Does Nigeria Have Any Moral, Legal And Politicial Leverage Against IPOB?

Does Nigeria Have Any Moral, Legal And Politicial Leverage Against IPOB?   In various geopolitical rifts, present or past, countries aro...

Does Nigeria Have Any Moral, Legal And Politicial Leverage Against IPOB?

 

In various geopolitical rifts, present or past, countries around the world have sorted leverage, used them as justifcation to wage, entrench or even prosecute war in a bid to secure their national or ultranationalist strategic interests. It does not really matter, how cynical or bizarre those interests are when objectively evaluated, as long as there is an appealing and mind-permeating narrative to be used to salvage the approval of majority of global spectators and populace, as well as influential state-actors. Then the plan is good to go.

 

Infact, prior to the Nigeria-Biafra war of 1967-70. Although, the people of Eastern Nigeria (Biafrans), having retreated from Western, Northern Nigeria at the heat of serial massacres and pogroms against them, following the January 15th, 1966 coup led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu – an Igbo man from okpanam present-day Delta State, alongside his team of junior millitary officers from various ethnic groups in Nigeria. The Gowon-led Federal government still went on to wage a very brutal war on the retreating, incapacitated and nascent easterners who were still licking their wounds, and the justification for the aggression was that Ojukwu, the Governor general of the East at the time was waging the war to salvage his ego and pride.

 

This was also the talking points of the British media, government officials throughout the 30 months war and even before it. Even the renowned US diplomat, Late Henry Kissinger allegedly called Ojukwu a "spoilt brat" in his assessment, pointing to his affluential background, as an impulsive reason behind the Biafra resistance under his leadership that endured for 30 months with immense hardship and starvation, due to the Imposition of a Air-Land-Sea blockade by the Federal government and its enablers.

 

It is important to emphasize, that all of the above are rather far from the truth. Ojukwu was very interested in good faith on how to resolve the problem that had struck Nigeria and led to the massacres of innocent easterners resident in the North and South West.

 

 

That was why he attended the Aburi Accord in Aburi, Ghana and left after the two-day summit, in good faith. Essentially the Aburi Accord entailed the return to regionalism and confederacy, and it was agreed upon by both sides. 

 

The secession of Biafra on 30th May, 1967 was as a result of pressure mounted on De-facto Government of Ojukwu, by the people through the defunct Eastern Consultative Assembly, which threatened that if he hesitate any further, he would be overthrown and a more decisive leader installed to lead the people  – out of Nigeria.

 

And, this was after the Gowon-led Federal government reneged to implement the tenets of the Aburi Accord which entailed a "restructured Nigeria" in the form of a confederacy – instead went on to surgically divide and cut the fringe  and this act as alleged was at the behest of the British and northern oligarchs. The war came, and over 3.5 million lives mostly children who were by the way, starved to death amidst indiscriminate bombardments and blockade were lost.

 

To connect this to this subject been discussed, let's look at the war in West Asia between Israel and Hamas, as well as the role of other parties involved like Hezbollah, Iran, Yemeni Houthis.

 

The former [Israel], supported by most western countries has successively over the years painted the Palestinian cause as a terrorism, religiously-inclined one and this they entrenched through various constituted Institutions, government parastatals and mainstream media.

 

Recent reports shows, that prior to the Hamas October 7th 2023 attack Israel had covertly sponsored, encouraged the takeover of Hamas in the Gaza strip - which as a consequence, snowballed to a partial severance from Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO), of the West Bank in philosophy, and ultimately gave room for exploitation to the Israelis to roll out whatever measure they deem fit, under the cloak of suppressing aggression emanating from radical violent, religious extremists who deserves no place other than behind bars or below ground.

 

 

Subsequently, October 7th 2023 Hamas attack and the overwhelming counterattack by Israel on the Gaza strip - where Hamas prevails and presides with the help of certain facilitators or helpers primarily Iran - that Israel narrative grip no longer holds sway especially with the average. However, this is not limited to the global south. Citizens of these Western countries unlike before, has shown a great deal of discontent against Isreal's operation in Gaza.

 

For Instance, the self-immolation of the 25-year-old US Air Force serviceman, Aaron Bushnell, in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC to protest against what he calls a "genocide" against the Palestinians, just like how Bruce Mayrock did on May 29th 1969, in protest against the blockade, aggression against Biafrans and the silence of the global community. Unfortunately, both succumbed to the injuries from their humanity-inspired sacrifices.

 

Nevertheless, this is not to say, there are still no people who supports or subscribe to the mainstream narrative, rather a factual insinuation about a subtle shift of global opinion and susceptibility towards the Palestinian question, cause and its legitimacy. Majority of these school of thoughts views the 7/10 attack - as barbaric as it appears (atleast 1,200 Israelis were killed) - as a spillover of an age-long endured aggression from the Israeli side.

 

Today, the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) movement, has not only fulfilled all righteousness, politically, morally and legally through its peaceful and pragmatic means of agitation for over a decade. Even amidst compulsive provocation from the Nigerian government.

 

With the extraordinary rendition of the IPOB Leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, approximately 3 years ago, the refusal of the Federal government to seek political solution to solve the Biafra agitation - which the IPOB movement proposed a United Nations supervised referendum - nor obey the various court resolutions in Nigeria, which has declared the innocence of the IPOB Leader and ordered his unconditional release. It is glaring enough to say, that the is aggressor no longer hiding in plain sight as obtained during the Biafra war 57 years ago. But, can be seen clearly.

 

The IPOB movement is not overbearing in its demands as it should, if the atrocities meted on the people of Eastern Nigeria are to taken cognizance of, literally. If they did, then their demands would include investigations, and bringing to justice of the participants and orchestras of the Biafra genocide, and the reparations to the victims of the war, as well as with the return of the confiscated funds of the people of Eastern Nigeria after the war, by the Nigerian government. Instead, all their demands is a referendum to determine if the people in the Eastern region, wish to continue in the British amalgamated Nigeria union.

 

 

And, just like the global sympathy is tilting towards the Palestinians cause, and also the demonstration of trust, support in Hamas by the Palestinians themselves living in the Gaza strip – whom to the disappointment of many around the world – were expected to turn on the Hamas movement for provoking the Israelis with the 7/10 attack, that has attracted the heavy response from Israel, which mostly impacts them more, the civilian population. So does the people in the Eastern Nigeria express confidence in the judgement of the incarcerated Biafran leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the IPOB movement as they did under the leadership of Ojukwu 57 years ago. Although, the Nigerian government had unsuccessfully sought to dispel that, through State-sponsored criminality and agent provocateurs.

 

And, while the world awaits the Nigerian government to bring forth the narrative or talk point this time since it has refused to see reason and apply diplomacy to avoid further bloodshed, may the world be sincere enough to acknowledge that the Indigenous people of Biafra not just as a freedom-fighting movement, but as an Indigenous people domiciled at the Bight of Biafra, in their very own ancestral lands are indeed, the aggrieved.

 

Anything short of this would be utter cynicism and unacceptable. A call for referendum is for war, and Self-determination is a natural and Internationally recognized rights of indigenous people all over the world.

 

 

Family Writers Press International