These things do not happen in a vacuum, they happen because the government is incompetent, because people are suffering, and the government officials do not care about the plight of the people. The government officials only care about themselves. So, it seems about time that the people find a way to save themselves.
The embattled people of Biafra lost the civil war between 1963 to 1967 when over three million Biafrans were massacred by the Nigeria State for wanting out of the British colonial contraption. They survived the crimes against them and have not given up the hope to be able to govern themselves and take care of their people the way the Nigeria State have never cared to do. For decades post-civil war, the Biafran people, among other suffering Nigerians, have cried and complained about the injustices and total disregard of individual human and civil rights allowed to fester and proliferate in Nigeria by the government. The Nigerian government have been totally incapable of protecting and providing for the people. The government is filled with corrupt, selfish, and uneducated individuals devoid of any knowledge on how to build and manage a nation; but they are experts on how to inflate their individual salaries and allowances, without regard for majority of the masses living in abject poverty. As we speak, the Nigeria government have practically sold the country to China through massive debts that may never be repaired to China; and the monies are syphoned by officials and hardly beneficial to the masses in any way.
Things are so bad in Nigeria presently that the U.S. Department of State have issued a travel advisory against travels to Nigeria due to a long list of terrorist activities, among covid19 concerns, that have engulfed many parts of the country, such as Kidnapping for ransom, ethnic cleansing by animal herders, mob violence activities, to name but a few. Sometimes in the year 2020, the U.S. Ambassador to Nigeria in a speech, said that Nigerians know what to do to solve their problems. The ambassador said that Nigerians do not need anybody to tell them what to do. He named several things that Nigerians needed to do to help themselves. I believe that his speech was inspired by the constant call by Nigerians for America and other western countries to come and help them solve their problems. The ambassador made it clear that only Nigerians can solve their problems and the western countries are counting on them to do so. And the fact is that every country has their own problems; so, to expect another country to come and fix your own country for you is naïve and infantile thinking.
It is beginning to gradually dawn on the Nigerian masses that help is not coming from anywhere outside of themselves. This realization sparked a massive protest in 2020 when the youths stormed the streets to protest the SARS (Special Anti-Robbery Squad) which got the hashtag #ENDSARS and galvanized global support. The SARS squad was commissioned by the Nigeria police to fight the various terrorist activities like armed robbery and kidnapping in the country, but the squad became the terrorists robbing and killing the people they were established to protect. And that protest produced great results as the Nigerian government permanently abolished the SARS squad, while still working to meet all the demands made by the masses.
In the same spirit, the Biafran people, in unity, have decided to take their destiny into their own hands and take the bulls by the horn once again by formally resurrecting their quest for self-actualization. On March 13, 2021, the Biafra De Facto Customary Government was declared by the leader, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo, a tried and tested former militant leader and patriot of the Biafran nation. In his declaration speech, he named the individuals that will be assisting him in the service to the Biafran people while he also called on those who want to volunteer themselves for service to come forward. The current leadership of the Biafra De Facto Customary Government are: Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo – Chairman, Mrs. Rita Anigbogu – Deputy Chairlady, Diokpa George Onyeibe – Secretary (George Onyibe is also interim administrator for Biafra Nation), Diokpa Uche Mefor – Head of Information/Communications (Uche Mefor is also the director of Biafra Human Fundamental Rights Radio and Biafra Nation), Barrister Emeka Emekesiri – Legal Affairs.
The chairman, Alhaji Asari Dokubo, spoke on the marginalization of the Biafran people by the Nigeria government, saying that Biafrans can no longer play “second fiddle” to the rest of Nigerians especially the Fulani ruling class where the proceeds from natural resources of the Biafran people are used to construct roads and other infrastructure in the northern and western parts of Nigerian while the Biafran people are excluded. It is important to note that the crude oil produced by Nigeria belongs to the Biafran people but used to develop other parts of Nigeria excluding the people on whose land it is mined. The lands where the oil is mined, and surrounding areas have been polluted by oil. The land can no longer be used for agriculture. And on top of all that, the people are neglected and excluded from development. It is quite a blatant maltreatment of a people whose natural resources feeds the nation.
Alhaji Asari Dokubo named three areas of focus by the de facto government, which are Security, Science & Technology, and Health. He explained that they will not pull guns and weapons against Nigeria but that they will secure and protect the Biafran people. He also mentioned that the de facto customary government will be charged with educating the people in science and technology to grow the minds that will innovate cutting edge technologies that will develop the people’s economy. And finally, he said that the customary government will also concentrate on developing healthful measures to amplify the health and lives of the Biafran people. These things do not happen in a vacuum, they happen because the government is incompetent, because people are suffering, and the government officials do not care about the plight of the people. The government officials only care about themselves. So, it seems about time that the people find a way to save themselves.
It is particularly important also to note that what is needed for all suffering Nigerians to triumph over the evil and corruption going on in Nigeria is for them to unite beyond tribe and religion to stand against the oppressive Fulani cabal. Religion is not the problem except when people make it a problem. Countries like Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, USA, and Britain live in civil harmony among people of various religions ideologies including Christians and Muslims. Also, notice that the Biafra de facto customary government have both Muslim and Christians in their leadership. So, again, religion and tribe should not divide a people. The dividing line should be the good people vs the wicked corrupt and selfish cabals in all areas of Nigeria. Therefore, all well-meaning Nigerians should rise in support of each other regardless of tribe and religion; otherwise, you will forever be conquered and powerless.
Ij Onuigbo is a U.S. Army Veteran, human rights activist, and a humanitarian.
You can follow her on Twitter: @ij_onuigbo