“Before I came to Biafra, I was told that Biafrans fight like heroes. But now, I know that heroes fight like Biafrans” French Deputy Foreign Minister Raymond Ofroy 1969.

50 years on, we salute the immortal class of 67-70, for their legendary bravery against the combined forces of neo-colonialism still ravaging Africa till date. We will never forget.

#30MaySitAtHome

From: The Time Magazine 10 November 1958
"INDEPENDENCE WITHOUT DIFFICULTIES IS A DREAM OF UTOPIA."

For one month, delighted Londoners watched the 80 ceremonially dressed Nigerians—some with necklaces of animal teeth, others with feathered straw hats, at least one with a jeweled crown—parade into Lancaster House for their historic conference.
Everything possible had been done to make them feel at home.

For the Colonial Office's big reception at the Tate Gallery, all nude statues were carefully screened so as not to offend Moslems. The Lord Mayor served up a banquet of stewed peanuts and one paramount Chief—His Highness James Okosi II of the Onitsha —fulfilled a lifelong ambition: to ride the escalator at the Charing Cross underground station.[?]

In the end, the Nigerians got what they had come for: on Oct. 1, 1960, the largest (373,250 sq. mi.) of Britain's remaining colonial territories would get its independence (TIME. Nov. 3). But behind the scenes, the conference had revealed ominous signs of trouble to come.
From the start, there was a clash between the personalities of the Premiers of the three regions —each obviously more important than the scholarly Federal Prime Minister, Alhaji Abubakar Tafawa Balewa.

In Western eyes, Obafemi Awolowo of the Western Region seemed the most statesmanlike: as the conference began, the London Times carried a full-page ad proclaiming his declaration for freedom under the title "This I Believe," prepared with the help of an American public relations man.

In contrast, U.S.-educated Premier Nnamdi ("Zik" Azikiwe of the Eastern Region seemed to have learned more in the U.S. about Tammany tactics than Thomas Jefferson, and was somewhat under a cloud as a result of a British tribunal's 1956 investigation into corruption in his administration.
The North's Premier, the Sardauna of Sokoto, a haughty Moslem of noble birth, could barely conceal his contempt for his less aristocratic colleagues.

Insults & Accusations. Under the great chandeliers of the Lancaster House music room, where Chopin once played for Queen Victoria, the Premiers bickered, shot insults back and forth like poisoned darts.

When the conference took up the ticklish problem of how to protect the rights of minorities among Nigeria's 250 tribes, Awolowo suggested creating three new states. The North's Sardauna, not wishing to relinquish any of his own territories, vetoed the idea. Nor did he like the plan for a centralized police force under the federal government: he much preferred to use his own force, which, answerable only to him, can pop a man in jail with no questions asked.

At one point, the Sardauna accused Awolowo of sending his supporters to Israel to be trained as saboteurs in the North —a charge fabricated out of the fact that Western Nigeria has imported agricultural experts from Israel to advise its farmers. Awolowo countercharged that the Sardauna flogs his prisoners.

At receptions, the delegates sipped their orange juice, icily aloof from one another. In elevators, the conversation would suddenly stop if a delegate from another region got on.

Compromises & Contests. But as the weeks passed, the Sardauna grudgingly consented to let the constitution carry a bill of rights, though he was so thoroughly opposed to giving the vote to women that the conference decided that this was, after all, not necessarily a "fundamental" right.

The delegates then agreed on a centralized police force, but one that would be administered by a council of representatives from each region. Finally, with their own independence from Britain assured (as well as that of the adjacent British Cameroons, should they choose to become a part of Nigeria), the delegates started for home.

Until Nigeria's federal election takes place next year, the three Premiers will continue jockeying for power, and the fate of Nigeria could well, hinge on who comes out on top. Last week, even as the National Planning Committee of Independence opened its contest for the design of a national flag (first prize: $300), many Nigerians had grave reservations about what lay ahead.
For all its jubilation, Nigeria's West African Pilot felt obliged to warn: "Independence without difficulties is a dream of Utopia."
Time Magazine - Monday, Nov. 10, 1958

Me: The signs were visible; each region ought to have secured independence as a sovereign country. Apparently, the idea to have a single country called Nigeria did not seem to have emanated from the people of Nigeria. From the information above, neither of the 3 regions actually liked themselves enough to have wanted a shared country! It was said that the Sadauna of Sokoto (the Premier of Northern Nigeria) loathed both Awolowo and Azikiwe. Yet, they were compelled to form a country?
The Hovel of Horrors called Nigeria is apparent to all now! What a mess! Founding Fathers my foot!
#thinkAgain

Another sad news for haters of freedom.

My leader, my prince, my saviour Nnamdi kanu. We will continue to listen to you because your our prophet. We must sit-at-home come may30th.

Time to part ways enough of this suffering and smiling

Freedom fighters live forever

The scammer is about to ask for more money for himself again. The whole ipob thing is a scam to deceive the gullible jobless youths. Their elders ohaneze know the truth.

Only a gunshot dude jump into a forest, I was expecting him to fight like a brave man or do the Mandela style. Common 1 bullet he can’t take for his Biafra . Nonsense.

In Defense of the Autonomous Regions
That the average Muslim political office holder in the North, holds the Koran way and above the Constitution. When he attains office, he often rules (not govern) according to the dictates of the Koran. Then he only chooses the aspects of the Constitution that suits him.
And before anyone argues this fact, the Sultan of Sokoto said it himself; he's the permanent chairman of the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria.
The belief of the Caliphate North in the superiority of the Koran above all should be respected. In this belief, Sharia was declared in 12 states of the North in Year 2000. Over the past 2 decades, the activities of Northern governors and politicians have been dictated by their belief in the supremacy of Islam and the Koran. This too should be respected.
Common Sense says that with the declaration of Sharia, the country ought to have immediately moved towards Confederation and Autonomous Regions. The 12 Sharia States of Nigeria ought to, and really should be, a single autonomous region where the Koran shall be the regional Constitution, and Sharia Law shall be absolutely established.
We were careless, however. We allowed ourselves to be sucked into a dual system whereby the Sharia exists side by side with the Canon Law. Where the Hisbah Police has been established, funded and has rights over the citizens, Muslim or not. Alcoholic beverages among others are not freely sold but the VAT from the sales are collected. Where Islamic Banking is existing side by side with different rules from conventional banking. Where ladies in miniskirts are arrested and non Muslims tend to use the Hijab to feel safe. Where food is not freely sold during Ramadan fasting and bachelors are inadvertently made to fast for 40 days even while they ain't Muslims.
The establishment of Sharia, occasioned by the belief that the Koran is the ultimate book by which Islamic political office holders would govern, has gradually spread into the mainstream of government in Nigeria thereby pitching the secularists against the Islamists!
This is very obvious in the current federal regime that is ruling Nigeria like an Islamic fiefdom rather than a country with the desire for modernism!
While we do not quarrel with political Islam, it is our belief that those that believe in the Koran as the ultimate document of governance should be encouraged to do so and it should be formalized with the formation of the United Arewa Region where Sharia shall be the Law and the Koran the Constitution! Then other regions would determine their own Constitutions too and govern themselves the way they would. Then we would all share a common parliamentary center where the Constitution of the Federation shall be an agreement of all the federating regions.
This is the Principle of Living slightly apart so that we would survive!
The Arewa Sharia North should be respected in their belief in the supremacy of Islam and be restricted to their region. Our failure to recognize the obvious is causing us to clash incessantly and is leading to an almost obvious end!

Conflagration!!!

Hearken to my voice o'Nigerians
Let us have the #autonomousRegions now
So we could all live according to our beliefs
Ever so slightly apart
But at peace with one another
And a beacon of hope to the rest of Africa
The current structure makes no sense
We should have our autonomous regions already
As this is the only reasonable thing left to do
Otherwise we shall clash in a bloody way
And all there would be left would be regrets.
#thinkAgain my people
For we could avert this disaster yet.

MAY 30th Biafra Remembrance Day (Why I remember it.)

Being a British born woman and by the grace of God a representative for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) my memories/experiences of May 30th are somewhat unique.

Prior to 2012 I had little knowledge of the Biafran war despite being born in the late sixties, certainly I had no idea then, that Britain in 1969 was suppling 99.2% of all the weapons used by Nigeria to massacre over 3.5 million people.

SHOCKING ? Yes. I even doubt now many British people or even their MP’s today understand Britain’s creation called Nigeria and Britain’s role in ongoing slavery and genocide. Even during the Biafran war 1967 to 1970 the parliamentary members weren’t aware of the extreme amount of arms being sent to Nigeria it was at the time classified info. Even today many citizens and parliamentary members have very little knowledge of the amount of arms being supplied to foreign countries especially in Africa and the Middle East.

For me as a child our household having a television of which only then had two channels BBC1 and BBC2 our family saw the regulated news coverage of the genocide, to this day like many adults in their fifties can still remember their parents saying those poor children in Africa are starving make sure you eat all your dinner. I’m sure we had no idea then they weren’t starving because of crop failure or natural disaster but because Britain and Nigeria were purposefully penning millions of people into an area of Biafra to starve them as a war tactic even aid was blocked, shockingly even after the war the aid which was by a few right minded people reaching Biafrans at great risk was redirected to outside of Biafra to Lagos by the Nigerian General Gowon so he could clearly raise the Biafran death count despite the war being over.

BLUE PETER.. we all remember this fabulous children programme on BBC1, in fact my mum was a great fan of Valerie Singleton (one of the presenters) whom she’d once met in Farnham Surrey and admired, so defiantly my family would have been switched on to Blue Peter and all their appeals. In 1968 Blue Peter held an appeal for Biafra involving schools, banks etc.. and most families sent money to fund hospitals, trucks, aid etc.. or recyclable goods. (We still have a pot of used stamps collecting). In fact at the time there were many British charities raising money for Biafra and of course Biafra appeal with thanks to Bob Geldof morphed into Feed The World, Band Aid and Children in Need.

What you may NOT KNOW is the money raised by Blue Peter etc.. was at the time confiscated by the British Government, they felt they couldn’t have money sent to a country they were technically at war with. This was of course covered up, I also read that even the original tapes of those Blue Peter shows have been wiped. I could just imagine the British peoples outrage if they knew how their charitable funds were being spent (or not). I only learnt this fact a year or so ago from the daughter of a senior member of foreign affairs at the time of the Biafran war and frankly I still can’t swallow it, as for my mum she must be turning in her grave she like many other Brits without fail every year of her life gave 15% of her earnings (before tax) to charities like the Biafra Appeal.

Ahead a few years in late 2012 early 2013 I met Nnamdi Kanu, Mazi Mefor and others who were running Radio Biafra London and campaigning for the IPOB, my first personal remembrance of the 30th May was 2013 Nnamdi Kanu held a broadcast and a prayer vigil and I heard for the first time a very moving version of Biafran National Anthem not the one I often hear sung now but a melodic sorrowful version which if I heard this moment would have me in tears. I spoke to many Biafrans about their experiences how a young boy was spared his life by a Northern Governor/Emir who spilt cows blood onto the land to make out to the Nigerian Army that he had killed Biafrans in his Northern Nigerian town as ordered in 1966. The stories I have heard to date are keeping my hair grey and my soul weighted.

In the following years on the 30th May with Biafrans I have held that vigil and have been a part of the IPOB”s Worldwide Remembrance which is held in every country of the world for me it is most years in Trafalgar Square London. Biafrans in Biafra were massacred for many years for holding a remembrance day in their home land, one young girl in 2015 went with her two older brothers to a remembrance parade in Abia with her fellow brothers, they were together arrested but separated and taken away in different vehicles, the young girl was later released without charge but till today the same young girl has not found her brothers of which she has searched police stations, jails and morgues for like many Biafrans that have disappeared after arrest are most likely in an unmarked grave and a young girl now the only child left is struggling to support her ailing parents.

Given the enormity of kidnappings and killings on the 30th May Biafrans in Biafra land now respect their lost ones by sitting at home that day (whilst those in diaspora still vigil together), although Biafrans encourage others to mourn with them especially those that have lost kinsmen by war or terrorism this doesn’t always deter Nigeria which refuses to recognize the day of mourning and continue to threaten and intimate Biafrans last year a young boy was dragged of his front porch and killed all for being a Biafran and remembering he lost a father, a mother, an uncle, an aunt, a cousin to a pointless war.

For me and my children we will now always remember the 30th May regardless.

#WeRemember #30thMay

Okay let us wait for another lie he have for Igbos.but any ipob trying to cause problem on 30th shall be treated like chicken.

Our lord Nnandi kanu may you live for making us to remember those who died for us to live n those murdered by Buhari in saying we want freedom.

President Muhammadu Buhari doesn’t deserve to be sworn in for another term as Nigerian President on the 29th of May, Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, said on Friday.

In his new broadcast, Kanu called Buhari an impostor and a deceptive leader.

He cited the controversial issue of Buhari’s West Africa Examination Council (WAEC) certificate, saying the president never presented it.

Kanu said: “Jubril/Buhari has no basis to present himself to be sworn in on the 29th. That was why the impostor said education is no longer important.

“If truly no man is above the law and the Constitution of the land is supreme. If the constitution is supreme and is meant to guide the conduct of civilised men within a specifically defined geo-political area, then let me remind all the sophisticated morons in Nigeria that their constitution says every contender for the presidency must present a verifiable school certificate (WAEC) which neither the dead Buhari had nor his replacement Jubril ever did.

“Those that consider themselves as citizens of southern Nigeria has been butchered into fear and docility. I weep for the cowards but its their country, they can do whatever they like with it. Nigerians and certain individuals with Biafran names love slavery, we in IPOB don’t.

“How dumb are Nigerians and their miserable law enforcement and judiciary. When written laws are made not to apply differently to a section of populace like the Fulani, in the instance of Nigeria, then everybody is a fool. Why some people still pretend they don’t know what IPOB is fighting for is beyond me.

“I am afraid for the dwindling thinking capacity of your average miserable Nigerian. They can’t revolt, they can’t protest…..those that have the courage to protest are called all manner of unprintable names but they continue to suffer and complain but lack the courage to do anything about it.

“Until Biafra is completely set free, we shall continue to agitate because, to me, freedom means to be able to be yourself day in and day out. And not be punished for it. To live without mental, physical, emotional and spiritual shackles or constraints. And if I feel like my rights are being violated in any of those four realms, then I consider it a massive violation to my God-given right to live in freedom.”