Agitation for reconstitution of defunct Biafra Republic has been going on for years now but seem to have picked up steam after the arrest and detention of Nnamdi Kalu. Biafran cause was initially championed by the Movement for the sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB). Recently a new group, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) headed by Nnamdi Kalu has joined the fray. Nnamdi Kalu is a Nigerian who resides in Britain. He was arrested and detained by Nigerian security Agency since October 2015 while visiting Nigeria.
Arrest and detention of Mr. Kalu was a bad idea. He has achieved the notoriety he has long craved by this detention. His detention has made him a hero to Eastern region youths who were largely born after the civil war. He has now become a symbol of resistance against the federal government to these youths and some adults who lived through the civil war. Mr. Kalu does not like the entity called Nigeria and will want Igbos to leave Nigerian federation as soon as possible. He feels that the Igbos are not getting their fair share in the current political and social arrangement in Nigeria.
Nigeria needs to move to the next level of democracy which is complete freedom of speech for all Nigerian citizens. Nigerians from all ethnic groups must be allowed to voice their opinion no matter how offensive and objectionable their views are. We need more talk and dialogue in Nigeria instead of settling our differences with guns and war. Freedom of expression must be guaranteed for all Nigerian citizens. However, the government should keep an eye on any agitator of whatever cause and arrest the individual or group of individuals whenever they cross the line from talking or voicing their rage to violent protest or destruction of life and property. Violence of any type by any group for any cause cannot be tolerated by the government or any Nigerian.
Detention of any Nigerian citizen for expressing their opinion should be condemned. Former Niger-Delta militant, Dokubo Asari often say controversial things against government officials and other Nigerians. His right to say whatever he wishes must be protected if we live in a democratic society. Other Nigerians have even said worse things against other Nigerians or their leaders and their right to say anything they want should be protected. Word does not kill people. More talk between Nigerians is actually healthy and will lessen violence in the long run. Nnamdi Kalu should be released by the federal government immediately so that his fifteen minutes of fame will run out. Do not make a hero out of him. Most Igbos do not support him or his Biafran cause. If his detention goes on much longer, he will achieve the fame which has eluded him so far.
For my Igbo brethren, be very weary of these modern day saviors. They normally start by proclaiming that their only interest is to safeguard, sacrifice and protect the ethnic or religious group they claim to love and care for. But overtime, they normally turn inward and start victimizing the very people they claim to protect. It was just few years ago that MASSOB decided to take the law into their hand in the Southeast region especially in Anambra State. They divided the zone into governing units and appointed so called administrators. Those administrators appointed some thugs whom they sent out to collect taxes which goes into their pocket. Their abuses and violence was so bad that former Anambra state governor, Peter Obi employed the services of the police and the military to chase them out and restore peace and other in the state. Former Niger-Delta militants committed horrible acts of violence against the Niger-Delta people they claim to protect. Odua People’s Congress (OPC) did the same in Yoruba lands. Boko Haram started under the guise of protecting muslims. The muslims looked the other way when they were killing Christians. Boko Haram later turned their guns on fellow muslims who are still bearing the blunt of their senseless and indiscriminate killings.
So Igbos should not fall into the trap of looking at MOSSAB and IPOB as some kind of savior because they will eventually turn their rage and possibly guns at them later. It is gratifying to hear major Igbo associations and prominent leaders such as the Obi of Onitsha express their displeasure with Biafran protest. They are telling the protesters to stop the protest and end their agitation for Biafra because it is not in the best interest of the Igbos in the long term.
One only need to look around the world to see countries that broke away recently like former Soviet Republics. Some of those republics are not necessarily better off today politically or economically. Nobody hears about those former republics anymore. Former Soviet Union only needed democracy and free market. South Sudan are not better off today. Eritrean Republic which waged 30 year brutal civil war and finally broke away from Ethiopia are not that better off today either. Slovakians are not better off today and other countless new countries.
There is no question that 45 years after the civil war, the Igbos are still marginalized especially at the federal level. Other Nigerians are still finding it difficult to imagine a president of Igbo stock even though it is not due to lack of qualification or capability. This attitude must change and Igbos must be made to feel like they have enough stake in the present day Nigeria. The likes of MOSSAB and IPOB will get stronger if the marginalization and discrimination continues. All Nigerians should be able to settle in any parts of Nigerian without fear of harassment or threat as we saw with Oba of Lagos or the pogrom that took place in the north which contributed to the start of the civil war.
Nigerian state cannot survive another civil war. Another civil war will result in dissolution of the entity called Nigeria in matter of days. If civil war breaks out in the southeast, Southwest will head to the exit door, the South South will try to cobble together their own country or merge with other break away countries. Constituent parts of the present day Nigeria will not fight for Nigeria with same energy and passion like they did in the past. The international community cannot tolerate another bloodletting like what happened during the civil war in-order to preserve Nigerian state, especially in the current age of social media which can capture graphic images and share them around the world.
The way forward for militants is to push for decentralization of power from the federal level to states, local governments and Township levels, and elevation of Nigerian constitution and strict adherence to the rule of law so every Nigerian can feel like they have a stake in Nigerian project and feel at home anywhere they chose to reside. However, decentralization of power cannot mean weak central government that will be incapable of maintaining law and order when required. Strong federal government can operate and corporate with local governments. One thing all Nigerians share and have in common is the constitution. Nigeria government need to elevate what we have in common (constitution) above anything else and use it to unite the country. Nigerian children need to learn about our constitution as soon as they start school. The court is the guardian of the constitution and cannot afford to fail Nigerian citizens. Nigeria cannot afford corruption in any part of the judicial. Nigeria has made great stride in preserving our hard earned democracy to-date and cannot afford to mess it.