As the evangelism for Biafra restoration gains momentum, it becomes imperative to consider this sensitive aspect of our struggle. It is not an issue of debate to say that over 60% of privately-owned investments throughout Nigeria is owned by Ndiigbo. While it is note worthy not to congratulate Igbo nation for being so egalitarian in universalism, it is equally necessary to diffuse the blackmail the campaign for Biafra restoration is being subjected as a result of that, Many people have felt very comfortable to remind pro-Biafran agitators that one of reasons to forget Biafra is because of Igboman’s investments outside Igboland.
Sometimes it is said that if a lie is said repeatedly for long and unchallenged, it may be accepted to be TRUE. First, let me remind these agents of retrogression that wish to keep Igbo bound in Nigeria as hewers of woods and drawers of water that under international laws and conventions no country has right to confiscate property of anybody without going through normal legal processes. From benefit of history, Nigerian government had use indigenization policy to drive away foreign holds on some investments owned by foreigners immediately after the war.
Nigeria also enacted what was called ‘abandoned property’ policy to encourage ‘brothers’ to steal the properties of their Igbo brothers in Rivers State. The later was done in order to help increase the gulf of disunity between Igbo and their immediate neighbours and brothers. Nigeria, through this, planned and successfully dis-stablize cohesion and introduces suspicion amongst Biafran brothers. Well, it was possible because Biafra was ‘defeated’ and reabsorbed into Nigerian state. Nobody would have done that inside a sovereign Biafra state. The later was also possible because British personnel who administered Nigeria and their fellow British citizens/investors that invested in Nigeria then were never in anyway Nigerians citizens. Today Biafrans are Nigerian citizens and can only lose such citizenship right on denunciation. Right now Nigeria has not abolished dual citizenship of her nationals.
Therefore even after Biafra restoration, Biafrans wishing to, can still retain their Nigerian citizenship and reside and do business in Nigeria as a free citizen. In that sense he/she will be expected to obey Nigerian Islamic laws and be affected by the Nigerian laws equally as any other person in the country. These laws should include làws on ownership of property. For example today in United State and elsewhere, all citizens equally enjoy the same protection of the laws there including our brothers that are also American citizens. Therefore nothing should prevent a Biafran-Nigerian citizen residence in Kano from being affected equally as any other Kano residents if he chose to use his Housing Estate for an Islamic School. I don’t think Nigerian authority will confiscate his property if he uses his property in obedience to the Islamic laws of the land.
The truth is that even as Biafrans do business in Nigeria, Nigerians will be doing business in Biafra. After all I know of some northerners that depend on Igboland for their businesses. Who really doesn’t need the other? The world economy is inter-dependent. And I make bold to say that once Biafra independence is established, countries around her including Nigeria will definitely angle to establish strong economic and diplomatic relationship with her. This is why we are against any pro—Biafran group wiping up hate campaign against Nigerians and Nigerian leadership.
After all USA and Britiain once fought a war for/against American Independence. Today the two nations are best of friends. Biafra and Nigeria should exist side-by-side às good neighbors. Nobody gains anything with war-ring or hostile neighbors.
This does not in any way fore-close the possibility of envious neighbors that may go all out to run offensive policies against the young Biafran nation. To that I say that Biafra will by then use all international diplomacy to handle them. And if such approach becomes ineffective. then Biafran war machine will gradually inch closer to the boundaries. But this certainly will be as a last resort. The truth remains that no Biafran property will be confiscated by Nigeria if Biafra is restored. Unless I am not anywhere near the leadership. Because they just CANNOT do that. Moreover it is only a sovereign Biafran Government that can defend and/protect effectively Biafran properties outside Biafra land. Even now, who is protecting these properties when ‘they’ suddenly go on rampage or suddenly tells you to change location for development? Biafra forever!