Former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Ebere Jonathan yesterday delivered a
lecture at Texas US on why remaining indivisible with Nigeria than joining forces
with Biafrans in splitting the country will pay niger deltans more.
I begin this write-up by saying that I mean no ill-thought towards the Biafran
struggle or Igbos in general. What I’ve written here are mainly my personal
reflections concerning the Niger Delta, especially with regards to non-Igbo
groups and their stake in the Biafran movement which has been rebirthed for
some time now. I am not a mouthpiece for the Niger Delta but I believe I’ve
been in the Niger Delta long enough to know our problems and our stand. I’ve
also interacted with many Niger Deltans to know their stand in the Biafran
struggle.
When I use the term Niger Delta, I am referring to the region covering Delta,
Edo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, and Cross River states. However, I understand
that the region also covers Ondo, Imo, and Abia states. I’m not concerned with
the latter because they are either Igbos or Yorubas and have their own
struggles. The ethnic groups within my coverage include Urhobo-Isoko, Bini,
Esan, Itsekiri, Ijaw-Epie-Ogbia, Ogoni, Afemai, Efik-Annang-Eket-Oron-Ibibio,
Ogoja, Ejagham, and other groups in Cross River North. Ikwerre, Ukwuani, Ika,
Aniocha, Ogba, and other Igboid groups, are not included. Historically, Biafra
covered all the Niger Delta states EXCEPT Delta and Ondo states. This fact
must be emphasised.
Pro-Biafrans are welcome to debate and address my issues in a civil manner. I
understand that most pro-Biafrans resort to insults when salient issues are
addressed.
Please let’s set a good precedence from hereon.
1. Biafra may not be better for Niger Deltans because Niger Deltans may end up
living one form of subjugation for another. The argument Igbos have made for
their freedom is the desire to be free from Hausa-Yoruba domination. That
argument also applies to the average Niger Deltan. Igbo, no doubt, will be the
major ethnic group if Biafra is actualised. Ijaws may have a stake due to their
numbers. What about the Ogonis, Urhobo-Isokos, Itsekiris, Efiks, etc? Where will
they fit in at the national level? The sad reality is that another Nigeria will just
be made manifest and resentments will build up. What will really be the fate of
minorities? Will they fare better in Biafra or alone? In Nigeria, big groups such
as Hausa, Yoruba and Igbo checkmate each other’s excesses very well. Who
will checkmate that of Igbos in the new nation?
2. Where will the capital be located? If we are to follow the notion of central
location, the capital of Biafra won’t be Enugu but around Umuahia-Ikot Ekpene
axis. Will Igbos allow their capital to be sited in a non-Igbo location? This is a
very salient issue because you don’t expect the riverine Niger Deltan in Twon-
Brass, for instance, to journey all the way to Enugu to see their President. It has
to be a location where ALL BIAFRANS can access easily. Enugu won’t go.
3. The issue of annexation comes to play. For so long, e-Biafrans have annexed
Niger Delta as part of the proposed nation. The map below shows us what
Biafrans have drawn to constitute the new nation:
If we judge from this map, it means all groups in the Niger Delta have been
annexed. My question is whether the leaders of these groups have been
consulted before the annexation was done. I, for one, know that Urhobo-Isoko
and Efik-Ibibio leaders have not approved of Biafra neither have anybody in
these regions declared Biafra. So how and why were they included in the
proposed map? Little things like this bring distrust and I understand that many
of these non-Igbo regions have disowned the map and pledged allegiance to
Nigeria. The declaration by the Delta State government is a case in point. I see
this as forceful annexation. The so-called e-Biafrans have also not done much
in calming the nerves of the people of the annexed regions. I’ve seen comments
such as “if you don’t like it, go and stay in Sokoto”, “all land in the South is
Biafraland”, etc. Is it not ironic that a group of people who want freedom want
to annexe others?
4. What languages will be made the official languages of the new nation? I have
seen several posts by e-Biafrans where Igbo was proposed as the official
language of the new republic. What then will happen to other languages such as
Urhobo, Isoko, Okpe, Efik, Ibibio, Oron, Ogoni, Eleme, Okrika, Kalabari, Bini, Esan,
etc? Will they die off because of Igbo? Certainly NOT! If English is made the
official language, the Igbo majority factor will kick in. If your name isn’t
Chukwuemeka or Oliseh, Amarachi or Nneka, etc, you won’t get any
appointment nor shall you be recognised. These are things we can’t deny. We
are very ethnocentric in Africa.
5. What and what have Igbo nation done for Niger Deltans to gain their trust?
Every day I see Igbo youths making enemies where there were none. They
constantly use the agency of the internet to sprout controversy, hurl insults at
dissenters and make unfounded claims. There is this general air of mistrust for
Igbos by some Niger Deltans, particularly by Urhobo-Isoko and Bini people.
What have Igbos done to checkmate this? Has any Igbo leader or group
extended the hand of friendship to the Niger Deltans. Mistrust cannot be wished
away. Most Niger Deltans would rather follow Hausas as slaves than follow
Igbos as kings. This is the real reality and truthfully, Igbos caused this.
6. Who will lead the new nation? Obviously, Nnamdi Kanu, their hero, has fought
tooth and nails for Biafra and he is currently cooling off in jail. If Biafra comes
today, who will be the interim leader and what modalities are in place for
subsequent leaders to be elected? Igbos have been the only ones fighting for
Biafra since time immemorial with a handful of other groups here and there. Will
Igbos allow other groups to rule over them? Will they allow an Urhobo man to
be President, for instance? This is not a case of mere wishing. We have to
understand that Niger Delta groups MAY NEVER BE ALLOWED TO RULE BIAFRA
IF IT IS ACTUALISED.
7. Still on the issue of leaders, are the new leaders going to fall from the skies
or they are simply going to change addresses from Abuja to Enugu. If so, what
will change in the new nation? It is not arguable that Igbo national leaders are
the most corrupt persons in Nigeria. If these same people are the ones to rule
the new nation then there is no hope because corruption will be so rife that the
economy of the new nation will shut down like a knocked engine. If we argue
that new and younger leaders will arise, we still have the issue of who fought
for Biafra to contend with. Most pro-Biafrans will not allow someone who sat
at the periphery of the struggle to just come and waltz power away from the
“heroes” of Biafra. If this is true then we will not have a proper democracy in
Biafra.
8. Will Biafra be a utopia? The impression that e-Biafrans give is that Biafra will
be perfect and we all know for a fact that this is not true. Apart from the issue
of corruption and sentimentalism that have been addressed, we still have the
issue of development. Where will money be generated from to develop the
nation? In the whole of the proposed Biafra, only Port Harcourt and Onitsha are
economically viable cities. Where will the investors come from? Why should they
invest in a volatile country? Only in Warri, we have Ijaw, Itsekiri and Urhobo at
loggerheads, imagine what would happen to the whole nation. Secondly, I am
sure that no Niger Deltan will allow his “oil” to be used to develop Enugu like
what happened with Abuja, and is still happening today. Niger Deltans are
getting wiser and by the time the new nation is formed, matters that border on
oil, wealth distribution and infrastructural development will be raised.
9. The current structure of the proposed nation, as shown in the map earlier
embedded, favour Igbos with more states. Urhobo has one, Efik-Ibibio has two,
Itsekiri has none, etc. How will this be addressed? Certainly, every ethnic
nationality will want adequate representation and so the structure on that map
will never work.
10. Last, but not the least, is the issue of referendum. Some Biafrans are
already calling for a referendum which will involve all parts of the proposed
nation. I am pretty sure how this referendum will turn out. However, for the
sake of being hypothetical, let us imagine that some ethnic groups/states vote
against Biafra by the majority, what will be their fate at the end of the day?
Secondly, will the result of such a referendum be true and honest? I understand
that electoral malpractice forms a part of our identity. How are we going to get
a true reflection of people’s thoughts? Thirdly, if states and ethnic groups do
decide to vote for Biafra, what mechanisms are in place to contain Igbophobia,
Igbomania, Igbocentrism, Igbo hegemony, Landgrabbing, and all issues that
minorities have raised?
Above are the reasons why I feel that Niger Deltans will NOT subscribe to the
Biafran movement. I have been very practical, philosophical and hypothetical in
my approach. I do not speak for any group or persons but I present these issues
for the pro-Biafrans to address. Niger Deltans can raise more issues that I have
not raised. Finally, it should be noted that I expect insults directed at my
person by e-warriors and keyboard mercenaries, as usual, but I won’t pleasure
such persons with answers or altercations. If you raise good points, we can
discuss like intellectuals.##
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