The voluntary sit-at-home order embarked upon by the south eastern, south – south Nigerians as part of Biafran independence is a quick reminder that there is still a country called “Biafra”. If we have been living under the illusion that the Republic of Biafra is a mirage, this might be the time to get the veil off our eyes to see the number of Nigerians who are emotionally, ideologically and spiritually Biafrans. Its about time Federal Government understand that the sit at home is a conscious effort towards secession of the Igbos and other parts of the south – south willing to leave the federation called Nigeria.
I have always turned a blind eye on the issue of Biafran agitation. I have never liked the position of the Igbo people to secede because I strongly believe Nigeria needs all its component states – besides, I feel it’s a patriotic position to hold on to. The growing strength of support from the ordinary south easterner is indeed instructive statement of how the people feel about the way and manner they are treated in a country supposedly theirs. I will never want my country to be fragmented but we must tell ourselves the truth about the fact that the Biafran ideology is in the DNA of an average Igbo person. Yes there is always a country of Biafra and we hope we wont say there was once a country Nigeria.
The Biafrans who are known for their creativity have devised a strategy to avoid the bullets. Instead of demonstrating and risk getting shot by security operatives, they stayed at home, allowed commerce to suffer but their message resoundingly communicated. They however demonstrated in about 120 countries across the globe. This is the road countries like Malaysia/Singapore, India/ Pakistan went. Nigerian government has indeed failed to adopt the British strategy on Scotland. A referendum to secede failed when British government accommodated the interest of the Scots.
It is therefore all about inclusiveness. Nigeria sits on a tripod of Hausa, Igbo and Yoruba – already one of the tripod feel orphaned and the center is tottering dangerously towards falling apart.
It is time we realize that the quest for a republic of Biafra is no longer about Nnamdi Kanu,. In fact the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) only made little known Kanu a hero, already none Igbos, none Nigerians are gradually queuing up in the agitation for A Biafran state. Biafra has come to stay in the minds of many Igbo’s.
The least the government can do is to listen to them, understand their fears to create conducive atmosphere for proper negotiation. If Nigerian government can negotiate with terrorists, its therefore tantamount to hypocrisy to think Biafran agitators can be muzzled. The so-called Biafrans need assurances, they need to be brought back into the fold. They must be schooled on the strength of having a tripod for better comparative advantage as a country.
But how can peace be achieved on the Biafran agitation and why is it different from Arewa, Oduduwa agenda? These are posers the federal government must analyze towards proffering solutions for. We must appreciate the fact that the Igbo nation think they have fared worse under the leadership of PMB. The Igbo’s believe the present administration is tribal, sectional and religiously based on key appointments targeted against the Igbo’s. On the issue of regional ideology, many believe the Biafran agenda is most inimical to the country, considering the civil war debacle. While Arewa, Oduduwa tends to advocate for regional interests based on collective aspirations to develop.
The 2015 election is expected to bring Nigerians closer but the victory made some Nigerians especially from the North feel it was time to serve the monolithic south especially the south-east the dish of revenge for refusing to vote PMB. It is true the Igbo nation largely shunned the candidacy of Buhari, what must be taken into consideration is fear of the Igbo’s over what is presently happening to them now, which is marginalization among sundry others earlier mentioned. It was therefore incumbent on the administration to dismiss their fears by reaching out to address their agitations.
The issues that must be addressed to level up the scale are; issue of resource control, imbalance in federal appointments, herders stimulated insecurity, cleavage-based leadership. The Igbo nation may be less populous but they are industrious and arguably one of the most educated and well traveled. Already they are making serious impact in their agitation across the globe. It’s simply a matter of time before the world demand justice for these people. This looming matter must be managed on discussion table. We must not allow it to go the way of North and South Sudan!
Written by Israel A. Ebije
ebije05@gmail.com @ebijeisrael
