Is the BBC biased against Biafra? In the first of a series of articles, author Herbert Ewke-Ekwer argues that the BBC treats activists seeking Scottish independence with far more privilege than Biafran activists, and by doing so, privileges Nigeria as a state.

Biafra and Scotland, different kinds of independence movements?

The British Broadcasting Corporation describes Scottish people in pursuit of independence from the United Kingdom as “Scottish nationalists”.

Any researcher can find this characterisation by examining the BBC’s well-stacked library of broadcasts and publications on the subject.

This is why Alex Salmond, for instance, would be designated as “Scottish nationalist” or “former Scottish nationalist leader,” and Nicola Surgeon is described as “Scottish nationalist” or “Scottish nationalist leader.”

Democratically chose to join with together with England

Scots number 5 million in population and had joined England in 1707 out of their own choice (democratically) to form the UK.

As the latter subsequently conquered most of the world to build the British Empire, Scots played a critical role in the enterprise that belied their much smaller population.

This ensured that they, now a constituent nation of the UK, became crucial beneficiaries of the stupendous harvest returns of global conquests and occupations.

As a result, Scots indeed became the most unlikely candidates in 2014 who would wish to declare their independence from this 300-year-old immensely fruitful union.


The BBC, on the other hand, categorises the 50 million people of Biafra, who have sought their independence from Nigeria since the 29 May 1966 launch date of the Igbo genocide as “secessionists”.

In tune, the BBC describes Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the founding leader of the Biafran independence movement, as a “secessionist leader” – a tag it wouldn’t dare use to refer to either Alex Salmond or Nicola Surgeon!

Similarly, whilst the BBC utilises “secessionist” to refer to hundreds of thousands of Biafran demonstrators across Biafra and elsewhere in the world currently involved in historic peaceful marches for independence.

It wouldn’t dare employ such a term in describing those Scots who voted “Yes” during the September 2014 referendum on Scottish independence.

The latter are cited as “nationalists” or “supporters of Scottish independence”.

Choice: primary vs privilege

Some would probably wonder what differences the BBC’s choice of terminologies makes: aren’t these terms broadly synonymous – indicating the desire of two peoples, Biafrans and Scots, to declare their rights for self-determination or independence from Nigeria and Britain respectively?

No, not totally, except to the cursory observer. In the Scottish example, the BBC is almost straining itself to the hilt to emphasise that the Scots are the primary, actuating agency in deciding to exercise this right for freedom from Britain.

If one is unaware that the United Nations regards this right for all peoples as inalienable, the thrust of the BBC’s coverage on the Scots has surely demonstrated this as such to its listeners, viewers and readers.

In contrast to the Scots, the BBC’s approach to Biafran independence or self-determination couldn’t be starker.


Here, by harping on its worn “secessionist” signature, and the latter’s evidently overarching territorial “decoupling” overtones, the BBC privileges the Nigeria state.

Nigeria is a state the conqueror Britain imposed arbitrarily on scores of subjugated African nations and peoples in the aftermath of the pan-European leaders’ infamous 1884-1885 Berlin-conquest conference on Africa.

Is Nigeria a colonial holdover?

Nigeria is arguably the most notorious of Africa’s “Berlin states”. This is the state that carried out the Igbo genocide, 29 May 1966-12 January 1970, the foundational genocide of post-(European)conquest state, murdering 3.1 million Igbo or one-quarter of this nation’s population.

The genocide inaugurated Africa’s current age of pestilence during which 12 million additional Africans have been murdered in further genocide in Rwanda (1994), Zaïre/Democratic Republic of the Congo (variously, since the late 1990s) and Darfur/Nuba Mountains/South Kordofan (all in Sudan since 2003) and in other wars in Africa.

Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe is the author of Longest Genocide – Since 29 May 1966.

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

In tune, the BBC describes Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the founding leader of the Biafran independence movement, as a “secessionist leader” – a tag it wouldn’t dare use to refer to either Alex Salmond or Nicola Surgeon!

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

bosedekemi:


Shallow outburst Present a superior argument or remain silent forever I do not understand why Africans living ve being slaves...

FREEDOM4BIAFRA:


Why not counter with facts ?

StOla:
The propaganda report did not mention that a war resulted from the secession attempts by Biafra and that the Biafrans even attempted to venture into Nigeria?

It also avoids revealing that the millions who died are as a result of a failed Biafran state being unable to feed its own population during a war it was so boastful about at the onset, but depending on charities and the hope that such propaganda would illicit more sympathy and support from world powers.

The propaganda report also mentions 3million Biafran deaths, the revisionist figure just like the revised 50 thousand pogrom deaths manufactured to justify why secession was necessary when the war began to look like a wasted effort, but only confirm the irresponsibility of the Biafrans not having learnt anything about the futility of their schemes.

amiskurie:

Lol,I don't even read it.time is precious to waste on such article.
I read better things,and not craps.

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

cokoduck:

fvck you

nertonert:


This cheap propaganda is only for the gaulible.

Did the report also state that Nigeria is a result of the illegal amalgamation of unconsenting indigenous ethnic nationalities without their consent?

Did the report state that Biafra was the direct result of breaking the confederal agreement the Government of Gowon signed in Ghana?


Did the report state that after Biafra was declared, Nigeria could have chosen other peaceful ways of resolving the dispute than rushing to war?

Finally

Did the report state that it is the inalienable right of man or a people to self determination?

Personally, I think that Britain is still ashamed of its role in the Biafran war saga. Britain should have stayed neutral. Instead, Britain supplied ammunition to Nigeria, discouraged other countries from recognising Biafra, blockaded the sea to prevent Ojukwu from bringing in food and ammunition. Britain won the war for Nigeria.

Did the report state that after Biafra was declared, Nigeria could have chosen other peaceful ways of resolving the dispute than rushing to war?

amiskurie:

Lol,I don't even read it.time is precious to waste on such article.
I read better things,and not craps.

SLIDEwaxie:
If u like die, if u like, cry...u are secessionists. Did the Scottish go abt destroying properties and looting shops because they wanted out?


Monkeys!

cokoduck:
Monkey in the zoo, when did Biafrans loot your shop, you don't even have one, monkey and babbon in a zoo.

amiskurie:

Look,ur fuc just struck through your mother buttt hole --------------:> she moans!







This shows how "responsible" the monkeys and baboon in the zoo are

amiskurie:

Look,ur fuc just struck through your mother buttt hole --------------:> she moans!

StOla:


The sea that belongs to Nigeria? Is Igbo land anywhere near the sea?

Britain won the war for Nigeria, while mercenaries lost the war for Biafra, right?




Peaceful ways like welcoming the invading Biafran Army into the MidWest or declaring a trade treaty for dropping bombs on Lagos?

You call a declaration of war a dispute?

SLIDEwaxie:
have u done your WAEC? I mean, how old are u? Lol

amiskurie:
This is one the reason why I unfollowed naij.com. the owner should be arrested as soon as possible...they are enemy of the state.they are always against naija.

cokoduck:
Then STFU and run into your shell, any time you get confronted with presentation of facts you dolts just cook up an excuse.

patrick89:
let me guess you're yoruba, you hate anything that is not in support of your myopic view? So I should unfollow sahara reporters, punch and the most useless The nation? Abi?

patrick89:
let me guess you're yoruba, you hate anything that is not in support of your myopic view? So I should unfollow sahara reporters, punch and the most useless The nation? Abi?