STATEMENT
5 February 2013
On May 30th 1967 , the Eastern National
Consultative Assembly led by Dr. Alvan Ikoku, mandated His Excellency
General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu to declare the then Eastern Nigeria,
the Republic of Biafra. General Ojukwu took up the challenge and
declared the Republic of Biafra on that historic day. On July 6th 1967,
the whole world declared a war of genocide against the Biafran peopl
e,
with some Islamic fundamentalist like Usman Katsina boasting that Biafra
would be liquidated in 24 hours.
That 24 hours later became a long three years of Biafran struggle to
emancipate the entire black race from the yoke of white colonialism,
racism and hatred. By 1970 over 3 million Biafrans in defence of their
country and freedom had paid the supreme sacrifice with their lives.
On November 5th 2012, at Coal Camp Enugu, the Biafra Zionist Movement
took up that challenge once again and renewed that original mandate of
May 30th 1967 and re-declared the Independence and the Sovereignty of
the Republic of Biafra. The Biafra Zionist Movement visited the old
wound that prompted Emeka Ojukwu to act and that was the near attempt by
the Muslim North and Obafemi Awolowo to campaign openly for the
annihilation of the Ibo race. The BZM reclaimed the independence of the
Republic of Biafra on two compelling grounds/factors namely:
That it is now abundantly clear that the Security of life and Property
of the Biafran people are no longer safe and quaranteed in the entity
called Nigeria and therefore on November 5th the Biafran people resolved
to re-declare their independence based on the May 30th 1967 Mandate that
was vested on Emeka Ojukwu by the leadership of the Rep of Biafra in
order to quarantee the security and the survival of the Biafran people
according to International law.
2. That it is also very clear that the Biafran peoples right to freely
worship their God according to their Christian faith is no longer
guaranteed and safe in the entity called Nigeria and therefore on
November 5th 2012, the Biafran people resolved to opt out of Nigeria in
order that the Biafran people could be given protection under the United
Nations Convention on the freedom of worship and Association.
On that November 5th the Biafran people accomplished that objective and
for the first time the news about Biafra was aired on the International
Network, television, Radio, Internet, Facebook around the world. It was
a remarkable achievement by the Biafran people and they deserve to be
thanked for their stoicism and sacrifice. With the above, the
inauguration of the Biafran government is now slated for February 20th
2013 here in our Coal City Capital Enugu.
The whole world will witness the rising of the sun backed up by Mount
Zion and nothing shall prevent us from forming a government of National
Unity that will propel our country to the apogee of International
Politics.
We believe that we have the support of the USA, the EU, Israel and the
International Community because for a very long time our people have
been openly told that they are not wanted in Nigeria and it is for us to
make that arrangement to be independent so that we can secure the live
and property of our people as it is done else where in the world.
The near attempt by the North to dance with Islamising the Biafran
people through the activities of the Boko Haram is a fatal mistake they
will live to regret. The Repubic of Biafra will be progressive, strong,
democratic and forward looking and will be joining the International
Community to foster peace and economic empowerment to all the peoples of
the world.
The Nigeria State has failed to provide for security of life of the
Biafran people, so it is a challenge that we will assume from February
20th 2013 .
What Biafra will do for its People
HOPE: Since 15th January 1970 , the people of Biafra have been pressed
to the wall. As the SLANG was read out by the coward Yakubu Gowon that
the war was a draw through the famous No Victor No Vanquish, but behind
the scene plans were adopted that will make the Ibos especially to pay
for simply defending themselves against the attempt to annihilate them
from the surface of the earth. Obafemi Awolowo came up with economic
strangulation of Biafra by adopting the 20 Pounds policy in order to
keep the remnant of Biafrans at the lower end of the economic ladder.
Since 1970, our people are being reminded of the defeat they suffered at
the hands of the world led by the British government. Our environment is
been destroyed on daily basis because of Oil and our people are being
killed daily because of the taste of the Nigeria State quest for Oil.
The lack of Hope and prejudicial policies of the Nigeria State since
1970 has dragged a lot of citizens into all sorts of ways in order to
find their daily bread. But the assurance from now is that the Rep of
Biafra from Feb 20th will restore our lost hope and put in place a
government that will respect and support it’;s citizens to achieve
whatever they want to do in the world. Biafra will be a beacon of hope
for the aggrieved people of Biafra and give hope and opportunity to all
its citizens.
FREE MARKET CAPITALIST STATE
The Biafran government will establish a very sound economic system that
will be based on individualism. The market will determine what action
the government will take. We will not interfere or prejudice any
individual who wants to make or invent anything that will enhance the
economic well being of the state.
The government of Biafra will support individual and help to attract
foreign investors into our country to create jobs for our people. The
days when our University graduates will become Keke NAPEP Riders or
Okada Riders after graduating from their Universities will go. Our
graduates will be economically agile and active after their University
course. The government will encourage individual investors and open up
international trade that will make Biafra an international player in the
world.
LESS DEPENDENCE ON THE OIL
The Oil some will argue has been a cause on us instead of a blessing. To
some extent it is true because since the end of the war, the oil has
been the main source of Nigeria revenue providing almost 95% of our
foreign earning revenue. This blind policy by the Hausa Fulani/ Yoruba
Axis has led all other industries to die. For instance the Palm Oil and
Cashew industry which was the back bone of the economy of the then
Eastern Region have been allowed to die. Nigeria today is importing
cooking oil from Malaysia which is a shame.
The Malays came to the then Eastern Region in 1953 and took the palm
Kernel to their country for plantation. Today Malaysia is one of the
largest exporters of the Palm crude to the world earning the country
Billions of dollars in foreign earnings.
The Biafran government is going to restore our Cash Crop industry the
Palm Oil and Cashew Industry and all other industries that have been
allowed to die in Nigeria . Biafra would not be dependent on the Oil for
its survival any longer. We are going to diversify into Human Resources
Capabilities in order to be self reliant and not on oil all year round.
The Japanese economy is built on man power, human intelligence, hard
work and patriotism. Let those opposed to Biafra be made aware that
Biafra will be a country of Human Resource and not on Oil. We will also
support our Universities and scientist to come up with inventions that
shall build upon to the service of all man kind.
EDUCATION IN BIAFRA
Since 1970 Education in Biafra has collapsed because of the policies of
the Nigeria govern to stiffen the strength of the Biafran people. Before
Biafra was declared education was the crown jewel of the Biafran people.
But today if Biafrans don't sell their lands their children could not
afford to attend Higher Institutions any more. Our entire education
under Nigeria has collapsed. School fees are higher compare to other
parts of Nigeria . If they struggle to attend up to University level, no
jobs when they finish resulting if not as traders, but kidnappers, Okada
riders or Keke NAPEP.
The Biafra government that shall be formed in February is going to
restore our educational system. There will be free education from
Nursery to University. School teachers would be well paid and schools
shall have well equipped computer labs so that our children would be
equipped to compete with their American European, Israeli, Chinese and
Japanese counterparts. Biafra would be the mother of Education rom Feb
20th 2013 .
A TRUE STATE
The Rep of Biafra will be a land of opportunities for all provided that
you work hard. In Biafra there would be no majority nor minority. A tiv
man will have the same right as Ijaw. Ogoni man will be the same as
Igala man. Ibo as Efik and Urhobo as Ibibio. No one will buy power or
influence in Biafra . Neither can you organize political tugs to
intimidate or harass your opponents. Freedom of the expression shall be
up held.
The press will have the freedom to print what they consider to be in the
interest of the state. Individuals will have every right to express
themselves in any way they feel. No Police brutality, No security force
brutality, but all must respect the law and allow the security agents to
protect our country.
THE BIAFRA OF TODAY
The following States would constitute the Republic of Biafra . Edo
State, Southern Ondo State, Bayelsa, Rivers, Benue State, Kogi (Ajaokuta
down South) Akwa Ibom, Cross River, Delta State, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi,
Enugu, Anambra. Others who wishes to follows the door shall be open to
them. The Rep of Biafra will be a Pure Jewish/ Christian State .
As Biafra rises let us join together to build this country for the sake
of those that have paid with their lives. Am calling on all Biafrans to
join the government on Feb 20th 2013 and by the grace of our Lord Jesus
Christ, the Rep of Biafra has now come to stay.
BIAFRA GOVERNMENT IN EXILE
A DECLARATION
Being part of the official announcement
declaring a Biafra Provisional Government in Exile and held at the
United States National Press Club in Washington DC, United States of
America on August 28, 2007.
DECLARATION:
There comes a time in the life of a people when their physical survival;
their dignity, fundamental human rights, and indeed the very essence of
their being endowed on them by their creator and guaranteed under
natural and international laws supersede all temporary comfort, and
demand unreserved and unmitigated action in defense of these God-given
rights. For the peoples of Biafra, that time is now.
Whereas the peoples and Nation of Biafra and their land and property
find themselves under physical, economic, political, sociologic and
psychological subjugation by the State of Nigeria since 1967; a “state
of occupation” of Biafra by Nigeria has existed and continues to exist.
Unwilling to continue to live under such stifling servitude while
suffering such indignities as are inappropriate for human beings;
determined to exercise the natural and legal rights to Freedom and
Liberty,
We the peoples of the Federation of Biafra have resolved to actualize,
renew, reaffirm and continue with the Declaration of Biafra Independence
of May 30 1967, with all the implications thereof.
In reaffirming the independence of Biafra, the Peoples and Nation of
Biafra make neither war, nor peace with the State or peoples of Nigeria.
Rather we exercise a Natural right, a political right and a right
supported by the United Nations Organization Charter and international
laws – the right of Self-Determination. The peoples of Biafra are taking
this action in certain realization that only the effective exercise of
Self- Determination by the peoples and Nation of Biafra will end the
state of occupation, subjugation, and persecution by Nigeria.
In furtherance of this exercise the peoples and Nation of Biafra have
issued a mandate for the creation and formation of a Biafra Provisional
Government in Exile. Such a government shall function as the bona fide
government of Biafra to:
· Secure the Freedom and Liberty of Biafra and its peoples;
· Represent the Sovereignty and Interests of Biafra throughout the
world;
· Engage in international relationships and diplomacy with Governments,
States, Nations and Organizations;
· Organize for the security of the peoples, properties and land of
Biafrans;
· Obtain diplomatic recognition for the Sovereign State of Biafra;
· Organize the negotiation of trade and other economic activities on
behalf of the peoples of Biafra.
The peoples and Nation of Biafra appeal to all Governments, Peoples,
States, Nations, Organizations and Individuals world wide to support the
long persecuted peoples of Biafra in their struggle for Freedom, Liberty
and Self-Determination.
BACKGROUND
This exercise of self-determination is a direct expression of the will
of the people of Biafra. It is an ongoing process that began in 1966
after a genocidal pogrom and ethnic cleansing exercise directed against
all the peoples of then Eastern Nigerian, culminating in the declaration
of the sovereign state of Biafra in 1967 when Biafra was forced to
separate from Nigeria. Nigeria immediately declared war on Biafra,
blockaded her by land, sea and air and starved more than one million
children to death.
When, following the end of the war in
1970, Nigeria resorted back to the same mistreatment of Biafrans that
led to the declaration of Biafra in the first place, the will of the
people of Biafra to leave Nigeria for good only hardened. Since 1970,
Biafra has tried acquiescence to accommodate and be accommodated by
Nigeria in the illusory thinking that this would bring reprieve from
Nigeria’s harsh treatment, and persecution, and maintain peace. However,
Nigeria remained relentless in its vindictive policies against the
people of Biafra, and in its total suppression and denial of the basic
human rights of Biafrans. This is in spite of the fact that Biafrans
tried harder than any other groups to integrate themselves into the
Nigerian citizenry and polity, but all to no avail.
In response to this ongoing dehumanization and rejection of Biafrans by
Nigeria, MASSOB (the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign
State of Biafra), a non-violent movement, was formed, in 1999 with an
agenda consistent with the name. The distinguishing quality of MASSOB is
its strict adherence to non-violence, in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi
and Martin Luther King Jr. MASSOB has sought dialogue with the Nigerian
government, but has instead been “rewarded” with unjustified detention
and jailing without charge, extrajudicial murder of its membership,
constant harassment, and destruction of membership and organizational
property by Nigerian Army, Paramilitary Police and security agents.
Several other liberation movements have
since sprang up. Chief Ralph Uwazurike, an attorney and the leader of
MASSOB, and several high-ranking MASSOB officials, as well as many
rank-and-file MASSOB members, and members of other Liberation Movements
are currently being held in various Nigerian jails. MASSOB and its
leadership as well as these other liberation movements enjoy enormous
support of the masses of the people of Biafra.
Self-determination for the People of Biafra:
Biafra, a nation of some 40 million people, has for almost 40 years
suffered incessant exploitation, humiliation, dehumanization, oppression
and genocide at the hands of Nigeria in a calculated and deliberate
agenda to permanently and perpetually subjugate the people and
obliterate their culture.
Self-determination in any form is a right recognized by and accepted in
International law and many other International and regional instruments
Biafra has a population of over 40 million people, and
1. a common historical tradition dating to times prior to European
colonization,
2. a racial and ethnic identity well distinguishable from the rest of
Nigeria,
3. cultural homogeneity which distinguishes its people apart from the
rest of Nigeria,
4. linguistic unity, with a major language, minor languages, and a
lingua franca,
5. religious affinity, the dominant religion being Christianity,
6. ideological affinity,
7. distinct, contiguous territoriality, and
8. a common sociopolitical and economic life.
In addition, the population as whole naturally sees and considers itself
as a people bound by common ancestry, sociopolitical ties and destiny;
hence, the people exhibit the will and consciousness of being a people.
The primary reason driving the self-determination form and effort of the
people of Biafra is the imperative to provide the traditional
existential human needs of freedom, liberty, survival and prosperity of
our people. Yet, the reason for Self Determination for Biafra goes well
beyond human needs; the aforementioned structure of Nigeria, put
together by its colonial master and inherited as such, is a forced
amalgamation of peoples and nations who were never suited, and are still
not suited to be lumped together as one nation in the first place. The
architect of the amalgamation, the British Lord Lugard, stated 100 years
ago, that such a “union” would never work—that “Easterners [Biafrans]
and Northerners were like oil and water and would never mix.” He was
right then. He is still right at this time. The problem is that Nigeria
is pretending to make it work, using all manner of force and
intimidation, buoyed by the support of other self-interested parties who
benefit from the ongoing resultant dysfunctional and pathologic status
of the state of Nigeria.
Security of Person:
Biafrans are killed on a daily basis all over Nigeria, including
occupied Biafra. Most
times, it is extrajudicial killing by the Nigerian Army, Paramilitary
Police, Nigeria Armed Security Agencies, and Nigeria’s Secret Death
Squads. Even when such is admitted by the State of Nigeria’s killing
machinery, there is no inquest, no accountability, no explanation, no
apologies, no proper trials, no convictions, no remorse, no
compensation. Lately, MASSOB members have borne the brunt of these
unconscionable acts. In one such operation in Onitsha in April 2006,
more than 700 innocent Biafran men and women were murdered, and hundreds
of innocent women and girls were gang raped by Nigerian soldiers.
Christian Biafrans are also targeted and killed en masse, in carefully
orchestrated “riots” in Fundamentalist Islamic Northern Nigeria, with a
frightening cycle and staggering toll. In more than 25 such carefully
organized attacks it is estimated that more than one hundred thousand
(100,000) people have been killed. For each death of a Biafran resulting
from the above, at least ten times have been injured, maimed, displaced
and or unaccounted for.
Although this atrocious activity qualifies as Genocide and Ethnic
Cleansing, the international community has yet to react.
Security of Property:
There is no respect for the property or property-rights of the Biafran.
The Nigerian Police routinely destroys the homes and property of
Biafrans especially those identified as working for self-determination.
The home of the leader of MASSOB has been burned down and ransacked
several times. In Onitsha the Nigeria Army used helicopter gun ships to
bomb private homes that innocent Biafran civilians labored so hard to
build.
The Lagos State government razed business stalls and markets built and
maintained by Biafrans living in that State, without reason, without
compensation, and threatened to burn down more such structures.
In Fundamentalist Islamic Northern Nigeria, during the aforementioned
rampages, Northern civilians and security agents would selectively
target, loot, burn and destroy the business and personal property of
Biafrans residing in Northern Nigeria, as well as Christian Churches
where Biafrans worship. More than three hundred Churches have been
burned in Northern Nigerian in the past ten years alone. A foreigner
living in Northern Nigeria once remarked: “The killing of the Igbo (Biafrans)
has become an industry in Northern Nigeria.” Over one million Biafrans
have been forced to flee from Northern Nigeria and relocate to Biafra
and other parts of Africa. It is obvious that Biafrans are not welcome
in a country in which they are supposed to be citizens.
Genocide and Ethnic cleansing
The first massive state-organized and state-directed Pogrom, Genocide
and Ethnic Cleansing directed against Biafrans (the people of Eastern
Nigerian at that time) by Nigeria occurred in 1966, in Northern Nigeria
especially, but also in Western Nigeria. The massacre of Biafrans has
continued to date. More than 100,000 Biafrans have been killed by
Nigerians since 1980. Not only has the State of Nigeria participated
directly in this crime against humanity, it has also maintained an
enabling environment which facilitates and encourages Nigerians and
State governments to kill and maim Biafrans at will, destroy the
property of Biafrans and uproot Biafrans wherever they may be found in
Nigeria. By making no efforts at all to investigate and bring to justice
individual and corporate offenders in these crimes, the State of Nigeria
has proved that it places no value on the life and property of Biafrans
living in Nigeria; worse still, the State of Nigeria has proven that it
has a vested interest in the destruction of Biafrans.
Economic Security:
The government of Nigeria has banned or blocked or stifled legitimate
economic activities in which there is a preponderance of Biafran owners.
Government orchestrated stifling of economic activity in Biafra has
resulted in very high incidence of unemployment among the youths and
other people of working age.
One of the worst acts of economic injustice ever seen is the blatant
refusal of the government of Nigeria to allow the peoples of Biafra
access to the finances accruing from the sale of Petroleum and Natural
Gas derived from their private ancestral land. The leadership of the
Nigerian State has used the money derived from Biafra to develop Abuja,
Lagos and other parts of Northern and Western Nigeria and to set up
billion dollar personal fortunes in banks in Europe, America and the
other parts of the world while leaving the people of Biafra (Eastern
Region) from where the Oil money is derived to live in poverty, penury,
and squalor and die slow miserable deaths. Authoritative reports of $4
billion stolen between December 2004 and April 2007; $3 billion stolen
by the NNPC and the Nigerian President; $2 billion dollars disappearing
between the United Kingdom and Bermuda are common news items in Nigeria.
A highly placed Nigerian government official stated that the rulers of
Nigeria have stolen over $400 billion dollars since 1970.
Environmental Security:
The most obvious and salient example of environmental terrorism directed
against the
people of Biafra by the State of Nigeria relates to oil exploration in
the Niger Delta region of Biafra. With total disregard for the
environment and for the people who live in the area, the State of
Nigeria has failed to make even minimal effort to combat what otherwise
would have been manageable ecological fallout from oil exploration.
Streams and rivers have been badly polluted; drinking water and marine
life have been devastated. Gas flaring has caused acid rain, birth
defects and even mental illnesses in the inhabitants of the Niger Delta.
The Nigerian government does not care and does not want to know. All it
wants is to steal the billions of dollars derived from the oil and walk
away leaving the people to their misery.
Political Security - Democracy
For Biafrans the right to express their collective and individual
political will using the ballot system has traditionally been just as
primal as the basic individual right of being. Biafrans put utmost
premium in their ability to elect their own leaders, to hold them
accountable and to remove them if they fail to perform the functions for
which they were elected. Since the amalgamation of the peoples of Biafra
with Nigeria this very important aspect of Biafran culture has been
truncated time and time again. Biafrans have a long history of democracy
dating thousands of years; the peoples of Western Nigeria have a long
history of monarchy dating thousands of years and the peoples of
Northern Nigeria have a long history of feudalism dating thousands of
years. It has been impossible to melt these three distinct cultures into
one. The April 2007 elections in Nigeria adjudged by national and
international election monitors to be the worst election in the history
of the world informs unbiased observers of the terrible tyranny that
Biafrans have been forced to bear in their association with Nigeria. The
2003 elections in Nigeria were judged by national and international
election monitors to be equally fraudulent with Biafrans always being
the most victimized.
Freedom of Religion:
The population of Biafra is about 95% Christian. However, the Muslim
Northern domination of power affords them the means and opportunity to
run Nigeria as primarily a Muslim nation. Nigeria was registered as a
member of the Organization of Islamic Conference (OIC), in the 1980’s,
without consulting with,
and without the consent of the Christians of Nigeria. Recently, the
Nigerian state allowed Fundamentalist Islamic Sharia law to be
introduced in thirteen of the nineteen states in Northern Nigeria and
three of the six stated in Western Nigeria. The Fundamental Islamic
Sharia law is now applied equally to both Muslims and Christians,
despite strong protests from Christian Biafrans. Since Biafrans (who are
non-Muslim) have the biggest non-Muslim presence in Northern Nigeria, it
does not take much to discern who as a group would be found without
rights and treated as such in Northern Nigeria. The State of Nigeria
looks the other way while government institutions such as the police and
the courts are used to impose Fundamentalist Islamic Sharia law on
Christian Biafrans living in Northern and Western Nigeria. Several
Moslem Nigerian leaders from Northern and Western Nigeria have declared
openly that they will Islamize Christian Biafrans by force. Christian
Biafran children have been abducted and forcibly converted to Islam or
married off against their will to Islamic fundamentalists. The people of
Biafra thus feel trapped by the State of Nigeria, encaged on purpose and
left helpless, readied for easy victimization and forced Islamization by
determined Islamic Fundamentalists bent on swallowing up everything in
their path.
Finally:
The primary function of government is the protection of its citizens and
their property. Whenever a government which is meant to protect the
people turns around and persecutes and destroys a people and their
culture; the people it was meant to protect; the people reserve the
right to take steps to establish a different political and
administrative arrangement that will guarantee the safety and security
of their lives and property. This is the case for Biafra.
Thank you all for coming and may God bless the People and Nation of
Biafra.
Map of 1895
“The political entity christened
Nigeria by Lady Lugard, the wife of a former British Governor, came into
being with the amalgamation of the various British Protectorates on the
River Niger basin in 1914. The merger was designed for administrative
convenience, and did not socially integrate the component units”.
Southern Nigeria was a British protectorate in the coastal areas of
modern-day Nigeria, formed in 1900 from union of the Niger Coast
Protectorate with territories chartered by the Royal Niger Company below
Lokoja on the Niger River.
The Lagos colony was added in 1906, and the territory was officially
renamed the Colony and Protectorate of Southern Nigeria. In 1914,
Southern Nigeria was joined with Northern Nigeria Protectorate to form
the single colony of Nigeria. The unification was done for economic
reasons rather than political — Northern Nigeria Protectorate had a
budget deficit; and the colonial administration sought to use the budget
surpluses in Southern Nigeria to offset this deficit.
CONCERNING NIGERIA
AND
THE FUTURE
Nigeria itself is proving by all objective world-studies and reports
that it is a Failed State, in the state of continued fall; and even if
we did nothing, it will self-destruct in a matter of time (which the US
Intelligent predicts will happen in 2015). Terrorism and ethnic
cleansing, done with impunity by Boko Haram is the example-of-the-day
why Nigeria cannot and will not stand. Biafra is our inevitable
destiny.
