Fellow Nigerians,
BIAFRA IS AN IDEOLOGY that cannot be extinguished by military force. We tried in the 1960’s but did not succeed. You do not defeat an ideology with brute force. This is the same thing I’ve been saying about jihadist extremism. If we had addressed the issues that led to the Nigerian civil war in 1963 we wouldn’t be here today talking about Biafra.
I can now completely understand why a revolution is impossible in Nigeria. We are too divided and distrustful of each other. Biafra is bigger than Nnamdi Kanu. Biafra is about the injustice suffered by the ordinary man in Kano, Maiduguri, Birnin Kebi, Owo, Asaba, Yenagoa, Kalabari, Orlu, Abeokuta, Makurdi, Ilorin, Jos etc. Biafra is about all of us!
The fundamental concern of Biafra is injustice. Our citizens are literally eating from bins whilst our political elites are feeding fat on our commonwealth. A few days ago, a seven year old child died from typhoid fever that was complicated by a bowel perforation. His father took him to several hospitals including a tertiary hospital but he did not get the care he needed because the hospitals were grossly under-resourced and poorly staffed. This child suffered right until the last seconds of his short life. Meanwhile, Buhari spent nearly 3 months in a London hospital. It was reported that his plane was parked in London all that time. Think of the parking charges and his medical bills – all paid by tax payers. Yet, the government allocates a massive budget to Aso Rock clinic. Is Buhari’s life more valuable than the life of this child?
Predictably, some of us are blinded by our hatred of the Igbos, Kanu and IPOB, and cannot see past the distractions and the smokescreen. Rejoice if you may that the government has used the “terrorism” card to crush IPOB but what you do not realise is this: the government is also sending a clear message to you – put up with your suffering and don’t complain.
We need to refocus this debate. Your enemies are not Kanu or IPOB. Your enemies are the people who make it impossible for your children to have quality education and healthcare. They are the people who tell you Nigeria cannot restructure because they are benefitting from the current structure. Let us seize this moment to demand reform!
