BIAFRA - My Take

The Indigenous people of Enugu protesting in the Name of Biafra

First, let me clearly state, I am proudly from eastern Nigeria. 

Abia State, Umuahia North specifically. We never really see my father get emotional but he did the day he spoke of the Biafran war and how he was almost killed after being captured by the Nigerian Army as a small boy of seven. He only survived because he spoke and still speaks Hausa fluently. He also spoke of his father's bravery in trying to protect his family. He spoke of how every Igbo man lost everything as Nigeria took everything from them and they all had to start afresh from scratch. No money, no houses, loss of family members and friends. Minimum of 10,000 people were killed including women and children.

From Dad's stories and if the movie (Half of a yellow sun) and the book "there was a country" by Chinue Achebe is anything close to the experience of the Igbos, then it is realistic to conclude that the igbos certainly have grievances against the Nigerian people and very much have the right to and I dare say that it is stupid for the Nigerian people to pretend or shy away from this fact. I only have a problem with how they express it. 

I sympathize with them but insisting on Biafra is not the solution. I was in my home town last Christmas. And I was depressed as always. That place is still as rural and undeveloped as it has being since my childhood. No sign of development  anywhere. The roads are dead traps, no manufacturing company anywhere. The only thing going for them is trading, small time farming and civil service jobs. Even the famous "international" markets in Onitsha is an eye shore. And this begs the question what did the previous state governments of do for the people of Abia State? Name one. NOTHING. 

A friend was asking me if I support Biafra, I just laughed. You can describe an average Igbo man as smart, physically strong, business minded, hustler, most creative set of people in Nigeria (don't even deny it) with great survival spirit (I mean we survived the war with nothing and still surviving), he would do almost anything to provide for his family. But as a people? There is so much corruption and selfishness and greed. I am not even convinced that life as citizen of the Republic of Biafra will be anything better than being a citizen of Nigeria now when as we speak with the very few Igbos in different levels of power cannot even do anything to develop her states (and when I think Biafra, I mean Abia, Enugu, Imo, Anambra). These eastern politicians are just selfishly stealing funds for themselves and no one is thinking of going back home, building a manufacturing firm or any other way to create employment and encourage education and development. Even if the Nigerian government decides to let us have Biafra without a war, I don't see any prove of life different or better than it is now. Same selfish people looting for themselves. 

Back to the Nigerian government, they should stop claiming innocence and start taking responsibility for their part in the war. Eastern Nigerians are hurt, frustrated and probably need some sort of closure. Acknowledging their part and making amends to reconcile and make the "ONE NIGERIA" become a reality. The friend who asked the question is Hausa and dared to say "we will just kill you people like we did before and by the way, we don't need you for anything, you don't produce or manufacture anything" n I said "it is this same attitude that you have and am sure a lot of people have, that is the problem, no conscience, no remorse for lost lives, no willingness to pull Nigeria together and by the way if you don't need eastern Nigeria for anything, then let them go peacefully, why hold someone that is useless to you captive and hostage?". 

I think that Nigeria can start with National appology for the injustice, murders and also make conscious effort to turn the 50% of the National FOCUS on developing Eastern Nigeria. Reconstructing the roads, renovating the international market to global standard, start up any manufacturing firm to create employment and create awareness for education.  

So I am not pro-biafra but I think for ONE NIGERIA to become a reality something urgent needs to be done before a selfish politician turns this peaceful protest into terrorism like Boko Haram by using this jobless, idle but strong hardworking creative youths. WE Nigerians already have our hands full with current insurgencies. That is what democracy and diplomacy is. (Maybe am watching too much Madam secretary and House of cards). I mean if you are willing to Negotiate with Boko Haram (who have being killing people everyday) why not hear this people protesting peacefully out and Negotiate a more balanced and favorable outcome for everyone. Ignoring them, that is how the devil starts the game to steal, kill and destroy.LET'S ALL MOVE ON IN PEACE, stop the greed, marginalization and discrimination and tribal behaviour and remarks against each other.