WHY BIAFRA MUST STAND
Biafra Foundation has been in existence for about years. During this time, it has actively sought to push
The Case for Biafra on to the front pages of major news outlets. Biafra Foundation has taken the case
of Biafra into powerful board rooms, the highest offices in most
powerful governments of the world, to some of the most powerful
non-governmental organizations in the world, to the top most hierarchies
of most religious organizations the world over, and to the United
Nations. In the process of doing this, the organization has learned some
very vital lessons:
- The Annang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, Ogoni, Isan, Isoko,
Urhobo, Itsekiri, and other ethnic groups in and closely associated with
Biafra are not a free people. They are under occupation by Nigeria and
are in slave-like bondage.
- The Nigerian Governments that have occupied Biafra for thirty-three
years have bludgeoned Biafrans into a state of profound despair,
invidious self-hatred, and debilitating hopelessness. These despotic
oppressors will never relinquish their stranglehold on Biafrans
willingly.
- The people of Biafra have no choice but to wrest control of their
Nation and her people, from Nigeria or risk the cataclysm of physical
and psychological destruction and ultimate annihilation. This very
frightening outcome is transforming into a horrific reality as each day
passes.
- Biafra has many, many friends all over the world. These friends are
ready and willing to help the people of Biafra actualize their dream of
an independent Republic of Biafra.
- However, the people of Biafra must be in the vanguard of the
struggle for their liberation and freedom. They must stand up bravely
and demand their liberty and freedom. They must show unity of purpose and action. They must persevere in their demand and be willing to make the sacrifices necessary to achieve their goal.
- Most of these friends know quite a lot about Biafra. They have kept
abreast with information regarding the oppression, brutalization, and
implementation of the genocidal scheme by governments of Nigeria to
destroy the highly intelligent, enterprising, and creative people of
Biafra and obliterate their widely admired culture.
- Corrupt, despotic, and parasitic rulers in Nigerian Governments will
stop at nothing to squash any serious efforts by individuals or
organizations to liberate Biafrans from the deadly clutches of
imperialist, feudalist, Islamic fundamentalist rulers of Nigeria.
- President Obasanjo made very strenuous efforts to persuade Western
Governments to proscribe and disband Biafra Foundation. When that failed
his government doled out large sums of money to bribe misguided
Biafrans to infiltrate, undermine and destroy the Foundation through
deliberate misinformation and other devious means.
- Fellow Biafrans, we wish to reiterate once again that our oppressors
will never willingly give back our freedom. We must use nonviolent
means to fight for our freedom. The Nigerian Government that has
occupied Biafra for 33 years will never give Biafrans back their
freedom. Biafrans must fight for their freedom.
- Every honest, dispassionate, reputable political scientist,
political leader, diplomat, sociologist, and indeed keen observer of
events in Nigeria from pre independence to now has truly confirmed that
Nigeria is like a sand castle so structurally deficient
that it will never stand the test of time. Therefore, Biafrans must
decide whether to face the situation now or selfishly shift that
responsibility to their children.
- Brought together people of like minds to pursue actively and in the
most concrete manner, a program geared towards the actualization of an
Independent Republic of Biafra;
- Organized workshops to educate and sensitize our people and the
world on the genocide committed on the people of Biafra by Nigeria as
well as the looming threat of forced Islamization of Biafrans by the
Islamic governments of Nigeria;
- Opened “Biafra House” in Washington DC auspiciously a few weeks
after Islamic fundamentalist terrorists unleashed a most heinous attack
on the United States of America; Biafra House is located one block from
the White House.
- Started and have continued uninterrupted weekly radio broadcast to
project issues concerning Biafra to Biafrans and to the World; in the
past one year, Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) has once again put
the issue of Biafra on the world stage as well as transmitted important
information to the people of Biafra and the world. The thousands of
enthusiastic responses we have received from Biafrans and friends of
Biafrans all over the world attest to this.
- Kept Biafra House open and Voice of Biafra International (VOBI) on
the air despite spirited and vigorous efforts at the highest levels of
government by President Obasanjo to have them shut down.
- Brought together the former Head of State of Biafra Gen. C. Odumegwu
Ojukwu and the leader of MASSOB, Chief Ralph Uwazurike for the opening
of the Biafra House; this single action effectively linked the past and
the present for the first time in the current history of the struggle.
The picture of these two leaders splashed on the pages of newspapers in
Nigeria and the World as they jointly opened Biafra House in Washington
DC is an event that has monumental implications now and in the future.
- Made representations to Heads of State, Government, Religious
Organizations, Non-governmental Organizations, as well as Human Rights
Organizations, and other bodies on behalf of Biafra, as well as MASSOB
and its leadership that is persecuted daily by the Islamic Governments
of Nigeria.
- Established strong link with the Committee for the Defense of Human
Rights (CDHR); this has helped link us to other International Human
Rights Organizations for effective networking and publicity of our “Case
for Biafra”.
- Established probing contact with important elements in the United
Nations with the goal of gleaning information on what possibilities are
available to the people of Biafra in the pursuit of the goal of
actualizing Biafra; that probe has opened up a very important channel of
communication that will continue to be immensely useful.
- Taken our case to the United States Government, especially the
United States Congress and the Executive branch of the government; we
will continue to intensify those contacts with the hope of making a
major breakthrough some day.
- Established relationship with a public relations firm to help
publicize the case for Biafra and help us raise funds; this program
still in its infancy is expected to grow.
- Participated in a public demonstration in front of the United
Nations in New York City in protest against the persecution of
Christians in different parts of the world; we used the opportunity to
showcase the persecution of Christian Biafrans in Nigeria. We
distributed pictures of the genocidal attacks on Biafrans in Nigeria as
well as “The Case for Biafra” and other documents.
- Participated in a conference featuring Christian, Jewish, Islamic
scholars, and Religious leaders in the United States and designed to
address alarming intolerance perpetrated by Moslem fundamentalists in
different parts of the world. We made an eloquent presentation on the
persecution of Christian Biafrans in Nigeria, the beheading and hoisting
of Mr Akaluka’s head on a spike in Kano, and the slaughter of Christian
Biafrans in Northern Nigeria. This program was on C-Span and seen all
over the world.
- Presented “The Case for Biafra” on Interfaith Radio which is accessible throughout the world;
- Upon inquiry, we provided guidelines to quasi-governmental
Organizations in Europe and North America on the status of MASSOB and
the persecution of members of MASSOB by the Nigerian Government; we
expect that this will provide them guidelines for making decisions on
granting asylum/refugee status to members of MASSOB who escape
persecution in Nigeria.
- Participated in two large demonstrations in front of the Nigerian
Embassy in Washington DC, under the auspices of Igbo Coalition; Reliable
intelligence reports indicated that those demonstrations influenced
several Nigerian government policy decisions. One example of such policy
change is the announcement by the Nigerian Head of State Gen. Obasanjo
to recognize all Biafran Veterans of the Nigeria-Biafra war and pay them
their pensions. The unanticipated announcement that the Nigerian
government never honored, was made one week after one of the big
demonstrations in front of the Nigeria Embassy in Washington DC.
- Every time Moslem Fundamentalist in Nigeria attack and slaughter
Christian Biafrans or the Nigerian Government persecutes MASSOB and its
leadership, we ensure that this information is made available with in
forty-eight hours to virtually every Heads of State, Government,
Religious Organizations, Human Rights Organizations and news media for
information and necessary action. Thus, we have put the horrific
brutality, high handedness, and despotic behavior of the Nigerian
Government on the table of every person wielding political power and
moral authority all over the world.
- We have established contact with Biafrans, friends of Biafra and
like-minded people all over the world. We are working to expand and
strengthen these contacts.
- We have distributed a well-articulated memo to a very wide audience
in Igbo land and all parts of Biafra on the looming danger of forced
Islamization of Christian Biafrans and the insidious danger of
continuing to live in Islamic Nigeria. The threat of islamization of
Christian Biafrans is very real. Christians all over the world, People
of the free world, and especially Christian Biafrans can only ignore
this threat at their own peril.
- We have maintained a good relationship with MASSOB. We have provided
feedback to the Organization on a number of issues. This involves
giving the Organization honest critique of its policies and offering
suggestions on policies and strategies.
- We have established bridges with different segments of Biafran
Society at home. That keeps us informed of what is going on at home and
we endeavor to make inputs whenever possible.
The Foundation has gone through enormous growing pains. It has
experienced turbulence, faced numerous challenges especially from
outside the Foundation. Nevertheless, it has grown, remained resolute,
steadfast and has stayed the course. It now has braches in several parts
of North America and will soon open new branches in Europe.
The Foundation is in the process of establishing working relationship
with other Organizations, Groups, and individuals seriously dedicated
to the
actualization of Biafra through nonviolent means.
Biafra Foundation is neither a rabble-rousing nor a keyboard
Organization. It recognizes that the task of actualizing Biafra is
onerous. However, we must remain undaunted, resolute, and indomitable.
Biafra Foundation takes the business of Biafra Actualization very
seriously and goes about it very diligently.
Finally, we call on every Annang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja,
Ogoni, Isan, Isoko, Kalabari, Urhobo, Itsekiri, and indeed the other
ethnic groups living on land adjoining these groups to do some serious
soul searching. What and how long will it take you to see the enormous
harm that continuing to be part of Nigeria inflicts on you, your family,
and your generations yet unborn? It has been thirty-three years since
the end of the Biafra-Nigeria war. The Hausa/Fulani/Yoruba Coalition has
seized your land and made you tenants without rights. The Fulani have
driven the Birom in Plateau off their land and taken it over. The
Hausa/Fulani have driven the Tiv off their land in Nasarawa and taken it
over. The Hausa/Fulani have attacked several Angas, Burmawa, Ankwei and
Jukun villages hoping to drive out the native population and take over
their land. The Yoruba control most of the land in Port Harcourt, Bonny
and environs. The big farmer from Otta in Ogun State now owns a big
chunk of the land in Obubra, Calabar, and Ikom. Abacha almost wiped out
Umuechem. The destruction and humiliation meted to Ogoni people by
Hausa/Fulani and Yoruba marauding soldiers is unspeakable. Obasanjo
demolished Odi and refused even to apologize preferring instead to add
insult to injury by
humiliating the Ijaw people: “look
at his Ijaw man face,” he said. After murdering hundreds of people and
razing Zaki Biam and other Tiv towns, he
humiliated the
Tiv by telling them that he will never apologize to them. Fellow
Biafrans, where are your best intellectuals today? They have been driven
into economic exile in Europe and North America. Those who tried to
protest the injustice of the Hausa/Fulani/Yoruba cabal were isolated and
murdered. Obasanjo enjoys
insulting and
humiliating
Ndi Igbo at every opportunity. In the late 1970,’s he thoroughly
insulted and humiliated Igbo intellectuals who had gathered at the CEC
of the University of Nigeria, Nsukka to welcome and pay him their
respect as Head of State. On two occasions at Owerri, he has also
insulted and
humiliated
Ndi Igbo. At what point will the Igbo and other Biafrans make it clear
in unambiguous and unmistakable terms that this behavior will no longer
be tolerated from anybody no matter who they are and what weapons they
carry? To humiliate one person is bad enough but to humiliate the Igbo
Nation of forty million people is an outrage that must not be condoned.
Nations go to war to protect their honor and end humiliation. Biafrans,
do you have any honor left? Every nation, people have the duty to stand
up for themselves and say, “Enough is enough already”. Think about it.
Dr. M. I Okpara, Dr. Akanu Ibiam, Dr. N.U. Akpan, Mrs Margaret Ekpo, Eyo
Bassey Ndem, Dr. Dennis Osadebey, Eze Nwonodu, Okon Okon Ndem, Col.
Achuzie, Brig. Nwawo, General C. Odumegwu Ojukwu, General Philip
Effiong, Col Onwuatuegwu, Col. Nsudo, Bede Okigbo, Prof Onuaguluchi,
Prof, Njoku Obi, Prof Ezekwe, Prof Achebe, and millions of other brave
Biafrans did not accept to be humiliated by nonentities. No! Then, why
should you? Annang, Efik, Ibibio, Igbo, Ijaw, Ogoja, Ogoni, Isan, Isoko,
Urhobo, Itsekiri, think of your future and that of your children. You
must
unite now to fight off the Hausa/Fulani/Yoruba
feudal invaders or remain slaves for a very long time. Haven’t you
suffered enough yet?
Biafra Foundation is a non-profit organization. Your generous
financial assistance will enable it to face the challenges ahead with
even greater success.
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