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Civil war: Akwa Ibom demands compensation Daily Independent By Bassey Inyang Exactly thirty three years after the end of the Nigerian Civil War, the people of Awka Ibom State have mounted campaigns for the payment of reparations to indigenes of the State who were affected by the war. The sudden emergence of a campaign in this direction followed what the protagonist ascribed to the poor state of infrastructure in the state, stressing that most of them were destroyed during the civil war. Besides, most property belonging to individuals, and public infrastructure that were destroyed during the war have been left in a state of disrepair. The chairman of Afe-Anang in the South-South zone of the country, Chief David Udofa who made the call on behalf of the people noted that most families are still reeling in the pains and anguish occasioned by the 30 months war, which lasted from July 1967 to January 1970. He spoke during a visit by members of the group to the state Deputy Governor, Obong Chris Ekpenyong. Speaking further on the issue, Udofa stated that the state, especially areas that share boundaries with the Southeast zone were adversely affected. To this end, he said, the group would press for payment of compensation to families that were affected. According to the chairman, the group would take its campaign to the presidency to ensure that the people of the state were adequately compensated. The state deputy governor, Ekpenyong who played host to the group promised that their demands would be conveyed to the appropriate authorities. Ekpenyong stated that the state has been in the forefront of the struggle for emancipation of the people, adding that peoples’ struggle could be traced to the era of the Aba women riot of 1929.
Effiong, ex-Biafran General for burial Jan 17 Champion Newspaper NKIRU OKEKE, Umuahia REMAINS of the former Biafran warlord, Gen. Philip Effiong, who died on November last year will be buried on January 17. Already, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Obong Victor Attah had assured that Effiong will be given a state burial. Effiong who died two weeks to his 79th birthday, would be buried at Ibiono Ibom, his local government. Secretary-General of the Conference of South East and South South leaders, Chief Jerry Okwuonu said lying-in-state with service of songs and vigil will hold in the late Gen. Effiong’’s residence at Ikot Ekpene on Friday, January. Chief Okwuonu said the late Effiong was an active member of the conference. He said appeals had gone out to federal, state, local government, military and civilian leaders nationwide, especially those in the South East and South-south to contribute to giving the late elder statesman a befitting burial. It would be recalled that Effiong, before he died, worried about his unfulfilled wish, which was the non-publication of his memoirs that were ready, but stalled due to lack of funds. The late Gen. Effiong was deputy in the defunct Republic of Biafra (1967-70) to Gen. Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu.
Igbos treated as conquered people, says Chukwumerije Daily Independent By Adetutu Folashade-Koyi and Chesa Chesa Although, the civil war ended almost 34 years ago, Igbos are still treated as a conquered people, said Senator Uche Chukwumerije, who expressed no regrets serving a military regime 10 years ago. At an interactive session with the Senate press corps yesterday, Chukwumerije, who served as Information secretary during Chief Ernest Shonekan’s Interim National Government (ING) stated that a lot of injustice still persist in Nigeria with the standard of living falling by as much as 400 per cent in the last one year. He said: “Most of the injustices in Nigeria are systemic regimes, nothing but helpless instruments. The level of injustice in Nigeria has been the same. The Igbos are still being treated as “conquered people. They are still being marginalised. The marginalisation is a multi-dimensional injustice. The cost of living has increased beyond the reach of the people. Between last year and now, life has been devalued by, at least 400 per cent. That I believe, is the greatest injustice. Asked if he regretted the role he played during the inglorious military era, the senator representing Abia State, replied: “I do not regret. When the time comes for elaboration you would see it. I certainly have no regrets serving the military.”
Biafra: MASSOB Accuses Wabara, Kalu, Offor, Others of Betrayal Daily Independent By Tunke-Aye Bisina The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) has accused the Senate President, Chief Adolphus Wabara, and Abia State Governor, Orji Kalu of planning to destabilise it. Also fingered are Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Imo State Governor Achike Udenwa, Sir Emeka Offor, Chief Chris Uba and former Transport Minister, Chief Ojo Maduekwe. These persons, MAASSOB alleged , have provided financial and logistic support to a faceless group parading itself as MASSOB to thwart the agitation of a Biafran Republic through non-violence as championed by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike A statement from MASSOB’s National Deputy Director of Information, Comrade Uchenna Madu, said that the said group started its operation from Port Harcourt and gained entrance into Onitsha and some eastern states “with their strange doctrine in Biafra, which is contrary to what MASSOB led by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike is agitating. “These ungoldly and faceless group have concluded their plan to stage a political rally in Onitsha and other cities in the Eastern states from December 15th 2003 with Biafra flag, T-Shirt, cap and other identities to confuse the people that they (fake MASSOB) are no longer interested in Biafra agitation and actualisation instead they now want Igbo President in 2007.” The statement advised Igbos to be wary of the activities of the said group described as “a fake MASSOB paid to destabilise and mesmerise the good aspiration and yearnings of more than 42 million people.” According to the statement, the genuine MASSOB has sacrificed a lot of lives, properties, money and privileges in the past four years in the course of the agitation for the actualisation of a Biafran state and could not back out of the struggle at this stage. “Chief Ralph Uwazuruike- led MASSOB/BLF (Biafran Liberation Front) wants to warn and advice the Igbos and easterners in general mostly the youths not to identify with these Judas of our time to sell or gamble with the economical, academical, political, cultural, mental and religious survival of Easterners,” The body has consequently declared a three-day praying and fasting beginning from December 12 to 14 to counter the plan to destabilise it. “Igbos and Easterners in general are advised to fast and pray for MASSOB/BLF and Biafra nation at least one hour within these days. The praying topic is God’s intervention on the evil and selfish plan to destabilize MASSOB and Biafra aspiration,” it noted.
It's Time to Put Civil War Experience Behind Us - Anyiam-Osigwe ThisDay By Joseph Ushigiale In its determination to usher in an avenue for reconciliation and national rebirth, the Osigwe Anyiam-Osigwe Foundation is to build a National Unity Arc and Reconciliation Cenotaph which would "serve as a watershed for the divisive trend that is still dogging us in Nigeria", the Co-ordinator for the Foundation, Mr. Michael Anyiam-Osigwe has said.
Pro Biafra groups introduce voluntary tax in S-East Vanguard The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra LiberationFront (BLF), says it has concluded plans to circulate the 2004 "Biafra General Income Tax".This piece of information was contained in a press release, MASSOB/005/009 dated November 18, 2003,signed by the Deputy Director of Information, ComradeUchenna Madu and made available to Vanguard in Owerri, Imo State capital."The circulation of the income tax will commence in January next year. Biafra general income tax is not compulsory but voluntary. Interested Biafrans areadvised to pay their taxes to any MASSOB/BLF offices,as the Biafra tax receipt will be issued to them,"Comrade Madu stated. He explained that the introduction of the general income receipt "is in accordance with the civil disobedience preached by MASSOB/BLF to Biafrans",explaining that "Igbos and Easterners in general, willnot continue to pay taxes and other internal revenueto a government that hate and can’’t integrate us into her system". It was the considered view of Comrade Madu that "Nigerian government, led by the Hausa/Fulani and Yorubas, have neglected Easter federal highways, our access to electricity, no good hospitals, fuel scarcity and unemployment reigns supreme in theEastern States". According to Madu, the revenue generated from incometax, would be used to sustain the less privileged andmotherless babies, equip Biafran EnvironmentalSanitation Agency, for a dedicated and serioussanitation exercise in Biafra.While indicating that part of the revenue would be used to purchase and donate necessary drugs for the treatment of the rural people, Madu also assured thatthey intend "to take up our destiny, in patching and rehabilitation of some roads in Biafra". He then called on Ndigbo and all Easterners, "to riseup now and support the unqueching fire for theactualisation of the sovereign state of Biafra",adding that the actualisation of this goal would be"far better than the illegal and unholy union calledNigeria".
Igbo won’t apologise over civil war, says Okorafor Daily Independent By Chukwudi Abiandu The Igbo should never apologise for the stand they took to preserve their lives in the 1960s, one-time senator and a chieftain of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), Onyeka Okorafor, has said. Speaking in Lagos, in reaction to a question on the report that Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, apologised on behalf of the Igbo asking that they be forgiven over the civil war, Okorafor described the report as unfortunate if Governor Kalu indeed made the statement. He said he however learnt that the governor said he was quoted out of context, adding therefore that he is inclined to believe Governor Kalu. Okorafor argued that no one knowing what happened and the circumstances that led to the war should ever apologise for that stand that the Igbo took to preserve their lives and property. “The war cannot be put behind us, until Nigerians elect a capable Igbo man as the president of this country. And I believe when it comes to the turn of the Southeast or Igbo, Nigerians of all shades of opinion would back the Southeasterner without recriminating on the past. After all, the most patriotic Nigerians are the Igbo,” Okorafor said. Asked how he came to this conclusion, he explained: “It is the Igbo man that comes to a place and co-exist in any place they find themselves. They learn the language of their environment; they inter-marry and then contribute to the economic activities and the development of the area where they find themselves. No other major ethnic group does that in this country.”
Bakassi: MASSOB, BLF to resist Cameroun Daily Independent By Tunke Aye Bisina The Chief Ralp Uwazurike-led Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra Liberation Front (BLF) have vowed to resist any attempt to cede the oil rich Bakassi Peninsula to Cameroun. National Deputy Director of Information of the two bodies, Comrade Uchenna Madu, in a statement, maintained that, “Bakassi Peninsula is a district in Calabar province of Biafra and cannot be ceded to Republic of Cameroun.” “The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra and Biafra Liberation Front have declared that Bakassi Peninsula is a part of Biafra land,” the statement added. It accused President Olusegun Obasanjo and his Camerounian counterpart, Paul Biya, of gambling with the territory for selfish interest, warning, “MASSOB/BLF cannot fold our arms and watch Nigeria gamble with the future and life of our brothers/sisters in Bakassi.” Obasanjo, they argued, would not have agreed to cede the area to Cameroun were it a South West territory. “We support the Bakassians on every step they take to fight against this ungodly and inhuman evil plot against Biafra,” they said. The statement called on ethnic groups in the Niger Delta region to identify with the Biafran cause, noting that they and the Igbo are brothers in the one big blessed Biafran family. “Niger-Deltans should consider the present and future condition of their people, mostly the youths and generation to come, consider the unnatural death of Ken Saro-Wiwa in the hands of illegal Nigeria government. “Join on the divine struggle to emancipate our Eastern region from Nigeria mental, economic, academic, political and cultural starving,” it urges.
Effiong Died In Penury, Bassey, Others Lament The Guardian BY ANIETE AKPAN THE death of the defunct Biafran leader Col. Philip Effiong has triggered off sour memories as opinion leaders in Cross River State took a swipe on the Nigerian State over the neglect of the south south and the south Eastern region. The opinion leaders maintained that Effiong was neglected by Nigeria as the Federal Government was not "sincere about ramification at the close of the Nigerian civil war in January, 1970. General Yakubu Gowon proclaimed general amnesty but it took another 30 years for the Federal Government to give effect to it in terms of people who had served in Nigeria Army." Head of King James family and the former Dep. National Chairman of the Alliance for Democracy (AD) South South Bassey Ekpo Bassey was of the opinion that Effiong died powerless and materially poor but he died a rich man constantly assured of a place in the consciousness of Nigerians who are prepared to dream of a new Nigeria which would be inclusive in its distribution of national values and also in terms of preparing every citizen, western, northern or eastern to effectively contribute to the social product." Etubom Bassey said "the policy of the 3Rs of Reconstruction, Rehabilitation and Reconciliation was veporous and untrue (and) the truth is that Nigeria has ruled the former Eastern Nigeria which became Biafra with an iron by exclusively deprivation and by dikta. He said today "Effiong will lie in the consciousness of Nigerians who can dream and who have the audacity to act on their dream." According to him, "General Effiong was the constant reminder to the non-Ibo East that whether we liked it or not our destiny is tied up with that of the Ibos. As a result of the civil war, Ibos have no proportionate share of federal business neither do the non-Ibo East. "Effiong drew our attention to the fact that whether we supported Biafra or not the community of guilt in Eastern Nigeria is assured and that if we do not take strong counter prevailing action in concept with the Ibos we are doomed to supporting either North or the West in the unending Nigerian crisis, he noted. "I mean great Philip Effiong, the clear leader of the robust principles. I mean him as one of the few Nigerian personages of leadership stature who will not bend with the evil when the overwhelming opinion in the old Calabar province from which he hailed was against the Ibos. He had the clearity of vision to see that majority who held this opinion were wrong and remained faithfully in his service to Biafra and in the end boldly effected a surrender," Etubom added. He said Effiong did not join the group of so called Nigerian leaders who are constantly sniffing at the source of corrupt and mendacious power and identify with it against the interest of the majority of Nigerians." Former Deputy Speaker of the State House of Assembly, Chief Orok Otu Duke blamed the Federal Government for neglecting Nigerian past heroes. He said the sword of Akwa Ibom (Akankang) died in penury despite his great invaluable contribution to the country, especially the heroic surrender to Nigeria to save the millions of lives in south south and south east.
Biafra:Police on Red Alert Over MASSOB's Threat By Chidi Nkwopara OWERRI——Scores of officers and men of Imo State police command at the weekend, took strategic positions in all the 27 local government areas of the state, following reports that members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), would declare their dream republic on October 18, 2003. Vanguard gathered that in the three senatorial zones of the state, stern looking police men and other plain clothed security operatives, were busy observing movements, as well as kept vigil at Ahiara, Mbaise and Okwe, Onuimo country home of the MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike. As at 6.45 p.m last Saturday, when Vanguard returned to Owerri, Imo State capital, after the monitoring exercise, no clash was recorded between the police and MASSOB members. Speaking exclusively to Vanguard, a house wife who identified herself as Mrs Cecilia Ugosinachi said she did not like the way some people were wasting precious lives for a senseless idea. "I am not happy about the way some people have been wasting precious lives in a senseless pursuit of an idea that would never materialize. The most disturbing thing is that a lot of those who claim to be fighting for realisation of Biafra do not even know why they are being used by Chief Uwazuruike and his acolytes," Mrs. Ugosinachi lamented. While agreeing that the Federal Government may not have been fair to the South East geo-political zone , she however expressed the view that it was no good reason for Ndigbo to waste their lives in pursuit of Biafra. "War does nobody any good. Have the protagonists of the dream republic of Biafran talked with our neighbouring state? Where will this dream Biafra begin and end? These are issues the protagonists must sort out first, before embarking in their wild goose chase,", Ugosinachi said. She appealed to her fellow mothers to check the activities of their children, stressing that "anybody who is gainfully employed would not have the time to waste on frivolities like the dream republic". In his own comment, a young man from Okwe, Onuimo local government area of the state who pleaded anonymity, said that "the sorry activities of Uwazuruike, had seriously attracted the attention of security agencies to the area". It was his considered view that "although the police men were not molesting anybody, we are no doubt afraid of the unknown". Continuing, the man said that the imposing presence of the security agencies have virtually forced loyalists of Uwazuruike to scamper into the safety of their homes. When contacted, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hezekiah Dimka, said his command had been on red alert since the past one week. "This command has been at alert since the past seven days. We are not disturbing any law abiding citizen but we would not like to be taken unawares by anybody, including the MASSOB loyalists", Dimka said. Asked to say what the police would do if they encoutered MASSOB activists, the Imo police boss said his men had been properly briefed before they were sent out on the assignment. As at the time of going to press, no report of any arrest was received.
No Plan to Harm MASSOB Leader, Say Police From Charles Oguagbuaja, Owerri LEADER of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) Chief Ralph Uwazurike's recent claims that the police are out to kill have been described as untrue. The Deputy Commissioner of Police Imo State, Mr. Joseph Ibi told The Guardian that the group only raised a false alarm. He said the police would not even attempt to harm or go to the extent of killing any citizen it ought to protect. The Assistant Director of Information and Liaison Officer Onitsha Mr. Chris Mocha, who signed the statement alleged that the Presidency directed the state governor, Chief Achike Udenwa to facilitate the assassination of Uwazurike. He also claimed that the governor had ordered the Commissioner of Police in the State to carry out the operation without delay. The movement also yesterday declared tomorrow as its 'freedom day' for Igbo worldwide. In a statement by its National Deputy Director of Information, Mr. Uchenna Madu enjoined all Igbo to join the celebration. But reacting to MASSOB allegation, Ibi declared: "We has no such plans. We are not aware of that all. I have not known him. I have no such plans. I have not seen such signals about that. There is nothing like that, how can government say go and eliminate such a person." Continuing, the police chief said: "They (MASSOB) said they are going to declare Biafran state on October 18 tomorrow. We are only broadening our operation. We don't know anything about Biafran State. "We are doing our job. We don't want them to overtake use, so we are preparing for them. We are only going to be on ground; put our police operation on the ground. That is all. "We don't know where Uwazurike is. I have never seen him in my life. I don't know how he looks like. Since I came I have not met him and I know he doesn't know me as well," he said. The group in the statement cited a police, signal copies to commanders on October 10 directing the command to execute Uwazurike. Mocha said: "We have security reports that the Presidency through Governor Achike Udenwa has directed the Imo State Police Commissioner to immediately commence a total clampdown on the members of MASSOB in the South East and it possibly kill their leader of the movement as soon as he steps into the country from the United States." The group also alleged that the government was using police of Igbo extraction to eliminate MASSOB members. "We also condemn the government's new method of using the policemen of Igbo extraction to systematically exterminate MASSOB members in order to create the impression that our people are working against use," it said. "To make the celebration colourful, Madu asked "all Biafrans to stay in-door praying and celebrating Biafra. All Igbo residing in the Northern and Western part of Nigeria are also advised to respect Biafra and closed their shops ..." in commemoration of the day. As part of the celebration, an international conference on Biafra organised by MASSOB and Biafra Foundation will hold at Mamot Hotel, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA this weekend too. It listed participants at the event as the United Nation's Secretary-General Kofi Annan, Uwazurike and Ikemba Nnewi Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. Madu appealed to Nigerians to solidarize with by keeping all markets, trade centres the group and public offices shut tomorrow. He also hinted that an internet website www. Biafraland.com had been opened to enable Nigerians participate in the event.
Police deny plan to assassinate MASSOB leader By Chidi Nwokpara OWERRI—— IMO State Police Command has described as "a blatant lie and senseless diversionary tactic," insinuations about alleged plot to assassinate the leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.The Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP), Mr. Joseph Ibi, made the denial while speaking to Vanguard correspondent in Owerri, on the issue. "There is no iota of truth in the rumour about the alleged plans to assassinate Chief Uwazuruike. There is nothing like a signal from the Force Headquarters, directing this command or any other command for that matter, to kill Uwazuruike. The whole thing is a fairy tale. It is baseless. It is baseless and a senseless diversionary tactics by the leaders of MASSOB", Mr. Ibi said. When shown a copy of a statement issued by the group, in which a signal number was quoted, the DCP said: "The whole thing is a ruse. I have not seen a copy of such a signal and there is nothing like that. There is no such plan by the police". On what the police knows for now about the group, Mr. Ibi said "MASSOB has announced that its leadership would announce the birth or rebirth of Biafra on October 18, 2003", adding that the police cannot stand and watch them overtake the security agencies. "We are prepared for them. We will definitely be on the ground. Our men are at alert. That is all," Ibi said. Asked to comment on the whereabout and personality of Uwazuruike, the DCP said he did not know where the MASSOB leader was, adding that he did not even know him as a person. "I have never seen him all my life. I do not know how he looks like. Since I came to this command, I have never set my eyes on this man called Uwazuruike and I know he does not know me either," the DCP said. Vanguard recalls that MASSOB in its release M/BLF/ASD/LO/ONP, signed by the Assistant Director of Information and Liaison Officer, Onitsha Province, Sergeant Chris Mocha (rtd), warned of a fresh plot by the police to eliminate Uwazuruike. "We have security reports that the Presidency, through Governor Achike Udenwa, has directed his Imo State Police Copmmissioner, to immediately commence a total clamp down on members of MASSOB in the South East and if possible, kill their leader the moment he steps into the country from the Mariot Hotel, United States of America venue of the international conference on Biafra," Mocha stated. Continuing, the MASSOB official quoted police signal number 9400/FHQ/ABJ/VOL.3/93 and copied to Area Commanders through AC:340930/IMO/10/2003 dated Friday, October 10, also directing them to scrutinize and deal. "Although MASSOB is taking these intelligent reports seriously, after the same police had carried out simultaneous extra judicial killings of hundreds of our members in recent times, while others are languishing in prisons across the country. We are not deterred by such police threat in our clamour for a Biafran state", Mocha stated.
Nigerian Wins Literature Prize in the U.S By Uduma Kalu of Guardian NIGERIAN writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, based in the United States of America, has won the N1.5 million 2002/3 David T. K. Wong Prize for Fiction, a PEN International literary award. In a letter to The Guardian by trustees of the International PEN Foundation Terry Carlbom, International Secretary and Gilly Vincent, Administrative Trustee, the organisation disclosed that Adichie won the 2002/3 "The David T.K. Wong Prize for Fiction" with her very highly successful Biafran story, Half of a Yellow Sun. The novel version of the story will soon be published. Excerpts from the PEN letter to the publishers of the book read: "The David T. K. Wong Prize for Fiction - We are delighted to tell you that your entry Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie has won the 2002/3 David Wong Prize for a Short Story. "As you will remember, all the entries were sent to the judges anonymously - that is, their name and country was not revealed - and a preliminary panel of three-British novelists Georgina Hammick and Frank Delaney and literary agent Barbara Levy - selected a short list. "The final judges, J. M. Coetzee, William Trevor and Mich?le Roberts chose the winner." The formal announcement of the winners will be made at PEN's International Congress to be held in Mexico City this November. The writer and her publisher have been informed to come to the congress, for the presentation of the cheque for ££7,500. If she is unable to attend, then the organisation will have no choice than to organise a cheque to be sent to her publishers. PEN said it would shortly be writing to all participating centres to inform them of the result and also circulating the information to all centres. Adichie was shortlisted for the 2002 Caine Prize for African Short stories, won by a Kenyan last year. She then participated in a literary workshop held in Cape Town and after she returned from that trip, the writer visited The Guardian and announced that she had written a book on the Biafra story with an American publisher. A Nigerian, Helon Habila, former Vanguard Arts Editor who handed over to Macphillip Nwachukwu, won the 2001 version of the Caine Prize. Adichie has just started a graduate programme at the Johns Hopkins University in Maryland, United States, this Fall Semester, and one of her language courses is Igbo language. An indigene of Anambra State, she was born in 1977 at the university town of Nsukka, where her father is a teacher. She had her primary and post primary education at the University Staff School, Nsukka before travelling to the United States for her university education. She finished her first degree about a year ago in business, and has just enrolled in a course to study creative writing. Some writers such, as Obi Iwuanyanwu, United States-based author of Igbos of Northern Nigeria, believe that Nigeria is "beginning to see the making of a new ambassador of African fiction on the world stage." According to him, Adichie's writing has a great depth and clarity of vision that are astounding for such a young writer. "Given my knowledge of similar astounding young writers in history - I would make bold to describe her as a genius. Her creative prowess shows that the experience of Biafra is one of the greatest themes of modern African narrative that is yet to be explored. "I believe that Chimamanda, who was born seven years after Biafra, is determined to write the great Biafran novel. Her writing tends to remind us that Biafra (and African genocide) is as much a worthy subject of creative writing as the subject of colonialism and slavery."
Biafran Organisation of Freedom Fighters (BOFF) By AustinMary Ndukwu <epcexodus@yahoo.com> The Nigeria polity which is governed by the Cabals and vandals that fought the Nigeria civil war has become a goldmine /vineyard for retired general and some civilian collaborators. We can''t continue to keep mute with oil wells running while the Nation is being strangled. The rape of democracy. The continuos harassment of Innocent civilians in Eastern Nigeria by the Hausa-Fulani cattle rearers masquerading under the guise of mobile policemen. The imposition of unpopular governments on Eastern people of Nigeria. BOFF is'nt just an ordinary organisation, for those who fought the war, it was a formidable force and a catalyst in the overall Biafran millitary maneuvre at the time. BOFF has always encouraged Biafrans to form groups provided the focus is achieving our independence form nigeria. But the common denomiator is non-violence. MASSOB though looks like the ground militia also imbibes the same philosophy of non-violence, I will suggest you touch base with them and let your group make them stronger and efficient. I believe it is time to start building synergies across the businesses of all pro-Biafran movements. It will surely be time and cost effective to do so.
Comrade Okokon Ndem has Died The Igbo World Forum German Chapter e.V. announces with deep grief the death of Comrade Okokon Ndem of "Radio Biafra". Condolences to the berieved family could be conveyed either by mail, post or phone. E-Mail condolences should be sent to: ogechiondem@yahoo.com. With best regards. Nwa-Mazi Engr Eze Agu Udogwu Comrade Okokon Ndem (of Radio Biafra fame) was the voice that tormented the repressive rigme of Yakubu Gowon during the Biafran war. He was the anchorman of the Biafran propoganda machine that sustained the war till the last minute. Everywhere in Biafra 1970 was captured but not Radio Biafra nor Comrade Okokon Ndem till date. This voice terrorised the junta so much that it palced a price on his head and reserved a special bullet for him. Comrade Okokon Ndem, though you are gone, Nigeria will not forget you because you gave them sleepless nights as the war lasted. Biafra will immotalise your name. You remain a source of inspiration for the present generation of Biafrans
Okokon Ndem: Lesson in patriotism By Bassey Inyang The main bowl of the Calabar Cultural Centre was filled to capacity on that afternoon of September 27, 2003 with people from all walks of life. They included the high and mighty in the society. Attendants who had waited for hours, having assembled from different places were united by the desire to pay their last respect to a departed compatriot who devoted most of his service years to the promotion of humanity. As the silver casket bearing the remains of Okonkon Ndem was being ushered in, there was dead silence. The entire arena stood still to begin the ceremonial end of the man’’s contribution to the nation and humanity at large. Clad in all-white attire, the family members, led by his widow, Philomena, although in low spirit, seemed to summoned courage and comfort from the admonition of most mourners who had come to pay tribute to the fallen hero. For the numerous endeavours while alive, Ndem was most popular as a broadcaster who kept the airwaves with civil war blues in the then Biafran Republic. Through an infectious and moving propaganda the ace broadcaster egged on the Biafrans during the 30-month Nigerian civil. His wartime reports earned him several names. Some called him “The Golden Voice and others, The Voice of Biafra.” Kevin Ejiofor, the Executive Director, FRCN, Enugu, who worked closely with Ndem in 1966, in his tribute to his former colleague, said:”The most striking thing for me about the late Ndem is that he was a man who has become famous for the very least of his many talents. For all who knew him very well, it is almost laughable that he was most well known and remembered for his unmatched voicing of propaganda script on the then Radio Biafra. Without insulting announcers, of which I am one in a way, Okokon Ndem was anything but a mere “voice”. Senator Uche Chukwumerije, former Information Minister and a propagandist of the defunct Biafra, in his tribute titled “Transition of Mr. Okokon Ndem: The Fall of A Lonestar,” gave further insight into Ndem’’s disposition to broadcasting, his chosen profession. “I worked with him, as you will know, during the civil war. He was such a dedicated and committed colleague. His prowess, artistry and sheer ingenuity in presentation and oral communication made him excel in his duties. Indeed, Okokon Ndem exhibited the highest qualities of professional integrity and confidence that endeared him to millions of listeners across Nigeria, Africa and the world at large. “Okokon Ndem’’s commitment to duty and professional excellence was mind-bugling. Unfailing punctuality, painstaken rehearsal of scripts, and struggle for continual improvement were his trademark. The result was evidently obvious. “No broadcaster since the end of the Second World War made as much impact on the audience than Okokon Ndem”, he said. Although, not a professional soldier, Ndem was indeed a brave fighter in his own right and used broadcasting warfare to effectively engage his foes in the control of the airwaves during the 1967-70 civil war. He, as some observers and historians of the Nigerian civil war have recorded, was a general of the airwaves. It is held to a great extent that he remained one potent force behind the grim determination of the former Eastern Region of Nigeria to survive the rigours of that harrowing war. The broadcaster through his use of Radio Biafra, achieved what a thousand bullets from the guns of the Biafrans could not accomplished, as he kept the two contending groups on their toes. Governor Donald Duke of Cross River State observed that the “no victor, no vanquished” declaration made by General Yakubu Gowon after the civil war was the consequence of Ndem’’s exploits in the station, which then was regarded as the best in Africa. The governor stated that due to Ndem’’s propaganda, Nigeria was not really sure it was winning the war whilst Biafra on its part was not sure it was losing, thus creating a stalemate. Circumstances at the material time placed Ndem on Biafra’’s side as he was working at the Enugu Station of the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) when the then Lt.-Colonel Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu excised the former Eastern Region from Nigeria. Yet, he became an enchanting example of patriotism as he committed his entire being to the struggle for the emancipation of his people. During the re-integration of the former Eastern Region into the Nigerian federation, he demonstrated similar patriotism zeal to his fatherland by employing the tool for which he was best known, broadcasting. He was beckoned to serve Nigeria again. Ansa Okokon Ndem, one of the daughters of the late broadcaster, sums up the patriotic spirit exhibited by her father to Nigeria in the following words: “But who can easily forget the propaganda, the news talk and MAMSER jingles like “Think Nigeria”, “The Mother Hen Story” was the story of the members of a society who did nothing when the society was falling apart. “A prominent member in that society, upon hearing the story asked his father “daddy, when all these things were happening, what did you do? What did you do? What did you do?” When he had the opportunity to put his talent to the service of Nigeria, Ndem did not hesitate. “Think Nigeria”, The Mother Hen Story” were some of his jingles aired by the FRCN network. With the likes of Professor Jerry Gana, Ndem served in MAMSER and used the forum to re-orientate Nigerians pointing the way to greater heights. Pastor Timi Larry, who conducted the funeral service said in death, Ndem the broadcaster remained committed to the Nigerian cause until he breathed his last. Larry, while rendering an account of the last days of the broadcaster, said Ndem asked very important questions on his sick bed. “How is Nigeria? What are they doing about corruption? The pastor emphasised that Ndem was ever committed to Nigeria and was highly detribalised. “I join you and other members of the family to mourn the loss of the head of your family, an illustrious son of Nigeria. Chief Okokon Ndem will be remembered for serving the nation faithfully in many capacities. “It is refreshing to note that while alive, he left a good name and legacy of forthrightness, assiduity and unwavering commitment to the general good which should inspire those he left behind to emulate his good example of service to God and humanity”, wrote the Secretary to the Federal Government, Chief Uffot Ekaette, in a tribute on behalf of the Federal Government. Ndem considered himself a property of the society and served humanity as such, hence he never discriminated against any individual on the basis of ethnic grouping, religion and social status. Those who interacted with him at close quarters attested to this quality of his. Mr. U.A. Esse of the Esse family of Igere in Bende Local Government in Abia State, said Ndem’’s cosmopolitanism made it absolutely easy for Mayen, his daughter, to marry their son, Ugwunwa. In his biography, read by Ansa, it was well acknowledged that Ndem’’s grip of the Efik language and tradition was a little shaky. In the same vein, Rev. (Dr) Efiom-Ita Eyo Efiom-Okogho, head of Obio Ikot Eka Edem Asibon, where Ndem hailed from, in his tribute, confessed that only a few people in a community knew him or ever set their eyes on him. He said in Efik language: “Eti’’yin Okondon Ndem, Kpukpuru Owo ke Ikot Eka Edem Asibon Ediono fi, Okposuk edi ata ediwak akanam ikue fi. Ekikere ima tiet ode ke kukri nyin abana fi”, which interpretes: “Our father Okonkon Ndem: Everybody in Ikot Eka Edem Asibon knows you, although many of them have never seen you, we all love you in one accord”. The situation is a direct testimony that Ndem considered his people to be Nigerians from all walks of life, no more no less. Eze Igbo Gburugburu, Dim Chukwuemeka, put the phenomenon this way: “This question would arise, who were his people? “For your late father, his response will be unequivocal. His people, his neighbours, his work mates, his clients, and all those who had vicarious contact with him”. If he were to be a dishonest man, Ndem would have amassed wealth illegally using his network of connects. But those who knew him said he was a man who was not interested in making money in unwholesome way. They believe he deliberately shied away from unnecessary wealth. Pastor Larry, who worked with Ndem in MAMSER, gave an account of how he left Calabar for Lagos to assume office as executive director without collecting his financial claims. He said when Ndem was approached to collect the money amounting to over N100,000, the broadcaster, who never allowed the worry over money to be his problem, just waved his hands, signifying he was not interested. A visit to his family home at 125, old Odukpani Road, Calabar, where he left behind a modest bungalow tells a better story as to how Ndem approached the issue of wealth or corruption. He led a very humble life, and died a very humble man. Ndem’’s place of rest is Hawkiris Cemetery, a public burial place, clearly demonstrating his kind of person and the orientation he passed to the family he left behind. One observer who was visibly angered by the interment of Ndem in a public cemetery, argued animatedly that he ought to be buried at either the cultural centre in Calabar, or a special place befitting his status. Like most prophets, Ndem was not respected in his land. While posters and messages announcing the demise of this great man adorned the streets of most of the Igbo-speaking states, very little or nothing in Cross River suggested that an icon was dead. But for two less imposing banners announcing his funeral activities, in Calabar and Cross River State in general it was business as usual. Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa and Rivers states, whose territories fell within the defunct. They failed when it mattered most to celebrate one of their own. Ndem, notwithstanding, was a worthy ambassador who projected the names of such areas beyond imagination. The same cannot be said of the people of the present South East states who generally and individually appreciated the worth of Ndem. Ndem was born on June 1. 1932 in Calabar. He had his education at the Baptist Academy, Lagos, Government School, Jos and Government School, Ibadan. Ndem joined NBC in 1952 and in 1962 he attended a course in Syracuse University, New York, United States of America. During the outbreak of the civil war, he worked with Radio Biafra, and thereafter worked abriefly with the Nigeria Broadcasting Corporation (NBC). In the Second Republic, he was with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and latter moved to MAMSER where he retired as an executive director.
Ojukwu Defends Nigerian Civil War From Amby Uneze in Calabar Ikemba Nnewi and presidential candidate of the All Progressives Grand Allia-nce (APGA), Dim Chukw-uemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu has declared that the Nigerian civil war of 1967 to 1970 was fought to make the country better and not to disintegrate it as perceived by many. The ex-Biafra war lord, who made this statement at the weekend in Calabar at the burial of former Biafra propagandist and renowned broadcaster, late Okokon Ndem, maintained that such better idea was shared between him and Okokon Ndem for the progress of the country. "I'm so proud to be with you today. I recognise he was a hero. The simple life of Okokon Ndem made us proud to make Nigeria better. A struggle to make Nigeria proud," he said. Ojukwu, who drove in a convoy was accompanied by senior Igbo leaders and APGA chieftains, including the party's national chairman, Chief Chekwas Okorie, Abia State APGA governorship candidate in Chief Onwuka Kalu and the secretary-general of Igbo National Assembly, Chief Onwuka Ukwa. In his tribute to the late Ndem, Ojukwu said his presence at the ceremony was to appreciate the late broadcaster for his role in the Biafran war, adding "I can say no better have you to him than to abandon the Igbo Day celebration going on at Enugu to be here." "Today is Igbo Day celebration and I abandoned the ceremony in Enugu to be by his grave side. We shall never forget, throughout the existence of life we shall remember Okokon Ndem." "Your late father was a hero. I assure you that he has left a worthy impression on all he served. On my part, as the leader of our people, I offer modestly my salute to this fallen hero. Ndigbo will never forget him, Biafrans, most certainly will forever honour him and Nigerians as a whole, will always respect, if nothing, his exemplary professionalism," he said. The Governor of Cross River State, Mr. Donald Duke, said the late Okokon Ndem handled the propaganda of Biafra to the extent that neither Nigeria nor its opponent was sure of the real situation, a development which informed the announcement by General Yakubu Gowon (rtd) "as no victor no vanquished verdict at the end of the war." Duke, who was represented by the secretary to the state government, Johnson Ebokpo prayed God to grant the soul of late Okokon Ndem eternal peace.
We Fought to Make Nigeria Better, Says Ojukwu By Bassey Inyang Ex-Biafran leader and presidential candidate of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu at the weekend in Calabar stated that the bloody Nigerian civil war fought between July 1967 and December 1970 was to make Nigeria better rather than diminish it in status. Ojukwu stated that they had to do that alongside the veteran broadcaster Late Okokon Ndem because of the conviction they shared that the people deserved a better deal. The ex-warlord spoke while paying a personal tribute to Ndem whose remains was laid to rest at the weekend in Calabar, the Cross River State capital. The APGA flagbearer while describing Ndem as a hero whose like was difficult to come by said he was a respected and beloved personality. Before a mammoth crowed which gathered at the Cultural Centre Calabar, Ojukwu declared thus: “Before you let me proclaim that he is a hero the type of which is difficult to come by. Together we embarked on a struggle to make Nigeria better not to make Nigeria less.” He stated that he had to come to Calabar at the weekend despite the fact that the Igbo cultural day was being celebrated at Enugu because of the level of esteem to which he held Ndem and the family. The former Biafran leader emphasised that the fallen hero will never be forgotten by those he left behind.
Ajaegbu condemns Kalu on apology By Godwin Adindu Mr Chidi Ajaegbu, president of the Abia Renaissance, a socio-political pressure group, has condemned Governor Orji Uzor Kalu for his apology on behalf of Igbo over the 1967-1970 civil war. Ajaegbu, a Board member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Nigeria (ICAN), and the Managing Director of Mutual Alliance and Investment Limited, therefore urged Ndigbo to ignore Kalu’s who he claimed was seeking cheap popularity to position himself for the position of vice-president come 2007. He told Daily Independent, in an interview in Lagos, that the statements showed ignorance of the history and circumstances of the civil war, regretting that a serving Igbo governor could exhibit such on the Igbo cause. Ajaegbu noted that the governor’s political career had been marred by statements lacking good judgment, adding that the character Kalu was manifesting in governance had their roots in his background. . “You see, you can’t fault psychology and sociology. These two disciplines explain why we behave the way we do. Go back to Kalu’s environment as a child,” Ajaegbu advised in a bid to understand why the governor made the apology. He said Ndigbo should forgive Kalu’s “sacrilege against our collective spirit and posterity” as it is not easy for him to break off totally from his childhood and his past. While commending Ohanaeze, the Igbo socio-political organisation and the Igbo groups that had condemned Kalu over the statement, Ajaegbu said by distorting the facts of the Biafran war, Kalu had offended the gods and the guardian spirits of Ndigbo and must make atonement. He likened Kalu’s behaviour as that of man ready to stake his family for political position. “But, I’m sorry, the Igbo is too big for one man to stake for his selfish political ambition,” Ajaegbu declared. Kalu was quoted to have told a group of northern politicians, including Chief Jerry Waya, who came to Umuahia to deliver a message from Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, that Nigerians should forgive the Igbo for the war, which claimed the lives of about three million Igbo, adding that the war was a mistake on the part of Ndigbo. “Why should we continue to suffer for the mistakes of the past?” Kalu queried. But, an avalanche of criticisms have trailed the statement with many Igbo groups dissociating themselves from the apology and calling for the governor’s head.
Kalu Didn’t Apologise Over Biafra, Says Terry Waya The purported apology over the Nigerian Civil War by Governor Orji Kalu of Abia State is the fictional creation of some mischievous people, says Chief Terry Waya, who was at the event where the supposed apology took place. In a press statement issued Wednesday, Waya, a notable businessman, said nothing of such came up during his visit to Government House, Umuahia, as has been widely touted in the past few days. Below is text of the press statement: My attention has been drawn to several newspaper reports and advertisements relating to the purported apology by the Abia State governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu over the role of the Igbos in the Nigerian Civil War. In the said reports and adverts, the Abia governor was quoted as having asked other Nigerians to forgive the Igbos for fighting the civil war. The governor was also said to have made the purported statement during the visit of Chief Terry Waya to Government House. I have been inundated with several calls by well-meaning Nigerians, including prominent Igbo sons and daughters asking for clarification of what actually transpired during my visit to Gov. Kalu and if indeed, Gov. Kalu actually apologised on behalf of the Igbos for their role in the civil war. I therefore, wish to make this clarification and provide proper perspective of what actually transpired, since the polity is getting unnecessarily over-heated over a clearly misunderstood statement. First, my journey to Abia State was a very personal and friendly visit which had nothing to do with the Vice-President. In my company were two other governors, Gov. James Ibori of Delta State and Gov. Jolly Nyame of Taraba State. All of us were coming from burial of Gov. Odili’s father in-law. In the process of a thank you remark after the host governor had feted us, I was asked to give a vote of thanks on behalf of other visiting governors. Earlier on, Gov. Kalu pleaded with me that as a very close friend of the Vice-President, His Excellency Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, I should report to him on the state of decaying infrastructure, including Federal roads in the East. At this point, I remarked that the VP had been working closely with President Olusegun Obasanjo to address the issues as raised by Gov. Kalu and that as a sign of good faith from the president, the Minister of Works had announced some roads which have been earmarked for immediate construction. I also added that should the Vice-president decide to run in 2007, the Igbo agenda will be very much on his mind. Gov. Kalu could not have offered any such apology since the visit was not the appropriate forum neither were the visitors the appropriate persons to receive such an apology. I also wish to use the opportunity to clarify other insinuations in the media to the effect that the said visit to Abia was to give tacit endorsement to Governor Orji Kalu as the running mate to the Vice-President should he bow to the clamour to run for President in 2007. I wish to state categorically that at no point in our visit did this matter arise. My humble self as a patriotic citizen of this country is one with Mr. Vice-President that the urgent question facing Nigeria now is to offer maximum support to President Olusegun Obasanjo in his vision to revamp the ailing Nigerian economy and other pressing national issues rather than diversionary debate about who will be president and Vice in 2007. I want to enjoin all well meaning Nigerians and particularly the media to concentrate on other far more urgent tasks of national development rather than encourage emotive issues that can fan the embers of hate and passion.
Apology Over Civil War: Terry Waya Defends Orji Kalu By Onyekachi Eze, Abuja. As barrage of attacks continue to trail the apology purportedly rendered on behalf of Ndigbo over the Nigerian civil war by the Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu, Chief Terry Waya whose visit to Government House, Umuahia elicited the controversial apology has risen in defence of the governor. Waya, a chieftain of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), in a statement in Abuja, said the governor was misunderstood by the statement he made during the visit. According to him, his visit to Abia was “a very personal and friendly” one which was made in company of two other governors, James Ibori of Delta State and Jolly Nyame of Taraba State. “Gov. Kalu could not have offered any such apology since the visit was not the appropriate forum neither were the visitors the appropriate persons to receive such an apology,” he stated. Rather, he said “Gov. Kalu pleaded with me that as a very close friend of the Vice-President, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, I should report to him on the state of decaying infrastructure, including federal roads in the East,” he defended. Waya said he had been inundated with several calls by well meaning Nigerians, including prominent Igbo sons and daughters for clarification on what actually transpired during the visit. He further debunked the insinuations that his visit to Abia “was a tacit endorsement of governor Orji Kalu as the running mate to the Vice President should he bow to the clamour to run for President in the year 2007”. “I wish to state categorically that at no point in our visit did this matter arise,” he concluded. He advised Nigerians to concentrate on other more urgent tasks of national development rather than encourage emotive issues that could fan the embers of hate and passion.
By UZOR MAXIM UZOATU President Olusegun Obasanjo went to Bayelsa State the other time and ingloriously told the Balyesans: “The Biafra war was a war for resource control. If Nigeria had lost, that man (Ojukwu) would have cancelled Rivers State, which gave birth to Bayelsa State.” Sound education was never Obasanjo’s strong suit, so we can make an allowance or two if he cannot read history properly. But then, maybe the heinous pogrom in Northern Nigeria is Obasanjo’s understanding. We do need a few more quotes from Obasanjo’s epistle in Bayelsa State. According to Obasanjo: “If Ojukwu had won, I know I would be dead by now and so many other people would be dead today.” The cowardly incitement ingrained in this statement aside, one is at a loss if Obasanjo wants to be taken seriously as a Godspower Oyewole type of parapsychologist in prophesying what would have happened 30-odd years after the event! It is even good that Chief Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu does not want anyone to hold brief for him. Ojukwu has this to say of Obasanjo: “A lot of people are now prancing around claiming to know about the civil war, even Obasanjo himself. What was he during the civil war? He was a junior officer… Certainly, if he were in Biafra, he would not be in my war council. He was too junior…” That says it all for the self-professed mortal enemy of Biafra and Biafrans. Seriously, one needs to sympathise with Obasanjo for admitting that he is still undergoing trauma as a result of Bifra. A trauma that has lasted for more than 33 years obviously bears a name I would not mention here. It suffices to recall the story Obasanjo told the Bayelsans about an aunt of his who lost her son in the civil war but is yet to come to terms with the reality decades after the war. According to Obasanjo: “The poor woman still believes that her son is alive. She has gone to all the babalawos in the land. She prays daily for her son to just walk in from the war front. Each time she sees me, she would ask me if I saw her son. That is the trauma most Nigerians are going through for fighting to safeguard the resources of the country.” I do empathise with the trauma of the woman, but I seriously do not understand the trauma involved in the manic chest-thumping Obasanjo has been indulging in over the affairs of Biafra over the years. Obasanjo is the archetype of the Nigerians who are more interested in stopping the Biafrans (read Igbos) than in helping Nigeria. The Igbos abandoned the Biafra war of independence from Nigeria way back in 1970. Ever since, they have been told in no uncertain terms that they do not belong within the entity called Nigeria. Except for the fact that the Igbos are indeed occupying a certain geographical space on the map of Nigeria, everything else takes place in this abject country without any consideration at all being given to the ill-fated people who made the mistake of standing up to horrendous genocide. But then, the genocide must continue by other means, and who else but Obasanjo is qualified to get elected and re-elected to execute the bloody charge. After all, when the war ended and Sir Louis Mbanefo and Professor Eni Njoku protested the carving up of the East without due consultation, Obasanjo had flared up like a conqueror and, according to Onukaba Adinoyi Ojo in his book In The Eyes of Time, asked the then Commander-in-Chief Gowon for “permission to march out my men back to the battle-field to begin where the battle stopped since they are not ready to accept the reality.” Well, the reality of defeat has since been accepted, but Obasanjo is still fighting on, like Don Quixote blasting away at windmills! Incidentally, the Igbos have this saying about cowards who purport to earn heroism by killing the captured. Also, the Igbos say a man who holds another down also holds himself down. Obasanjo appears to be pursued by the ghost of Biafra everywhere, whence his need to tell some Biafran irritant in America the other day to “go to hell!” The fear is that, in his mad pursuit of Biafra, Obasanjo may follow the irritant straight into hell! Like a very bad boxer, Obasanjo leads with his nose. And does he get his nose bloodied! He throws his weight around when a little more intellect would do. That’s why he was so easily plucked off by General Sani Abacha despite his international standing as a big man. Now he is bullying Biafra instead of striving to change the system that made his imprisonment possible. We may yet witness a repeat of history. The celebrated American actor Charlton Heston wrote in his dairies that a big man should never get into a fight because he is in a no-win situation. If the big man beats the little fellow, he is called a bully, but if he makes the mistake of losing, he becomes a buffoon. Biafra is an underdog, and the underdog never loses. That’s why we are still talking of Biafra today in spite of Obasanjo.
‘‘Calls for Biafra Unnecessary’’ By Abdul Jelil Senate President, Adolphus Wabara has said that the call for revalidation of Republic of Biafra was unnecessary. Also, Wabara has identified disunity among the Igbo as the greatest problem facing the entire South East zone. The senate president reiterated that such calls for the revalidation of Biafran Republic had been consigned to history since the Igbo race has been fully integrated into Nigeria. In a paper he presented at the ongoing World Igbo Congress in Tennessee, United States, Wabara said it was high time the Igbo took their destinies in their hands. According to him, the alarming rate at which young Igbo boys are dropping out of school to embrace trade should be roundly condemned as it has the tendencies of placing the race in a great disadvantage in future. ““The present and future belong to those who are prepared, by having the requisite skills and education for our changing times. If we do not equip ourselves, we are doomed to the margins. And this cannot be inflicted marginalisation, but self-marginalisation.”” He challenged the Igbo congress to demonstrate that Ndigbo have core values and are ready to prompt those core values of industry, integrity and honesty. On calls for revalidation of Biafran Republic, Wabara said it has been consigned to history as the race has been fully reintegrated into Nigeria. ““We the Ndigbo are now talking of Igbo presidency. But how can we achieve Igbo presidency when some of us are still talking about Biafra. It is a contradiction. We have moved beyond Biafra,”” the Senate President noted. He therefore, charged the delegates to regard this year’’s edition of the congress as an opportunity to chart a new direction for the Igbo. He promised to set up an ultra modern Igbo Unity Centre that could trigger off a renaissance of sort for the South East zone. The centre will be located in Enugu, he added. The ultra modern centre, he hoped will minister to the many social educational, cultural and political needs that would serve as a rallying point for all Igbo groups. He said the era of blaming their misfortune in the contemporary Nigeria on the civil war could no longer be accepted. ““It is true that the war caused us a lot of reversals and that events after the war have succeeded in pushing us Ndigbo to the margins, but it is also true that Ndigbo have succumbed to two easy ways, continue to moan as perpetual victims and continue to surrender the high grounds to others.”” In the senate president’’s entourage were Senator Arthur Nzeribe, Ifeanyi Ararume, Fidelis Okoro, Chris Adighije and Ken Nnamani. Former Senate President, Evans Enwerem, Chukwu Ozichukwu and Hon. Osita Izunago and Jerry Ugokwe were also in attendance.
Ngige: MASSOB condemns market closure By Anayo Okoli THE Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday condemned the Monday closure of Onitsha main market and other markets in Onitsha in solidarity with the Anambra State governor, Dr. Chris Ngige who was abducted Thursday last week by the police. In a statement, the chairman of the group, Mr. Uchenna Madu, said the closure of the markets on the directive of the president of the Anambra State Markets Amalgamated Traders Association (ASMATA) Mr Emeka Asoanya was not necessary and smarked of irresponsibility and sycophancy on the part of ASMATA leadership. "ASMATA should not have ordered the closure of markets as a solidarity to Governor Chris Ngige and PDP political disturbances in the government house because the traders and Anambrarians did not vote for neither Chris Ngige nor PDP." The group said that Asoanya’s action exposed his inordinate ambition to impose himself on the traders as life president and to seek cheap relevance in the present administration of Ngige. Madu reasoned that if the closure of markets was a demonstration of "Igbo brotherhood, love and harmony," the ASMATA boss should have done same when members of MASSOB were recently massacared at Okigwe and Onitsha respectively. "Why couldn’t he order the closure of markets in Anambra State as a solidarity and support to non-violence MASSOB during their undemocratic and insensitive massacare at Okigwe and Onitsha by police."
MASSOB accuses police of killing 17 of its members By Anayo Okoli THE leadership of Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) yesterday alleged that the police in Onitsha killed 17 of its members when its secretariat at Nkpor, near Onitsha, was allegedly raided by the police. MASSOB also claimed that 11 of its members were wounded during the raid, just as it declared 24 others missing. According to Mr. Uchenna Madu, the movement's Onitsha provincial secretary who led a delegation of the ten members to Vanguard office, the incident occurred Sunday afternoon at their Nkpor secretariat. Madu said that the leadership of MASSOB in the province had been to the respective homes of the alleged missing members but they could not be located. A local Radio Station which first aired the news put the number of death at 17 persons. Madu’s account of the incident reads: "On Sunday morning, we gathered for our usual prayer. After the service, (church) we were about to take our launch when police invaded the secretariat, shouting: "If you move, we shoot you". Out of fear, some of us started running, and police started shooting them. "They raided the place with five Mitsubishi L300 bus. They were in mufti but some of them had apron with SARS inscribed on them. They packed the dead bodies into the buses and arrested some wounded members. "They climbed the building and dismantled the Biafran flag as well as the American, British, Israeli and German flags hoisted at the secretariat." But the police in Awka denied any attack on MASSOB members. The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr. Richard Doghohge told Vanguard on telephone that what they had at Nkpor was record of armed robbers who operated in the area and police were called in to stop them."It is not true that five people were killed. A robbery occurred somewhere and the victims cried to the police they responded, and there was exchange fo gunshots and person died. It is not MASSOB, it is case of armed robbery, unless if the said MASSOB leader is an armed robber," Doghohge said.
‘Igbo ‘ll support MASSOB for self determination’ Eze Kieran Ezewunwa Orjiako, vice chairman of the All Progressive Grand Alliance (APGA), Lagos State, is also the Eze Ohanaeze Ndigbo of Ikeja Local Government Area, Eze Ashipa Ndigbo of Yorubaland and a member of the Igbo Council of Chiefs. He spoke with Vincent Obia on the last general elections and the position of the Igbo in the nation’s politics. Excerpts: On the position of Igbo in Lagos State on the last elections APGA was one of the parties registered before the latest registration of 22 parties. But some among the Igbo thought that APGA would not make any headway, so they started rushing to the other parties. As we can see, however, APGA came third in the last general elections. Our people, I’m sure, would have also discovered that APGA is the only party for Ndigbo.The Ikemba Nnewi, Chief Chukwuemeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu had sounded it loud and clear that the Igbo should rally round APGA so that the party could win in all the Igbo-speaking states. But due to poverty, and suffering in Igboland, and money mongering among some of our leaders, the Igbo were led to other parties. In Lagos here, we had some problems during the last elections due to the activities of Eze Hycenth Ohazulike at Ifako/Ijaye. He manipulated Ndigbo in Lagos to vote for his own candidate, Governor Bola Tinubu. Ohazulike forgot the fact that it was Ikemba that brought him to limelight in Lagos. Ohazulike was picked from the Igbo Council of Chiefs, when Raph Uwazuruike, leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), was president of the Igbo Council of Chiefs, and I was the financial secretary. We thought Ohazulike would understand the agenda of the Igbo. We now know that that man doesn’t know where the Igbo are going.It was abominable to realise the huge sums of money he collected from various people to work against Ikemba in Lagos State. He relied on the excuse that Uche John must be pulled out of APGA before he would participate. This demand didn’t make sense to us. John was the coordinator of APGA in Lagos State, and I was the grand patron at the beginning, when Chekwas Okorie, the national chairman, came here and inaugurated the party. Ikemba should realise that Ohazulike, truly, is not an Igbo man. He should call a meeting of the Igbo Council of Chiefs to look into the issue of Ohazulike. Eze Nwachukwu was the first Eze Ndigbo of Lagos selected by the Igbo Council of Chiefs in 1997. But Nwachukwu was a bit dull, and Ohazulike capitalised on the misunderstanding within the Igbo Council of Chiefs then and declared himself as the Eze Igbo of Lagos. He was coronated by a Baale, who has no power to give the title of Eze. Before the last elections, Ohazulike went to town with the story that APGA was a new party that cannot even make the 10th position in an election. We saw how that the party came third nationally. Such a man should be pulled out of the Eze title. On allegations that Ohazulike took money from Tinubu. Tinubu gave him N25 million, and he worked against APGA. He has the right to belong to any party of his choice, but he must realise that it is an abomination to deny one’s fatherland. Well, we know that the Igbo constitute at least 45 per cent of the Lagos population. On the struggle for the Eze Ndigbo Lagos title. The traditional council of Eze Ndigbo in the South West has the right to pull out any Eze in any state in the zone. This council meets in Ibadan under the chairmanship of Eze James Oromadike, but Ohazulike is the only Eze in the region who has refused to attend the meeting. He loves divide and rule that is why he doesn’t want to identify with others. I made the mistake of supporting Ohazulike in November 1999 when he was crowned as Eze Igbo of Ifako/Ijaye. We have now realised that that man is not worthy to be Eze Ndigbo of Lagos. This man in addition is a stark illiterate who cannot defend Ndigbo anywhere. On the pact between APGA and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last general elections. Campbell Umeh was the first person we knew as the governorship candidate of APGA in Lagos State. He was declared by Ikemba at the Trade Fair Complex. But when Umeh could not pay the amount stipulated by the party for governorship candidates, Basil Onyia just rushed to fill his name. He does not know anything about the registration of APGA. The alliance was not only between APGA and PDP; about seven parties were involved. All the parties came together at Alhaji Ganiyu Dawodu’s place at Victoria Island, about four days before the governorship elections, and signed an accord to work together under the PDP candidate, Chief Funso Williams. We never accepted money from anybody, but were only interested in the sharing of positions after the elections. I can tell you sincerely that Funso Williams won the election, but he was rigged out. The accord was in black and white, but since the elections went the way they did, we are awaiting the outcome of the tribunals. Why Igbo people appeared not to be active in the last elections in Lagos, even in areas with large Igbo population. The Igbo in Lagos were discouraged by Ohazulike. In about three local governments in the state, APGA scored the highest during the House of Assembly poll, but there were no candidates. We know of Ojo, Ajegunle, Ajangbadi, etc. On the credibility of the election tribunals. Well, we all know this is a country where there is hardly truth. We hope some of the judges would have the fear of God and try to bring out the truth. The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) described what happened in the last elections as executive rigging, and I agree with this position. Results were merely fixed according to the influence of money. On the position of the Igbo on the last elections, and the way forward. For the Igbo in Nigeria, 2007 will be a different issue. We have seen the truth, and we have resolved that things cannot continue like this. APGA is the only hope of the Igbo; we only have to work hard to strongly position the party in the scheme of things. If Nigeria really wants peace, the Presidency in 2007 should be given to an Igbo man. Else, we will support MASSOB to go ahead and table our case before the world court for the actualisation of the Biafran state. We have all along tried to ask Uwazuruike to be calm, that Nigeria would realise that the Igbo is the first son of this country. The first son is now being made to play the second fiddle, and we will not allow this. Ikemba tried in the last election; only he started late. But, the Igbo now know that he is a true leader of his people. On what would follow if an Igbo man does not become President in 2007. We will forward our case for the actualisation of the state of Biafra to the world court. We are aware of the cold-blooded murder of many MASSOB activists, and other brutal activities of the Nigerian government against this organisation of unarmed people who are only exercising their legitimate right to protest their state of being within the country. On why many notable figures in Igboland do not seem to identify with MASSOB. I can tell you that about 99 per cent of them support MASSOB, only they don’t want to identify openly with the organisation. Whether the Igbo are compact enough to actualise such collective actions. Well, the problem we have in Igbo land is the Anambra people. Even during the civil war, 85 per cent of the saboteurs were Anambra people. Ojukwu gave money to an Nnewi – one Theophilus to purchase ammunition for Biafra, but the man embezzled the money and ran to the United States. Without the saboteurs, that war wouldn’t last six months. Those who lost their lives during that war, our ancestors will repay them because they were fighting a just cause.
MAY 30, BIAFRA INDEPENDENCE DAY ANNIVERSARY BY BIAFRA FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC Fellow Biafrans: Just as the children of Israel were held in bondage by the Pharaohs of Egypt, Biafrans today are still held in bondage by despotic and tyrannical rulers of Nigeria personified by Olusegun Obasanjo. And just like the children of Israel, the children of Biafra must struggle to free themselves from the clutches of the tyrannical rulers of Nigeria. The world is fully aware of the shameful, despicable, and crude manner in which General Obasanjo and his political party, the PDP made a mockery of the so-called elections of 2003 by stealing votes cast for other parties and candidates, altering results to reflect wins for their candidates who had lost badly, stuffing ballot boxes in their private homes and in hotels, declaring results where elections did not hold at all, declaring people who never stood for elections as winners, and using the police and army to stuff ballots into boxes and to intimidate and kill anyone who challenged their criminal activities. Election monitoring groups from the European Union, the United States and from Nigeria, including a very large contingent from the Catholic Church in Nigeria have condemned these elections declaring that they were marred by serious irregularities and fraud and did not meet even the basic requirements for a democratic election. Twenty seven of the thirty political parties that participated in the election have denounced in unequivocal terms the naked robbery and disenfranchisement perpetrated by General Obasanjo and his party the PDP. Yet, General Obasanjo is now poised to coronate himself the so-called president of Nigeria and foist an illegitimate administration on the people of Nigeria. We condemn in the strongest terms the criminal disenfranchisement of the people of their right to elect their own leaders. We condemn in the strongest terms Obasanjo’s self coronation and imposition of himself as the president of Nigeria. It does not matter how many divisions of soldiers and paramilitary police he puts on the streets to brutalize and kill protesting citizens, whatever government he puts in place is an illegal and illegitimate government and will always be seen as such by the world. What happened during the so-called election in Nigeria should not come as a surprise to anyone. For forty years Nigeria has been incapable of organizing an election, a census, providing security, water, electricity, telecommunication, public transportation, and other basic services to its citizens to justify its existence as a State. Public education has collapsed and the civil service is teetering on the brink of collapse. Nigerian society has been split into two: the corrupt stinking rich and the dirt poor. Corruption headquartered at the presidency has been elevated to the status of national culture according to General Obasanjo. Nigeria has effectively become a failed feudal State. The Nigerian State has an intrinsic, irreparable structural damage. Its parts have fallen apart and the center can not hold except through unending militarism. This is one of the reasons why Biafrans want out of Nigeria. Biafran society was built on the philosophy of egalitarianism, liberty, respect of individual freedoms and rights, individual achievement rather than ascribed status, and an open market of ideas, goods and services which guaranteed a vibrant middle class and therefore opportunity for upward social and economic mobility. Biafrans are very different from Nigerians in every respect. The democratic philosophy which makes Biafrans a great people is antithetical to Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba of Nigeria who subscribe to feudalistic dictatorship as forms of government. This is why Biafrans still in bondage in Nigeria must now insist on Sovereign National Conference to discuss how Biafrans can reestablish their autonomy and regain effective control of their lives. May 30, 2003 will be Biafran Independence Day Anniversary. Since Biafra is still under occupation by Nigeria, we urge Biafrans all over the world to celebrate this anniversary in the most solemn, spiritual, sober, and reflective mood. We call on all Biafrans to gather in small groups in the privacy of their homes, flats, and apartments, in churches, town halls and on the street. We call on Biafrans to discuss the continuing occupation and oppression of Biafra by Nigeria. We call on you to watch videos of the Biafra-Nigeria War of genocide or the hidden holocaust in Sudan. We call on all Biafrans to brainstorm about strategies to liberate our Nation from the clutches of despotic rulers in Nigeria. Biafra Foundation is in the process of finalizing arrangements to organize a world conference of Biafrans and her friends to discuss the modalities for setting up a Biafran Government in Exile. The right to self-determination is guaranteed under resolution 1514 of the General Assembly of the United Nations adopted on December 14 1960. Biafra having been occupied by Nigeria for more than thirty years will demand her independence. Biafra Foundation salutes his Excellency C. Odumegwu Ojukwu, first Head of State of Biafra. We salute members of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and their leader Ralph Uwazurike Esq. who are persecuted daily by General Obasanjo and his paramilitary police and army. We salute individuals who work tirelessly day and night for the cause of Biafra. We salute Biafran mothers and fathers, the youth who are forced daily to make supreme sacrifices for the actualization of Biafra. We salute the clergy for their continuing prayer for the deliverance of Biafra. We salute traders, business people, students, and school children who having witnessed the tragedy of being Nigerian have wholeheartedly embraced Biafra. Finally we salute all those who were initially skeptical about the actualization of Biafra but who have finally seen the light and are now in the vanguard of the Movement. To all of you we say, "Biafra will never betray your trust in her." Though the road be rough and full of thorns with God victory shall be ours.
MASSOB to Continue Struggle for Biafra By Uzoma Nzeagwu, Akwa In a defiant tone, the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) on Tuesday in Onitsha, Anambra State, said no amount of intimidation would deter it from the chosen struggle. Addressing reporters at a press conference, MASSOB'S Provincial Administrator, Chief Venatus Muoneke maintained that "we should not be deterred in our peaceful and non-violent struggle," saying the struggle was for a genuine cause which affects the whole Igbo race. Muoneke further regretted that several hundreds of MASSOB members were languishing in various police cells and prisons across the country without trial and called on the Federal Government to immediately release the detainees. Said he: "We are very mindful of the fact that during this kind of struggle in any society, there is bound to be reactionary elements that will make every possible effort to sabotage the struggle. Continuing, Muoneke added: "We are also mindful... that more and severe persecutions from the government and its agents await MASSOB members, but we shall not be deterred in our peaceful and non-violent struggle," stressing further that the group did not regard its struggle as a "mission impossible." Worried by the alleged government's high handedness against MASSOB, Muoneke challenged the government and the police to point any record of violence exhibited by the movement in its agitation. He stressed that other ethnic militia movements operating in other geo-political zones have at one time or the other wretched havoc on the citizenry. In his view, government's resolve was bent on silencing the MASSOB's peaceful agitation as well as perpetually marginalise and enslave the Ndigbo in the country. As a way out, he said that MASSOB leaders are calling for a separate state of Biafra for the Igbo race, urging Igbo leaders of thought and politicians to rally their support for MASSOB.
NONI Remembers the Dead Igbo of the Nigeria- Biafra War (London 11/11/01) Homily Given by Fr. Emefiena Ezeani I Have Come to be with the Igbo, Not to Praise Them!
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