BIAFRAN AGITATIONS ARE NOT SYNONYMOUS WITH CIVIL WAR

Today, May 30th, marks the anniversary of the declaration of the Republic of Biafra. 50 years down the line, things changed, yet things remained the same.  In otherwords,  those reasons the war was fought still lingers, despite the NO VICTOR, NO VANQUISHED idea of the then Head of State.

Many do not know that one of the many reasons for the declaration of the Republic of Biafra was the total disregard of the ABURI-GHANA accord by the then head of state, Gen.  Yakubu Gowon. The deal was sealed between 4th to 5th January, 1967 but on arriving Nigeria Gen. Gowon did otherwise;  dividing Nigeria into states to further weaken the agitations of those from the Eastern part of Nigeria (the Biafrans). If Gowon had respected to the letters the agreements of the ABURI-GHANA accord, he could have averted the 30 months of the bloodsheds of over 2million Biafrans and Nigerians.

Typical of a military mind,  Gowon thought he would be able to manage the situation with aggression and force and so, on 7th of July, 1967 the Nigerian troops fired the first shot in Gakem, in the present day Cross River state.  The shot immediately began the civil war amongst other remote causes.

Let me put things in perspective here.  Biafra declared herself free and sovereign on 30th May, 1967 from Nigeria (which is legal) because she no longer feels safe and secured in the political entity called Nigeria. Fast-forward to the 7th of July that same year,  the Nigeria military fired the first shot plunging Nigeria/Biafra in to a 30 MONTHS of an AVOIDABLE CIVIL WAR.

Now,  judge by yourself; was the declaration of the Republic of Biafra equal to the declaration of civil war or the Nigerian unwise and recalcitrant  behaviour of not sticking to laws and agreements and thinking that force can be used to address national issues responsible for the civil war?

My point is simple here: the agitations for the Republic of Biafra did not and does not call for war and killings as many people erroneously think today. Why I'm I saying this?  Many uninformed minds in Nigeria today tend to say that;  "Igbos are fools they do not want to learn from history and avoid wars" as if the right for self-determination and realization is synonymous with declaring wars or that it calls for killings. No!  It does not.  So,  I'll like to correct that thinking here.  Nobody who is asking for Biafra is asking for war.  It is only the uncivilized that would believe that secession must be fought back with war rather than negotiations.

Stop the propaganda. It was (is)  the killings,  actions and obvious inactions of the Nigeria government towards the Igbos that was responsible for the wars and killings. Look around you and sincerely ask yourself,  is the Igbo man free in this country especially as when he is not allowed to freely protest wrongs melted to him?  Is the Igbo man's life secured in Nigeria in the mist of the Fulani cattle heldsmen rampage? Is the Igbo man adequately represented in the politics of the country that refused him freedom and voice? Etc.  Continuing on this path would further enstrangle the already soured relationship between Nigeria and Biafra.
That is my take this glorious day.

Long live the (the restructured)  Federal Republic of Nigeria! or
Long live the Sovereign Republic of Biafra!!!