By Tony Okafor, Awka
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has said the Igbo apex sociocultural organization cannot speak for it on Biafra issues.
IPOB stated this in a statement circulated by its media and publicity secretary Emma Powerful.
The secessionists also warned the British Government to stop what it called British age long treachery against Biafra cause.
The group said,”After onsidering possible outcomes of the recent meeting between the British High Commissioner and the leadership of the Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide held in Enugu and led by Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu against the back drop of our history with the British government in Nigeria, we the global movement and family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by Mazi Nnamdi Okwu KANU rejects in its entirety any partnership in business between the British government and Ndigbo of any stripe.
“Neither Ohaneze Ndigbo nor any other Igbo organization is permitted to have any form of partnership with the British government until our request is met. Anyone or group that goes ahead to fraternize with the British government or her affiliates on whatever string gift called partnership will be considered a traitor and will be treated as such.
” It is obvious that the British government considers Ndigbo and all of Biafra to be stupid, ignorant, and gullible to have forgotten our history so quickly. We particularly cannot imagine their hypocrisy in the continuous illegal detention of Mazi Nnamdi KANU and his extraordinary rendition from Kenya to Nigeria that is being swept under the rug while the Britishgovernment pretends that “all is well”. We are here to declare to them and the rest of the world that all is not well at all.
“The British High Commissioner, Dr. Richard Montgomery recently visited Ohaneze Ndigbo worldwide, promising to partner with Ndigbo in business and development. Meanwhile, the British High Commissioner has not made any notable effort for the unconditional release of Mazi Nnamdi KANU, a Biafran, and British citizen who is illegally detained in violation of Nigeria Court Orders in the worst place in the world, the Nigeria DSS dungeon in solitary confinement.
“When has the Nigerian government, who is a baby of Britain become powerful as to override the influence of Britain in the case of a British citizen, Mazi Nnamdi KANU? Does Britain think that Ndigbo are stupid and gullible to trade our freedom and that of Mazi Nnamdi KANU with this British Greek gift?
“Therefore, IPOB and the entire Biafra Nation reject any partnership with the British government or her affiliates until Mazi Nnamdi KANU is released and Biafra is restored as an Independent Sovereign Nation.
“Recall that Britain from the precolonial era till now has never had the interest of Ndigbo in mind. Britain fraudulently amalgamated Biafra with other unwilling Nations for their own administrative and economic convenience and benefit. Britain enslaved our people and has continued looting our resources to date.
“They deceitfully and dubiously structured Nigeria to strangulate Biafrans’ enterprising spirit while favouring the corrupt and indolent Fulani tribe. Britain was the one that advised General Yakubu Gowon, the then Military Head of State of Nigeria, to reject the Aburi Accord, which led to the 1967-1970 brutal genocidal war against Biafrans when more than four million unarmed civilian Biafrans were massacred. During that unfortunate genocidal war, Britain supplied Nigeria arms and logistics to wipe out Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, out of the surface of the earth.
” Britain and Nigeria have never apologized for the genocide against Biafrans, nor have they initiated any policy of inclusion for Ndigbo. Instead, the duo have continued with their policy of political and economic exclusion and marginalization against Biafrans. One will ask, why is Britain showing interest in Ndigbo at this perilous time in the political history of Nigeria?
“Biafrans have consoled ourselves and have decided to confront the decades of colonization impacts such as ethnic rivalries, economic and human rights violations that colonization and amalgamation brought to us.
“We have decided to remove the yoke of colonization and slavery called Nigeria and to return to our homogeneous state before the fraudulent amalgamation was forced upon us. We have resolved to pursue our own political future through legal and peaceful self-determination as championed by IPOB under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.
“If the British government is sincere in their quest for partnership with Ndigbo, the following demands should be met:
“They should ensure the unconditional and prompt release of Mazi Nnamdi KANU by using their edge in diplomatic relationship with Nigeria.
2. Biafrans need British diplomatic support for the restoration of the Independent and Sovereign State of Biafra through a United Nations supervised referendum.
The group added,”As much as Ndigbo are not opposed to foreign partnerships, the most important partnerships that Ndigbo need at this time are Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s unconditional release and a referendum as enshrined in the United Nations charter for Human Rights.
“Anything short of the above-mentioned partnership engagement
is dead on arrival. Biafrans, particularly Ndigbo, are more than capable of developing our own land when we become free from the British amalgamation yoke. We want Britain to know that Ndigbo are not happy in Nigeria, and to prevent another civil war, they should allow Biafrans to leave Nigeria peacefully.
“If Britain can exit peacefully from the Europe Union, why is Britain forcing Nigerians to remain in a bloody and irreconcilable union? “What is good for the goose is also good for the gander.”
