Sunday, 2nd April 2017. 12:45 GMT
Between Kanu's Release And Gov. Okorocha's Call For National Reconciliation
The last man I expected to join the agitation for the release of Nnamdi Kanu is Rochas Okorocha - the executive Governor of Imo State. He has been antagonistic since the inception of the struggle on the basis that freedom is not what the people of Biafra need but to continue in the contraption that has remarkably excluded them.
Between Kanu's Release And Gov. Okorocha's Call For National Reconciliation
The last man I expected to join the agitation for the release of Nnamdi Kanu is Rochas Okorocha - the executive Governor of Imo State. He has been antagonistic since the inception of the struggle on the basis that freedom is not what the people of Biafra need but to continue in the contraption that has remarkably excluded them.
Most Governors in Biafraland see Biafra agitation as depriving them their power and business. They have helped the Northern oligarchy to subjugate their people simply because they are placed in a position of power. This is like what happened in the era of slave trading; where the slaves trading their fellow slaves or used against their fellow slaves never wanted an end to slavery even though it is evil or to the detriment of their people.
It is a known fact that the people of Biafra are shrewdly but institutionally marginalised and as a result of the civil war are not trusted in the federation of Nigeria. This lack of trust brings about total exclusion and abandonment to the extent that there is no infrastructure or any form of federal presence in Biafra land except the military and police, killing, intimidating and extorting money from innocent defenceless Biafrans every day.
Appointments in Nigeria is filled with nepotism that nothing reaches the people of Biafra. There is a systematic exclusion of the people of Biafra in things of merit simply because Nigeria fears that Biafra will be given a life-breath if a Biafran is allowed to excel. Instead of healing the wound of 1966/70 genocidal war and attrition, Northern oligarchy decided to take advantage of it until Nnamdi Kanu sprang from nowhere to halt molestation and subjugation of his people.
Today, Nnamdi Kanu has raised a standard against the conquest of his people because one cannot forever be a slave. Nnamdi Kanu instead of raising an army as expected went for a lawful radio station; his mission was to speak the truth, disclose what has been going on with politicians and enlighten more the history of Nigeria which was highly concealed with the elimination of history in schools. Nigeria has a bad history that could have been appreciated and brought to the knowledge of Nigerians; this will show the willingness for a correction - for a better Nigeria. Instead, they concealed that history and feigned ignorance; afraid to confront their problem and solve it, it is a known fact that the history of Nigeria is the issue with Nigeria. The inability to tell the people of Biafra, 'we killed over 3.5 million of your people to keep Nigeria one; we are extremely sorry, let us move on as one people and you people deserve more'.
Nigeria leaders never thought of reconciliation; they were determined to hide their dark past and take advantage of it but when Nnamdi Kanu came, he exposed the atrocities of Nigeria and how she has been taking advantage of it and now the centre can no longer hold. The people of Biafra have come to the realisation of their history and how they are used and limited, they can’t continue because Nigeria has shortchanged them for years and kept atrocities against them away and hidden.
The major mistake once more is when Nnamdi Kanu took the spotlight; he was determined to disclose everything and say the truth; instead of approaching him and admit the truth he came with, Nigerian government decided to fight that truth. There is no way this truth can be successfully fought against; it has escaped from where it was hidden or locked and it would continue to hunt Nigeria. There was an opportunity to addressing the issue by engaging Nnamdi Kanu but that same reason Nigeria is a failed state is the reason, Nnamdi Kanu was arrested.
Rochas Okoracha and his national reconciliation - coming a bit too late but I am hopeful that it would not get worse. When Nnamdi Kanu was arrested and detained against Court orders; I strongly believed that nobody ever thought of national destruction. When Rochas Okorocha advised the President of Nigeria to continue to detain Nnamdi Kanu, I bet he never thought of national reconciliation. When Nnamdi Kanu was detained simply for broadcasting on Radio Biafra; nobody ever thought of national reconciliation till this perilous hour. When BBC Hausa service calls for total rejection of GoodLuck’s Nigeria; they all thought of national destruction if the broadcaster is arrested. When other people call for the breakup of Nigeria; they all thought of national destruction but left them to their opinion. But when Nnamdi Kanu said that Biafrans need a referendum; he was arrested because the national destruction was not thought of.
National reconciliation may go beyond releasing Nnamdi Kanu because his agitation must be addressed, the many questions his agitation raised must be addressed for a sincere reconciliation. Development of Eastern Nigeria may answer the question his agitation raised; a stop to marginalisation may answer it. True federalism may answer it; change of fraudulent 1999 constitution may answer his questions. A referendum to determine the position of the people of Biafra may answer it; second civil war may answer it as well. Full blown crisis as prophecies are saying may answer it; releasing him and treating him to a dialogue on how everything can be healed may answer it.
Releasing Nnamdi Kanu can bring about national reconciliation. How shameful - they never knew that arresting Nnamdi Kanu for asking questions and making a civil demand without violence would bring about national strife. How shameful - they never knew that bigotry which played a big role in the continued detention of Nnamdi Kanu would bring about national disintegration. Muhammadu Buhari can continue to detain Nnamdi Kanu as much as he wants, but a determined people will always come out victorious and truth must prevail.
For two years Nnamdi Kanu has been in detention; the issue of Biafra remains a mainstream political discussion in Nigeria. As long as Nnamdi Kanu continues to be unlawfully detained, strife, economic logjam and national instability will continue to ravage Nigeria. When they are ready for national reconciliation; Nnamdi Kanu will be released and discussion on how the referendum can be will be initiated. If Biafra loses; then differences will be buried to resurrect this sick or dead Nigeria and if Biafra wins, Nigeria and Biafra will build a stronger Africa. To face the reality is better than running away from one's shadows.
By Ifeanyi Chijioke
By Ifeanyi Chijioke
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