Today my hometown Abonnema and the entire Kalabari Ijaw Kingdom of Rivers State, Nigeria celebrates the liberation of the Kalabari people from the hands of the invading Biafran army. Our mothers were raped, killed and maimed. Our chiefs and children were forcibly relocated and little babies were slaughtered.

Our heritage as Kalabari Ijaw people was threatened.

With the efforts of a few wise, brave and defiant young men, the aid of the Nigerian Military government and God, we liberated our Land from the savage Biafran army.

This is one history that will Forever remain fresh in our hearts.

Let's learn from history.

God bless Nigeria ������

@apro_dawildcat
@woye1
@iyaboawokoya @segilolaa @MrAbuSidiq @oluwateflon

A little story about Abonnema's GO-TO-NIGER Celebration. �

The lingua "ga'a-Niger" was adopted from the Ibo dialect which means "go-to". The "Niger" as a word was one of the multinational trading companies that existed right from the colonial days situated by the shore of river sombrero at Bestman's compound of the Briggs Oruwari House of Abonnema.

eventually when the Biafran army laid siege of ABM in 1966 and the aborigines were to be evacuated to "Agada waterside ",the evacuees were asked to "GO-TO-NIGER ". That was how "Ga'a-Niger" was derive.

The City of Abonnema was under siege for more than 18months within which period the innocent citizens who never accepted or cooperated with the Biafrans were dehumanized and atrociously executed on their fatherland. During the outbreak of the civil war, because of the existence of political differences among the indigenous elites of
ABM as a result of the truncated first republic, the bitterness in them was carried into war. So, when eventually the Biafran army finally laid siege of the place, individuals who fell in favor of the Biafran forces used the ill-fated opportunity to victimize those of them whom they perceived to be their political opponents. This act led to the killing of their brothers and sisters and in most cases, raping of the women in the land. They introduced their Biafran currency as a legal tender and whosoever rejects it was tagged as a saboteur.


Our people were flogged and beaten to death. Properties were vandalised, houses razed down to ashes. Our children recruited as agents to provide information. Curfews were imposed. Anyone caught escaping was arraigned at the water

Front and shot dead. Our girls were molested and abused sexually.

Suddenly the federal troops emerged via the swamp through the creek called "Alice Okolo" with higher and greater fire arms which kept the whole Biafran troops in disarray. It was exactly 12:00 noon in the month of June 21,1968 when the federal troops liberated ABM from these insurgents who contrived the killing and suffering of the people. There was ovation and shouts of "One Nigeria "everywhere. The Biafran insurgents took to their heels into the creaks not knowing how connected those creeks were. Unfortunately, they were encircled by the federal troops.
It was after this incident that the Amayanabo of Abonnema stated "We should celebrate this day as liberation day annually in memory of those who suffered severe losses"

https://twitter.com/IbimBoyle/status/1281184799579930626?t=9ukNX5qx8LBLaHaIXPiCpg&s=19

Nigeria Civil War: Abonnema for Rivers state dey mark 50 years freedom from Biafra

21 June 1968 na date pipo for Nyemoni community alias Abonnema for Rivers state, south south Nigeria no go quick quick forget.

Dis na sake of say for dis day, 50 years ago, Biafra soldiers cari force enta di community to drag pipo comot go live for Igboland, south east Nigeria.

Tori be say dem march evribodi for di town to di Niger dock river so dem go enta boat wey go carri dem comot.

Di Biafra soldiers also arrest King Davies Bobmanuel wey be Abonnema traditional ruler for dat time.

Di King bin beg di soldiers say instead make dem comot im pipo for dia land, make dem carri only am go but di soldiers no wan hear.

But around 12 o clock for afternoon, u-turn happun as Nigeria soldiers enta Abonnema wit mission to fight di Biafrans and help Abonnema pipo.

Na from Buguma community di Nigerian fighters bin take enta Abonnema and e no tey before dem pursue di Biafra soldiers comot, come free di town.

Abonnema pipo use 21 June evri year to remember dia pipo wey die for Nigeria Civil War

From dat time, 21 June don turn special day for Abonnema to mark dia 'freedom' for di hand of Biafran soldiers during di Nigeria civil war.

E normal to see many pipo for di town to dey wear costume wey include army uniform and to act di tins wey happun for 1968.

Dis ceremony wey dem name, 'Go to Niger' na for evri year dem dey do am and na time to jollificate.


Di Amanyanabo of Abonnema, King Disrael Gbobo Bobmanuel tell BBC Pidgin say dis year go mark 50 years wey dis tin happun and dem dey take di celebration to tell di young pipo wey no dey dat time wetin happun so dem no go forget wetin God di for dem.

Im say, "We dey prayerful and dey tell di younger generation di tori wey happun for dat time make dem dey peaceful and prayerful".

For dis Biafra tok wey di King hala, im still say, "Abonnema no be part of Biafra. We believe in One Nigeria so we no get any reason to want make Nigeria separate.''

''We wey be traditional rulers wetin we want na for our community to dey peaceful and to

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.bbc.com/pidgin/tori-44592314.amp

AnonPoet:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXGoAFCi-vY



https://twitter.com/SoprialaMembere/status/1539264905324515328?t=y0VSGEdbamwEyebm5_0hJg&s=19

Dshocker:


I wonder how much you were paid to write this up