OPINION: Biafra Supporters Are Not Terrorists, They Are Just Defending Their Rights

Editor’s note: Justifying the development of Biafra in response to attacks on the Igbo people in 1960s on the one hand, and condemning the ongoing protests of the pro-Biafran supporters in the southern Nigerian states on the other, Ijeoma Daimonds, Naij.com reader and guest contributor, calls for a peaceful resolving of the issue through a dialogue and mutually beneficial agreement. 

How was Biafra born?

The political antecedents of the late 1960s could neither justify nor put up with the inhumanity of the pogroms committed against the Igbo living in different parts of the country. The mindless massacre of Igbos was a crime against humanity. The continued silence of the then government was unbearable, hence Biafra was born, a child of necessity.

Biafra was not Ojukwu’s political ambition; nor was it a political agenda of the dissatisfied Igbo. No political ambition or agenda is worth anybody’s blood. The cause of Biafra was that of humanity, the spirit of Biafra is that of bravery and justice; and every Igbo person connects to that as part of their history.

Biafra was a cry for justice …

The Igbo did not feel safe about their lives and property under the then Nigerian government as it had failed in its duty to protect all its citizens; that was why the Ndigbo wanted to secede from Nigeria. They needed a leader, and Ojukwu led the people to war. In fact, no Igbo man/woman would have risked their lives and property if Biafra was one person’s political agenda. While the rest of the world turned a blind eye to the grave injustice being committed against humanity, the Ndigbo stood up to fight and protect their lives. They fought with courage, and endured unimaginable inhuman conditions until their voices were heard.

Thus, there was a fundamental reason for Biafra to come to place: the continued pogroms against the Igbo resulting in them feeling insecure about their lives and property. Igbos did not want to secede because they were marginalized; that could be addressed through the continued dialogue between our and national leaders. The fact is that before the step of declaring a war was taken the then Nigerian government kept silent while the violence against the Igbo persisted.

… but all has changed now

 There are no serious grounds for the recent agitation for separation from the united Nigeria in the name of Biafra. Our lives and property are safe, we freely conduct our business activities without restriction as the law-abiding citizens, and we are doing well as a people economically governed by our own people at the state level. If we feel marginalized in any way, what we need to do is to express our dissatisfaction and defend our rights peacefully through our leaders. We have our representatives at the national and international levels, through which we can continue to negotiate. Going to the streets, disrupting peaceful daily activities of other citizens, harassing and attacking defenseless people and showing placards that read “Give us Biafra or death!!!” is not only senseless, but also totally disrespectful to the civil rights of other citizens, and the peace and unity of Nigeria.

When the Oba of Lagos made a hateful and inciting statement against the Igbo, the Yoruba elite strongly condemned it publicly, cautioned the Oba, apologized to the Igbo and assured them of the safety of their lives and property in Lagos.

Hatred can give rise only to hatred

The Igbo men can think for themselves and heed to reason, that is why our society has survived as an egalitarian one.

A person, who spews out vitriol on the media, and shouts hateful and seditious comments under the name of Biafra, should be stopped collectively by the Ndigbo because they misrepresent Biafra and rubbishes the just cause our heroes fought for; they should also understand that there are the consequences for assaulting the sovereignty of a nation.

A person, who for selfish or politically motivated reasons chooses to psychologically manipulate a large number of unsuspecting citizens through a very sensitive topic, or to incite sedition, is a vile person, who can never mean good for the fellow citizens.

A person, who claims to fight for the good interests of the people, should not risk their lives. If they have the good interests of his people at heart they should engage the government and the people into discussion of the civil matters, and not put the lives of innocent citizens at risk by inciting war.

We are one

Nigeria as a nation is far from perfect. We are still developing our democracy, and we are yet to fully grasp the concept of the rule of law, which is the backbone of democracy. Everybody shares the collective responsibility both for the government at all levels and the citizens as the important stakeholders of the country.

We must be patient and realise that no government process is automatic. We must support our government, and engage our leaders and representatives into peaceful negotiation. No great nation has developed overnight, but through the collective effort of both the citizens and the government.

The views expressed in this article are author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Naij.com.

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