How old were you when you learned that the Igbo are being classified as a minority tribe in Nigeria with 18% of population?
This was data following the 2006 national census — the last census Nigeria had which the Biafran separatist movement, MASSOB, told our people to boycott, and most of them boycotted. Why should you be counted in Nigeria when Biafra is already here, and they were building Biafra Govt house, Biafran Central Bank in Owere? Oh, the structures now Ụwazuruike's estate.
Meanwhile, the census was for national budget and planning. Our people vehemently boycotted it, others counted. Guess who cry marginalization when budgets and plannings were made based on census— the Igbo.
When we blame the Nigerian government for not teaching history, we should also blame ourselves for not learning from history that happened under our eyes. That's because we hate to tell ourselves the truth. We live in denial and blame everyone, but us. We have economically boycotted and disenfranchised ourselves in so many ways, then we complain.
Of course, there is an institutionalized marginalization of the Igbo in Nigeria. It's obvious. Nobody needs to tell you this. And I understand the reason: 1967-1970. That's the very reason ndị Igbo shouldn't carry out any form of self-sabotage as we have experienced in the last 10 years.
This is why the sit-at-home that closed down the activities of the Igbo wasn't a burden to Nigeria State. I mean, you are killiNg yourselves, killLing your economy and thinking it's affecting Abuja. They even want you to continue because you are senselÉss. How does shutting down your businesses and threatening to kiLll whoever defaulted your order affect an already biased government that wants you dEad? Where is your smartness and that intelligence you convince yourself to have?
Let's be clear and realistic here. What was the marginalization of the Igbo in 2006 that could warrant our people to boycott the census? Just a few people counted in South East. You are being hunted in many ways through that fact. This is why most countries recognize only Hausa and Yoruba as main languages in Nigeria. But no Igbo. You know why? We are minority in document, even when it's obvious we are not. Reason. 2006 census. I got this information through recent research and a notable professor of Global Studies also told me similar thing.
Let's discuss a brief history. Obasanjo was the President of Nigeria in 2006. In fact, from 1999, Obasanjo was the President. Throughout his government, the Igbo occupied many prominent positions. The Igbo produced five Senate Presidents under Obasanjo’s administration. The Senate Presidents were: Chuba Okadigbo, Evan Enwerem, Anyịm Pius Anyịm, Adolphus Wabara and Ken Nnamani. No other tribe. It was under Obasanjo's government that Chukwuma Soludo was governor of the Central Bank, Ngozi Okonjo Iweala was the Minister of Finance and so forth.
What really was the problem of our people boycotting the national census because Bịafra was mentioned in 2006 and Igbo were marginalized? Something Ojukwu had told them to move on, integrate and get involved in national politics. Ojukwu is the face of Biafra. I will post the video again. Because if I should listen to anybody about Biafra, it must be Ojukwu.
Ojukwu was able to pull through because he was part of the government at the time. He was a Military Governor of the Eastern Region. He worked with intellectuals. But the merchants of Biafra today hate anyone who's intelligent or asks critical questions. They call every educated person who fails to be a zombie— Oteletual. It pains them to see educated people who ask pertinent questions or critical in their views. They are angry and frustrated at their own failures and inability to face reality.
The only thing they understand is dEstruction. If these bunch of clowns were in 1967-1970, the Igbo race would have been gone. Thank God, they never existed then. Their strength and powers lie in hurting hopeless people in the villages. Even in a digital age, they are still hiding their cowArdice under locked profile, and pictures without their faces, constituting nuisance on social media and bringing bad names to Igbo identity. They bark like nkịta ara, attack, insult, threaten — in the end— what next?
Back to the history...
In so many elections, our people would prefer playing football, eating nkwọbi and ụgba than getting involved in politics. After all, they have money. It's all about money. You don't want to play the politics the way they do it, how then would you know what's being discussed as a national issue? You want a referendum, who will just give you a referendum when you don't have an insider pushing the bills? Nobody representing your interest in the chamber. They will just carry a country and dash you where you broadcast on radio in the UK and Finland?
After 1970, anybody screaming Biafra up and down is an opportunist who preys on the sentiment and emotion of our people to unleash. They grip on the fact that Nigeria govt is sloppy and don't care about the Igbo — to sell unrealistic hopes without plans to the gullible ones.
For historical sake, Ụwazuruike launched Radio Biafra in 2009 and brought MNK to broadcast. MNK was working for Ụwazuruike until he took over and exposed Ụwazuruike — which is a fact everyone knows — except you don't want to know. Nnamdi Kanu didn't fall from the sky. He was mentored by Ụwazuruike. Although he took a different path from Ụwazuruike and retired him. This fact should also be noted for historical sake and record keeping.
In the 2019 general election, MNK launched a campaign: “No referendum, no election.” In fact, people were told to burn their voter's card. No election in Biafra land. They were insulting people who were ready to vote. In fact, another self-disenfranchisement like the 2006 census. A day before the election, MNK told them to go and vote. What happened? What voter’s card would they use?
In case you have forgotten this, I remember.
What ndị Igbo need is self-retrospection. Sit yourself down and tell yourself the truth. Of course, I don't even care what you think of me. Is there any other insult reserved? Bring them on. It doesn't change the fact that these guys are not fighting for the interest of ndị Igbo but personal aggrandizement. Nobody is coming to save you, but yourself.
Till date, IPOB has no blueprint and no feasible plans on how to secede but dangerous rhetorics that have plunged our people into perpetual self-loss.
The sit-at-home mAdness is the worst dangerous self-sabotage. You have already been economically sabotaged through institutionalized government policy, you then added more setbacks to yourself, thinking it's affecting the government.
If IPOB had had any positive plan for actualization of any country, they'd have understood that allies are important. You build relationships and build bridges. In 1967-1970 during the war, Biafra had envoys and men that matter who oversaw foreign policy. Ojukwu was able to flee to Ivory Coast because of ally-building.
I cannot— God forbid — after reading the intelligence and ingenuity of the Igbo scientists in 1967-1970 who constructed wEapoNs, refined crude oil, built sophisticated hardwares to defend themselves from external forces, then I come online and listen to frustrated riffrAffs who only have strength on keyboard and calling everyone abusive names. These are infÉrior Igbo. The dredge of the dredge. People like Gentle the Yahoo are their best gallant soldier. People like Ikonso deserved to be buried with 2000 hÉads. This is the lowest the Igbo had brought themselves and see nothing wrong with such rhetorics.
The Igbo people I know, read about, and are told of, are intelligent people who engage issues with diplomacy and pride. They are not zOmbies. You cannot manipulate them. They have minds of their own. They resisted any external forces that threaten their existence. There are hundred and one reasons the Igbo had no king.
Because we are a Republican people. We are not cOwards, and we don't lick Ass. We don't worship humans. Even our gods, when they misbehave, we show them the trees used in carving them. We are familial. We value human lives. We respect sanctity of blood. Igbu ọchụ bụ arụ. Covering up the truth bụ arụ. We don't even mind being a lone voice in the wilderness. We argue, we deliberate, we disagree and then agree on something. But we never killL, threaten, attack, insult ourselves for having different views. It's anti-Igbo.
But the manner these opportunists who never built anything meaningful in ala Igbo approach their own freedom fighting is anti-Igbo and tigbuo zogbuo. They have turned to extremists and are ready to kpai their father for having a dissenting view. Every dissenting view is a threat. Next, they'd look for your house to burn it. Then run out to cry it's DSS from Sokoto. I have never seen a people so terrible than these crop of humans.
I don't blame them, those who were supposed to talk felt it never concerned them. That's why never-do-wells feel they have the right to threaten and cut off people for opposing their mundane approach.
If these guys had had any tangible approach, it would have been to get involved: fill their members as governors and elected officials across the East. The soft spot people had for them was blown away the moment they began to assume ownership of other people's lives. Even North Korea is more democratic compared to the kind of country these people are wishing for. A country where you cannot say anything without being kpaid.
Didn't we all see the shadow in the mirror? You have been brainwashed to see everyone as your enemy — the world hates you. You had to feel pity for yourself, cry, wail, then unleash your frustrations in self-destruction because you want to finish the zoo. You are burning down Lilu, Ọsụmoghu, Azia, Okigwe, Ihiala, etc thinking it's federal government you are burning.
You are flogging children for going to school, asking if Northerners are going to school. You say you are not a TeRrỌrist, everyday you are comparing yourself to the North, saying that your own crime isn't close to the crime of the North— yet, you are innocent.
Now, you charlAtans are living in denial over the calamity you committed against ala Igbo. If you don't tell yourself the truth, carry out cleansing for innocent ọbara ndị Igbo ụnụ kwafuru, ala Igbo will deal with y’all.
And when our people are ready to tell themselves the truth, they can do better For now, they are running around like headless chicken, looking for who to insult and point at for the woes they brought upon themselves. Nobody learns anything from history. It keeps repeating.
I paused!
Credit: Maazi Ogbonnaya Okoro
