Founder of the Movement for the Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, has blamed the suffering of Nidigbo in Nigeria on the failure of their leaders to get fully into the struggle for Igbo liberation even via a non-violent approach.
He explained that when he started the agitation for new Biafra Republic, one of his major challenges was convincing Ndigbo in 1999 that his quest for the new nation would never cause another civil war in the country.
Uwazuruike recalled that the situation which led Ndigbo to fight the 1967-1970 war is still prevalent today, declaring that the Biafra struggle was making much progress but added that little work is needed to be done.
Uwazuruike, in a press statement signed by the Director of Information for Biafra Independence Movement (BIM), Mazi Chris Mocha, stressed that in 2002 the federal government thought it fit and converted the dismissal of ex-Nigerian soldiers who served in the Biafran army to retirement.
He also listed among others that it was on the heels of MASSOB-BIM’s exposure of crime of injustice against Ndigbo that the government led by former president, Olusegun Obasanjo, that one of Igbo police officers was made the Commissioner of Police; Mr. Ogbonna Onovo appointed as Inspector-General of Police (IGP) and later on February 2007, Obasanjo made Amb. Aguiyi-Ironsi (rtd) the Minister of Defence (Army) 3 months to the exit of his administration and 32 years after the civil war.
Explaining further, Uwazuruike said it was the courageous approach of MASSOB to the Biafran struggle for independence probably encouraged the Justice Eze Ozobu-led Ohanaeze Ndigbo who made a bold representation to the Justice Chukwudifu Oputa Commission on Human Rights where Ohanaeze demanded among others an N8.7 trillion as compensation for the many years of Injustice against the Igbos.
“For many years the Igbo nation had suffered internal colonialism, indignity, exploitation, apartheid, exclusion and marginalization in silence hoping and praying fervently to God that a Moses would emerge one day to tell Nigerian Pharaoh’s in Abuja let my people go”
“When I started the struggle, one of my major challenges was trying to convince Ndigbo that my quest for The New Biafra will not cause another civil war, now I feel fulfilled”.
“He observed that Nigerians have been under Pharaoh’s-like leaders who all agreed and glorified in the persecution of Ndigbo but regretted that those who should have protected Ndigbo were rather collaborating with our oppressors and are still masquerading themselves as Igbo leaders
He said the Igbo problem has gone beyond marginalization MASSOB-BIM wants independence from Nigeria”.
Some of these Igbo elite Uwazuruike said helped to sabotage the Biafran efforts during the civil war as a result of which Biafra was defeated and the Igbo are now treated as slaves in Nigeria and they are comfortable with the pitiable condition of Igbo.
– Authority
