BIAFRA ALREADY EXISTS

I am particularly astonished by my fellow countrymen who are agitating for an independent Biafran Republic. In my own opinion, I believe they already have it. There are no less than 5 autonomous states that are being ruled and governed by Igbo people. If you want to count just the Igbo nation, I don’t remember any time since the 1999 democracy, that a Hausa person or a representative of any other tribe has become the leader, governor or mayor of an Igbo state or city.

The Igbo people have their land to themselves. These lands have not been taken over by Yoruba, Hausa or any other nationality in Nigeria. Igbo still have their territory where they are predominantly populated. They have the right, freedom and the opportunity to build heaven on earth in their area, anytime if they so wish. If the Igbo man wants to make his own state or region better than any other state there is nothing stopping him from doing it. The only thing that will change, if they get an independent Biafra Republic, is just the name. They will still need to govern themselves, only this time without any allocation from the Federal Government of Nigeria. So can you imagine those Igbo states governing themselves but without any government allocation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria? To say the least, things will be much more difficult for those states.

As I am writing this, I can almost hear the objection coming from my Biafran brothers, I think some are thinking that “No, we are going to go with the oil states”, which means in their own understanding, the South-South states of Nigeria also belong to Biafra. I am not too good in the history of Biafra itself so I will not take it upon myself to say if this is true or not, but one thing I am sure of is that the South-South states will need to declare their willingness to join the Biafran state. So far, as far as I know, none of the South-South states are willing to join Biafra. Even if they will not remain in Nigeria, they would rather stand alone. As things are however, these states are more than willing to remain in the Nigerian Union. In fact I just watched a few days ago, the video address of one of the South-South governors, banning the Biafra demonstrations in his state.

Another major challenge that the Biafran agitations and its actualization will create for the new Biafran Republic is that, as of today, the Igbos are hugely scattered all over Nigeria. It would not be an exaggeration to say that millions of Igbos are living outside of their enclave. Let’s take just the South-South states for example; if all the South-South states choose to remain in Nigeria, that will cause a huge economic and humanitarian catastrophe for the Igbo people. Can you imagine a situation where all Igbo people are been evicted from the South-South states? I can only imagine what a catastrophe that would be if all the Igbo people were to leave Port Harcourt today. If all these people were to leave their businesses, connections and in some cases their family members only to go and create the Biafran nation, there is just no way the economy of the Biafran nation would be able to absorb these people. For some of the people themselves it would be too late to start all over again, some of them would simply not survive it. My dear Biafrans, a second thought must be given to the idea of separation from the Nigerian nation.

I have only mentioned the South-South region that only consists of 6 states. What will happen if we begin to talk about the economic and humanitarian consequences of evicting Igbo people from our two capitals, Lagos and Abuja? Igbo people control Nigeria, at least economically and socially, there is no official deprivation whatsoever in Nigeria for any tribe. Yes, I know of the killings in the northern part of Nigeria, but that is not a policy of deprivation if we are to talk about it. If there was such a policy, how come the Igbo people wield such a huge influence over the economy of the nation?

I know the objection of my Biafran friends, most of the agitators claim that they will be better off without Nigeria. If they could produce so much in Nigeria, the argument is that away from Nigeria they will produce much more; well I personally doubt it. Let’s look at the facts. If Igbo people could produce more, what stops them from producing more in their own states where they have the right and authority to build the nation of their dream? Why can’t they produce more where they govern themselves with little influence from the Hausa, Yoruba and Fulani people?

I know there are a lot of thoughtful and analytical people in the Igbo nation. Let’s assume the Igbo people managed to get their Biafra Republic; that will limit their sphere of activities to the square kilometers that the Igbo nations control primarily. What that means in economic terms is that, for example, the Nigerian land mass is a thousand square kilometers; in that the Igbo nation will only be at most three square kilometers. The economic activities you can have in a thousand square kilometers far exceeds what you can do in 3 square kilometers. In Nigeria the Igbo people have access to much more land mass and territories for their businesses, social and political activities. In the case of a separation, that will limit the potential of the Igbo people.

Today, statistically, the Igbo people as I have said above, are the most enterprising people in Nigeria. As a result of their high level business activities the Igbo nation are responsible for between 60-70 percent of all imports into the Nigerian nation. Obviously, all these imports are being supplied to the Nigerian market. Nigeria provides for the Igbo people the market and the consumption of their goods and products imported. Their business acumen are being realized and better realized in a united nation than in a less and constrained geographical territory.

How can the Igbo people claim marginalization when they are responsible for 70 percent of the imports of the whole country? If you take Nollywood for example, the Igbo people control that as well. Many other spheres and economic life of Nigeria are under the control of the Igbo people. It is therefore illogical to talk about marginalization. If the Igbo people have been marginalized as the Southern Sudanese were marginalized in Sudan, or as the English speaking people of Cameroon are marginalized in Cameroon, they would not have been allowed to control 70% of all imports. As of 2008, 80 percent of our movie industry was in the hands of the Igbo people.  Many Nigerian cities and states are totally dominated by the Igbos with no mass killing or eviction. In fact many of them are not just welcomed, especially in the western part of Nigeria, South- South, and the middle belt, many of them are actually celebrated.

I recently watched the world conquering Nigerian U17 football team. How beautiful it was to see that no nationality was protesting or complaining of marginalization in the national team this time. The picture of the national team was such that at least six of all the players were from the east (Igbo), Five were from South-South, two were from the west and all the rest were derived from among the over 500 tribes of Nigeria. Not a single one from the north, yet nobody complained. In a society where there is discrimination and deprivation, they would not have allowed the Igbo to control the majority of the spots on the team. But thank God that today in Nigerian sports, we are getting to a place where if you are good enough, you are allowed to express and display your talent. Believe me, in marginalized societies it doesn’t matter how talented you are, you are still not allowed to take the place of the majority nation. Friends, Nigeria has gone a long way, let’s work together to make it even better.

The Igbo community has been a blessing in every part of Nigeria, including the north where there has been a form of massacre of the Igbo people and the Christians in general.  Yet in spite of that, it is hard to claim injustice and marginalization just against the Igbo people as a policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Neither can the Igbo people claim that the other 515 tribes and nationalities of Nigeria have conspired to discriminate against them. That cannot just be true, otherwise they would not have their businesses virtually in every town and village in Nigeria. As small as my village is, with only about 40 or so houses, our commerce is being controlled by the Igbo people and we are happy about it.

Now, let’s learn a lesson of wisdom from an adage that says when we are loved, we often think that it is because we are good that is why we are loved. But in the real sense it is those who love us that are good. So also is the case when we are received and accepted by other people, we often think that we are accepted because we are so good. Sometimes we think it is because we are smarter than the other people, other times we think it is because we are the only gifted people around, that is why we are accepted, but maybe not all the credit belongs to us. Maybe we should just as well give some credit to the people who are tolerating us. Do you think that aspect should be considered as well?

I am afraid that my brethren that are agitating for Biafra might just have fallen into this trap of thinking that they are better than other Nigerians. In the real sense that could be so in some things, but they too must admit that other Nigerian tribes, nationalities, people groups, might just have areas where they too are better. We are all people; meaning in some things we are better than others, and in some things we are not as good as others. This is how God has created life and this is how He has created diversity. God has made us to be diverse so that we can learn from each other. Meanwhile, there is no way we will be able to learn or receive from each other until we admit that others too are better than we are in some areas.

I am not a prophet neither am I the son of a prophet, but as a servant of God I would like to give a word of warning to my brethren who are agitating for Biafra. I wish to sound an alarm in your ears that we should learn from history. I can almost guarantee you by the Spirit of God that if Biafra eventually gains independence and breaks away from Nigeria, a civil war might soon ensue within Biafra itself. Besides God’s Spirit, my assertion is backed by history.

It is no news to Nigerians that our Igbo nation is probably the most divisive nationality within itself. No wonder when Enugu state was carved out of the old Anambra state, the division within the Igbo people came out with sirens blaring. The desire to have all the national cake of the state “only for our own people within our state” prompted the leadership of the then Enugu state to evict the Igbo people of Anambra state from their civil service. Such was the blatant demonstration of division even within the Igbo people that the indigenes of Anambra were sent back to their state.

If this is only a matter of state, what will happen when it is real national cake within Biafra itself? I hear all the time how my friends from Imo state complain about Anambra people. People from Abia state who are Igbos also attack Anambra people. The same is also true of the people from Enugu and Ebonyi. Everybody fighting for their own piece of cake. Nowhere was this more evident than recently when the immediate past governor of Abia State, Theodore A. Orji, sacked workers from Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo and Enugu from the state’s work force.

It is difficult to see how the Igbo people would manage to find a place for all their teeming population to return from all over parts of Nigeria if the states are already fighting over jobs and employment only for their indigenes. What will happen when suddenly millions of people have to come back home without jobs, housing or occupation? It is scary to imagine what would begin to happen within the Biafra nation. Students of contemporary history will tell us that this is the exact scenario of what happened in South Sudan. The civil war that ensued as a result of their independence is still going on as I am writing within the South Sudan Republic itself.  

Read more from http://www.sundayadelajablog.com/archives/3911

adegunwa4real:
BIAFRA ALREADY EXISTS

I am particularly astonished by my fellow countrymen who are agitating for an independent Biafran Republic. In my own opinion, I believe they already have it. There are no less than 5 autonomous states that are being ruled and governed by Igbo people. If you want to count just the Igbo nation, I don’t remember any time since the 1999 democracy, that a Hausa person or a representative of any other tribe has become the leader, governor or mayor of an Igbo state or city.

The Igbo people have their land to themselves. These lands have not been taken over by Yoruba, Hausa or any other nationality in Nigeria. Igbo still have their territory where they are predominantly populated. They have the right, freedom and the opportunity to build heaven on earth in their area, anytime if they so wish. If the Igbo man wants to make his own state or region better than any other state there is nothing stopping him from doing it. The only thing that will change, if they get an independent Biafra Republic, is just the name. They will still need to govern themselves, only this time without any allocation from the Federal Government of Nigeria. So can you imagine those Igbo states governing themselves but without any government allocation from the Federal Republic of Nigeria? To say the least, things will be much more difficult for those states.

As I am writing this, I can almost hear the objection coming from my Biafran brothers, I think some are thinking that “No, we are going to go with the oil states”, which means in their own understanding, the South-South states of Nigeria also belong to Biafra. I am not too good in the history of Biafra itself so I will not take it upon myself to say if this is true or not, but one thing I am sure of is that the South-South states will need to declare their willingness to join the Biafran state. So far, as far as I know, none of the South-South states are willing to join Biafra. Even if they will not remain in Nigeria, they would rather stand alone. As things are however, these states are more than willing to remain in the Nigerian Union. In fact I just watched a few days ago, the video address of one of the South-South governors, banning the Biafra demonstrations in his state.

Another major challenge that the Biafran agitations and its actualization will create for the new Biafran Republic is that, as of today, the Igbos are hugely scattered all over Nigeria. It would not be an exaggeration to say that millions of Igbos are living outside of their enclave. Let’s take just the South-South states for example; if all the South-South states choose to remain in Nigeria, that will cause a huge economic and humanitarian catastrophe for the Igbo people. Can you imagine a situation where all Igbo people are been evicted from the South-South states? I can only imagine what a catastrophe that would be if all the Igbo people were to leave Port Harcourt today. If all these people were to leave their businesses, connections and in some cases their family members only to go and create the Biafran nation, there is just no way the economy of the Biafran nation would be able to absorb these people. For some of the people themselves it would be too late to start all over again, some of them would simply not survive it. My dear Biafrans, a second thought must be given to the idea of separation from the Nigerian nation.

I have only mentioned the South-South region that only consists of 6 states. What will happen if we begin to talk about the economic and humanitarian consequences of evicting Igbo people from our two capitals, Lagos and Abuja? Igbo people control Nigeria, at least economically and socially, there is no official deprivation whatsoever in Nigeria for any tribe. Yes, I know of the killings in the northern part of Nigeria, but that is not a policy of deprivation if we are to talk about it. If there was such a policy, how come the Igbo people wield such a huge influence over the economy of the nation?

I know the objection of my Biafran friends, most of the agitators claim that they will be better off without Nigeria. If they could produce so much in Nigeria, the argument is that away from Nigeria they will produce much more; well I personally doubt it. Let’s look at the facts. If Igbo people could produce more, what stops them from producing more in their own states where they have the right and authority to build the nation of their dream? Why can’t they produce more where they govern themselves with little influence from the Hausa, Yoruba and Fulani people?

I know there are a lot of thoughtful and analytical people in the Igbo nation. Let’s assume the Igbo people managed to get their Biafra Republic; that will limit their sphere of activities to the square kilometers that the Igbo nations control primarily. What that means in economic terms is that, for example, the Nigerian land mass is a thousand square kilometers; in that the Igbo nation will only be at most three square kilometers. The economic activities you can have in a thousand square kilometers far exceeds what you can do in 3 square kilometers. In Nigeria the Igbo people have access to much more land mass and territories for their businesses, social and political activities. In the case of a separation, that will limit the potential of the Igbo people.

Today, statistically, the Igbo people as I have said above, are the most enterprising people in Nigeria. As a result of their high level business activities the Igbo nation are responsible for between 60-70 percent of all imports into the Nigerian nation. Obviously, all these imports are being supplied to the Nigerian market. Nigeria provides for the Igbo people the market and the consumption of their goods and products imported. Their business acumen are being realized and better realized in a united nation than in a less and constrained geographical territory.

How can the Igbo people claim marginalization when they are responsible for 70 percent of the imports of the whole country? If you take Nollywood for example, the Igbo people control that as well. Many other spheres and economic life of Nigeria are under the control of the Igbo people. It is therefore illogical to talk about marginalization. If the Igbo people have been marginalized as the Southern Sudanese were marginalized in Sudan, or as the English speaking people of Cameroon are marginalized in Cameroon, they would not have been allowed to control 70% of all imports. As of 2008, 80 percent of our movie industry was in the hands of the Igbo people.  Many Nigerian cities and states are totally dominated by the Igbos with no mass killing or eviction. In fact many of them are not just welcomed, especially in the western part of Nigeria, South- South, and the middle belt, many of them are actually celebrated.

I recently watched the world conquering Nigerian U17 football team. How beautiful it was to see that no nationality was protesting or complaining of marginalization in the national team this time. The picture of the national team was such that at least six of all the players were from the east (Igbo), Five were from South-South, two were from the west and all the rest were derived from among the over 500 tribes of Nigeria. Not a single one from the north, yet nobody complained. In a society where there is discrimination and deprivation, they would not have allowed the Igbo to control the majority of the spots on the team. But thank God that today in Nigerian sports, we are getting to a place where if you are good enough, you are allowed to express and display your talent. Believe me, in marginalized societies it doesn’t matter how talented you are, you are still not allowed to take the place of the majority nation. Friends, Nigeria has gone a long way, let’s work together to make it even better.

The Igbo community has been a blessing in every part of Nigeria, including the north where there has been a form of massacre of the Igbo people and the Christians in general.  Yet in spite of that, it is hard to claim injustice and marginalization just against the Igbo people as a policy of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Neither can the Igbo people claim that the other 515 tribes and nationalities of Nigeria have conspired to discriminate against them. That cannot just be true, otherwise they would not have their businesses virtually in every town and village in Nigeria. As small as my village is, with only about 40 or so houses, our commerce is being controlled by the Igbo people and we are happy about it.

Now, let’s learn a lesson of wisdom from an adage that says when we are loved, we often think that it is because we are good that is why we are loved. But in the real sense it is those who love us that are good. So also is the case when we are received and accepted by other people, we often think that we are accepted because we are so good. Sometimes we think it is because we are smarter than the other people, other times we think it is because we are the only gifted people around, that is why we are accepted, but maybe not all the credit belongs to us. Maybe we should just as well give some credit to the people who are tolerating us. Do you think that aspect should be considered as well?

I am afraid that my brethren that are agitating for Biafra might just have fallen into this trap of thinking that they are better than other Nigerians. In the real sense that could be so in some things, but they too must admit that other Nigerian tribes, nationalities, people groups, might just have areas where they too are better. We are all people; meaning in some things we are better than others, and in some things we are not as good as others. This is how God has created life and this is how He has created diversity. God has made us to be diverse so that we can learn from each other. Meanwhile, there is no way we will be able to learn or receive from each other until we admit that others too are better than we are in some areas.

I am not a prophet neither am I the son of a prophet, but as a servant of God I would like to give a word of warning to my brethren who are agitating for Biafra. I wish to sound an alarm in your ears that we should learn from history. I can almost guarantee you by the Spirit of God that if Biafra eventually gains independence and breaks away from Nigeria, a civil war might soon ensue within Biafra itself. Besides God’s Spirit, my assertion is backed by history.

It is no news to Nigerians that our Igbo nation is probably the most divisive nationality within itself. No wonder when Enugu state was carved out of the old Anambra state, the division within the Igbo people came out with sirens blaring. The desire to have all the national cake of the state “only for our own people within our state” prompted the leadership of the then Enugu state to evict the Igbo people of Anambra state from their civil service. Such was the blatant demonstration of division even within the Igbo people that the indigenes of Anambra were sent back to their state.

If this is only a matter of state, what will happen when it is real national cake within Biafra itself? I hear all the time how my friends from Imo state complain about Anambra people. People from Abia state who are Igbos also attack Anambra people. The same is also true of the people from Enugu and Ebonyi. Everybody fighting for their own piece of cake. Nowhere was this more evident than recently when the immediate past governor of Abia State, Theodore A. Orji, sacked workers from Ebonyi, Anambra, Imo and Enugu from the state’s work force.

It is difficult to see how the Igbo people would manage to find a place for all their teeming population to return from all over parts of Nigeria if the states are already fighting over jobs and employment only for their indigenes. What will happen when suddenly millions of people have to come back home without jobs, housing or occupation? It is scary to imagine what would begin to happen within the Biafra nation. Students of contemporary history will tell us that this is the exact scenario of what happened in South Sudan. The civil war that ensued as a result of their independence is still going on as I am writing within the South Sudan Republic itself.  

Read more from http://www.sundayadelajablog.com/archives/3911

lolz! Biafra disturbing and giving so many people sleepless night. So many anti-articles against biafra, and 90% of these articles are written by non-biafrans/igbos. As i write this now..so many people are working hard to come up with articles that will discredit biafra. So many groups are springing up all because of biafra! Chai, biafra don suffer...

I care less about Biafra. Any group that want to leave this entity can go in peace but not try to cajole any other group/ethnic into their formation. I'm a Nigerian.

I didn't even read it OP I can assure u nairalanders don't read long post like ds

Another Yoruba bastard.

athaboi:
lolz! Biafra disturbing and giving so many people sleepless night. So many anti-articles against biafra, and 90% of these articles are written by non-biafrans/igbos. As i write this now..so many people are working hard to come up with articles that will discredit biafra. So many groups are springing up all because of biafra! Chai, biafra don suffer...

Okay sir...always read before you comment...the article is no way anti - biafra....its a bitter truth! I wonder why most of this agitators act like illiterates most times, especially the E-warriors....kindly go back and read d article again, then point out the Anti - Biafra part! I believe in freedon but for every freedom fight, wisdom is neeeded!

EasternPride:
Another Yoruba bastard.

Another illiterate one

OMO, free education is poisonous, why should yorubas keep arguing like illiterates on this Biafra Issue? Does it mean these ppl have not heard of the word SOVEREIGNTY

At the mention of the word BIAFRA all slaves down south shivers

If u want to scare the he'll outta a Yoruba man, just say Bia..... before u finish the 'fra ' sef, dude'd soaked all over like he just crossed the Pacific on foot. Why evils?

adegunwa4real:


Okay sir...always read before you comment...the article is no way anti - biafra....its a bitter truth! I wonder why most of this agitators act like illiterates most times, especially the E-warriors....kindly go back and read d article again, then point out the Anti - Biafra part! I believe in freedon but for every freedom fight, wisdom is neeeded!

it would be more nutritious to drink garri in Biafra than Eat Nkwobi in Nigeria. If our mind's not in your country, no amount of money, Or food would make us fulfilled.

Building a country doesn't start Or stop in one day..... and there must be biafrans in Nigeria just as their would be Nigerians in Biafra. All those crap you wrote up there doesn't count for much.

adegunwa4real like a typical yoruba you tried very hard to hide your bigoted views under the cloak of objectivity unfortunately for you we can see through it.

Sugarcoating your propaganda won't save for from getting lashed.

1.) I am not your Brother, you are yoruba (probably a muslim) and i an Igbo man with an unkillable Biafran spirit. Let us understand that first.

2.) Pro-Biafran protests happened in Bayelsa, Igweocha(PH), Cross river, Asaba which are all SS cities. Have you perused the list of names of arrested IPOB members in Igweocha, they were mainly indigenes of the 'SS'- Efiks, ogonis, Ibibios. Why do convieniently deny that mr 'My brother'.

3.) You claimed Igbos will be chased away from Igweocha? So you will chase away Nnamdi from ObIgbo in rivers or Amaech from Ogwashiukwu to please the mallams and you their slaves. You know there are Igbos in SS but have decided to lie to yourself to protect you zoo but we know better. You are yorruber so it's not surprising. You can keep shouting 'south-east' till tommorow it does not change the fact that Biafra is far bigger than the fulani drawn SE. Every governor both se and ss are waru of biafra because it means no more power for them.

4.) You blackmailed Igbos with their properties so they can stay with you under fulani domination to give yorrobers and hausa 'a source of common ground'- being anti-Igbo. It is the only way you yorobbers have survived fulani onslaught. You are going to have your Oduarewastan. Biafran never knew you before 1914, so you both can go live happily ever after in your islamic republic.

5.) No matter how you want to coat it, there is no soverignty in going to a fulani man cup- in-hand in Abuja before building my roads and school with my own resources.

I pity biafra agitators. Come to think of it most of them are illiterates who know nothing about history. The bible teaches us not to argue with the fool else he will seem wise in his own eyes. A dog that will get lost will not hear the call of the hunter. They a calling for biafra yet they run back to Lagos after xmas, they can't even afford to stay in their so called country for a month after d yuletide. I pity these people once again.

omonuhabi:
I pity biafra agitators. Come to think of it most of them are illiterates who know nothing about history. The bible teaches us not to argue with the fool else he will seem wise in his own eyes. A dog that will get lost will not hear the call of the hunter. They a calling for biafra yet they run back to Lagos after xmas, they can't even afford to stay in their so called country for a month after d yuletide. I pity these people once again.

Mr Yoruba literati, Stay alone with your fulani brothers-in-lslam. e hard?

omonuhabi:
I pity biafra agitators. Come to think of it most of them are illiterates who know nothing about history. The bible teaches us not to argue with the fool else he will seem wise in his own eyes. A dog that will get lost will not hear the call of the hunter. They a calling for biafra yet they run back to Lagos after xmas, they can't even afford to stay in their so called country for a month after d yuletide. I pity these people once again.

Biko, let these Biafrans have their country, abeg!! Nobody should hold them back. If they are not insulting the Hausa today for their hardship, they are blaming the Yoruba tomorrow for their woes. If they are not fighting with the Ibaji today, they are castigating the Edo tomorrow.

Let them carry their wahala and go, so we can have peace. Those who refuse to leave Nigeria, should just be deported. Afterall, if Biafra separates from Nigeria, we would then become two separate countries and we can then decide who gets an entry permit or visa, and those who would not be allowed to pass the immigration points on our shores!! #EnoughIsEnough!

If they insist on getting back into Nigeria through illegal entry routes after Christmas, our security forces should just conduct a routine sweep and send them packing, after an organised raid on their hide-outs.

adegunwa4real:


Okay sir...always read before you comment...the article is no way anti - biafra....its a bitter truth! I wonder why most of this agitators act like illiterates most times, especially the E-warriors....kindly go back and read d article again, then point out the Anti - Biafra part! I believe in freedon but for every freedom fight, wisdom is neeeded!

who ever wrote that is a sudo illeterate, i cant read craps..for me to see something like"the south east hv been on their own and that no other tribe hv ever collected their land or drag their place with them is highly elementry. When someone makes such ascersions, comparing political, economic freedom and total independence with d present southeast under the federal govt that cant manage her own resources orless the federal govt gives them allocations then it bcoms dump. What will make me read such nonsense