REFLECTIONS ON THE BIAFRA PHENOMENON

The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is defined by online encyclopaedia, Wikipedia, as a secessionist movement for the restoration of the sovereignty of the defunct Republic of Biafra. It is led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a united kingdom-based political activist who has been controversially detained by the Nigeria government since October 2015 despite court orders for his release.


While Wikipedia acknowledge that the attitude of the folks who champion this cause as well as their threats to the Nigeria government stems from the government’s unlawful attacks and careless killing of the peaceful protesters, who for the most part are peaceful civilians, it still reveals that this same attitude of the IPOB members has made certain individual to see them as “political jobbers”. That is an aspect of description I FIND IT DIFFICULT TO RECONCILE. How do peaceful protest make one a political jobber, one would wonder.

On the other hand, down here in the east, in places like Onitsha, one of the commercial hubs that South Eastern Nigeria boast of, has another group of individual who had been parading themselves as “Biafrans” and extorting money from every tom dick and harry under the guise of being legitimately commissioned to collect revenue.

There have also been cases of violence in such areas where there is a high concentration of folk who appear to be fanatics of the Biafran cause. The attitude of such individuals undermines the genuineness of the Biafran cause and indeed makes it seem as if it is just another hiding place for misfits to carry out their nefarious activities.

There is also bound to be worry that there is the danger of the whole Biafran cause degenerating into terrorism in the mould of Boko-Haram and others. What with a former leader of Niger Delta Militants is alleged to have pledged allegiance to the IPOB cause.

Some members of the elite from the South-East share the sentiments of the cause but, from there submissions, are obviously turned off by the regrettable case scenarios earlier alluded to. The secessionist ideology is religiously shared on Facebook and other social media platforms. Nnamdi Kanu was recently spotted as the individual whose picture is most used as profile picture by Facebook users; running into millions.

It has been observed that a philosophy that seems to incorporate certain basic Igbo values and norms is being knitted into the gospel being preached by the most vocal of this IPOB cause. It I generally acknowledge that a lot of injustices are being meted out to a certain group of people who exercising their right to self-determination. It is obvious that the Nigeria government under the presidency of Muhammadu Buhari is willing to defy court order in its attempt to stifle whatever would threaten the structure put up by the British, even when the structure has kept proving over time that the centre cannot hold.

Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration is a big statement to this effect and the mindless shooting of IPOB members on peaceful protest in ABA (6 Killed, 30 injured, 45 in police net), Onitsha (over 30 killed, over 50 injured and many arrested) is clear evidence of the mind-set of the Nigerian government towards any exercise of self-determination in Nigeria. Would you blame anyone seeing the whole picture from perspective who calls the country a zoo? Zoos are where you keep animals against their will.

Political analysts have interpreted the IPOB phenomenon as well as other insurgencies in other parts of the country as indication that the greater percentage of what make up the citizenry of Nigeria are fed it up with the status quo in the country which has continued to deteriorated over the years, manifesting as corruption, nepotism and what have you.

A certain educationist and Human rights activist, Comrade Ofoelus, alongside some other very enlightened Nigerians are the view that the reason the Nigerian entity has refused to hold together as one over the years like other amalgamated states – the US for one – is because “Nigeria was established on a foundation of falsehood and deceit and selfish interest.” He therefore proposes that the only remedy is for the different ethnic groups that think they belong together to form independent states of their own.

According to Ofoelue, the only thing that will ignite the spirit of patriotism that is lacking in the average Nigeria today is disintegration of the country. These sceptics, on the other hand, are of the opinion that even when Biafrans are given independence there is no guarantee that some individuals would not want to flex their financial and political muscles and seek to transfer the virus of corruption to the new nation.

A cetain economics and educationist, a lecturer at Nnamdi Azikiwe University, though an Igbo descent, refuses to accept secession as a remedy to the economic and political dysfunctionality of Nigeria. He is of opinion that the numerical power of Nigeria has as a nation (being the most populous black nation in the world) is an indispensable tool for economic growth and development of any nation.

While we observe the turn of events and/or while playing our various roles, let us take into account the implications of any stance we may decide to take in this matter. Whether pro-Biafra or not, let us remember that the best we can do today would be contributing positively to a better, more conducive society for the next generation. PEACE AND BLESSING