OPEN LETTER TO KENNETH OKONKWO
Dear Kenneth Okonkwo
Out of my busy schedules, I squizzed out time to pen down this letter to you as regards to your questionable and pathetic opinion on the noble and genuine quest for Biafra restoration. I demand your untamed attention as you read through the lines of this letter.
My attention has been drawn to the recent interview that you granted to African Independent Television (AIT), where you maliciously opined that "There Is Nothing Called Biafra In Igboland, Biafra Is Not An Igbo Word, Biafra Died With Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu". When I came across your statement, I remembered the quote of Marcus Garvey, which has it that "A man without the knowledge of his past history is like a tree without a Taproot". For a man of your caliber to utter such a frivolous and fallacious statement of yours, obviously justified the fact that you are a perfect example for the above quote.
I am beginning to see on you, the tragic effect of eviction and total obliteration of history in Nigerian schools. I must say that you are physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually suffering from history deficiency. "There Is Nothing Called Biafra In Igboland" is not just a fallacy, but the most ridiculous word one can ever utter in life. In fact, that is the most ridiculous word I have ever heard in my life.
The evergreen adage of our ancestors has it that what a child does not know is bigger and greater than him. They also said that a child can be thought what he does not know by his elders. It is on this note that I've deemed it necessary as a student of history to lecture you and other "Efulefus" on the name "Biafra".
History has it and it is also on record that the Indigenous People of Biafra existed as a nation in the ancient map of Africa from 1492 – 1843 before Nigeria came into existence in 1914. This map is presently in James Ford Bell library – University of Minnesota in USA. Thus, the Biafrans are entitled to self-determination by virtue of articles 19-24, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, which guarantees the rights of indigenous peoples of the land self-determination.
The ancient map of Africa by the Portuguese featured only three kingdoms in the present location known as Nigeria. These are:
The kingdom of Zamfara in the north
The kingdom of Benin in the west and
The kingdom of Biafra in the East.
Emeka Emekesiri, in his book “what the Ibos want” published in 2012 posited; “That the ancient map of Africa is a documentary evidence that Biafrans are the indigenous people of Africa which raises very serious issues in both national and international law”.
Looking at the maps, Portuguese travelers used the word Biafra to describe the entire region of the lower Niger River and Eastwards up to the Cameroon mountains and down to the eastern coastal tribes, which include part of Cameroon and Gabon.
Britain also had diplomatic dealings with Biafra before the creation of Nigeria. John Beecroft was the British consul of the Bight of Biafra, with its head – quarters in Fernado Po now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea from 30th June 1849-10th June 1854.
Germane to the trend of this submission, the Biafra declared by Ojukwu on 30th May, 1967, was not a new country but a sincere and patriotic attempt to restore the ancient Biafra Nation that existed before the creation of Nigeria by the British colonialists.
The late Chuba Okadigbo was fond of saying you can retire a man out of the military but you can’t retire military out of a man’’. That indisputably affirms the reason why IPOB is standing undefeatable in the pursuit of Biafra freedom.
On May 30th, 1967 when Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwa Ojukwu declared the sovereign state of Biafra, other Nigerian ethnic groups backed out and fought against what they disparagingly referred to as Ibo domination. They opined that they fought because the East was so ambitious.
Events of the past decade have proved that this school of thought is a fallacy. Current events of unabated bloodshed by the Hausa/ Fulani in southern Kaduna, Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue and Tarabia is a great lesson for them to think twice on ever participating to carry out systematic genocide against their Eastern Region brothers.
As a result of the civil war and with the unrestrained support of Britain, USSR,USA, the Arab nation, some Muslims dominated countries and hired mercenaries from Africa and beyond, Biafra lost its sovereignty not its indigenous identity.
With the above excerpts of history, I urge you not to criticize what you have not read or what you have a zero knowledge of. It is Abraham Lincoln that said:
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove every reasonable doubt that you are a fool."
Fall back to history and know who you are and your true identity and stop making a mess of yourself man. I even heard that you are lawyer, but I am beginning to question if actually, you are indeed a professional lawyer. With your shear ignorance, one might even be tempted to ask if you saw the four walls of the university. Because men of your caliber actually supposed think and reason properly before talking. I unapologetically state that you sounded more like the confused folks that talk before they think. I urge you not to always come on air to publicly disgrace yourself and even more, your profession.
Without any form of prevarication, I am stating that Biafra is a genuine and the utmost heart desire of the people of the old eastern region of Nigeria with Idomas of Benue, Igalas of Kogi and Igbankes of Edo states inclusive.
Biafra freedom is a song on the lips of Tom Dick and Harry in the Igbo land of today.
The quest for Biafra restoration championed by IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is beyond seeking for the creation of the Biafra state, it is a quest to restore Africa's honour and dignity. A free Biafra entails a new and reformed Africa. I am making it abundantly clear to you sir that the technological breakthrough of Africa will be the handiwork of Biafra. Yes, Biafra will change Africa from being the "Dark Continent of the world" as it is being referred to by the Western world. Biafra is a leading light of the world. The absolute truth remains that Biafra is the best thing that will happen to us as people and the entire black race across the world.
Sir, you declared that "Biafra Died With Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu", But that is the highest form of hypocrisy and treacherous peak of self denial. One might even ask if you are actually a Nigerian, because out of the ingenuity of IPOB, the name Biafra is trending and being discussed in every language known to man.
It is an understatement to say that IPOB has saturated the message of Biafra in Nigeria, the international community and beyond. I am not in anyway or form showering praises on IPOB, but one must acknowledge that through IPOB, the name Biafra has spread like a wild fire ravaging Nigeria and has risen to the horizon.
That Nigeria is in shambles today is as the result of the indefatigable activities of IPOB. So I wonder how a living soul especially you, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo will open your mouth to say that "Biafra Died With Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu". Biafra can never die, it is an ideology that can never killed or forever undermined. I am ashamed that at the level of intellectual exposure, you still still commit this sort of unforgivable identity blunder. That is another glaring evidence that Nigerian system of education is lower than a trash.
I know you are actually seeking for attention and publicity, now you have gotten a deserved one. Next time you should not toy with IPOB, or do so at your peril. IPOB is being run by renowned intellectuals and best brains of Africa. You cannot toy with IPOB and go scot free. This should send a strong message to anyone dreaming of toying with IPOB, for you must be mentally saturated to face IPOB or get ready to be suffocated and swallowed by the truth. I pray this letter gets to you.
Yours Sincerely
Nwafor Somtochukwu Aloysius
For Family Writers Press.
Dear Kenneth Okonkwo
Out of my busy schedules, I squizzed out time to pen down this letter to you as regards to your questionable and pathetic opinion on the noble and genuine quest for Biafra restoration. I demand your untamed attention as you read through the lines of this letter.
My attention has been drawn to the recent interview that you granted to African Independent Television (AIT), where you maliciously opined that "There Is Nothing Called Biafra In Igboland, Biafra Is Not An Igbo Word, Biafra Died With Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu". When I came across your statement, I remembered the quote of Marcus Garvey, which has it that "A man without the knowledge of his past history is like a tree without a Taproot". For a man of your caliber to utter such a frivolous and fallacious statement of yours, obviously justified the fact that you are a perfect example for the above quote.
I am beginning to see on you, the tragic effect of eviction and total obliteration of history in Nigerian schools. I must say that you are physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually suffering from history deficiency. "There Is Nothing Called Biafra In Igboland" is not just a fallacy, but the most ridiculous word one can ever utter in life. In fact, that is the most ridiculous word I have ever heard in my life.
The evergreen adage of our ancestors has it that what a child does not know is bigger and greater than him. They also said that a child can be thought what he does not know by his elders. It is on this note that I've deemed it necessary as a student of history to lecture you and other "Efulefus" on the name "Biafra".
History has it and it is also on record that the Indigenous People of Biafra existed as a nation in the ancient map of Africa from 1492 – 1843 before Nigeria came into existence in 1914. This map is presently in James Ford Bell library – University of Minnesota in USA. Thus, the Biafrans are entitled to self-determination by virtue of articles 19-24, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, which guarantees the rights of indigenous peoples of the land self-determination.
The ancient map of Africa by the Portuguese featured only three kingdoms in the present location known as Nigeria. These are:
The kingdom of Zamfara in the north
The kingdom of Benin in the west and
The kingdom of Biafra in the East.
Emeka Emekesiri, in his book “what the Ibos want” published in 2012 posited; “That the ancient map of Africa is a documentary evidence that Biafrans are the indigenous people of Africa which raises very serious issues in both national and international law”.
Looking at the maps, Portuguese travelers used the word Biafra to describe the entire region of the lower Niger River and Eastwards up to the Cameroon mountains and down to the eastern coastal tribes, which include part of Cameroon and Gabon.
Britain also had diplomatic dealings with Biafra before the creation of Nigeria. John Beecroft was the British consul of the Bight of Biafra, with its head – quarters in Fernado Po now Bioko in Equatorial Guinea from 30th June 1849-10th June 1854.
Germane to the trend of this submission, the Biafra declared by Ojukwu on 30th May, 1967, was not a new country but a sincere and patriotic attempt to restore the ancient Biafra Nation that existed before the creation of Nigeria by the British colonialists.
The late Chuba Okadigbo was fond of saying you can retire a man out of the military but you can’t retire military out of a man’’. That indisputably affirms the reason why IPOB is standing undefeatable in the pursuit of Biafra freedom.
On May 30th, 1967 when Lt. Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwa Ojukwu declared the sovereign state of Biafra, other Nigerian ethnic groups backed out and fought against what they disparagingly referred to as Ibo domination. They opined that they fought because the East was so ambitious.
Events of the past decade have proved that this school of thought is a fallacy. Current events of unabated bloodshed by the Hausa/ Fulani in southern Kaduna, Plateau, Nassarawa, Benue and Tarabia is a great lesson for them to think twice on ever participating to carry out systematic genocide against their Eastern Region brothers.
As a result of the civil war and with the unrestrained support of Britain, USSR,USA, the Arab nation, some Muslims dominated countries and hired mercenaries from Africa and beyond, Biafra lost its sovereignty not its indigenous identity.
With the above excerpts of history, I urge you not to criticize what you have not read or what you have a zero knowledge of. It is Abraham Lincoln that said:
"It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than to open your mouth and remove every reasonable doubt that you are a fool."
Fall back to history and know who you are and your true identity and stop making a mess of yourself man. I even heard that you are lawyer, but I am beginning to question if actually, you are indeed a professional lawyer. With your shear ignorance, one might even be tempted to ask if you saw the four walls of the university. Because men of your caliber actually supposed think and reason properly before talking. I unapologetically state that you sounded more like the confused folks that talk before they think. I urge you not to always come on air to publicly disgrace yourself and even more, your profession.
Without any form of prevarication, I am stating that Biafra is a genuine and the utmost heart desire of the people of the old eastern region of Nigeria with Idomas of Benue, Igalas of Kogi and Igbankes of Edo states inclusive.
Biafra freedom is a song on the lips of Tom Dick and Harry in the Igbo land of today.
The quest for Biafra restoration championed by IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is beyond seeking for the creation of the Biafra state, it is a quest to restore Africa's honour and dignity. A free Biafra entails a new and reformed Africa. I am making it abundantly clear to you sir that the technological breakthrough of Africa will be the handiwork of Biafra. Yes, Biafra will change Africa from being the "Dark Continent of the world" as it is being referred to by the Western world. Biafra is a leading light of the world. The absolute truth remains that Biafra is the best thing that will happen to us as people and the entire black race across the world.
Sir, you declared that "Biafra Died With Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu", But that is the highest form of hypocrisy and treacherous peak of self denial. One might even ask if you are actually a Nigerian, because out of the ingenuity of IPOB, the name Biafra is trending and being discussed in every language known to man.
It is an understatement to say that IPOB has saturated the message of Biafra in Nigeria, the international community and beyond. I am not in anyway or form showering praises on IPOB, but one must acknowledge that through IPOB, the name Biafra has spread like a wild fire ravaging Nigeria and has risen to the horizon.
That Nigeria is in shambles today is as the result of the indefatigable activities of IPOB. So I wonder how a living soul especially you, Mr Kenneth Okonkwo will open your mouth to say that "Biafra Died With Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu". Biafra can never die, it is an ideology that can never killed or forever undermined. I am ashamed that at the level of intellectual exposure, you still still commit this sort of unforgivable identity blunder. That is another glaring evidence that Nigerian system of education is lower than a trash.
I know you are actually seeking for attention and publicity, now you have gotten a deserved one. Next time you should not toy with IPOB, or do so at your peril. IPOB is being run by renowned intellectuals and best brains of Africa. You cannot toy with IPOB and go scot free. This should send a strong message to anyone dreaming of toying with IPOB, for you must be mentally saturated to face IPOB or get ready to be suffocated and swallowed by the truth. I pray this letter gets to you.
Yours Sincerely
Nwafor Somtochukwu Aloysius
For Family Writers Press.
Well measured response the illiterate "Lawyer" called Kenneth Okonkwo, aka Andy Okeke, of Living in Bondage.
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