The Ohinoyi of Ebira land in Kogi state, Dr. Ado Ibrahim has unveiled the source of his power, at the public presentation, in his Azad Palace, Okene in Kogi State, of the Holy Qur’an that has been translated into Ebira language.
Speaking frankly before he personally presented a copy of the translated Qur’an today, April 25, the first class monarch, brought out an ancient Qur’an which he said was given to him by his father, late Atta of Ebira land, Ibrahim Onoruoyiza.
Holding the Qur’an aloft before prominent personalities, including Islamic scholars, traditional rulers and government representatives, the Ohinoyi said: “this is the source of my power.”
He dismissed as untrue, insinuations peddled that all those who contested the stool of Ohinoyiship with him had died, implying that he used supernatural power to kill them.
Dr. Ado Ibrahim, who donated one million naira at the public presentation, said that his grandfather and grandmother bequeathed Islam and Qur’an to him to which he has remained committed come what may.
He promised that he too would hand over the same thing to whoever he chose before he dies.
Dr. Ado Ibrahim advised his subjects to submit fully to the will of God and to acquire Islamic knowledge for them to be able to do so.
This was even as the keynote speaker, Professor Adam Ahmed Okene of the Nigerian Defence Academy (NDA) and chairman of the occasion, Professor Ahmed Rufa’i Mohammed, formerly of Bayero University Kano (BUK), traced the coming of Islam to Ebira land to Atta Onoruoyiza and the great Iyebe.
They considered it appropriate that the first translated Qur’an was being publicly presented in the palace of their son, Ohinoyi Ado Ibrahim.
The Professors called on the people of the area to embrace Islam in its totality, instead of mixing it with culture and tradition.
Chairman of the Committee for the translation of the Qur’an into Ebira language, Alhaji Abdulganiyu Ahmed told the audience that work on the project began about 15 years ago by the authors and those who edited it.
He acknowledged the pioneering roles played by the Committee’s first chairman, late Alhaji Isa Ovurevu Ademoh.
He said that apart from the translated Qur’an in Ebira language, the committee is working on the development of a special applications for use in social media platform, amongst others.
A traditional title holder, the Talba of Ebira and renowned business man, Alhaji Hamza Usman, also donated one million naira.
I, like many other Igbos have stood on the side lines for far too long, wishing this Biafran breeze fizzles away, but it’s now dangerously turning into a major storm that constitutes an existential threat to Igbo civilization as we know it. Those of you IPOBians, Sympathizers, Rumour Mongers, Facebook Warriors, Facebook megastars, Opinion Leaders and Propagandists escalating the already tense situation must understand that in the end, you’ll all be losers, victims and at the same time in more bondage than you ever were. Not my wish anyway, but the perceptible reality. No war ever got won by emotions. Preparation and strategy does, ask any battle-tested soldier. Even the best of them get eaten. Little by little you guys are doing everything possible to attract avoidable conflict to our region hoping that the international community will intervene. You’ll be in for a shocker when this meal you’ve cooked for so long is served up.
Understand this, I have monitored many revolutionary conflicts around the world and know this for a fact, the international community foot-drags at less than a snail pace, if at all, before attempting any interventions in internal conflicts in a sovereign nation and that includes America and Israel you’re hoping on. War is a huge liability and no Country wants to meddle. The best they give these days are reliefs not military aids and that is after many must have died including those who started the fire. I watched it happen to Libyans, Yemenis, Syrians and till now they still don’t have peace. Besides, you’d be stupid to believe that those countries, if ever there is any, promising to support Nnamdi Kanu are really in for it. Some of them want to use him to initiate conflict and sell their weapons to both sides and make blood dollars. War is an all-comers affair and all kinds of demonically vicious players come to the slimy field to play the hellish game of blood and death. In this case, Boko Haram that has largely been caged by the army will break free to roam with ambitions to finally establish their Caliphate across Nigeria, all because the Army now fighting on two fronts can no longer concentrate on them having become too stretched. Guess what, they’ll come with ISIS on their back. Nigerian Army will be fighting to keep Nigeria together on one front, Boko Haram (ISIS Nigerian Branch) with Caliphatist ambition on the other and Biafra with secessionist ambition on yet another front.
That was how Syria got so complex till date and any war in Nigeria today will have a similar picture. Whoever gets overwhelmed will face the other. It will be a long and difficult journey and unlike the first civil war without Boko Haram in the equation, no one can predict the tortuous end. Other Jihadists from across Africa and Middle-East will join in as they always do wherever there’s instability to advance their different brands of Islam. In the end you’ll leave Nigeria and discover you’re fighting other strangers you don’t even know how they came into the picture.
The big boys (international players) like Iran will be there to get there pound of flesh from Nigeria in revenge for the Shiites, Saudi will be there to defend Nigeria, and all will play. Weapons merchants will the start smiling to the banks. Guess where the theatre of war would be, Igboland. We must not allow this! Libyans thought they were fighting Ghaddafi but after Ghaddafi, they discovered other strangers fighting them to establish their different brands of Islam. Same thing in Syria. The words of Saif Al Islam Ghaddafi (Ghaddafi’s first son) keeps ringing in my ears as he forewarned Libyans of these grim possibilities, but okuko nti ike nánu ife n’ite ofe. I never took him seriously at the time but in retrospect, I now see he knew better because it panned out just as he predicted and Libya still isn’t out of the woods.
That’s the way it is these days of jihad consciousness across the world. If you ever experience war, you’ll never take peace for granted. War is not a movie as some of you think. You could be the first victim. Can you stomach watching your loved ones maimed, killed, raped, tortured, starve to death under slow and painful circumstances? Those are the grim realities of war and in Africa, it is executed with luciferous savagery and psychopathic sadism. The worst of peace is still better than the best of wars.
Funny enough, most of our chest-beating IPOBians will likely die off within the first month or two of the conflict leaving those who knew nothing or are on the sidelines to defend themselves. There will be nowhere to run to as no country in West Africa will agree to accept the ocean-sized volume of refugees. When the Rwandan genocide was looming, everyone was running his mouth until the death hurricane they courted so hard swept across their country, they wailed and shouted for international community to intervene but none came. That’s the way it is. Paul Kagame, their current President it was who ended it. And they vowed to “never again”. They learnt from history and have completely removed tribalism from every facet of national life and are admirably making astounding progress as one of Africa’s best.
My advice, agreed, Buhari hasn’t treated us as well as we wanted, but wait till 2023 and make amends. I have listened to Nnamdi Kanu on several videos and my conclusion is that he is plain naive on how things roll in a conflict situation. On one occasion he bragged that it would take him only two weeks to reach Sokoto in the event of war. I don’t know what weapons and extra-terrestrial strategies he has to execute that. War is an unpredictable undertaking that you’ll be ignorant to estimate which direction it goes. As it is, he has no weapons just yet and is bragging. Many of you believe him and even ascribe infallibility to his words. I have lived a couple of years abroad and what some of you don’t know is that many of our people there egging you on don’t have immigration papers and are praying for an outbreak of hostilities in Nigeria so they can claim asylum on the back of it.
We must advise ourselves on this current path of self-annihilation. Some of you think Biafra will be the end of all your problems, so South Sudan thought, as did Eritrea, but sorry it will be the beginning of new ones. Now take this to the Bank, it will even be far more difficult for any country to touch any conflict here with a long spoon than it was in the sixties. Reason? Then there was the prospect of oil but today oil is out of fashion and even as it is, Nigeria is begging for buyers and nobody’s buying. Osinbajo said that much a few days back. Now, tell me, if they spend their money intervening in your conflict to save your asses, what will they get in return? The best they can do for you is to condemn what is going on, then more out-pouring of condemnations and then more unleashing of floodgates of condemnations, but NO ACTION while you die in numbers.
You often argue that a call for referendum is not a call for war. I agree completely! Very true! Referendum is a right not a privilege. Even Buhari asserted that much in favour of Palestine when he addressed the UN. However, it is plain naivety to assume that all that is enshrined in international law is enforceable. UN has no mechanism of enforcement. Countries and Dictators constantly flout it and nothing happens. Even if something were to happen you’ll all have decomposed in your graves by then. A show of bravado will not lead you anywhere Umunnem. Call me a coward if you like, but Chinua Achebe told us that we often stand in the house of a coward to point at where a brave man ONCE lived. In any case, isn’t it foolishness to challenge an army that has been stockpiling arms since 1960 when you on the other hand haven’t bought a bullet just yet?
Papa Achebe puts it this way, “Only a foolish man can go after a leopard with his bare hands”. As impulsive and as tempting as it may get, tone down your rhetorics, invectives, acerbics, and cursing on social media. Cherish the peace you now have at least Igbos are not worse-off than other regions despite never being in power. While there is grinding poverty in other regions, the highest income per capita in the country is posted by Anambra and other Igbo states ain’t doing badly. Our people live well, build better houses compared to other regions and it’s all a miracle given the scratch we started from after the war. Why do we want to throw all that away because of ego and start all over again? Is it a curse? The Hausas though having been in power do not even live a better quality of life than Igbos. Let’s be wise and not give opportunity to destroy all we’ve achieved as a people.
I condemn in the strongest of terms the killing of unarmed people by Nigerian soldiers, killer herdsmen, and do not by any means say Nigeria is what we want it to be but understand Biafra wasn’t Ojukwu’s first choice. At Aburi his choice was a return to true federalism which he knew was a better deal for us than secession. Nigeria failed to honour that agreement and continued the killings forcing him to declare a Biafran Republic to save his people from slaughter and it’s understandable. Nigeria owes us tons of apologies, I agree. But brothers, let’s think again! A Biafra today will even be far less economically viable than it would have been then. Reason is because then we would have used oil money to jump-start the new country but today oil is so unsellable to the extent that Venezuela with arguably the largest reserves is grappling with severe economic problems. Kick-starting a new country from the basics would be painfully slow and may outlive our generation to even get the basic things in place. Arewa youths know that, the reason they have asked Nigerian Government to let Igbos go, only for Nnamdi Kanu to start asking for Benue and Rivers because he knows that Igboland alone isn’t viable.
Asking for Benue is laughable because they were never part of Biafra and have made it clear to all, as did different Rivers groups that they don’t want Biafra. A handful of his collaborators from those regions pledging allegiance to him does not equate to an entire people. Majority of their people hate this Biafran idea and have made that much clear. Some funny IPOBians are also hoping on Asari Dokubo and FFK. What a funny bunch being used to fight other people’s fight. Why won’t they take up the gauntlet or is it only us that is suffering injustice? Don’t even think corruption will suddenly disappear in a new Biafra as some naive IPOBians hope. If they give you Biafra today, your eyes will open up to new unpleasant realities many of you haven’t even factored-in in your agitation but then it would have been late.
I know voices like mine are often loathed and cursed by IPOBians but some of us who know the truth can no longer keep quiet while you drag us all into avoidable chaos. I owe our people the truth as I see it. Curse me all you want, it’s OK. Umunnem, ka ako’n’uche na udo chianu biko! Patience solves all things, with time. Let our people think again and know what is looming. Stop your facebook and social media vituperations, cursing, grand standing and join me to educate others. De-escalate this situation and speak words of kindness to others. Even mighty America de-escalates after tensions with Russia. It’s called wisdom. North Korea provokes South Korea most times but the South always de-escalates tensions knowing that the North hasn’t got anything to lose in the event of war but beautiful South Korea will lose quite a lot. In our case, all the beautiful houses and streets in Igboland will be razed to the ground. Why should we be starting afresh all the time? It will even be more painful if we lose again as was the case in 1970. As it is, it’s not looking good! One more thing. We can join other ethnic groups to demand restructuring. Let us not face our common enemy alone. Britain is our enemy using minority Fulani to enslave Nigerians. We can together liberate Nigeria from Fulani if only we can unite. Let’s stop all these provocative language and join forces with the West and the Middle belt. See all over where Igbos are killed on daily bases. The worst is our behaviour in other people’s land.
A Separatist group, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), has said that Governor Hope Uzodinma of Imo State and all those who have a hand in the death of its Southeast commander, simply called Ikonso, will pay dearly for what it called “this weakedness”
“Hope Uzodinma and all those who had a hand in this wickedness will pay dearly. Hope Uzodinma and his cowardly Nigerian security agencies cannot confront Fulani terrorists but only flex their muscles when they see Biafra agitators.”
In a statement by its spokesman Emma Powerful, reacting to the killing of a top commander of its Eastern Security Network (ESN), by security forces today, April 24, IPOB accused Governor Uzodinma of masterminding the killing, because according to it, Ikonso refused to abandon ESN and join Ebube Agu as the governor had requested. Ebube Agu is a regional security outfit launched by Southeast governors.
The pro-Biafra movement said that Uzodima had stirred the hornet nest and told him to get ready for “a sting”.
“IPOB ably led by our great leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, strongly condemn the unprovoked attack on some members of IPOB and ESN operatives at Oguta junction at Mgbidi, along Owerri road Onitsha expressway by a joint security force comprising the army, police and DSS operatives, with the support of Imo State Government,” the statement said.
“The killing of the heroic innocent Biafrans protecting our communities and towns from Fulani terrorist herdsmen masquerading as cattle herders in cold blood is very painful.
“For murdering Ikonso, the ESN unit COMMANDER in a cold blood, Uzodima has stirred the hornet nest! He should get ready for a sting.
“Uzodima allegedly decided to kill Ikonso because he refused his offer to head Ebubeagu ghost security outfit formed by South-East governors.
” Uzodima has tried but without success to lure ESN operatives into EBUBEAGU. He had made irresistible offers to them which were turned down, hence his resorting to the elimination of these patriotic heroes who vowed never to betray Biafra.
“Hope Uzodinma sent a lot of emissaries to beg Ikonso and other ESN officers to join EBUBEAGU security outfit. So, because of their refusal to betray Biafra agitation and our Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the governor mobilized joint security forces to attack them today.
“Contrary to claims by the cowardly security forces who flee from terrorists but kill innocent citizens, they were not able to penetrate into the camp of ESN. They only ambushed Ikonso but we promise them hell for this cowardly act!
“Hope Uzodima has murdered sleep, so he should be ready to stay awake! FULANI terrorists pretending as cattle sellers in Enugu destroyed Police van and attacked Government officials on lawful duty with AK-47 but no Army, police or DSS attacked them till now.
“But ESN operatives defending our communities against the terrorists are being hunted like games every day. The world has kept quiet over this atrocity until we begin our own madness.
“May Chukwu Okike Abiama accept the souls of our gallant men. Biafra shall always remember them and other fallen heroes for their heroism!”
Ikonso, alongside six others, was killed by security a combined team of police and soldiers today, following an attack on the country home of Governor Hope Uzodinma.
President Muhammadu Buhari has asked bandits and Boko Haram insurgents in the country to prepare to meet the same fate they have been inflicting on innocent ones soon.
“Those that think that profits can be made, either from money paid as ransom or in politics, will realise sooner than later that they are bound by the same fate as their victims.
“Banditry, kidnapping and the politics of murders will be fought with all the resources available to our country.”
President Buhari in a statement condemning the killing of three of the students kidnapped at Greenfield University, Kaduna State, lamented the recurring incidents of kidnappings and killings in Kaduna State in particular, which he described as “barbaric terror.”
The President condemned the unfortunate tenor of some political and religious leaders that seem to further incite and stoke the pain and anguish of mourning families who are forced to confront these atrocities.
“Addressing this scourge, requires a great show of empathy and coming together as a society to squarely confront these elements and the danger it poses to our democracy and peaceful life in the country.”
The President described the killed students as bright youngsters who were cut down by evil people in their prime.
“My thoughts are with their families in this time of grief. May their souls rest in peace.”
Security operatives, comprising police, army and officers of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) have killed the Southeast commander of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), popularly known as Ikonso, and six other armed fighters of the insurgent group.
The killing of the commander was done in the early hours of today, April 24, in a joint operation. The security operatives had stormed the operational headquarters of Insurgents IPOB Militias in Awomama Village Oru East LGA of Imo State.
Reliable security source said that the Insurgents are responsible for the attack on the Imo State Police Headquarters and the headquarters of the Nigerian Correctional Service on 5th April, 2021. They were also said to have carried out series of calculated, violent attacks on security personnel and formations in the south east and south south of the country.
“In a bold and clinical response, the joint security forces fought back gallantly. The Forces eventually neutralized the overall commander of the insurgents in the Southeast popularly known as Ikonso Commander and six other armed fighters of the insurgent group.
“Commander Ikonso is known as the Vice President designate as well as the coordinator of all the militia operations of the group. He was the mastermind and coordinator of the attack on the Imo Police Headquarters and several other attacks on security and military personnel and facilities.
“The operation is part of deliberate effort by the Police and other security forces to quel the activities of insurgents in Imo State and other States of the South East and South South region of the country,” the source said.
It was learnt that after the fierce gun battle, the security team recovered the remains of Ikonso Commander and the six of his fighters.
“Several sophisticated weapons, including six AK47 rifles, hundreds of ammunition of different caliber and lots of charms, including bullet Proof charms were recovered from the insurgents.
Meanwhile, three policemen and one army officer are currently receiving treatment from sustained serious bullet injuries during exchange of gunfire with the insurgents.
The Governor of Imo state, Senator Hope Uzodinma has called on the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and others to drop the idea of having separate countries different from Nigeria.
He told newsmen at the Presidential Villa, Abuja today, April 24 that he doesn’t support cessation in any form, but disposed to a more united indivisible Nigeria no matter the current circumstances prevailing against the nation.
Governor Uzodinma noted that Nigeria’s strength lies in it’s diversity, especially as the country continues to play a leading role on the continent.
The Imo State Governor, who was reacting to agitations for the division of Nigeria, said that despite the odds, due divisions, saying: “I don’t think that I will support any call for cessation, I want a united, strong Nigeria. Our strength is in our diversity and today, we are supposed to play a leading role in this continent.
“We don’t want to whittle down our strength. Rather, what I advise is that we must appreciate the gift of nature, in our land and support the government.”
The Governor said that the citizens should be more concerned with the issues of job creations and infrastructure development among others, rather than dwelling on inane issues.
“Let me tell you something, this country is blessed by God. From 2015 till today, I thought what the problem would be is people saying that there’s no job creation, people are not feeding, salaries are not paid, infrastructure are going down, social interventions are not approved by government.
“Now, people are no longer talking about that, rather what they are doing is to sponsor crisis, to the extent that those funding this banditry are politicians, which I challenge and call on security agencies to make their names available to the press because what they want to do is to distract a government that is focused.
“If this government is not doing well, I’ll be one of those that has declare the government as not doing well, but a situation where you’ll live the formal way, ethical way of doing politics, and you are now sponsoring banditry to bring down a government, for Christ’s sake, we should rise up and condemn it, all of us.”
Governor Uzodinma called on the opposition to partner the administration to facilitate development programmes for the people, adding that only ‘an enabling environment’ could make those things realistic.
“For those things to function, we need an enabling environment. That is why the enemies, not deterred by the progress the government is making, are now out to scuttle good governance.
“Opposition and politics are about the people. Democracy is government of the people, by the people and for the paper. Why are people hiring people to kill the people? There is no responsible government that will not want those who voted him or her to power to be happy and this government I have seen is a responsible government.
“However, I think we are rising to the occasion. I can tell you that sooner than later, today will become a thing of the past and Nigeria will move forward.”
The former President of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Nigeria, Archbishop John Onaiyekan, has given food for some Muslims to break their fast after observing Thursday’s Ramadan fasting.
The clergyman, who displayed the gesture at the Al-Habibiyah Mosque in Guzape, Abuja where over 2,000 Muslims gathered to break their fast, said: “we are doing our best to spread an attitude of openness because we believe that God does not want his children to kill each other. He wants us to live in peace. So anything we can do to promote peace, we must do.”
The Chief Imam of Al-Habibiyyah Islamic Society, Fuad Adeyemi, commended the Bishop, who he said is not an underground clergy.
“It shows that we can really live together, that we can be friends, and that we can live in peace.”
Present at the event is the Plateau State Governor, Simon Lalong and Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Mohammed Buba Marwa.
“Here today we have many Muslims and Christians breaking fast together, we must encourage this kind of religious harmony,” Lalong said.
“Our prayer is that God will use this union to answer our prayer so that there will be peace in Nigeria and all over the world.”
The Minister of Health, Dr. Osagie Ehanire, says Nigeria needs N1.89trillion to effectively combat malaria in the country.
Speaking at a news briefing in Abuja today, April 23, the minister said that out of the total sum, the country requires more than N350 billion to fight the disease in 2021 alone.
“The implementation of the new strategic plan will cost N1.89 trillion; about N352 billion is required for the year 2021 programme implementation.”
The minister, who spoke ahead of the World Malaria Day, scheduled to hold on April 25, acknowledged that the Federal Government does not have the adequate amount required to fight the disease this year.
Dr. Ehanire attributed this to the prevailing economic circumstances occasioned by the coronavirus pandemic, just as in other countries.
The minister said that the government is working to establish a Malaria Council that would help to drive domestic funding for the elimination of the disease.
President Muhammadu Buhari has advised Bandits and other criminals making life intolerable for innocent citizens in the country not to push their luck too far, thinking that government lacks capacity to crush them.
The President, who was reacting to the latest killing of innocent people by bandits in Zamfara State, in a statement today, April 22 by his spokesman, Garba Shehu, said: “these criminals should stop pushing their luck too far by believing that the government lacks the capacity to crush them.”
He made it clear to the criminals that such wanton disregard for human life will be brought to an end sooner than later, even as he said that such insane and persistent violence against innocent people must stop.
He directed the military, security and intelligence agencies to take immediate steps to close all existing gaps in their operations being exploited by criminals to wreak havoc, and expressed hope the Special Operation launched by the military at 3:00am this morning (Thursday) from Maru Local Government area will prove decisive in ridding the state of the “frequent and horrifying “bandit activities.
“The violence against poor villagers who are struggling with poverty and other severe economic challenges is not going to be tolerated by this administration.”
President Buhari called on the security forces to redouble their efforts in bringing an end to this mindless violence against innocent people.
“Let’s not give these criminals any opportunity to succeed by taking the war to their own camps and stop them in their tracks before they even have the time to respond under our massive fire power.”
He reassured the people of Zamfara State that, despite the latest set back in our efforts to protect our citizens, there will be no compromise in our determination to defeat these enemies of humanity.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has warned against people linking the death in plane crash, of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa.
The CAN boss, who was Special Adviser on Religious Affairs to the late Governor, in a statement today, April 22, said that the church and Yakowa’s family consider the allegation very serious with a possible adverse impact on peace and national security.
“Consequently, we express strong reservations and concerns about statements like the ones associated in the past by Pantami as circulated in audios and videos released on social media.
“Society’s discomforts and disagreements should, however, not be enough reasons for us to approve the circulation of phony and injurious statements against any perceived foe.
“However, we consider that the “communique could be doctored. We are aware that in this age of technological advancements, we have to take any allegations with a pinch of salt until we are confident of the authenticity of the source.
“Sensitive documents like the ones purported to be from the JNI meeting in Bauchi should be subjected to thorough security investigation and trials, not tools for social media warfare. The danger of making this a media issue, instead of a legal and security issue that it ought to be, is that we stand to lose the most important point; that of bringing to justice persons accused to have wronged the law.
“Accordingly, there is a need for circumspection and care so that we do not throw our communities into further chaos in the rush to hang one man. At a time of strained relationships between neighbours, what we need are mediatory interventions and peacebuilding, rather than adding fuel to the raging fire.
“To be sure, when Sir, Yakowa died in an air crash there was no inquiry to determine the cause of his death, aside from the immediate and likely technical fault leading to the helicopter crash.
“We, the Christian community and indeed his immediate family acknowledged the tragedy, submitting to the will of God Almighty. For that purpose, there is no point, now or later, to open up what will not bring back our leader and father but rather open up old wounds in a very controversial manner.
“Hence, those with an axe to grind with Pantami should do so within their limits. As a Church leader, I chose to speak because of my deep belief that justice is natural and we shall live to account before our Lord. Besides, if we support unverified allegations against someone today because we loathe the person, the monster could be deployed against us or someone we cherish tomorrow.
“As someone very close to the late Yakowa, I call on all Nigerians to ignore the insinuations linking Pantami with Sir Yakowa’s death, endangering national peace. This, I call on security agencies to step in and tame the circulation of such dangerous documents. We cannot afford to stock fire when we should be pouring more water. Those who feel they have information to help the security agencies investigate whatever crimes against groups or individuals should do so within the provided window, without exacerbating the tension of formulating tales in the public space.”
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President Muhammadu Buhari has advised Bandits and other criminals making life intolerable for innocent citizens in the country not to push their luck too far, thinking that government lacks capacity to crush them.
Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Kaduna State Chapter, Rev. John Joseph Hayab, has warned against people linking the death in plane crash, of the former Governor of Kaduna State, Patrick Yakowa.
Before IPOB Leads Igbos Into The Gutter, By Nnoruka Udechukwu SAN
I, like many other Igbos have stood on the side lines for far too long, wishing this Biafran breeze fizzles away, but it’s now dangerously turning into a major storm that constitutes an existential threat to Igbo civilization as we know it. Those of you IPOBians, Sympathizers, Rumour Mongers, Facebook Warriors, Facebook megastars, Opinion Leaders and Propagandists escalating the already tense situation must understand that in the end, you’ll all be losers, victims and at the same time in more bondage than you ever were. Not my wish anyway, but the perceptible reality. No war ever got won by emotions. Preparation and strategy does, ask any battle-tested soldier. Even the best of them get eaten. Little by little you guys are doing everything possible to attract avoidable conflict to our region hoping that the international community will intervene. You’ll be in for a shocker when this meal you’ve cooked for so long is served up.
Understand this, I have monitored many revolutionary conflicts around the world and know this for a fact, the international community foot-drags at less than a snail pace, if at all, before attempting any interventions in internal conflicts in a sovereign nation and that includes America and Israel you’re hoping on. War is a huge liability and no Country wants to meddle. The best they give these days are reliefs not military aids and that is after many must have died including those who started the fire. I watched it happen to Libyans, Yemenis, Syrians and till now they still don’t have peace. Besides, you’d be stupid to believe that those countries, if ever there is any, promising to support Nnamdi Kanu are really in for it. Some of them want to use him to initiate conflict and sell their weapons to both sides and make blood dollars. War is an all-comers affair and all kinds of demonically vicious players come to the slimy field to play the hellish game of blood and death. In this case, Boko Haram that has largely been caged by the army will break free to roam with ambitions to finally establish their Caliphate across Nigeria, all because the Army now fighting on two fronts can no longer concentrate on them having become too stretched. Guess what, they’ll come with ISIS on their back. Nigerian Army will be fighting to keep Nigeria together on one front, Boko Haram (ISIS Nigerian Branch) with Caliphatist ambition on the other and Biafra with secessionist ambition on yet another front.
That was how Syria got so complex till date and any war in Nigeria today will have a similar picture. Whoever gets overwhelmed will face the other. It will be a long and difficult journey and unlike the first civil war without Boko Haram in the equation, no one can predict the tortuous end. Other Jihadists from across Africa and Middle-East will join in as they always do wherever there’s instability to advance their different brands of Islam. In the end you’ll leave Nigeria and discover you’re fighting other strangers you don’t even know how they came into the picture.
The big boys (international players) like Iran will be there to get there pound of flesh from Nigeria in revenge for the Shiites, Saudi will be there to defend Nigeria, and all will play. Weapons merchants will the start smiling to the banks. Guess where the theatre of war would be, Igboland. We must not allow this! Libyans thought they were fighting Ghaddafi but after Ghaddafi, they discovered other strangers fighting them to establish their different brands of Islam. Same thing in Syria. The words of Saif Al Islam Ghaddafi (Ghaddafi’s first son) keeps ringing in my ears as he forewarned Libyans of these grim possibilities, but okuko nti ike nánu ife n’ite ofe. I never took him seriously at the time but in retrospect, I now see he knew better because it panned out just as he predicted and Libya still isn’t out of the woods.
That’s the way it is these days of jihad consciousness across the world. If you ever experience war, you’ll never take peace for granted. War is not a movie as some of you think. You could be the first victim. Can you stomach watching your loved ones maimed, killed, raped, tortured, starve to death under slow and painful circumstances? Those are the grim realities of war and in Africa, it is executed with luciferous savagery and psychopathic sadism. The worst of peace is still better than the best of wars.
Funny enough, most of our chest-beating IPOBians will likely die off within the first month or two of the conflict leaving those who knew nothing or are on the sidelines to defend themselves. There will be nowhere to run to as no country in West Africa will agree to accept the ocean-sized volume of refugees. When the Rwandan genocide was looming, everyone was running his mouth until the death hurricane they courted so hard swept across their country, they wailed and shouted for international community to intervene but none came. That’s the way it is. Paul Kagame, their current President it was who ended it. And they vowed to “never again”. They learnt from history and have completely removed tribalism from every facet of national life and are admirably making astounding progress as one of Africa’s best.
My advice, agreed, Buhari hasn’t treated us as well as we wanted, but wait till 2023 and make amends. I have listened to Nnamdi Kanu on several videos and my conclusion is that he is plain naive on how things roll in a conflict situation. On one occasion he bragged that it would take him only two weeks to reach Sokoto in the event of war. I don’t know what weapons and extra-terrestrial strategies he has to execute that. War is an unpredictable undertaking that you’ll be ignorant to estimate which direction it goes. As it is, he has no weapons just yet and is bragging. Many of you believe him and even ascribe infallibility to his words. I have lived a couple of years abroad and what some of you don’t know is that many of our people there egging you on don’t have immigration papers and are praying for an outbreak of hostilities in Nigeria so they can claim asylum on the back of it.
We must advise ourselves on this current path of self-annihilation. Some of you think Biafra will be the end of all your problems, so South Sudan thought, as did Eritrea, but sorry it will be the beginning of new ones. Now take this to the Bank, it will even be far more difficult for any country to touch any conflict here with a long spoon than it was in the sixties. Reason? Then there was the prospect of oil but today oil is out of fashion and even as it is, Nigeria is begging for buyers and nobody’s buying. Osinbajo said that much a few days back. Now, tell me, if they spend their money intervening in your conflict to save your asses, what will they get in return? The best they can do for you is to condemn what is going on, then more out-pouring of condemnations and then more unleashing of floodgates of condemnations, but NO ACTION while you die in numbers.
You often argue that a call for referendum is not a call for war. I agree completely! Very true! Referendum is a right not a privilege. Even Buhari asserted that much in favour of Palestine when he addressed the UN. However, it is plain naivety to assume that all that is enshrined in international law is enforceable. UN has no mechanism of enforcement. Countries and Dictators constantly flout it and nothing happens. Even if something were to happen you’ll all have decomposed in your graves by then. A show of bravado will not lead you anywhere Umunnem. Call me a coward if you like, but Chinua Achebe told us that we often stand in the house of a coward to point at where a brave man ONCE lived. In any case, isn’t it foolishness to challenge an army that has been stockpiling arms since 1960 when you on the other hand haven’t bought a bullet just yet?
Papa Achebe puts it this way, “Only a foolish man can go after a leopard with his bare hands”. As impulsive and as tempting as it may get, tone down your rhetorics, invectives, acerbics, and cursing on social media. Cherish the peace you now have at least Igbos are not worse-off than other regions despite never being in power. While there is grinding poverty in other regions, the highest income per capita in the country is posted by Anambra and other Igbo states ain’t doing badly. Our people live well, build better houses compared to other regions and it’s all a miracle given the scratch we started from after the war. Why do we want to throw all that away because of ego and start all over again? Is it a curse? The Hausas though having been in power do not even live a better quality of life than Igbos. Let’s be wise and not give opportunity to destroy all we’ve achieved as a people.
I condemn in the strongest of terms the killing of unarmed people by Nigerian soldiers, killer herdsmen, and do not by any means say Nigeria is what we want it to be but understand Biafra wasn’t Ojukwu’s first choice. At Aburi his choice was a return to true federalism which he knew was a better deal for us than secession. Nigeria failed to honour that agreement and continued the killings forcing him to declare a Biafran Republic to save his people from slaughter and it’s understandable. Nigeria owes us tons of apologies, I agree. But brothers, let’s think again! A Biafra today will even be far less economically viable than it would have been then. Reason is because then we would have used oil money to jump-start the new country but today oil is so unsellable to the extent that Venezuela with arguably the largest reserves is grappling with severe economic problems. Kick-starting a new country from the basics would be painfully slow and may outlive our generation to even get the basic things in place. Arewa youths know that, the reason they have asked Nigerian Government to let Igbos go, only for Nnamdi Kanu to start asking for Benue and Rivers because he knows that Igboland alone isn’t viable.
Asking for Benue is laughable because they were never part of Biafra and have made it clear to all, as did different Rivers groups that they don’t want Biafra. A handful of his collaborators from those regions pledging allegiance to him does not equate to an entire people. Majority of their people hate this Biafran idea and have made that much clear. Some funny IPOBians are also hoping on Asari Dokubo and FFK. What a funny bunch being used to fight other people’s fight. Why won’t they take up the gauntlet or is it only us that is suffering injustice? Don’t even think corruption will suddenly disappear in a new Biafra as some naive IPOBians hope. If they give you Biafra today, your eyes will open up to new unpleasant realities many of you haven’t even factored-in in your agitation but then it would have been late.
I know voices like mine are often loathed and cursed by IPOBians but some of us who know the truth can no longer keep quiet while you drag us all into avoidable chaos. I owe our people the truth as I see it. Curse me all you want, it’s OK. Umunnem, ka ako’n’uche na udo chianu biko! Patience solves all things, with time. Let our people think again and know what is looming. Stop your facebook and social media vituperations, cursing, grand standing and join me to educate others. De-escalate this situation and speak words of kindness to others. Even mighty America de-escalates after tensions with Russia. It’s called wisdom. North Korea provokes South Korea most times but the South always de-escalates tensions knowing that the North hasn’t got anything to lose in the event of war but beautiful South Korea will lose quite a lot. In our case, all the beautiful houses and streets in Igboland will be razed to the ground. Why should we be starting afresh all the time? It will even be more painful if we lose again as was the case in 1970. As it is, it’s not looking good! One more thing. We can join other ethnic groups to demand restructuring. Let us not face our common enemy alone. Britain is our enemy using minority Fulani to enslave Nigerians. We can together liberate Nigeria from Fulani if only we can unite. Let’s stop all these provocative language and join forces with the West and the Middle belt. See all over where Igbos are killed on daily bases. The worst is our behaviour in other people’s land.