How IPOB’s sit-at-home order failed

Last week, the leadership of IPOB and MASSOB declared May 30, 2018, as Biafra Day, to commemorate the declaration of Biafra in 1967. The Biafra agitators declared a sit-at-home to drive home the quest for actualization of their struggle. CHUKS NWEZE reviews their agitations
A reality waiting to happen It is a certainty now that no amount of intimidation, coercion, suppression can stop the quest for the actualisation of sovereign state of Biafra. The leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and other pro-Biafran groups agitating for the emancipation of Biafra has made this clear in so many ways. With serial arrest, molested, incarcerated and even killing of their members by security agencies, they remained undaunted, resolute and yet the urge to fight on is unwavering. When the US, President Donald Trump was inaugurated in January 2017, many of the agitators were killed in Port Harcourt, Rivers state and some other places, but like the Spartan soldiers, or irrepressible beetle, the agitators have continued to fight on. Even with the sudden disappearance of the leader of IPOB, the spirit to forge ahead has been unfazed. Resource control and true democracy At a stage, the issue of restructuring, resource control and true democracy took the centre state but the agitators seem to have riveted their mind on their quest to restore Biafra or no other thing. Their earlier stance that there should be a referendum to determine if actually the people of the old Eastern Nigeria who are predominantly Biafrans want Biafran sovereignty, seem to have been shelved and now they want Biafra restoration, period. Obsessed agitators The agitators are so obsessed that they would not listen to Igbo leaders who would not support them in their outright secession from Nigeria for a renegotiated Nigeria. They see any contrary opinion as sabotage to the Biafra struggle. That is exactly the situation when IPOB and MASSOB leadership declared May 30, 2018 as the Biafra Day when they commemorate the declaration of Biafra in 1967 by the then Biafran leader, late Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. The aim of the day is to remember all those that lost their lives during the 1966 genocide, the 1967 to 1970 Biafra-Nigerian Civil war as well as those have lost their lives since renewed Biafra agitation began. It did not turn out as a huge surprise to many that when the pro-Biafra group made a passionate appeal that all lovers of Biafra both in Biafra land and anywhere else should sit at home to pay respects to the departed souls that died as a result of the Biafra struggle. The sit- at- home was eventually obeyed Security agencies issued threats upon threats and even fighters circled the air to send warning signals that anybody caught causing breach of law and order would be dealt with and even went ahead to announce that people should about their businesses, the sit at home was eventually obeyed in most cities in Biafra land and beyond. This is a clear indication that that Biafra is a time bomb that is likely to explode any day to the surprise of doubting Th omases and Biafra emancipation will come at last. The leadership of IPOB is aware of the effect of the success of the sit at home and expressed huge joy and thanked all and sundry that participated in the sit at home. IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful, in a statement expressed how the organisation felt about the success of the sit at home and why they insisted on it. “YOU, the people of Eastern Nigeria: Conscious of the supreme authority of Almighty God over all mankind, of your duty to yourselves and posterity. These were the very first words that, in 1967, brought into being that great nation of Biafra, inspired by the indomitable will of a people to resist evil, to resist genocide, and in defense of liberty. It was an epoch in the lives of Biafrans of that generation and like no other place in history, they stood shoulder to shoulder to defend their lives, their land and their freedom. Many paid the supreme sacrifice. So, it lies within our rights and conscience to never forget. “Decades after that dark episode in our history, the same evil has again reared its head – maiming, killing and persecuting many Biafrans since 2015. So, it is with a solemn commitment to the memory of our fallen heroes; to freedom and self-determination, that we Indigenous People of Biafra ordered this year’s ‘Sit At Home’ in keeping with the edict handed to us by our leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He charged us to always remember the 30th of May each year and to keep it holy by sitting at home in perpetual remembrance of all that fought and died for us. IPOB exceptional “And it is with a great sense of history and gratitude to all Biafrans that we observed this year’s event with resounding success across Biafraland and all over the world. That it succeeded despite all odds and machinations of the enemy, will make it go down in annals of history as confirmation that IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, is exceptionally indefatigable and the dominant force across the entire East not just Igboland. It is also confirmation that the vast majorities of our people are with IPOB and remain committed to our collective pursuit of selfdetermination for all. “It is pertinent to note that great nationalist struggles throughout human history suff ered one setback or the other. So, just as in our own case, we are very much aware of all the attempts from within and without to break the will of our people. There were threats, blackmail, military reinforcements, threatened arrests, and a media blitz by the happy slaves among us to scuttle this year’s ‘Sit- At- Home’. But like Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu once said ‘Biafra is of the mind’, so no one can kill or suppress it. How could anyone ever believe that it is possible to prevent us from remembering and honoring our dead, our maimed, our persecuted? We appreciate the fact that some governors such as Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, Rochas Okorocha, Nyesom Wike, Ifeanyi Okowa, Siriake Dickson, Udom Emmanuel and Ben Ayade did not belittle their office by coming out to act as attack dogs for Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) as Umahi and Obiano did. “the federal government should take lessons from apartheid-era South Africa which also proscribed and declared the African National Congress of Nelson Mandela a terrorist organization. He should also remember Jomo Kenyatta’s MAU MAU which the colonial authorities proscribed and declared a terrorist organization. In both countries, freedom and self- determination triumphed in the end when both Mandela and Kenyatta emerged from prison and tribulations to lead their countries and people. “So, as Asaba, Owerri, Enugu, Igweocha, Aba, Onitsha, and all Biafraland sat at home this 30th May 2018, we are emboldened that, like in South Africa and Kenya, it is only a matter of time before IPOB prevail and lead our people to freedom.” From the foregoing, it can be seen that there is no going back on the agitation and even the proscription of IPOB as a terrorist organisation will not change their mission.