But contrary to the
position of some informed commentaries denouncing the ongoing agitation for
secession or self-determination as a rally of miscreants, the obviously
expanding Biafran factions are gradually crystallising into a global clamour for
the actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra. Whatever the motives of
this agitation, it must not be taken lightly.
Whilst, at face value, the
wave of protests dotting south eastern cities and Port Harcourt, Rivers State,
may be construed as another activity of unscrupulous, business-minded men
exploiting gullible youths, the motivations for such uprising rest on the
skewed nature of the Nigerian society.
For many years, successive
administrations have maintained a portentous imbalance and inequitable
structure that disfavours meritocracy. They have glossed over the continuous
capitulation of the political class in a progressive fashion to a point of
disaffection. And by so doing they have fostered a forced unanimity.
With this groundswell of
protests, the unity of Nigeria, for want of a suitable metaphor, seems to be
held at gunpoint. Perhaps, this agitation points to issues that have not been
resolved. It is noteworthy that while these protests persist, a section of the
Igbo elite have either only dismissed the agitation in the fashion of President
Muhammadu Buhari and former President Olusegun Obasanjo, or continually
recycled the narratives of Nigeria’s skewed political economic structuring.
What they should do instead is that, they, with well-meaning Nigerians, should
find a midway and a basis for which the nation’s diversity can be respected,
and a sense of belonging maintained. Standards have to be respected and
established constitutional rights must be protected without making others feel any
loss of their identities.
While the unity of Nigeria
should be discussed, the agitators must be strongly cautioned to channel their
grievances without perpetrating acts that could be interpreted as an attempt to
enthrone instability and dismember the country.
Concerning the substance of
the agitation, the veracity of a unified Biafran agenda is already being called
to question by the absence of a clear-cut philosophy or any articulated
strategy of effective social mobilisation; the result of which is the emergence
of various factions in the Biafra cause. Following allegations of sabotage,
intimidation, pecuniary conflicts, the Movement
for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) is said to
have broken into Biafra Zionist Movement
(BZM), led by one Benjamin Onwuka,
the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB),
led by Nnamdi Kanu, and the United Eastern Congress led by Sam Ike, all of which work at
cross-purposes.
The disorganised manner of
this agitation, the indecorous, offensive, and irreverent verbiage coming from
their spokespersons make a mockery of any claim they may lay to a legitimate
cause. It should be borne in mind also that every part of the country has one
thing or another to agitate for. If every aggrieved company were to carry on
the way these aspiring Biafrans are going, the chaos the nation would face can
only be imagined. This is a bad signal to the dissatisfied others. It is for
this reason the secessionist tendencies of the leader of MASSOB, Ralph Uwazuruike, who is set to present
an alleged 2016 budget “to actualise Biafra and liberate the people of former
Eastern region,” is condemnable.
Those in the streets, whose
only political education comes from misguided verbiage of clannish role models,
should be cautious not to become cannon fodders for mischief-making. Whilst it
is part of democracy that people should air their views, however jaundiced,
they should, all the same, not translate grievances into violence and
bloodshed.
Just as it is true for the
agitating pro-Biafra demonstrators, the army should not be provoked into
violence-inciting utterances as the response of the Deputy-Director, Army
Public Realtions, 82 Division, Enugu, Col.
Hamza Gambo, portrayed the other day. It is not the business of the army to
tell Nigerians what to say or what not to say in a democracy. The role of
advising the presidency on when to use force in its reaction to the Biafran
protests rests on the National Assembly.
Notwithstanding, it is
simplistic to view the agitation for Biafra as an event orchestrated by
disgruntled elements reliving a frightful reverie from the Civil War, or some
business experiment. Although it may seem like exuberant Igbo youths excitedly
seeking avenues to vent, the deeper import of the Biafra agitation transcends its
narrow-minded Igbo agenda. It is as one commentator suggested, a living
philosophy of justice that appears wherever and whenever oppression, impunity,
injustice and structural violence rear their heads.
What is going on is
symbolic of the discontent experienced by many ethno-political interests for
whom the Nigeria question remains unanswered. Nigeria tends to be living a lie.
It wants to be a prosperous and politically stable country, yet it is holding
down this potential for prosperity and stability by maintaining a supercilious
unitary government, whilst paying lip service to federalism.
In the event, any
government carrying on this way should not feel that all is well with the
national political configuration. For too long, successive governments have
undermined the essential differences in the various interests of the Nigerian
people; and so unresolved matters about the aspirations of Nigeria’s
heterogeneous interests have become an ongoing concern. To assume that these do
not exist, or to gloss over them even when we are aware of them, is to play the
ostrich.
So, rather than shout down
at agitators and wish them away with a wave of the hand, this government should
find answers to the thorny issues that created this monstrosity in the first
place. Fortunately, the answers to many of these problems are contained in the
report of the National Conference. It was with patient expectation of good
fortunes that Nigerians committed themselves to the National Conference
convened by former President Goodluck Jonathan. True to Nigerians’
expectations, the report of the Conference made recommendations that should
augur well for this country’s future.
The Muhammadu Buhari
government should look into the report if it is to make any headway in
addressing the renewed agitations across the nation. Nigerians must press for
the implementation of the National Conference Report as an answer to the
renewed agitation for Biafra. (guardian)
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