2023 election is around the corner, many politician from North-South and North- Easare coming out to deceive Nigerians again. Yes, voting is our civic responsibility, but majority of the crop of politicians we have in Nigeria today are those whose intentions are to keep Nigeria in perpetual bondage.
The two major political parties in Nigeria have proven to us that they are just identical twins without any ideology. Nigerians are aware of this fact, but the poor masses who suffers the most from their bad leadership have chosen to be blinded by religion and ethnicity. The masses have supported injustice in the country in the name of protecting their own. Now, there is no peace anywhere in Nigeria, how can peace raise it’s flag in the land of injustice?
The next election is fast approaching and instead of using this opportunity to correct the past mistakes by addressing the injustices, inequality and unfairness in Nigeria. The politicians are busy exhibiting their selfishness in the twin parties of personal interest (PDP & APC).
I want to state that I totally agree that power is not given but taken. Yes, but where there is no level playing ground for all, it becomes so difficult to achieve. In PDP, for the purpose of equity, justice and fairness rotation or zoning was introduced in their constitution. For the same reason, federal character exist in Nigerian constitution. Obasanjo was given power in PDP, he did not take it because he couldn’t win in his ward. Yar’Adua, Jonathan was also given power in PDP, they could not have taken it had it been in real contest. Atiku was given PDP ticket in 2019 after the Southern candidate was barred from contesting in the name of zoning. So, power has never been taken by anyone or group in PDP, just to give everyone sense of belonging and to maintain justice, fairness and equity to all regions and members.
Now, it’s obvious that after 8 years of President Buhari that power should return to South. It is also obvious that if PDP should abide by their constitution of zoning and prevent northerners from contesting that definitely a candidate from southeast will surely emerge. The world can clearly see that there’s an evil plan against the southeast in Nigeria.
Now please, someone should go and tell Peter Obi and co to do their best and make sure they secure that PDP presidential ticket. If they fail to do so, they should not come back to preach to us to support PDP again. PDP will be seen as anti Igbo party if they fail to give Peter Obi ticket, I mentioned Obi not because he is the best we have but because it is obvious that he is now very popular with Nigerians, especially the youths.
Tell Peter Obi to secure PDP ticket or be ready to return to APGA. Ndigbo must persuade Peter Obi to take APGA ticket to contest in 2023 election if they reject him in PDP. Ekwueme failed to take that bold decision and that helped in demoralizing Ndigbo when it comes to participation in politics. It’s high time we took our destiny in our hands. Peter Obi and co should all embrace APGA as our party for freedom in Nigeria if they really cares for Ndigbo. Chukwuemeka Ojukwu said “NKE A BU NKE ANYI”, but unfortunately many of us did not understand. He raised Peter Obi’s hand and call it his last wish but we also failed to understand. If they reject us, it is not good we also reject ourselves.
The desire of Ndigbo is to achieve their freedom either in or outside Nigeria. Ndigbo wants to move forward and don’t want to be dragged back by others in Nigeria, so we simply ask for Nigeria to return to regional government. Peter Obi will emerge the new face of our struggle for regional government in Nigeria, if he returns to APGA. Charlie Nwangbafor victory in the last Anambra election has positioned APGA as the ideological political party of freedom and good governance in Alaigbo. If many of our good politicians with our people’s interest should embrace APGA, I can assure you that after 2023 election, other Nigerians will begin to take us serious. Peter Obi should join APGA if he fails in PDP, let’s organize our people under one political ideology. With Peter Obi as the presidential flag bearer of APGA, I can assure Ndigbo that APGA will win 75% of every election in Alaigbo come 2023.
We are getting ready, our people are collecting their PVCs, Good Governance Ministry (GGM) ambassadors and mobilizers are still and always on the streets of Alaigbo, preaching, sensitizing, education and mobilizing our people. It is no longer going to be business as usual. We are prepared to change the narrative. God is with us!
Biafra Football Federation, BFF powered by Biafra De Facto Customary Government headed by Alhaji Asari Dokubo will be featuring in the Confederation of Independent Football Associations (CONIFA) first ever African Football Cup billed to take place in Johannesburg, South Africa in May of 2022.
Four Nations will take part in the inaugural competition. According to the CONIFA Global President Per-Anders ”the tournament is a unique opportunity to not only show top level football but also to celebrate the beauty of the indigenous people in Africa” . The following unrecognized Nations will feature in the tournament ; Biafra FF, Yoruba Nation FF, Matabeleland FF and Pro Arena Sports FF and they are expected to play three matches viz semi-finals, a third place play-off and a final.
Biafra FF will face Matabeleland FF while Pro Arena Sports FA will square up with Yoruba Nation FF.
The two-day competition will take place in the breathtaking amphitheater of the Johannesburg Stadium on May 21-22, 2022 and will mark a major milestone in the development of CONIFA within the African continent, according to an announcement by the organisation.
Ngala Maimo Wajiri, Continental President for CONIFA Africa, said: “It’s a pleasure talking about this reality that has been long awaited. The start is never easy and we find ourselves in that position now as a continent operating under CONIFA. It’s a great pleasure that we will finally be having the maiden edition of the CONIFA African Cup.
“We are beginning our maiden edition with four and of course have plans to add to the numbers in subsequent editions. We have barely two months to prepare for this tournament, we have work to do. No time to sleep till we achieve our goals.
“Personally I am grateful. Special thanks to the Global President Per-Anders Blind, European President Alberto Rischio, Mr Orcun Kamali, Global General Manager Dr Fabio Puntillo, Mr Michael Ukaha and all those who have contributed in making this dream a reality.
“Special thanks to Pro Arena Sports for the wonderful work and the bright man behind it, Mr Tevin Blignaut. Africa is grateful.”
Tevin Blignaut, CEO of Pro Arena Sports, himself said: “Firstly, I’d like to congratulate President Ngala Wajiri on this massive announcement – to be hosting the inaugural CONIFA Africa Cup 2022 here in South Africa.
“The event presents an amazing opportunity for collaboration, new relationships, partnerships and a massive platform for talented athletes, coaches and support staff to showcase their talent in football on a continental level.
“I’d also like to congratulate Pro Arena Sports and the team that put all the effort into pitching, discussing and negotiating with CONIFA Africa for them to partner their brand with us so that we could make history together.
“So now that history has been made and the CONIFA Africa Cup is coming to South Africa – we’re going to do everything in our power to deliver a world class sports spectacle that brings lasting memories for the athletes, coaches, fans in attendance and the nations that are lucky enough to participate.
“Our aim is to deliver an event that announces the CONIFA Africa brand to the world, to deliver a championship that is worthy of the world’s attention.”
Per-Anders Blind, Global President of CONIFA, added: “The CONIFA Africa Football Cup is finally here. Even if it’s a continental tournament, the event will gain a massive global interest, both from fans and media around the globe.
“This tournament couldn´t be done without the excellent pre work done by our Continental President, Mr Ngala Maimo Wajiri in collaboration with Pro Arena Sports.
“A global organisation as CONIFA isn´t 100% complete until we have actions that celebrate the people , our members represent, in all continents. For many years, we’ve worked hard and committed from a global level to present a representative tournament for Africa as a continent.
“A unique opportunity to not only show top level football, but also celebrate the beauty of the people of Africa, educate the world of the continent’s greatness, filled with an amazing culture and fantastic stories.
“2022 is for sure a historical year for CONIFA and one of many milestones has finally been reached – and this is just the start for a journey of a hundred years to come.
“Therefore I’m really happy to see that the Africa Committee delegates are growing, both in numbers and engagement – much thanks to the leadership of our Africa Continental President.
“Our ambition is that this tournament will be a springboard towards an even brighter future for our African members. As Global President I wish the organisers, all the players and team delegates good luck in May.
“You are all fantastic ambassadors, both for your people – but also for the whole Continent – true heroes.”
CONIFA is the football federation for all associations outside FIFA. It’s a global non-profit organization that supports representatives of international football teams from nations, de-facto nations, regions, minority peoples and sports-isolated territories.
In a meeting held in Sabbioneta, Italy, for the continental draws, Mike Ukaha and Ikenna Obibi Egeonu represented the De facto Customary Government of Biafra.
I have often argued that present day “agitators” for the actualization of Biafra are on the most part, businessmen and con stars who understand how passionate the average Igbo is about Biafra. Biafra is an ideology sealed in the hearts of millions of Igbos with the blood of their loved ones who died, not just during the civil war, but who are still dying today, because they are Igbo and they dare to stand out in Nigeria. Biafra, is therefore not something that can easily be erased out of our consciousness, no matter the force used.
Ralph Uwazuruike and his cohorts understand this, and are ready to exploit this innocent and justifiable passion to advance their own selfish economic, political and social aspirations. These people do not believe in Biafra and they are never interested in its actualization or even in fighting for the Igbo to have their rightful place in the Nigerian union. Conversely, they are the biggest living example of a group of people sabotaging their people’s interests for their personal advancements.
Like his proteges currently ravaging the Southeast with violence, economic and political sabotage, Uwazuruike had led thousands of Igbos to their untimely deaths, destroyed businesses and received billions of gullible Igbos who were deceived into believing that he is the ‘Liberator’ of the Igbo race. Today, Uwazuruike sits atop billions of Naira worth of real estate across Nigeria and fleet of cars. These assets are likely proceeds from his deceptive Biafran agitation. Uwazuruike is a lawyer whom I haven’t seen in court for a single day, robed or known of any legitimate deal he executed, outside his phony Biafran struggle.
Today, he is shamelessly leading the campaign for Yahaya Bello’s presidential ambition, because one of his boys has displaced him from the Biafran franchise and is raking in billions of Naira, with which he leads flamboyant Fendi wearing and lascivious lifestyle.
If he were just any other Igbo man or even activist, I wouldn’t have a problem with his political choices, because, as Igbos, we respect people’s rights to be different up to the point of standing alone in what we have collectively agreed on. But, Uwazuruike rose on the back of innocent Igbo youths whom he led to their untimely deaths and had made people believe that he is interested in Igbo’s political liberation. Therefore, he has lost that right to make political choices against the overriding interest and overwhelming sentiments of Ndigbo.
At over sixty years of age, Uwazuruike is no longer a youth, and has no right to continue to use our youths as slaves to advance his personal interests. If MASSOB or BIM is supporting Yahaya Bello, then, he should come clean and denounce his declared position that “Nigeria has expired” and that Biafra is the only answer.
Onwuasoanya FCC Jones is a member of the Ohanaeze Think tank for a Nigerian President of Southeast extraction.
Mr Joe Anatune, image manager of Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, and leader of his media team during last year’s election, has been announced dead.
Anatune reportedly died on Saturday, few days after his 62nd birthday, and a little over a week after he bagged a government appointment, after tirelessly working for Soludo’s victory last year.
He was recently appointed on April 19, 2022, as the MD/CEO of Anambra State Signage and Advertising Agency by Governor Chukwuma Charles Soludo.
Meanwhile, Prof Soludo has confirmed the death of Anatune, while also expressing shock and disbelief over the news.
Mr Christian Aburime, Chief Press Secretary to Soludo, in a press release, said the Governor received the news of Mr Joe Anatune’s sudden death with deep pains and shock.
He said: “Soludo described Joe Anatune as one of the foremost Apostles of the Soludo project with an uncommon strength and courage to deliver on any given assignment.
“He stated further that Joe’s personal sacrifices during his electioneering campaign were not only exceptional but highly commendable.”
“He spearheaded the Soludo Promoters Forum (SPF) and for two years used the platform to engage the professionals into mainstream politics. The government and the good people of Anambra State will sorely miss Joe Anatune,” Aburime said.
He added that Governor Soludo had since commiserated with Anatune’s wife, Mrs Ify Anatune and children, the Anatune family and Awa community over the sudden loss of their illustrious son.”
FREEDOM, DEVELOPMENT OR PRESIDENCY- WHICH WAY FORWARD FOR THE IGBO NATION?
Lecture delivered to the Aladinmma Town Hall Meeting on 30 April 2022 by Barrister Emeka Emekesiri
1. Introduction:
(1) I express my appreciation to the leaders of Aladinmma Town Hall Meeting for extending their invitation to me to deliver this lecture. My name is Emeka John Chigozie Emekesiri. I am a native of Okwara-Unegbu Village, Amucha, Njaba Local Government Area, in the Orlu Senatorial District, Imo State. By professional training and qualifications, I am a Barrister & Solicitor, Estate Surveyor & Valuer, Management Consultant, a Theologian and Minister of God and an Apostle of Jesus Christ. By traditional and customary leadership status in Igboland, I am the Nzeobi II of Okwara-Unegbu in Amucha, Njaba Local Government Area, Imo State.
(2) In the quest for the emancipation of the Igbo Nation, I created and founded five institutions to engage with the Nigerian Government for the freedom of the Igbo Nation by the rule of law, politics and diplomacy. Those five institutions are as follows:
(a) Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB)
(b) Supreme Council of Elders of Indigenous People of Biafra (SCE-IPOB)
(c) Bilie Human Rights Initiative (BHRI)
(d) Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN)
(e) Customary Government of Indigenous People of Biafra (CG-IPOB)
(3) These institutions started very well and worked by the rule of law and political diplomacy and engaged with the Federal Government of Nigeria in a peaceful and diplomatic way until an evil wind blew and scattered us and seemed to have changed the course and direction of the struggle. However, the struggle continues as we have learnt our lessons the hard way and adopted different strategies.
2. What the Igbo People Want and How to Achieve it
(1) I have been requested to speak on the topic: “Freedom, Development or Presidency- Which Way Forward?” It appears to me that the framers of the question think that the three options (Freedom, Development and Presidency) are mutually exclusive. In other words, they think that we can take one option and forget the others. They are wrong for thinking this way, with due respect. My position is that the Igbo people should actually have the three (Freedom, Development and Presidency) and I will tell you how and why.
(2) In a nutshell, the Igbo people want all the three. They are clamoring for freedom. They are clamoring for development. They are clamoring for an Igbo man to become the President of Nigeria. But the question is whether the Presidency of Nigeria by an Igbo man alone will solve the problem of the Igbo nation. No, I do not think so.
(3) I want to make a prediction regarding the Presidency of Nigeria in 2023. It is very likely that the owners of Nigeria and the international community will concede the presidency to the Igbo Nation in 2023 but will give the position to an Igbo man who they can manipulate and blackmail into submission so that the problem of the Igbo Nation continues! I used the phrase “concede the presidency to the Igbo Nation” because the Igbo people will not be able to win the Presidency under the current Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 unless the other Regions concede it to them. The Constitution and Laws of Nigeria are skewed particularly against the Igbo people to stop them from rising up as a Regional Power.
(4) As I said in the introductory part of this lecture, we have changed our strategies to achieve the type of freedom and development that the Igbo people are yearning for which they really need. We are not confused despite the confusions that have been introduced into the struggle by career freedom fighters who depend on the struggle for their stomach. For this reason, we have activated the second phase of the struggle for the emancipation of the Igbo Nation which we describe as the Autonomous Regional Government of the South East of Nigeria by Devolution of Power also known as the Restructuring of Nigeria into six self-governing autonomous Regions. We are not talking about Biafra now but the Igbo Nation.
(5) On the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999:
(a) Some freedom fighters are of the opinion that the Nigerian Constitution is fraudulent and should be pulled down first before any progress can be made in the emancipation of the Igbo Nation and other ethnic nationalities trapped in Nigeria. Their argument is hinged on the Preamble to the Nigerian Constitution which says that “We the people of Nigeria” made the Constitution which we never made. This is a big lie because we did not make the Nigerian Constitution. It was made by the military and imposed upon us.
(b) In other words, the military people who made the Nigerian Constitution did not obtain the consent of the Nigerian people before promulgating a Decree called the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999. Therefore, for making the Constitution without the consent of the people for whom it was made, the Nigerian Constitution lacks legitimacy. This is a good legal argument, although they have not argued the exceptions to the rule of law in making a contract. The Constitution is a social contract and therefore subject to the rules of the law of contract.
(c) They argued that the Constitution is fraudulent, void and invalid for lacking legitimacy and therefore the Nigerian Elections in 2023 should not hold unless the Constitution is first pulled down and replaced by the people’s Constitution. They argued that no amendment by the legislature can save the fraudulent Constitution because it is incurably bad. The legislature itself was the product of the fraudulent Constitution.
(d) I agree with the submission that if an act is void, it is bad and incurably bad and cannot be saved by an amendment. This is the decision of the Court in the case of Macfoy v UAC (1969) 3 All ER 1169 where Lord Denning pronounced the position of the law that “If an act is void, then it is in law a nullity. It is not only bad, but incurably bad. There is no need for an order of the court to set it aside. It is automatically null and void without more ado, though it is sometimes convenient to have the court declare it to be so. And every proceeding which is founded on it is also bad and incurably bad. You cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stay there. It will collapse.”
(e) If we apply this principle of law in the case of Macfoy v UAC to the Nigerian Constitution without balancing it with the exceptions to the rule of law of contract in contract-making, it means that the Nigerian Constitution is void and a nullity and incurably bad. It means that everything built or established under the Nigerian Constitution must collapse because you cannot put something on nothing and expect it to stand.
(f) Therefore, it means that all the institutions established by the Nigerian Constitution must collapse: the judiciary, the army, the police, the states and local governments, the universities and the certificates awarded by the universities, etc. In effect, there will be anarchy because there is no law holding Nigeria as one country anymore. In such a situation, nobody should talk about Igbo Presidency in the 2023 Election because there is no more Nigeria to conduct an election.
The Rule of Law that validates the Nigerian Constitution
(g) I want to make a very strong legal argument here regarding the Nigerian Constitution as to whether it is fraudulent and invalid or not. My legal argument may offend some people but I must tell you the truth as a lawyer.
(h) The Nigerian Constitution was made without the consent of the people of Nigeria for whom it was made. Therefore, it lacked legitimacy at the time it was made. However, the people of Nigeria accepted it and elected their representatives who went to the National Assembly and RATIFIED the evil Constitution in 1979. It is the same Constitution that has been amended from time to time until now called the 1999 Constitution.
(i) Ratification is the acceptance and adoption by a person of an act done on his behalf by another person who was not his agent and did not have his consent or authorization at the time to do what he did. Ratification gives effect to what a purported agent has done without prior authority of the person for whom it was done. It is retroactive in effect and furnishes the authority that was lacking at the time the contract was made.
(j) Ratification can be express or implied by conduct. If a person creates a contract on your behalf without your consent, and upon knowing what he has done, you accepted some benefits from the contract, you cannot turn around to reject the contract for being made without your consent. You have ratified the contract by enjoying some benefits derived from the contract.
(k) The principle of law of contract by ratification states that “Ratihabitio mandato aequiparatur” (Ratification is equivalent to express command). Once you ratify an act done by somebody on your behalf without your consent, whether you ratify it expressly or by conduct, you have given a retroactive authorization to the person who acted without your consent. This is the law of contract applicable to social contracts which every lawyer knows or ought to know.
(l) Another principle of law is that every law enacted by the parliament remains valid until repealed or set aside by a court of competent jurisdiction; and every order or judgment of the court remains valid until set aside by a higher court. At the moment, no Court of Law has declared the Nigerian Constitution null and void. The Constitution therefore remains valid as the Nigerian law until repealed or set aside.
(m) Yet another principle of public law is encapsulated in the maxim, “salus populi est suprema lex” (the safety of the public is the supreme law). By this principle, all the Judges in the world are required to abstain from pronouncing any judgments that can cause chaos, anarchy and breach of public peace. If any Judge pronounces a judgment declaring the Nigerian Constitution void and a nullity, it means that the judiciary where the Judge is sitting becomes void and every decision of the Court made in the past becomes a nullity. Every institution will collapse. There will no longer be the army, the police, the universities, the states and local governments, etc, because they were all created by the Constitution. There will be anarchy and no Judge will pronounce a judgment that can cause anarchy and breach of public peace.
(n) The Nigerian Constitution is the grundnorm upon which all other laws in Nigeria are founded. Some of the benefits derived by the people from the Nigerian Constitution are the creation of States and Local Governments, the creation of the judiciary, the creation of the police, the army, the universities, the licensing of the banks and other financial institutions, etc. Today, if we recommend that the Degree Certificates of all the graduates from the Universities in Nigeria (whether State or Federal) should be declared invalid, null and void, ab initio, you can imagine the consequences. If we recommend that the Local Governments should be dissolved because they were created under the fraudulent Constitution, many people will never agree that their own Local Governments should be dissolved.
(o) Every Local Government in Nigeria receives not less than N50 million every month from the Federation Account. I am not talking about the States but the Local Governments. What have they done with this money every month? You can see that although the Nigerian Constitution is bad and should be pulled down immediately and replaced with the people’ Constitution, the problem of the Igbo Nation goes beyond the Constitution.
6. The Way Forward:
(1) Putting our House in Order: I have seen that almost every Igbo person who considers himself or herself to be a freedom fighter thinks that he knows it better than the other persons. For this reason, there is rebellion and insubordination in the Igbo National Leadership. It appears impossible to get the Igbo people to agree with one another on the way forward. This is a very difficult problem touching upon the psyche of the Igbo Nation.
(2) When we started the struggle for self-determination by the movement of Indigenous People of Biafra under the leadership of the Supreme Council of Elders headed by His Royal Majesty, His Lordship, the Honourable Justice Eze Ozobu; Dr Dozie Ikedife, Brig Gen Joe Achuzia, and the other Elders, there was a young man who came from MASSOB and joined us. We put him in our Media Department because we believed he was talented in media work. We did not know that he had an ulterior motive. He became recalcitrant and rebellious. He announced on the air that he had dissolved the Council of Elders and declared himself the leader of Indigenous People of Biafra! In his broadcast against any person having a different opinion about the way forward in our liberation struggle, he condemned our legal methodology of self-determination. Let me reproduce the broadcast here:
“Every calamity that has ever befallen the Biafran people in the expired Lugard contraption Flora Shaw named Nigger-area (Nigeria) were perpetrated by those Igbos born outside Biafraland of dubious and questionable parentage. The list is endless right from Dr. Azikiwe to the fool called Ukpabi Asika who I am certain is in hell. Henceforth and in keeping with our oath, all saboteurs will be caught and executed. There will be no mercy, no pardon, no forgiveness. All traitors must die and so too their families. This nonsensical disease of Igbo saboteurs springing up all over the place in the name of having a different opinion on Biafra liberation will no longer be tolerated especially those who claim they are Biafrans but are supporting APC or APC candidates”. (Speaker’s name withheld).
“The best antidote to lies and deceit is TRUTH. The best antidote to treachery and sabotage is death. To all the amateur lawyers experimenting with Biafra independence in Nigeria law court and their shameless deceit your end is near. THIS IS THE PM EDITION OF RADIO BIAFRA LIVE BROADCAST OF 14 JUNE 2014 FROM ENUGU THE CAPITAL CITY OF BIAFRALAND. In this episode: Three questions Bilie APC/BHRI will never answer and which they must be pressured to provide answers are: (1) Why is Bilie APC/BHRI continuing to deceive Biafrans with a court case when there is no recorded case in history where a country got independence through legal method? Ask them to name one country that got freedoms through the courts………Say no to further deceit in the name of Biafra, join the revolution today. Without violence there will be no Biafra. No country won her freedom through legal method. This legal method rubbish is a fraud. No compromise, no retreat, no surrender. Biafra or death!” (Speaker’s name withheld)
(3) From the above statements, it is clear that there is a big problem now because some people do not believe in the use of law, politics and diplomacy for the emancipation of the Igbo nation. The speaker preached that “without violence there will be no Biafra. No country won her freedom through legal method. This legal method rubbish is a fraud”. The legal methodology consists of the use of judicial, political and diplomatic strategies.
(4) At the moment, we have seen the people called Unknown Gun Men who kill anybody in the South East participating in the Nigerian politics. They do not allow any person in the South East to obtain the Voter’s Card (PVC). They are agitating for the freedom of Biafra and say there should be no election in Biafraland.
(5) The irony is that their “Biafraland” is only the five States of the South East Region where they enforce their Monday Sit-At-Home Order. All other States in the South-South Region and other parts of Nigeria where the Igbo people dwell are moving on with their daily lives including Asaba in Delta State. They have threatened to kill any person who comes out for the election in the South East. How then shall those asking for the Igbo Presidency succeed in their quest? These people do not accept other people’s opinion on the way forward for the emancipation of the Igbo Nation. It is either their own way or no other way! This is a big problem.
(6) Message to Unknown Gun Men in Igboland: Putting our House in Order:
(a) The Unknown Gun Men have struck fear into the hearts of the people of the South East. Many Igbo people and businesses have relocated to the South-South, South West and the North to escape from the killings going on in the South East. It is an abomination in Igbo Customs and Traditions for you to kill your own brother who is suffering and fighting the same battle with you instead of killing the common enemy. In a situation of lawlessness as we have in Igboland today, nobody is safe because your enemies can come as “Unknown Gun Men” and kill you in the name of agitating for Biafra.
(b) I therefore appeal to the Unknown Gun Men to stop the killings and allow peace to return to Igboland. There can be no development in Igboland without peace and security. If there is no election in Igboland, the President of Nigeria can activate his emergency powers under Section 305 of the Constitution and impose some retired Army Generals to govern the South East as Military Administrators. Of course, we know that the current President of Nigeria hates us and will not choose the Retired Generals from the South East but will impose upon us some names like Retired Maj General Abdullahi; Retired Lt Col. Muhammadu; Retired Brig Gen Shehu, etc. Then, the South East will be under the Fulani Military Rule. Is this what we want?
(c) I can appreciate the fears of the Unknown Gun Men regarding the power of the law. This is why they hide their faces and describe themselves as Unknown Gun Men. They fear that the law will go after them and catch them if they become known. I would like them to know that they have the right to be represented by any lawyer of their choice who will protect their confidentiality and present their grievances to the appropriate authority. In my capacity as Barrister & Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria, and the Solicitor of England & Wales, I promise to secure pardon and amnesty for them if they would accept my plea and stop the killings and allow peace to return to Igboland. They can be redeployed into other aspects of the struggle for our common good and be properly regulated under the law and remunerated.
(d) We must put our house in order and return to the original Igbo foundation and philosophy of life established by our ancestors. We must return to our ancestral foundation of godliness, morality, honesty, integrity, fear of God and respect for elders and constituted authorities in the land. Without orderliness, fear of God and respect for constituted authorities in Igboland, we cannot succeed in our quest for freedom, development, presidency and the general Igbo emancipation.
(7) Critique of the Various Methods:
We have observed three methods being canvassed by freedom fighters which we have summarized as follows:
(a) Group 1: This group said that the only way forward is to first of all pull down the Nigerian Constitution before anything can be done.
The question for this group is: “How will they pull down the Nigerian Constitution”?
(b) Group 2: This group said that violence is the only language that Nigeria understands and therefore without violence there can be no freedom.
The question for this group is: “How do they intend to prosecute a war with Nigeria and her international allies such as Great Britain, Russia, China, etc, which have invested heavily in Nigeria and signed defence treaties with Nigeria”?
(c) Group 3: This group believes that by the use of the legal methodology consisting of judicial, political and diplomatic strategies, they can achieve self-determination.
The question for this group is: “How will they achieve freedom through the use of law, politics and diplomacy in a corrupt country like Nigeria where the votes are rigged and the High Court Judges are easily bribed”?
(8) I am not able to speak for the 1st and 2nd groups because I do not believe in their method. They will speak for themselves. I will rather speak for the 3rd group where I belong:
The question is “how do we intend to achieve freedom, development and the presidency through the legal methodology consisting of the use of law, politics and diplomacy in a corrupt country like Nigeria where the votes are rigged and the High Court Judges are easily bribed”?
(9) In the introductory part of this lecture, I said that we had activated the second phase of the struggle for the emancipation of the Igbo Nation. We describe it as Devolution of Power by Restructuring Nigeria into 6 autonomous Regions in accordance with the existing 6 geopolitical Regions.
(10) Before we embarked upon this journey for Devolution of Power by way of Restructuring of Nigeria, we met and discussed with the Governments of various powerful countries in the International Community which have invested heavily in Nigeria because we know that any decision that affects Nigeria must be discussed with those who have interests in Nigeria. This is based on the spiritual principle stated by the Lord Jesus Christ that where a man’s treasures are, that is where his heart will be. One of such countries we discussed with is the Great Britain. We presented our Memorandum to the British Government and adopted the British Model of Many-Nations-in-One-Nation where they have Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland: 4 autonomous nations in one Great Britain. We shall also divide Nigeria into 6 nations in one country. This is why we have the 6 geopolitical Regions today. The Regions shall become autonomous. This is the Igbo Master Plan drawn in 1994 and approved by General Abacha at the 1995 Constitutional Conference.
(11) The British Government accepted our proposal and helped us to lobby the Nigerian Government to include Devolution of Power and Restructuring of the country on the list of items for the amendment of the Nigerian Constitution. We presented our Memorandum to the Nigerian Senate during the Senate Public Hearing on 26th and 27th May 2021. We appeared before the Nigerian Senate as Biafran Agitators and they received us. The Senate Committee did not arrest us for describing ourselves as Biafrans in Nigeria. All the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria have agreed with us that Devolution of Power to the 6 Regions is the best solution to the Nigerian problem at the moment. This is where we are going and we shall get there. The process has just begun.
(12) Politics and Self-Determination: Some people have said that if we participate in the Nigerian politics and achieve the Presidency of Nigeria, we shall forget our struggle for self-determination. This is a wrong thinking. I have already said that the problem of the Igbo Nation is neither the Presidency nor the Constitution of Nigeria.
(13) We have an example from the Great Britain where Mr Gordon Brown from Scotland was the Prime Minister of the Great Britain from 2007 to 2010 but the Scottish people still continued to agitate for their total independence despite being a Regional Government. Therefore, the Presidency of Nigeria by an Igbo man will not stop us from agitating for total freedom of the Igbo Nation by the rule of law and political diplomacy.
7. Conclusion:
In concluding this lecture, I would like to say that the struggle for the emancipation of the Igbo Nation is a teamwork. Everybody must be involved: our politicians, community leaders, lawyers, civil servants, teachers, all professionals, businessmen, men, women, the youth and children. At the moment, we are talking about the emancipation of the Igbo Nation and not Biafra. We must put our house in order first. This is why we are agitating for Regional Government by Devolution of Power to the 6 geopolitical regions in Nigeria to become 6 countries in one Great Nigeria just like we have 4 countries in one Great Britain. This is the current stage of our freedom movement. The pertinent questions now are these:
(a) Will the South East Region be able to govern itself now that insecurity and anarchy have enveloped the Region?
(b) Will the South East be able to participate in the election to achieve the Presidency of Nigeria in 2023 now that the Unknown Gun Men are killing anyone who participates in the Nigerian politics?
My answers to the two questions are in the negative. Therefore, the Igbo Nation needs the co-operation of everybody including the Unknown Gun Men to achieve freedom, development and presidency. This is a team work. Emeka Emekesiri and his group cannot achieve it alone.
Thank you for listening to me.
EMEKA EMEKESIRI, ESQ.
(IPOB FOUNDER AND VISION BEARER)
Nzeobi II of Okwara-Unegbu, Amucha Ohonya, Imo State
The news trending online in some social media handles that Anambra State Governor, Prof Chukwuma Charles Soludo announced today; 29-04-2022, that the 20 million dollars which former Governor of Anambra State, Mr Peter Obi invested on behalf of Anambra State in Sabmiller Group is now worth 100 million dollars.
The writer further claimed that from today; 29-04-2022, Anambra State now owns the highest share in the global company.
According to Prof Soludo Chief Press Secretary in a statement released to BVI Channel 1 online ,the statement reads ”This is to notify the Public that the statement allegedly credited to Professor Chukwuma Charles Soludo is completely false. The Governor never made or issued any statement to that effect.It is untrue and should be completely disregarded”
Anambra State Government Dissolves Caretaker Committees Of 30 Markets, Constitutes New Ones To Replace Two Other Market Leaderships With Flawed Elections.
In line with Mr Governor, Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s vision and directives, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry has rolled out polices to reform and modernize markets and make shopping pleasurable, so that Anambra State will regain its place as the number one place in trade and commerce.
The government intends to strengthen the markets’ leaderships to involve progressive governance, so that the unions can become effective partners in the modernization of the markets. Consequently, with these interim measures, the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Anambra State, through the office of the commissioner has rolled out the following polices for immediate implementation.
• The immediate dissolution of caretaker committees in some markets across Anambra State. The list of the markets affected are as follows:
1 ONITSHA MAIN MARKET
2 G.B.O MARKET
3 BRIDGE HEAD MARKET (OGBO OGWU)
4 OCHANJA CENTRAL MARKET
5 NWUGO MARKET (BEER MARKET)
6 PROGRESS MARKET
7 MILLENUIM MARKET
8 OCHANJA AREA MARKET
9 SOKOTO ROAD MAIN MARKET, ONITSHA
10 NASPA NNEWI
11 ELECTRICAL/ELECTRONICS DEALERS MARKET NNEWI
12 PLANT PARTS MARKET NNEWI
13 AGBA EDO UNITED (F-LINE MARKET, NNEWI)
14 OFUOBI TRADERS ASSOCIATION, NNEWI
15 OGBOFERE MARKET
16 OGBARU PLASTIC MARKET
17 SHOE MANUFACTURING MARKET, OGBARU
18 IRON DEALERS MARKET, ONITSHA
19 ABADA INTERNATIONAL MARKET
20 OKORO ICHIDA MARKET
21 GENERAL MOTORS SPARE PARTS OKPOKO, OGBARU
22 BICYCLE SPARE PARTS, OGBUNIKE
23 NKPOR MAIN MARKET
24 GRAIN SEED MARKET OBOSI
25 SYNTHETIC FABRICS OGIDI
26 BUILDING MATERIALS MARKET, OGBUNIKE
27 STOCKFISH INTERNATIONAL, OBOSI
28 NEW MOTOR SPARE PARTS DEALERS ASSOCIATION, OBOSI
29 ODERA MARKET
30 OYE UGA MARKET
• The reconstitution of new caretaker committees, comprising of credible individuals on or before the 12th of May 2022.
• Constitute caretaker committees to replace all the executive bodies whose elections were deemed to be flawed by on or before the 12th of May 2022. The list of markets affected are as follows:
1. OSE OKWODU
2. OGBARU MAIN MARKET (RELIEF MARKET)
• The Government will put in place a framework to hold transparent, free and fair elections across affected markets by Option A4 (All registered members will be expected to stand behind their preferred candidate in an open election). All elections will be held between March and April, 2023
• Create a credible voter register across all markets by accrediting only properly registered members of each market, as those eligible to vote in elections in the market.
• Eligibility for voting in any market election will henceforth be based on participation in the enumeration process.
• There is no increase whatsoever in the levies collected in the market by unions or government.
Dr. Obinna Ngonadi, Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Anambra State.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) panel screening aspirants who want to contest for the gubernatorial ticket in Enugu State this afternoon cleared former Power Minister Bart Nnaji.
The seven-member panel headed by Prof Yusuf Dankofa, from Kaduna State, merely asked Professor Nnaji to take a bow and “go in recognition of your immense contributions to national development over the years”.
Said Dankofa: “People like you are needed in the public to move this country forward”.
The other panel members, including James Ugwu, the panel’s secretary from Enugu State who is also the the PDP South East Zonal Secretary, noted in agreement, smiling.
Nnaji, who came with a large volume of documents in expectation of a tough interview, was himself surprised at the honour.
Signs that the panel has high regard for the former minister were noticed when he was invited to meet the panel before other aspirants who came for screening.
Though the screening panel did not list specific contributions to national growth which Nnaji made, the erstwhile Minister of Power under President Goodluck Jonathan for only one year starting in 2011, is widely praised for revolutionizing the performance of the troublesome power sector.
While serving as Special Adviser to President Jonathan on Power and Chairman of the Presidential Task Force from 2010 to 2011 during which he prepared the Nigeria Power Sector Reform agenda, Nigeria’s quantum of electricity was raised from less than 3000 megawatts by 1000 MW.
It was further increased to 5300MW during his period as the power minister, with almost all the power generated successfully wheeled on the transmission network which for decades has been notorious for old age and poor maintenance, resulting in constant system collapses.
“The achievement was unprecedented in Nigeria’s history”, observed Alex Animalu, Professor Emeritus of Physics at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, and winner of the Nigerian National Order of Merit (NNOM) award, the country’s highest honour for intellectual achievement who recalled that Nnaji had in 2002 scored a bull’s eye for building Nigeria’s first independent power plant in Abuja, a 22MW Emergency Plant commissioned by Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, the then Vice President.
Based on a request from the then Nigerian Finance Minister, Dr Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala who is now the Director General of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the then World Bank President, Dr James Wolfohnson, Professor Nnaji commenced the 181MW Aba Integrated Power Project which will be commissioned later this year to supply constant, quality, safe and affordable electricity to nine out of the 17 local government areas in Abia State.
Nnaji told journalists at the PDP Enugu State headquarters after his speedy clearance that his priority, if elected the state governor, would be to create tremendous business and economic opportunities through industrialization.
“Serious investors will be attracted to participate in the power sector, for instance, utilizing, among other things, the immense natural gas in places like Ugwuoba in Oji River Local Government Area.
“Much of the agitation in the South East and other parts of the country is fuelled by the lack of employment and business opportunities.
“We must tackle the hydra-headed monster of a lack of opportunities for young people head -on, otherwise there will be a bleak future for all of us”.
Nollywood actor Yul Edochie has taken to social media to shower lover on his first wife, May Yul-Edochie, amidst the backlash resulting from his new marriage to his side chick, Judy Austin.
Taking to his Instagram page a few minutes ago, Yul Edochie shared beautiful photos of his wife, May Yul-Edochie.
Yul Edochie further declared that his wife May is still his number one undisputed.
He wrote: NUMBER ONE. @mayyuledochie Undisputed.
Kemi Filani News recalls May Edochie, recently shed more light on her husband’s recent betrayal.
The mother of Yul Edochie’s four kids revealed that her husband paid the bride price of his baby mama, Judy Austin on Sunday, April 24, however, she found out on Monday (the next day).
May also noted that she has surrendered her pains and anguish to God.
“I have left them to God,” May Edochie told a popular Instagram blogger.
Yul had confirmed the rumours making rounds that he allegedly got his colleague, Judy Austin pregnant.
Yul Edochie who is married to May Edochie with 4 lovely kids (3 boys and a girl) welcomed a bouncing baby with his colleague turned baby mama, Judith Austin.
After a popular blog called him out, he owned up and showed off his new added family.
“It’s time for the world to meet my son.
His name is STAR DIKE MUNACHIMSO YUL-EDOCHIE. Born by my second wife @judyaustin1. And I love him so much, just as much as I love my other children,” he had written.
In a swift reaction to his post on Instagram, May Edochie expressed her pains and disappointment, she wrote, “May God judge you both” on the comment section of his post.
Her comment led to lots of other celebrities consoling her over the heartbreak.
Yul Edochie and Judy Austin have been a pair for a while now, as he always directs movies she produce.
It was during one of their shoots that their relationship kicked off, then one thing led to another Judy Austin became pregnant.
Police operatives from the B Division Awka yesterday rescued a 60-year-old activist Comrade Osita Obi from armed cultists who stormed Dr. Alex Ekwueme Square Awka to disrupt a meeting of the state governor Prof. Charles Chukwuma Soludo with tricycle operators in the state.
Reports had it that the Keke drivers were waiting patiently at the foremost square yesterday morning for the arrival of the governor to thank him for the bold step he took to stamp out touting and all forms of illegal revenue collections as well as to intimate him with the goings-on in the field barely one month he took the decision to fight touting to a standstill in Anambra state.
The tricycle operators had all assembled when suddenly two tricycles loaded with about 11 armed young men invaded the venue, identified the said Comrade Osita Obi and pounced on him, beating him mercilessly untill police operatives from B Division Awka came just in time; shooting sporadically in the air and rescued the activist who was almost killed by the cult boys allegedly sent to disrupt the governor’s interface with Keke drivers.
Comrade Osita Obi who is the Convener of Recover Nigeria Project as well as the Coordinator Anambra State Keke Drivers Forum, when our correspondent visited him at the emergency unit of the Anambra State University Teaching Hospital Amaku Awka where he was receiving treatment, said if not for the timely intervention of the police, he would have been a dead man.
Obi who narrated his ordeal in the hands of the cultists, said they were patiently waiting for the governor’s arrival when some armed young men descended on him and hit him with all kinds of weapons with the intention to kill him because he was supporting the governor’s decision to end all manner of illegal revenue collections especially from Keke drivers.
He said, “We gathered at Ekwueme Square to go to Government House to thank His Excellency Prof. Soludo for removing touts and cultists from Keke operation and also to give him feedback on what is happening in the field. So we gathered at Ekwueme Square around 9 O’clock. So around 11 minutes past 9, one Collins Ozojiofor alias Snoop came with some boys to attack me.
“They stole my phone; stole my eye glasses and stole the N50,000.00 I had on me. They beat me mercilessly. You can see my swollen face. I have pains all over me. Their mission was to kill me. Some of the Keke drivers alerted the Police Public Relations Officer who now called the DPO of B Division and they came there and rescued me and took all of us to police headquarters.
“There at the police headquarters, while we were waiting for the Commissioner to come and talk to us, I fainted.
That was how I was rushed first to Government House clinic because I wanted government to be aware of what we are doing. So the Chief Protocol Officer directed that I should go to the Commissioner for Health who also directed that I should come to the emergency unit here.”
Obi, who spoke with our correspondent amidst excruciating pains at the hospital, said the fight against illegal revenue collections was not Soludo’s fight alone; that citizens ought to support him with feedbacks. He therefore thanked the state government for taking care of his hospital bills, saying that he would continue to fight to ensure that revenue touts were completely eliminated from the state.
Also, one Udeh Collins Chidubem, a tricycle driver who gave an eyewitness account, said they were to meet the governor concerning what he described as ruthless imposed leadership of tricycle operators in Awka. He said they had cried to government as well as the leadership of the state union but all to no avail which he said resulted in their protests and coupled with the fact that Governor Soludo had banned acts of touting in the state.
The tricycle operator said the governor’s order was flouted in Awka as touts still terrorised them with all manner of levies. He said they had gathered at Ekwueme Square when some boys came led by one Snoop and attacked Comrade Osita Obi with deadly weapons. He said he alerted the police immediately and they came and rescued the activist, arrested Snoop and two of his boys while others fled.
According to him, Keke drivers have been in agony since the administration of Chief Willie Obiano. That Snoop was not the first weapon of mass destruction allegedly used by moles in Obiano’s administration to unleash terror and mayhem on Keke drivers. That one 2pac was the first but later died. That another person came but resigned due to the wickedness they wanted him to execute.
Chidubem therefore recalled that former Governor Willie Obiano’s first transport commissioner Dr. Christian Madubuko tried to end touting and illegal levies but was warned not to dabble into it and thereafter he was removed from office. Again, he said another transport commissioner of the Obiano administration Mr. Afam Mbanefo was completely overpowered by the clandestine caucus when he attempted to entrench sanity in Keke operations.
He said a tricycle is currently sold for N1.2 million naira coupled with the obnoxious illegal revenues imposed on Keke drivers and at the end of the day, a Keke driver goes home with nothing.
The tricycle driver bemoaned the fact that most of their colleagues operated their tricycles on hire-purchase basis yet touts with the backing of government officials imposed outrageous taxes on them. He however appealed to Governor Charles Chukwuma Soludo to grant them justice because they have been suffering in silence for too long now.
He said Keke drivers had been in pains for 8 years now and there was need for the police to do the needful because the said Snoop had been on the run for too long.
According to him, now that Snoop is currently in the State Criminal Investigation Department, police should let justice be done because Keke drivers deserve a breathe of fresh air and do their business with ease while paying all levies directly to government account.
Also, another tricycle operator Mr. Peter Umeh Maduka who operates from Ekwueme junction Awka, said in spite of the attack of the cult boys, they moved on in protest to the government house where the Deputy Governor Dr. Onyekachukwu Ibezim addressed them because they were told that Governor Soludo was handling other urgent state matters.
Umeh said they pledged their total and unalloyed support to the present administration especially as it concerns paying their taxes and levies but appealed to the governor to save them from the treachery of bloodsucking cultists used to extort money from them in Awka-North and South even though he indicted the former governor’s wife Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano, saying that the former First Lady and her cronies allegedly shared proceeds got from illegal collections from Keke drivers.
When contacted for her response on allegations of sharing proceeds from illegal collections from tricycle operators, the former First Lady Mrs. Ebelechukwu Obiano told our correspondent via a WhatsApp message that “Whoever said that should better go get their money from whoever used my name to extort money from them. That’s why they are spending money like they are richer than Dangote.”
Meanwhile, the Police spokesman in Anambra DSP Ikenga Tochi said the command was aware of the cult attack at Ekwueme Square Awka. He said the police were just in time to rescue Comrade Osita Obi who was the victim of the gruesome cult attack while some arrests were made too at the scene of the crime.
