The President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Chief John Nnia Nwodo, has frowned at the incendiary, unsubstantiated and provocative statement credited to the leader of the Northern Elders Forum, Prof. Ango Abdullahi, alleging that most violent acts against the northerners are perpetrated by the Igbo.
Reacting to this dangerous gaff by a man who by learning, experience and exposure should know better, Chief Nwodo said that the unprovoked outburst by Prof Abdullahi was capable of setting the country ablaze.
The President General in a release by his Media Adviser, Chief Emeka Attamah, wondered where and when the Igbo could have killed their northern brothers when there has never been any case of mayhem and killings against the north in any Igbo-speaking state.
He challenged Prof Abdullahi to make public facts to substantiate his wild and malicious claim, unless it was intended to set up the Igbo for another round of killings in the north, adding that with the statement, the Igbo in the north are not safe.
The President General reminded Prof Abdullahi that on the contrary, the Igbo have borne the brunt and have been victims of age-long and misguided attacks and bloody orgies by their northern “brothers” at the slightest upheavals in the country, sometimes even as a result of an event outside the country, and no restitution has ever been made for such losses.
Chief Nwodo regretted that the Igbo, apart from innumerable dead ones, have lost property valued at trillions of naira during such senseless attacks in the north, yet they are the catalysts of development and the unifying cord that holds Nigeria together.
The President General told the Northern Elders Forum to exhibit greater caution and wisdom in addressing sensitive national issues like this, rather than stoke further the fire of ethnic violence by making such unguarded, unsubstantiated, garrulous and vitriolic claims capable of igniting fire and breakdown of law and order that could consume the country.
He reminded them that knowing that Nigeria is now a tinderbox, especially with the heightened frayed nerves arising from the unfortunate mismanagement of the fabric of the nation, caution should be the watchword.
Chief Nwodo further reminded Prof Abdullahi that at the twilight of his life, he should espouse salutary views that should bind and heal the wounds of the country so that he will leave behind a better and united Nigeria.
The President General called on the Federal Government to call NEF to order and make them rescind their inflammatory statement to avoid the possible mayhem and confusion it could cause in the country.
Chief Emeka Attamah
Special Adviser, Media and Publicity to President General.
TRIBUTE IN HONOUR OF THE GREAT FREEDOM FIGHTER DR ARTHUR AGWUNCHA NWANKWO FROM MOBIN AND THE CUSTOMARY GOVERNMENT OF INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA ON HIS SEND-OFF PARTY TO ETERNAL GLORY THIS 8TH DAY OF DECEMBER 2020
Our Mentor and Political Adviser, the Patron of the Movement of Biafrans in Nigerian (MOBIN) and the Customary Government of Indigenous People of Biafra, Dr Arthur Agwuncha Nwankwo, Ikeogu Ndigbo, the indefatigable freedom fighter who demonstrated the power of the pen and brain in freedom fighting, it is with great joy that we have gathered here today for your send-off to Eternal Glory. You fought a good fight for humanity and deserve a good rest in the bosom of the Almighty God.
You sowed the seed of freedom fighting in Biafra by intellectual power in your first book in 1969, THE MAKING OF A NATION: BIAFRA. You worked in Biafra and excelled in the Media Department. Even after the war, you remained resolute in defending us. Your pen remained sharper than razor blade, and you could not tolerate the corrupt politicians who had become tyrants and local colonial masters over us.
In 1982, you changed the Nigerian Criminal Law of Sedition when you published the book, “How Jim Nwobodo Rules Anambra State” for which you were convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for 12 months. You rejected the judgment and appealed to the Court of Appeal. Your bravery and challenge to tyranny delivered us from the Law of Sedition made by the Colonial Masters to intimidate us and silence our opposition and freedom of speech.
You were vindicated when the Honourable Justice Olatawara, JCA, (as he then was) made the judicial pronouncement in the case now cited as Arthur Nwankwo v The State (1985) 6 NCLR 228 in the following words:
“It is my view that the law of Sedition which has derogated from the freedom of speech guaranteed under this Constitution is inconsistent with the 1979 Constitution, more so when this cannot lead to a public disorder as envisaged under Section 41(a) of the 1979 Constitution. We are no longer the illiterates or the mob society our colonial masters had in mind when the law was promulgated. The safeguard provided under Section 50(2) is inadequate more so where the truth of what is published is no defence. To retain Section 51 of the Criminal Code in its present form, that is even if not inconsistent with the freedom of expression guaranteed by our Constitution, will be a deadly weapon and to be used at will by a corrupt government or tyrant……The decision of the founding fathers of this present Constitution which guarantees freedom of speech must include freedom to criticize and should be praised and any attempt to derogate from it except as provided by the Constitution must be resisted. Those in public office should not be intolerant of criticism.”
Our Mentor in Freedom Fighting, you purchased the right to freedom of expression for us in this country. By that case, the Court of Appeal declared Sections 50 and 51 of the Criminal Code null and void. That was the end of the Law of Sedition in Nigeria. Sedition is no longer part of the Nigerian Criminal Law because of the case of Arthur Nwankwo. But alas, the agents of the devil are working surreptitiously again in the National Assembly to reintroduce the Law of Sedition with a new label described as the Law of Hate Speech.
You were fearless and resisted all tyrannical governments including the military junta with your pen and brainpower. On the annulment of the Nigerian Election on June 12, 1993, you were in the vanguard of NADECO fighting to restore democracy in the country. General Sani Abacha felt that you were a threat to his government and threw you into detention in 1998 but God killed him miraculously within four weeks and released you so that you could continue the fight for our freedom. You did not relent but continued the fight unto the end.
In 2018, you invited us to a meeting in your house and told us that Nigeria had become irredeemable and that you had mourned for Nigeria just like David wept over Saul who was rejected by God and slain for his stubbornness.
You gave us your last book titled, “NIGERIA AND HER PATH TO DOOM” where you wrote in the Prologue as follows: “I do not want to die a shameful death. I do not want future generations of Nigerians to point to my grave and say, ‘there lies the remains of a man who could not speak the truth’…I weep for Nigeria, a country richly blessed of God but whose destiny has been frittered away on the altar of expediency. I weep for Nigeria, a country with the awesome potential for the renaissance of Africa but wasted in a heap of corruption. I weep for Nigeria, a country with the capacity to drive the fourth dimension of global economic resurgimento but scuttled on the evil temple of religious bigotry and ethnic jingoism. My heart bleeds for this country. Professor Chinua Achebe must have had today’s Nigeria in mind when he chose ‘Things Fall Apart’ as the title for his epic novel. For indeed things have fallen apart in Nigeria and the centre can no longer hold. Like David wept over Saul and Jonathan, I weep over Nigeria. In typical Davidic fashion, my cry is that the beauty of Nigeria has been slain upon the evil altars in Aso Rock”.
Yes, we heard you as you referred to the evil altars in Aso Rock upon which the beauty of Nigeria was slain. Nevertheless, on Page 164 of your book, you still proffered the best solution and gave a warning in the following words: “I am not unmindful of the fact that Nigeria has become a very treacherous environment where truth is stifled and where commitment to speak the truth could easily be misconceived and mischievously interpreted as felonious. But the truth about or situation is that we cannot avoid talking about a restructured Nigeria if there must be a tomorrow for us. There is no alternative route to this. Nigeria must be restructured urgently or it will die”.
Although you have departed from the earth, your words will bear witness that you warned Nigeria but she refused to listen. We have joined you to weep over Nigeria as a failed state. The smokes of her institutionalised corruption and injustice against the Igbo Nation have reached heaven.
The inhabitants of heaven and earth, visible and invisible witnesses of the wickedness of men, have heard that Nigeria took a loan of $22.7billion for infrastructural development of the country but did not allocate a single kobo for the development of the South East. Yet, it is a national debt placed upon the head of every Nigerian citizen. It is very clear that the wickedness of Nigeria against the Igbo people and its inability or reluctance to protect our lives and properties can no longer be remedied.
For this reason, we are insisting that Nigeria must be renegotiated and restructured to guarantee autonomy and self-governance to the 6 geopolitical regions that make up the country so that every region would be free to govern itself and develop at its own pace. There is no alternative to restructuring Nigeria into Regional Governments otherwise Nigeria will surely die.
You inculcated in us the discipline and resoluteness required for Freedom Fighting by intellectual prowess and political strategies. We have resolved to continue the fight from where you stopped. We acknowledge that the journey is far and tedious but we assure you that we shall never give up. We shall fight from generation to generation until our freedom is achieved.
We are grateful to you for all the lectures, advice, books and resources you placed in our hands to continue the battle of wits and intelligence after your departure. We assure you that we shall never disappoint you.
Rest in Peace, our great Patron and Mentor, Dr Arthur Agwuncha Nwankwo, the Defender of the Igbo Nation.
Signed:
Emeka Emekesiri, Esq. (Chairman)
For and on behalf of all Biafran activists under the Supreme Council of Elders of Indigenous People of Biafra who believe in the Legal Methodology of Self-determination consisting of the judicial, political and diplomatic processes
1. Appreciation and depreciation of currency is not related to race or color or who is the president be it Hausa Igbo or Yoruba. It is basically about production of goods and services and the demand of your products in the world market. A confused country that produces almost nothing will never meet up, policies only control your currency not the value of another countries currency against yours.
2. A country where over 500 industries died within 30 years must be stupid to complain of depreciation of her currency. We keep killing local industries and expect policies to make it up, it’s a joke sir. Don’t use China as an example if depreciating currencies and strong economy, China produces and may attract more export with that strategy unlike Nigeria that produces nothing.
3. A country where someone carried $2+billion simply to be shared is already a doomed one in terms of monetary policy and value. A country that produces Dizeani and Bafarawa who spent billion to appease demons. Those money without economic value is an economic poison injected into the system.
4. A country that favours importation over local production is doomed because it creates employment for another country while sacking her own citizens. Some people are working in Michelin and Dunlop somewhere, yet we use the tyre here. Don’t tell me principle of comparative advantage here, it’s not applicable.
5. A country that exports all raw materials without adding value is shameless to talk of depreciation of currency, to later re-import finished products of that materials is the peak of daftness. A bag of cocoa will go for like N1 million naira but when it is processed it will worth around N7million. Even farmers who produced raw cocoa can’t buy chocolate.
6. A country that deliberately operate banking system that gives loans to importers at the expense of local industries is doomed and should say nothing about depreciation. Most of the loans are given to senators and representatives not industrialists.
7. A country that give loans in billions to agric sector without monitoring & evaluation of such loan on how it gets to the real farmers is a sham. A guy collected over N2 billion agric loan, he bought a jeep, built a nice house and use the rest to import processed pork. Meanwhile, local pork farmers are dying here. Is that not a double tragedy, stressing forex at the same time killing local industries.
8. A country that spend more on few privileged politicians at the cost of the populace who are unemployed should not talk about money depreciation. A country that keeps paying NNPC staff N10 billion as salaries every month when a single drop of petrol was not processed shout shut up about depreciation of currency. Crime is rising as value added to the initial failure.
9. A country where it is difficult for investors to register businesses because of the governent officials demanding for bribe. Right from airport, to hotel, to minister to governors investors will bribe, all these are part of cost of investment. A friend brought investor on estate development just for the state commissioner in charge to demand 30% of the investment. To see the governor in a state will cost you N2 million as bribe before you can be scheduled. This is a state as poor as anything.
10. A country where the cost of travelling for treatment abroad by officials will build world class hospitals should not talk about naira against dollar parity. Money taken to that trip is part of stress on forex. Same as forex spend on pilgrimage, let religion fanatics keep off me here. Without going to Mecca or Jerusalem you can still make heaven. You waste forex on pilgrimage to later be talking rubbish about forex.
11. A country where few people have access to federal reserve and those few can get loans are not because of what they can produce but the connection they have, is that country not gone already?
12. A country where we import what we produce because it’s cheaper over there is gone.
13. A country that has arable land, teaming idle youths and still complain of hunger should not talk about currency depreciation. It’s annoying.
14. A country where free money flows can never control inflow and outflow of forex. Imagine someone who wants to hide his loot went to Aboki to buy dollars worth $50 million just to hide it in the basement of his house. That money has no economic value yet it deprived those companies that need it to import raw materials, those companies go to Aboki to buy at exorbitant price.
15. A country where a strong bank owners can influence shares from within Stock Exchange room to inflate their shares worth from N20 to N150, crash the same share to N30 and ready to buy it back at N28 all within a year. Forget it, currency will never appreciate in such economy.
16. A country where banks are involved in round tripping and inflated cost to siphon money is doomed. A company wants to import caterpillar worths $50,000. A bank made the forex $550,000j meanwhile no caterpillar was imported at last yet the money faded into private accounts. Who strain forex in that case?
It is a known fact that a lot of Biafrans under the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) family do not know the truth behind the incidents that brought the division in the once united IPOB leadership which comprised the top leaders of IPOB under the command and control structure of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the team leadership structure of the Directorate of State under the care of Mazi Uchenna Asiegbu Omiomio.
It is important that we all know the truth so you will not be fooled by any group of pretenders in IPOB that does not want truth and Justice to reign but are busy “mouthing” and challenging those who know what they have done wrong to come forward and say it. These set of people are also in the forefront of clamouring for peace without demanding justices first.
Biafrans, friends of Biafra, lovers of freedom and men and women of good well should take this unadulterated truth from me: Uche Mefor is evil. Yes! You heard me right. Uche Mefor is the brain that is sabotaging Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the Biafra restoration struggle.
Uche Mefor has had a very negative influence on Nnamdi Kanu. He worked with some parochial interest minded members of Nnamdi kanu’s family and other disgruntled elements in IPOB to feed Nnamdi with lies, deceits, blackmails, half truths, innuendoes and outright falsehoods.
His modus Operandi was to present everybody not in his evil camp as having evil intentions against Nnamdi Kanu.
He succeeded in manipulating the IPOB leadership same way the government of the day succeeded in manipulating the scenarios in the movie Prison Break by casting the innocent characters in the movie as the villains and having them attempting to prove their innocence to the world without success on several occasions.
Uche Mefor took advantage of the fact that Nnamdi Kanu was in prison and thus depended mostly on him (Uche Mefor) and his co-travellers for feed backs on issues round the struggle.
He thus presented other members of the DOS as nursing evil intentions and wanting to take over the mantle of leadership in IPOB. The only saints were him and his co-travellers (those part and parcel of his evil scheming).
Yes! It is said that if a lie is told severally without been countered that it tends to start having the characteristics of truth. This mantra played a key role in the saga as Nnamdi Kanu soon fell for Uche Mefor and his (Nnamdi’s) family evil scheming.
They told him blatant lies upon blatant lies, falsehoods upon falsehoods, innuendoes upon innuendoes, deceits upon deceits, half truths upon half truths and as a man who had limited access to information due to the fact that he was in prison, he finally succumbed to their evil scheming.
In one instance, they even told him that his beautiful wife have issued forces with the accused (Iroanya & Co.) to ouster him from his position.
The plan game was that Uche needed to position himself as a very royal deputy who loves his principal more than every other person. He equally wants to be entrusted as the sole presenter in Radio Biafra London since he knew that he was a very boring presenter who will easily be “cast aside” with the coming of any other ，presenter that knows his onion
Another issue that played a major role in making Uche Mefor to succeed in his evil scheming is the fact that Radio Biafra London is a business venture jointly owned with Nnamdi Kanu.Thus the latter nursed the fear that the former might greedily confiscate the Radio station since it is solely under the former’s care due to the incarceration of the latter. Thus, the latter supported the former blindly since he (the latter a.k.a Nnamdi Kanu) knew the implications of doing otherwise.
It is important to always say the truth because it’s our creed in IPOB and also because the blood of innocent Biafrans killed in the struggle won’t forgive us if we bastardise the struggle with lies. The focus of the struggle under Nnamdi Kanu now is on what the paid freedom fighters within their ranks and file will take home monthly and not about the welfare of the families of the killed and maimed Biafrans or in taking the painful decision of today that will bring the gains of tomorrow as far as Biafra restoration is concerned (A simple investigation will prove this facts).
Uche Mefor thereafter connived with his co-travellers and perfected the acts of lying, character assassinating and blackmailing the DOS and other coordinators that did not support his act of treachery.
In once notable instance, the Uche Mefor camp went to town with the tale that it is was the former Lagos State Coordinator and his elder brother who was the then State Coordinator that took a SIM card in October, 2015 to Nnamdi Kanu in his hotel room Lagos and thereafter betrayed him to the DSS. Despite knowing that the story is a lie from the pit of hell.
In another case, they produced a poorly directed video clip mastered minded by Emmanuel Kanu (Fine Boy), Nnamdi Kanu’s younger brother (which is still on YouTube) that purportedly claimed that over 70 Biafrans from Enugu State were murdered by the DSS Operatives and the then State Executives failed to disclose the facts. It’s to be noted here that the first time this arrest of about 70 IPOB members issue came to my hearing was through Prisca Chiamaka Abel (The then Biafraland welfare officer) which necessitated a free will donation amongst us that heard the story since the cost of their release was put at about N5,500 each. However, the story turned out to be a ruse (Prisca Abel can be contacted for confirmation).
So it was very disheartening that Nnamdi Kanu will later allude to this poorly produced video clip by his fraudulent younger brother and Uche Mefor as a reason for shutting down Enugu State IPOB then. Shutting down the State machinery wasn’t the issue but maligning the whole of Enugu State people as “treacherous lots birthed by prostitute mothers” confirmed that Nnamdi Kanu has become lost in the blackmailing and lying world sold to him by Uche Mefor. And since then he (Nnamdi Kanu) has not disappointed in the act of lying and blackmailing as he has obviously bagged a PhD in the act as his continuous attempt into linking Radio Biafra International to the DSS further confirms. But the question those with probing mind should ask Nnamdi Kanu remains: At what point in time did the DSS start funding the Radio Station he (Nnamdi) personally asked for its establishment? (Well! that is a story for another day).
I want to use this opportunity to advice my fellow Biafrans to shun heroic worshipping, supporting injustice because the man they love is involved, greediness and self centeredness in this struggle. After all, we have not come to restore man but our beloved nation, Biafra. Do not allow your love for any man blind your eyes of reason and your probing mind. Learn to call a spade by itself rightful name and also, learn to do justice to all men no matter whose ox is gored only in so doing will Biafra come.
Also note that the essence of Biafra is to build a nation where reason shall prevail and not a nation will heroic worshipping and teleguiding of citizens happens.
Am appalled when I see those that claimed to be whiter than white and whiter than snow, those that urged us to lead the way in saying the truth at all times even if it leads to our death (that truth is life) now doing the direct opposite of what they preached.
Finally, those that seek for reconciliation must preach justices first. They must stop worshipping Nnamdi Kanu and ask him to stop his blackmails as it is now a stale techniques. He should come down from his high horse and take “ownership” of all evil actions of his deputy, his family, his heroic worshippers (who promoted the division with their insults and lies) and do the needful. Truth and justice must definitely come first before peace can reign.
The Customary Government of Biafra has appointed an Envoy and Administrator for the Biafrans in the State of California, United States of America. The Customary Government is powered by the Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN).
The Administrator and Envoy is Ifeoma Caroline Nwadike. In a letter of appointment sent to MOBIN MEDIA, the Chairman, Governing Council of the Customary Government of Biafra, Barrister Emeka Emekesiri, said that the appointment, which took effect from November 2020 will last for three years, and may be renewed upon satisfactory performance.
It read in part; “By this appointment, you have become the Director of Biafran Diaspora Affairs in California under the Movement of Biafran in Nigeria (MOBIN) who shall oversee the affairs of all Biafrans resident in California as Nigeria’s citizens or with dual or multiple citizenship of other countries.
“You will liaise with and assist the Government of California in the internal affairs of the Biafran living in California. This is strictly an internal affair touching upon the private lives of Indigenous People of Biafra in the State of California under Customary Law.
“You will encourage Biafrans to participate actively in the politics and socio-economic life of California and win friends.
“The Customary Government recognizes the sovereignty of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and does not oppose the Nigerian Government. The Customary Government is an internal governmental structure for the Biafrans created under the Nigerian Customary Law by Deed of Customary Government which accepts that the Biafrans are Nigerians by citizenship but Biafrans by indigenous identity as provided by the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of the Indigenous Peoples, Res 61/295 of 2007.
The Customary Government is powered by the political arm of the Biafran struggle known as the Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), the political movement that engages in both national and international politics in the interest of Biafrans.
By this appointment, Nwadike becomes the first Envoy of the Customary Government of Biafra in California.
The saying that what a man can do a woman can do better certainly rings true for Talatu Imram, an indigene of Shinkafi, in Shinkafi Local Government Area of Zamfara State. She had been trafficking weapons for bandits for seven years and got paid after every successful trip.
A divorcee with seven children to show for her failed marriages, Talatu, who lives amongst the bandits in Zamfara State, was having a field day until she was arrested by men special task squad, Abuja after one of her major sponsor was picked up.
Looking very sharp and full of life, Talatu changes husbands like clothes as she moved from one bandit to the other. Until 2019, she was married to a bandit who was killed by the security forces.
In this interview, Talatu, who spoke in Hausa language, talked about how her sojourn in the dangerous job. She said: “I am 40-years-old and a divorcee. I was arrested through one of the men popularly known as Orujeje that usually gives me weapons to ferry for him to other states in the north.
I was arrested at Nassarawa State where I ran to by the police, who I heard were looking for me after the they arrested Erujeje. I have been in the business of transporting arms because I live amongst the bandits; that is what I do to survive and take care of my seven children. I have been married several times and was married to bandits. One of them was shot and killed by the security forces last year but I later married another and divorced him, so I am single now.
I have been married severally and divorced severally because I hate to suffer and the moment my husband begins to make me suffer, I will divorce him and move on with life.
“I am among the women that usually transport arms for kidnap groups in Zamfara and I get paid at the end of every trip. I have been in the illegal arms trade for over seven years now.
I have made plenty of money but I cannot now say this is the total amount of money that I have made because they usually pay me the money it bits. Sometimes they pay me N20,000 after every trip and I use the money to take care of my seven children. I have seven children from my previous husbands.
“How I transport the weapons to wherever they want me to deliver them is very simple without being detected by the security men on the road. Before I embark on any of such trip, my boss, Orujeje, usually sends money to me to go to the markets and buy box. After buying the box, I will then go to the market again and buy babies clothes and those items that they usually ask pregnant women due for delivery in the hospital to bring. When I return from the market, I will first dismantle the AK47 riffles and lay them neatly inside and use the belt to tie it so it doesn’t shake during the journey because of bad road. After that, I will then fill the box with the baby items neatly inside the box, close and ready to go.
Because of the security situation in our state, there are many military and police check points and they usually ask everyone in the vehicle to come down for search each time we get to where they are stationed. I have always dodged this process because each time they ask me what I have inside my box, I will tell them it’s women stuff and quickly open the box for them and when they see pad, pants and children’s clothes they will ask me to close the box and that is how I have evaded being caught by the security agencies these seven years that I have been in the business of transporting illegal weapons for bandits and other criminals.
In what appears to be an attempt to forestall another round of #EndSARS protests, armed policemen and soldiers have been deployed in the Lekki toll plaza, Lagos.
Several motorists informed The PUNCH that the security operatives were deployed around midnight.
The Police Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, did not respond to calls on Monday morning.
However, both the military and the police authorities had warned several times last week that they would not allow another round of protests to take place.
The #EndSARS protests, which took place in October, were hijacked by hoodlums leading to the destruction of properties and loss of lives.
The demonstrations also turned bloody in Lagos on October 20, 2020, when men in military uniform opened fire on young protesters at the Lekki toll plaza, an epicentre of the protests in Lagos.
Thousands of prisoners were also set free during the riots that followed.
