demanding for autonomy and self
government.
Now despite the continued use of the FEDERAL CHARACTER
principle which has not always favored us and our claim of
marginalization, which to a large extent is true and
incontrovertible, the question remains, has it reached such
proportions that some through Radio Biafra should start
clamoring for a secession?. The answer is unequivocally no.
There are some who say the Igbos should close the book on
lamentations. I happen not to be so inclined, hence I believe
their lamentations even though real does not warrant all this
talk about a new Biafra. Besides, public opinion among Igbo’s, if
opinions in social media is anything to go by, does not indicate
any appreciable support for this fool hardiness, despite the fact
that there are good reasons for it.
There are several reasons why this venture cannot see the light
of day. For starters the 5 south eastern states that will make up
the core of a new Biafran nation is landlocked. We have no
direct access to the Atlantic . Today as one Mr Kalu O. kalu
recently pointed out, Nigeria’s food basket is in the North. We
basically import most of our food items from the north, namely
tomatoes , onions, beef, goat etc . Our agricultural industry in
the South East is completely dead and moribund. We can no
longer produce enough Cassava or garri, a staple food item in
the south east. Our young men have abandoned farming.
Everyone is now a trader. All we do is import all kinds of stuff
and in return produce nothing and export nothing.
The above notwithstanding, our biggest handicap is our people
and the quality of Igbo leadership we have today. If I may ask a
rhetorical question. Who amongst our present Governors, ex-
governors , ministers etc in comparison is equal in terms of
national stature, vision, honesty, integrity and sense of duty
with any of our post colonial leaders, namely Ojukwu, Dr
Michael Okpara, Dr Akanu Ibiam and Nnamdi Azikiwe, just to
mention a few.? Is it Owelle Rojas Okorocha, Governor of Imo
state who according a recently online published report (true or
false) is revealed to have over $1.5 billion in a U.S bank account
,after just 4 years in office or is it the former governor of Abia
state T A Orji who is reported to have stolen billions of the
state’s money or ex- Governor Martin Elechi of Ebonyi state
and Nnamani of Enugu state, both of whom who have been
invited to appear before the EFCC , just to mention these
three? Who amongst them will be considered for future Igbo
leadership? The reality is that post Independence Igbo leaders
such as those mentioned earlier do not exist anymore. In their
place we have leaders who will readily mortgage their people
and their conscience for personal aggrandizement and
monetary gain. Today we have a new group of Igbo leaders
who are mostly crooks, charlatans, cocktail sipping political
prostitutes who would sell their Igbo compatriots for the right
sum of money, contract or federal appointment. The dilemma
and grim reality of our predicament is that the quality or our
elected or appointed representatives are lacking in any
appreciation of what it takes to be a leader. It is for this reason
that a majority of the Abia people are invested in the present
on-going election tribunal proceedings in the state. A new crop
of leaders like Dr Alex Otti is what the Igbo’s need. A change of
leadership, of foresight and of integrity.

Cont'd

When it comes to the Igbo people themselves, the Igbo nation
whose star blazed brightly and persistently no longer exists. The
present Igbo audience is fractured and disunited with the
creation of more states out of the old East Central State. The
ugliness of our politics and ethnic fault lines have also
deepened. A few years ago the ex-Abia state Governor, T A Orji
sent packing from the state civil service all Abia non indigenes,
something that was unthinkable in the past. Even today in Abia
state, as a result of the last gubernatorial elections, there exists
a growing dichotomy and distrust between people from the old
Bende region and the Ngwa community. A few days ago, an
Abia State temporary Local Government council chairman in
the person of one Ginger Onusibe is reported to have said a lot
of people will have been killed in the city of Aba if the present
governor had lost the election. This is what our Igbo politics
have degenerated to. As expected the Governor did not come
out to condemn that statement by his kinsman or even remove
him from office. That says a lot about the caliber of leaders we
have today. I am told similar problems exists between various
communities in other Igbo states, a development which is not a
good recipe for the realization of the new Biafra.
Generally, as a people, the Igbo’s are their own worst enemy.
Collectively as an ethnic group we are known to be incapable of
agreeing on anything, unite behind any idea or project or follow
one leader. We are an exceptional people, whose virtues of
hard work and enterprise celebrated by us are the vices
despised by other ethnic groups. Most times we are also guilty
of the hate we attract to ourselves. We continuously pull each
other down even in our individual families The Igbo man of
today is a far cry from past Igbo generations .The paradox of
our time in history is that we have more college graduates, but
narrower viewpoints, more degrees but less sense, more
knowledge but less judgment. We have multiplied our
possessions but reduced our values. We talk too much, love too
seldom and hate too much. We have become so docile that we
let leaders like Ex -Governor T A Orji of Abia State steal our
money, misrule us for 8 years, render us impoverish, ride
roughshod all over us and still rig his way to the senate. As the
saying goes ‘a nation of sheep will beget a government of
wolves’.
It is on the basis of this background that I join the many others
who have come out to call on proprietors of Radio Biafra to
proceed with caution before they cause a political backlash that
will not do us no good. Rather than continue this fruitless and
dangerous escapade, the station should rather concentrate on
exposing the malfeasance of our leaders , educate our people
on the need for them to look inwards and invest in their home
states like Innoson motors has done and Dr Ogah of masters
Energy plans to do in Uturu. The time has come for us to stop
investing in places where they don’t treat us with respect or
appreciate our contribution to their economy. Some of us build
million naira mansions in lagos, Abuja and other far flung places
yet go home at Christmas time to our little village huts. We
have more than 3 million Igbo children going to school in lagos
and its environs , most of whom if relocated to the East will
create an educational and economic bonanza in terms of school
supplies, new school constructions and more job opportunities
for teachers etc. We have fully owned Igbo banks who can
relocate their headquarters to the east thereby creating a new
financial haven. Let us clamor for the dredging of the River
Niger, and the construction of a rail system from Calabar to Aba
and Onitsha, that way our importers can make the effective use
of the Calabar and Portharcourt ports. It is also high time we
get our priorities right by voting for the right candidates at
election time. People with vision and integrity. Leaders who will
put to better use our resources by building and equipping our
schools, hospitals and the provision of basic infrastructure.
As I mentioned in a previous article, we should do what the
Jews have done here in the United States. To some extent they
are marginalized. At some point in the past they received the
same racist treatment as American blacks. There was a time
after the second world war when Jewish professors from
Germany could only teach in black colleges. The predominantly
white colleges will not offer them jobs. Even today it is highly
improbable that a Jew can be elected president of the United
States, though not impossible. Despite their small number,
every politician who wants to run for national office must seek
Jewish support to succeed. As a people they have invested in
education. They have the best lawyers and doctors money can
buy. They control Hollywood, and the financial industry. All
over the country they have set up numerous Jewish
organizations who provide all kinds of assistance to Jewish
citizenry. Together, they have survived as a people despite
being hated and despised in Eastern Europe, Western Europe
and the Middle-East. All these they have done by looking
inwards, relying on themselves, each other and their ingenuity.
Despite being marginalized, the Igbo’s can do the same in
Nigeria.

It is time all this crazy talk about Biafra should be handled with
care. Even the Ojukwu, I knew and worked for as his aide would
not want to be identified with this radio station, at least not
publicly if he were to be alive today. For those who knew him,
despite his love for the Igbo nation Ojukwu was in his heart a
true nationalist, who believed in the unity of the country. All he
wanted was for every Nigerian to be treated fairly and for the
Igbo’s to be accepted and treated as full Nigerians. Who knows,
someday in future Nigeria as presently composed may cease to
exist, because of our cultural, religious and linguistic
differences, not to talk of the fact that ours is a geographical
merger and marriage of an obvious incompatible bedfellows.
Not that I hope that it happens, but I see a situation where if
and when the oil runs out, the north can say to us ‘to your tents
oh Israel”, mindful that they never wanted independence or
amalgamation of the North and South in the first place until the
British convinced them it would be to their advantage hence a
5% Fulani ethnic group have continued to dominate a 25 %
Hausa, 19 % Yoruba and 18% Igbo ethnic nationalities as well as
the entire Nigeria’s political landscape since independence. If
and when the north decides to leave with the Yoruba following
suit as we have nothing much in common, our Biafra may then
become a reality, but not anytime soon. It is therefore
imperative and incumbent on our present and future Igbo
leaders to develop the economies of the South Eastern states,
explore , repair and forge relations with the South South,
improve local revenue sourcing and stop going cap in hand all
the time to the federal government for funds. More important
there should be an increased demand and clamor for Nigeria to
practice true federalism because the version of federalism we
are practicing today is a sham. It is my belief that true
federalism will cure most of our political problems in addition
to giving every ethnic group a degree of autonomy and self
governance. It is also my fervent hope that someday the
President or the National Assembly will pass a law to officially
remove the term “State of Origin” from our national discourse,
our employment forms and in all forms of officialdom where it
raises its ugly head and replace it with ‘Place of Birth”, so as to
enhance real integration. Let us de-emphasize statehood and
emphasis one’s place of birth. An Igbo child born in Sokoto and
who even speaks Hausa should be able to say, I am from Sokoto
state but of Igbo origin. Vice versa, a child born of Yoruba
parents in Enugu state should be able to claim citizenship of
that state, get a job and even contest for elective office. Some
may say I am day dreaming, but it is possible. All we need, is the
courage of our leaders to act and the magnanimity of Nigerians
to accept the new reality. It is what obtains here in the United
States and it has worked well for them.

Cont'd

Former American
Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton was born in Chicago, married
a man called Bill Clinton from the state of Arkansas, contested
for the US Senate from New York after living there for one year
to establish residency and now contesting for the democratic
party nomination for President. We might as well copy the
good things about their system since we have decided to
practice their presidential form of governance. If we can find
the courage to do just this one single act, we will reap a
bountiful harvest of ethnic and national contentment and
maybe, just maybe, there will be less talk about Biafra, if the
federal government will in addition address the issue of
marginalization by the Igbos, implement some reparations and
restitution of the South east as is presently being done for the
North east suffering from the Boko Haram attacks. All they
need to address is the underlying issues and reasons behind
this new and intensified agitation for Biafra than hoping the
issue will suddenly go away for it will not. An aggrieved people
will never continue to remain silent subdued and patient.
History have shown that such pent up grievance have a way of
turning to violence. A man who is held down cannot remain on
the ground forever, at some point he will make an effort to
stand up, assisted or by the will power of force if necessary.
Hopefully Nigeria’s situation will not come to that.
Nnanna Ijomah BSc, MA ( International Relations) a resident of
New York City was a former Assistant to Emeka Ojukwu
Nna2ijomah@aol.com

biafra is here to stay, we need no appointments, not even the presidency.

Biafra is a failed project

OZAOEKPE:
Biafra is a failed project

you shall swallow your words very soon,,,,,,,,,,,as for the op,if Nigeria sees you as 1, they would have made it known to you after the war,,,assuming you are a real Igbo,,,,we the people that were not born before the war wouldn't have justification to aggitate for Biafra again,,,,,don't deceive yourself, there has being nothing one about Nigeria,don't forget that America fought civil war...... Selfishness is one of the problem of most African men,but the few that are wise rather live for their Generations unborn.

More like an amateur ranting. Educated yet ignorant.

why can't buhari just allow these people go before Christmas? that would be the best thing ever to happen to Nigeria, may God grant their wish in Jesus name - amen

SOUNDKING:
you shall swallow your words very soon,,,,,,,,,,,as for the op,if Nigeria sees you as 1, they would have made it known to you after the war,,,assuming you are a real Igbo,,,,we the people that were not born before the war wouldn't have justification to aggitate for Biafra again,,,,,don't deceive yourself, there has being nothing one about Nigeria,don't forget that America fought civil war...... Selfishness is one of the problem of most African men,but the few that are wise rather live for their Generations unborn.

Screw biafra

You cannot force a woman who is not in love with you to be a happy wife.

The believe that diaspora Igbos are more intelligent that the ones at home is absurd. This is the stupidity exhibited by the author of this thesis.

The buck of complaints you enumerated on the supposedly aftermath of Biafra Independence only exist as the figment of the author's imagination.

Someone should tell the author that no living soul ever embezzles and appropriates for himself that which belongs to his town union, village or kinsmen and still live to tell the story except when they use Nigerian Police mostly of Northern extraction to avert justice.

When injustice and barbarism reach their climax, the Igbos especially the lower and middle class constituted Bakassi Boys that adjudicated criminal justice for the people until the Federal Government used the Forces of Army, DSS and Police to disband them. We have council elders and vigilantes who are controlled by the community but delegated to bring social order among the people.

Without Nigeria, there is no single Igbo no-matter highly placed that can impose injustice to others without reprisal.

The Author of this piece has never been involved in grassroot government of Igbo people which is purely Government of the people by the people and for the people.

Nigerian Political Structures are what corrupted the Igbo elites you mentioned.

In a kindred, one man's accomplishment is invariably the success of all, and they seek no permission for economic settlement (share) of the wealth and connections from members of their kindred.

Igbos will always believe in brotherhood.

Ultra-balderdash.

The essay long oh....

OZAOEKPE:
Biafra is a failed project

Why are you afraid of biafra actualization? I don't get it....will you loose something when igbos go? you people are too pathetic and make yourselves sound cowardly

surefact:

Why are you afraid of biafra actualization? I don't get it....will you loose something when igbos go? you people are too pathetic and make yourselves sound cowardly

Lmao, you call me coward, while your "king" kalu is busy chilling overseas. He should come and deliver biafra to you. Idiat

OZAOEKPE:

Lmao, you call me coward, while your "king" kalu is busy chilling overseas. He should come and deliver biafra to you. Idiat

Coming from one who gave conditions for Edo to join Biafra.
If you know it is nothing to worry about, we wouldn't be talking about it almost every hour on here.

"And in the end? BiAFRA will come" - Nnamdi Kanu.

radio Biafra I stand for united Nigeria

EasternLion:


Coming from one who gave conditions for Edo to join Biafra.
If you know it is nothing to worry about, we wouldn't be talking about it almost every hour on here.

"And in the end? BiAFRA will come" - Nnamdi Kanu.

Nnamdi kalu should leave the U.K, come over to naija and tell us his plan for biafra, he's making it sound as a scam

OZAOEKPE:

Nnamdi kalu should leave the U.K, come over to naija and tell us his plan for biafra, he's making it sound as a scam

Broken record, all the while he was in Biafraland since last year, why u no talk?

EasternLion:


Broken record, all the while he was in Biafraland since last year, why u no talk?

Let him come now, we want to see him.