BIAFRA HEROES MUST BE REMEMBERED ON MAY 30TH 2016.

BIAFRA HEROES MUST BE REMEMBERED ON MAY 30TH 2016.

By Chima Onyekachi

For Family Writers


Annually on May 30th, in Biafraland and all across the world, Biafrans and lovers of freedom gather together to remember and honor heroes of the 1967-1970 Biafra Genocide. In agony, I watched the recent video released by the Press and Information Service of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), of true events in Biafraland in 1968. While Britain was shipping weapons to Nigeria, USA watched on and France was not bold enough to stop the atrocities and subjugation, some other parts of the world were wrongly misinformed. British Broadcasting Cooperation (BBC) did a good job for the Nigeria government during the genocide. Biafrans were been exterminated in a genocide orchestrated by Yakubu Gowon in collaboration with Ibrahim Babaginda, Olusegun Obasanjo, Sanni Abacha, Muhammadu Buhari, Obafemi Awolowo and a host of others. Houses, churches, schools, market places, vehicles and properties were purposely targeted by the Nigeria armed forces, which resulted in hardship, misery and death to most civilians in Biafraland.

Women,children and the aged in hundreds, hundreds of thousands and millions carrying along few possessions that has been saved  like pots, bowls, straw mats and few clothes, fled their homes on foot, bicycle and if lucky enough crammed into rickety lorry, in order to seek temporary refuge. Weariness, hunger and sickness became an occurrence,dead bodies of children,women,men and the aged also became a common sight, with vultures hovering around.

Refugee camps sprung up in various places but was never adequate to cater for the needs of millions of helpless Biafrans. The Nigeria armed forces purposely began to destroy farmland and farm crops to cause famine when pre-war stocks ran low. In the local market, matches were sold singly,a spoonful of salt became a luxury equivalent to gold, food was rarely seen,egg,meat and fish became inexistent, few frogs and rats were available for sale.



The Nigeria government of Yakubu Gowon in connivance with Harold Wilson of British government placed a blockade on humanitarian aid on the already bittered and distressed Biafrans. The Red Cross in collaboration with few goodwill voluntary organizations and some generous governments tried to make survival possible for Biafrans during the genocide. From Santa Isabel (now Malabo),the Island capital of Equatorial Guinea, food and medical supplies were airlifted to Biafra.

The personnel of the ICRC tour to Biafra were made up of different nationals of Switzerland, Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Netherland and Finland working together for a common cause. Dried fish,powdered milk,porridge, rice, and petroleum products were transported via aircraft, out of range and at risk of been shot down by anti-aircraft guns of the Nigeria government. In the refugee camps and hospitals, nurses and doctors of French, Yugoslav, Israeli, America and Swiss origins, battled to cater for the stream of critically ill, injured or wounded children, women and men.

The desire of Yakubu Gowon to wipe out Biafrans in three months met a strong resistance from our Heroes who sacrificed their lives for us, so we can live to continue the struggle for our freedom. When the so called "No Victor! No Vanquished!!" was declared, Late General Philip Effiong addressed gallant Biafran soldiers on the need for them to cease-fire which they did. But the vile Nigerian soldiers moved from house to house in Biafraland, killing, raping and stealing from innocent Biafrans who had returned home, still with fresh scars of the genocide. My grandfather, Late Elder Samson Ezeh was a victim,in grief my mother narrated to me how her father was wrongly accused of been a "sponsor of Biafra". She lamented that her father was wrongly fingered because of his philanthropic gestures through donations of crops to refugee camps, and the fact that his firstborn son was a Warrant Officer in the Biafra Army. My grandfather was abducted by Nigeria soldiers in his compound,he and other abducted Biafrans were forced to march from Amaracha-Acha towards Amaibo in Isuikwuato and has not been seen till date. Words filtered in that he jumped down the cliff before he could be tortured and executed, and his body was never found.



As we commemorate the 50th anniversary of our heroes of the Biafra Genocide, let us also reflect on the current subjugation of Biafrans. Since August 10,2015 over 1000 innocent Biafrans have been killed in different parts of Biafraland. They were killed because they demanded for the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Leader of Indigenous People of Biafra,IPOB, and Director of Radio Biafra/Biafra Television. Unarmed Biafran protesters were shot dead because they seek for the freedom of their fatherland - Biafra. On May 30th 2016, true Biafrans must come out in mass where ever they reside in the world, especially in Biafraland. We are not violent but coming out to remember our heroes and we will not be intimidated.



President Muhammadu Buhari has sworn to drown, let us assist him to drown faster. We must show fearlessness as the Avengers have shown in the creek. I warned Governor Willy Obianoi of Anambra State and Governor Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State not to allow themselves to be used as tools in the anarchy that will begin, if a shot is fired at one Biafran in Biafraland on that day.

FAMILY WRITERS is aware of various meetings the committee made up of top hierarchy of the Nigeria armed forces, appointed by President Muhammadu Buhari had with governors of South East,Ohaneze Ndigbo, Clergymen and some notable Biafrans. FAMILY WRITERS is alerting Biafrans on the combined Nigeria armed forces(Army,Airforce,Police,and DSS) of mostly Hausa/Fulani men patrolling all over Biafraland.

Do not be intimidated or afraid to honor your heroes in your fatherland. With our holy flags raised high, dressed in our beautiful attires of Biafra insignia, with chants, songs, trumpets, bands,whistles, we shall march in honor of the souls of our departed heroes. My respect and honor to every fallen Biafra hero, your prize is the restoration of Biafra. It is either Biafra or Death. .