Criminality In Biafraland And The Unfortunate Ignorance of The Nigerian Chief Of Defense Staff About IPOB

Criminality In Biafraland And The Unfortunate Ignorance of The Nigerian Chief Of Defense Staff About IPOB 

Recently, the Nigerian Chief Of Defense Staff, General Christopher Musa in an interview with one of Nigeria's TV station (TVC News) opined that the Indigenous People Of Biafra(IPOB) Movement and her struggle for self-détermination and independent state of Biafra from Nigeria is parochial and money driven, has nothing to do with agitation against marginalization. But of course, this is obviously a clear display of an ignorance borne out of incompetence, or it's a deliberate derogation of an Indigenous people's noble quest. 

In Mr Christopher very own words; "They (IPOB) are doing for their own selves, a lot of them are doing it for the money they are making. They are not fighting for any region, they are fighting for themselves." 

It is imperative to buttress that the Indigenous People Of Biafra(IPOB) movement is non-violent. And as such obtains the funds  for her activities via peaceful means; more precisely, via crowdfunding by active members of the movement all over the world and supporters who deem it important to support the struggle for emancipation against the marginalization being meted against Ndigbo(Biafrans). This has been true for IPOB since inception in 2012. 

IPOB adopted the crowdfunding technique of Dee Sam Mbakwe, the late former governor of Imo State whose efforts gave birth to the first International airport in the South-East after the Biafra genocidal war of 1967-70. 

After 1970, the Federal Government of Nigeria refused to commit to any developmental, infrastructural project in the region they bombed into oblivion for 30 months. Thus, the governor at his time passionately implored every household, community, indigene and clan not only in Imo State but across South East to generously crowdfund the construction of the airport in the state from ground zero till its final completion. Making it arguably the only project of such magnitude and calibre in the world, to become a reality under such community-based circumstances. 

The freedom movement adopted this method since her methodology to Biafra restoration is intentionally inspired to avoid a repetition of belligerence over the Biafra quest, as much as possible. Thus, under such circumstances the movement cannot tax the people to fund struggle for Biafra self-détermination quest. 

Secondly, such restraint of non-violence approach to agitation hinders the IPOB movement from getting distracted unto exerting control over natural resources obtained abundantly in Biafraland, which would undoubtedly provoke an inflow of more Nigerian armed forces into the peaceful region, and could undermine the position of IPOB as a non-violent group. And, had that been the case, logic dictates that IPOB under such situation would be compelled to engage the militarily and other Nigerian armed forces in defense of their lots and position on those natural resources. But that never served as the Movement's source of income and funds generation. Yet the movement has kept alive and and hardly kicking. 

So, on this premises, IPOB choose to crowdfund her way out of oppression, having learnt from the outstanding precedence set by Dee Sam Mbakwe. Though, the intensity of the projects in question when juxtaposed are incomparable and humongous. Nevertheless, for IPOB, it has to be done, and there is no other way. Infact, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu the leader of the IPOB movement who is still currently being incarcerated in Nigeria popularly maintained before his abduction that only the IPOB global family will fund the movement for Biafra restoration until its achievement. 

And, the IPOB Leadership has disciplined themself to stay on this course, amidst pressing challenges which arose after the IPOB Leader was abducted and extraordinarily renditioned from Kenya in 2021. Events which led to the confiscation, grounding of the IPOB international account in Germany, which in it housed generous contributions from members of the global IPOB family. 

It must be acknowledged that after the extraordinary rendition of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, many elements sprung up and tried to inject, hijack, divert the IPOB-Biafra struggle into a money-making venture. Some of whom went as far as using insecurity to indirectly tax unsuspecting members of the people, kidnapping, looting and siezing properties of the people. The IPOB leadership decried certain elements using its name unbeknownst to them to go solicit for funds from political figures in various levels in Nigeria and they (IPOB Leadership) constantly denounced such, maintaining that the IPOB movement does not operate in such manner. 

All of which ongoing is said to have been a covert operation, an orchestration sponsored by the Nigerian government, its security and intelligence agencies to either compel IPOB into making hard decisions and compromising on her modus operandi in terms of financial sustenance or/and to dispel and discourage contributors all over the world in the IPOB family to discontinue their inputs, thus leading to the collapse of the movement. There was also a plan to turn the people in the homeland against the leadership of IPOB movement as a consequence of the impersonation, criminality which its perpetrators hides under the name of IPOB or Biafra agitation to commit against the people.

Though all these have failed, as non of the objectives were attained to any reasonable or substantial extent, the orchestrators are not stopping. And, this explains the recent commentaries of the Nigerian Defence Cheif. The agenda is still much alive. The IPOB movement survived the financial sabotage at its heart since 2021 because its contingency plan - the IPOB global family - did not falter and abandoned the struggle and movement, even when there were pseudo, man-made or rather enemies' covertly sponsored reasons to do so. 

Now, the Nigerian Defence Cheif (CDS) is out to resurrect and project this agenda, showing that the government is far from seeking detente with the IPOB movement or the Biafra quest for self-détermination, contrary to the rhetorics of few uniformed fellows who thinks or believes they have been assured of a negotiated conclusive end in favor of all. 

The only thing hindering the agenda of demonizing IPOB in the eyes of the people is the institutionalized hate and phobia against the people of Eastern Nigeria - Ndigbo/Biafrans. The Nigerian government institutions, including its armed forces cannot help this as it is congenital, but continues to pursue the goal of destroying IPOB which is widely viewed by the people as a dome of defense and an output medium to mainstream their plight to the global community. This is why the agenda is failing and cannot hold. 

The IPOB movement has undergone through very stiff challenges but has stayed true to its conviction and principles. It has refused to be compelled to change course. And even when planted elements from the within attempted to become willing tools, they were expelled immediately. Such discipline and passion is a precedence that is feared and is clear for targeting in the eyes of the powers that be. 

Therefore, it is worth noting that the IPOB struggle for self-determination would have crumbled if it was money-centered, as claimed by Nigerian Chief Of Defense Staff. 

But rather, the struggle for Biafra restoration is divine and ordained. It is the only hope and contingency for the people of East. This is why the people - whom by the way, funds it - will never abandon nor repel it, no matter the attempts or orchestrations of the government. So, it is time for the opposing parties to come to this indisputable reality and take the necessary steps.

A referendum is not a death sentence. It is a voting process to resolve a political solution through a popular will of the people. Use it! 

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