The Biafra course, Nnamdi Kanu and Vision 2023
The Biafra course, Nnamdi Kanu and Vision 2023!
I do not share in Nnamdi Kanu`s ideology, I am not a supporter of
Biafra, I never for once bought into Col. Ojukwu`s idea and I will never
buy into the idea of Nnamdi Kanu. I am just an Igbo apologist that
believes the Igbo community deserves a fair chance in 2023.
Secession is not the way forward for the south east. Secession is a
watershed event not only for the new state that is created and the old
state that is dissolved, but also for neighboring states, proximate
ethno-political groups and major powers. Preaching violence and hate all
in the name to discredit Nigeria and justify the need for the creation
of Biafra is not the way to go. It will only end up fueling one purpose,
just one purpose- war.
If for any reason Biafra must come alive, majority of the people in
the south east will decide that with a referendum. In that case, those
involved and all from the south east would have had their say as to what
becomes their destiny. It will not be achieved by one man inciting
violence with the intention to justify secession.
Absolutely, It is a noble idea and usually effective to ignore
detestable attention seekers. However, once they show signs of lunacy,
it becomes paramount to give them attention so as to keep the society
safe and peaceful because when speech becomes filled with hate and
incitement to violence by shameful attention seekers, turning deaf ears
to it and keeping mute about it becomes careless and dangerous.
What those that are currently championing the Biafra course are
selling to the people in the south east is not freedom. It is violence,
war and destruction! These men capitalize on the perceived neglect some
people from the region feel and use that to call for the Biafran State.
We must not allow them to take advantage of this perception to incite
violence in our society.
Any civil war again in the country will take us decades backwards and
will destabilize the country. When the time has fully come for Biafra
to come alive, it will neither be through hate filled speech nor through
incitements to violence. It will come peacefully.
With an Igbo President in 2023, the perception would have been
nullified. In that case the Biafra dream becomes a forgotten issue.
The south east has voted for others, they deserve to be voted for. 45
years after the end of the civil war led by C. Odumegwu Ojukwu, the
south east has not grabbed the highest position of the land. You do not
want them to discuss secession, you must want them for leadership after
45 of avoidance. It is either we give them a fair chance come 2023 or we
let them go in peace.
In the spirit of federal character, the Igbos deserve the next
presidency. It’s being 45 years since the civil war was over, they have
held the subject up in every light of which it is capable; but it has
been all in vain. Shall they resort to entreaty and humble supplication?
They have petitioned; they have remonstrated; they have supplicated;
and they have prostrated themselves before the throne. But their
petitions have been slighted; their remonstrances have produced
additional violence and insult; their supplications have been
disregarded; and their prostrations have been spurned, with contempt,
from the foot of the throne. All has been in vain!
We cannot continue to make them indulge in the fond of hope with no
assurance. If we wish to make them stay, if we mean to preserve the
country as one and not basely abandon the noble struggle in which we
have been so long engaged, then the Igbos deserve the presidency in
2023!
Before we criticize the idea of the Igbo presidency we must realize
that every region deserves a fair chance in the highest position in our
country at one time or the other. So calling out for an Igbo president
after 45 years since the war was over isn’t out of point and shouldn’t
be overlooked. The major political parties in the country can assist in
making this happen when they feature presidential candidates from the
south east come 2023.
It isn’t a hard call. It is part of integration and the love for a part of us.
Let`s give them a chance too!!!
God Bless Nigeria.
Ogundana Michael Rotimi is a Nigerian Biochemist, Socio-economic
& Political Commentator, and Public Speaker. He tweets @MickeySunny.
