Biafra Day: Every Igbo man is a Biafran

TO many people especially those outside the Igbo enclave, the successful outcome of May 30, 2017 sit- at home order issued by the Leader of the Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, came to them by surprise.

But to the pro-Biafra agitators, it was a long time plan that came to fruition as the preparation for the event began immediately the 2014 order flopped due to the leadership crisis that had just rocked the Movement for Actualisation for Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) While the Founder of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, held grip of a faction, Nnamdi Kanu strengthened his group called IPOB.

If the substantial compliance by the people in the Southeast geo-political zone is anything to go by, then it is not out of place to deduce that the sit-at-home of May 30 brought with it tremendous sense of unity, unprecedented in the history of Biafra.

To the Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Emma Powerful, “ What was accomplished on the 30th of May 2017 will echo in eternity as the day Biafrans came together under one banner, IPOB, to demonstrate a clear commitment towards the restoration of Biafra.

“We believe that in the near future Biafrans, including those agents of the Nigerian Government, will understand why this IPOB led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu decided to pursue the restoration project which nobody can stop”, he added.

Further checks, showed that months before the May 30 order, IPOB had written schools’ management and leadership of market associations in the zone urging them to shut their schools and markets for the Biafra Day celebration.

For the owners of private schools, they played a fast one by declaring a one week mid-term break for their students and pupils while primary and post-primary institutions owned by government went ahead to open their classes on May 30, but dramatically sent their teachers, students and pupils back home before 9 am apparently for fear of insecurity.

What perhaps amazed some of the government security operatives who laid siege in strategic areas in Enugu metropolis and its environs was that markets were opened, but there was no business held as traders stayed away from the markets on the said day.

Major streets in Enugu, Nsukka, Udi and Oji-River were deserted as residents of the areas remained indoors in honour of the Biafra heroes and heroines as well as those who died in the Biafra struggle.

It was also observed that commercial banks although were opened, but there were few customers as many people had withdrawn money on the eve of the sit-at-home order.

Many residents of Enugu spent the day to attend to their domestic chores while children played football even in some of the deserted streets.

Further checks revealed that the ailing economy also helped in raising the bottled anger in many hearts of the Easterners as some of the interviewees agreed that they would have a better future if Biafra were created, stressing that they were being marginalised by successive regimes in the country.

“ Every Igbo man is Biafran. The Federal Government should allow us go or restructure the country for equity, justice and fair-play to reign in the country. We are talking of Biafra because we, the Igbo, are being enslaved in Nigeria. The economy is bad and the All Progressives Congress (APC) Federal Government led by Muhammed Buhari seems to be helpless”, one of the respondents said.