Why The Igbos Clamour For Secession

 Nigeria is a country with different ethnic groups rich in natural resources, intimidating landmass, large population, and complex political history. The Igbo people, which predominantly live in the South East geopolitical zone, have long expressed grievances and dissatisfaction regarding incessant arbitrary killings of Christians and burning of Churches by the North, unequal revenue allocation, lopsided political representation, and economic marginalization. Another central issue revolves around the perception that North controls 100% of her own in-ground mineral resources, while the South-South contributes significantly to Nigeria's oil revenues, which is the country's economic benchmark. 

One outstanding anomaly in Nigeria's lopsided resources' sharing formula is that, while the North controls 100% of all its own in-ground mineral resources, it still extended its domineering tentacles to control all the Federal Government in-ground mineral resources, including the oil deposits and their revenues in the littoral South-South States of Nigeria. The North uses Government's fiat to promulgate laws to cripple the economies of other federating units. It uses its position to encourage, promote, and fan the embers of radicalized Islamic jihadism, leading to killings and maimings of thousands of innocent people whom they call infidels (Can you imagine what the uncircumcised people call us?), burning of Churches, displacement of vulnerable population whose lives are presently hanging in the balance. 

Nigeria's colonial and post-colonial history has shaped its current political and economic landscape. The discovery of crude oil deposits in the Niger Delta in the 1950s shifted Nigeria's economy from agriculture and coal production to oil, with the South-South geopolitical zone becoming the primary oil-producing region, though some parts of South-East have little oil deposits too. The South -East, the Igbos, while not a major oil producer, is geographically close to the Niger Delta, and has historically been a significant contributor to Nigeria's economy through commerce and industry.

The revenue sharing formula in Nigeria is a highly contentious issue. The federal system, controlled by the Fulanis, as originally programmed and assisted by the ungodly British Empire, distributes the oil revenue among the States. But, without equivocation, the allocation sharing formula is unfair and biased especially to the Igbos in the South-East, with a disproportionate share of oil revenue benefiting other regions particularly the North, which has no drop of oil in her earth's crust to contribute to the nation's economy. 

The South-East's agitation for secession is rooted in the perception that the region has been slated for total annihilation by other federating units, led by the Fulanis and Yorubas. It is also crystal clear that the South-East has been economically marginalized by successive Nigerian Governments for decades. Despite contributing immensely to Nigeria's economy, the Igbos have received obviously no federal investment in infrastructure, education, and healthcare delivery systems. The revenue allocation formula was criminally designed by the Nigerian Government in a way that it only favours the North and South-West (Yorubas), leaving the South-East with nothing at all. The Igbos also point to the massive destruction of infrastructure during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), also referred to as the Biafran War, and the deliberate policy by successive Nigerian Governments (military and civilian) not to reconstruct the dilapidated region. America fought a civil war between 1861-1865. The Union (Northern States) won the war against the Confederacy (Southern States) after an unquantifiable losses in human and material properties to both sides, particularly the North, the country became one inseparable unit again and started reconstruction of both sides simultaneously. The imaginary Markson-Dickson line that divides North and South America did not stop the infrastructural development of both sides as it happened in Nigeria. 

The Igbos (South-East) also feels excluded from political power at the federal level. For example, since the return to democracy in 1999, the presidency has rotated among different tribes and regions, but the South-East has not produced a president, leading to feelings of exclusion. Political appointments and key positions in government are also seen as skewed against the South-East, thereby accelerating agitation for self-determination. Le Chatelier's Principle said that when a system which is in equilibrium is subjected to a stress, that system tends to adjust itself so as to relieve the stress, where the stressors are temperature and pressure conditions. Not only that, it is also said that when an owl sees a puma, it cries out so loud. What I mean is that oppression leads to agitation. No reasonable husband or wife would vow to divorce a partner that loves him/ her and accomplishes his/ her marital responsibilities. The Igbos would not have for once agitated for secession if not for the clear conspiracy against them. Those who are in bondage will fight for freedom without minding whose ox is gored. 

We, the Igbos, the proponent of secession argue that a sovereign State of Biafra would allow us to control our own resources, develop our economy, and preserve our cultural identity. The Igbos believe that secession will enable them to address their own development challenges head-on, without the constraints of Nigeria's feeble and befuddled federal systems. The situation in Nigeria is indeed dire, with unquestionable reports of massive Christian genocide, Church burnings, displacements of vulnerable population, kidnappings, rape, and banditry, forced conversion to Islam, forced marriages, human rights abuses, and mass killings and bombings perpetrated by various terrorist groups, especially the radicalized Fulani jihadists. The Nigerian Government has been seriously criticized for its handiing of security issues with impunity, with some accusing it of turning blind eyes to the plights and killings of Christians and other vulnerable groups. In contrast, the Fulani jihadists' support for a unified Nigeria which has virtually failed in all its responsibilities as a sovereign State, led by their hypocritical leaders such as Sheikh Ahmad Gumi, has been questioned, with allegations that they seek to maintain power and control over federal resources. 

It is evidently known that only those tribes which are looting the national coffers are crying for a unified Nigeria. It is not because of their patriotism at all. Two major tribes which are lamenting and begging for continuum of this failed State, Nigeria, are the Fulanis and Yorubas. There is not a single thing that is working in Nigeria. Should we continue with a unified Nigeria where terrorism and killings are rife and openly supported? Should we continue tolerating burning of Churches with thousands of worshippers burnt inside alive with petrol? Should we continue with a system where fellow citizens are invaded, slaughtered, and displaced and made refugees right in their own country? Presently, there are over 5 million displaced persons in both Plateau and Benue States joined together. They have no food, shelter, livelihoods, and medical facilities. They are still dying till today because nobody is taking care of them. Nobody is interested in their welfare. Why are the Nigerian Christians endangered species? Why has it become a capital offence to be a Christian? Why have Christians not killed Muslims even for once in Nigeria? Is this the type of evil Nigeria we should call our own country? Should we continue with a system where young girls are randomly kidnapped and raped on daily basis? Many parents who lost their daughters to bandits have given up on searching for them because there are no clear leads to find them. What about the heavy taxation that the bandits demand from northern communities before allowing them to go to their farms and return safely home? Are bandits supposed to be stronger than the Nigerian Army? Should we continue with a country where the North (the Fulanis) are totally in control of everything in Nigeria? They control their in-ground mineral resources in the North and control the crude oil in the South! Many retired army generals of northern extraction have oil blocs in the South. They mine and export  crude oil from other geopolitical zones just because they control the Army, Navy, Air Force, Police, Presidency, Legislature, and Judiciary etc. What of university admission requirements in Nigeria? The candidates from the South are required to get higher grades before admissions into the universities, whereas in the North they are admitted without passing any examinations. After their graduation from the universities, the candidates from the South who worked so hard to get admissions into the universities will be denied employment. The half-illiterate candidates from the North will be appointed the Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, while the one from the South who laboured to pass examinations will be his Personal Assistant! Is it not true? When the secondary school certificate examination is about to begin in Nigeria, the students in the North will be shown the papers to prepare them to pass. Is it not so in Nigeria? What of admissions into the Nigerian Defence Academy? Is it not the North that controls it? No matter how well a southern candidate might perform, they will reject him except if he gives them money or if he gets recommendation letter from an Army officer from the rank of colonel or above. Is it not true? For many years, only Lagos seaport is functioning in Nigeria. They politicized the seaports. The Fulanis and Yorubas grounded Warri, Port Harcourt, and Calabar seaports to help Lagos State generate revenues from imported goods. Over 85% of all containers imported into Lagos belong to the Igbos. Yet, the Government refused to make things easy for them by not allowing them to import from nearby seaports. After clearing a container in Lagos, it will take an Igbo man another 24 hours on the way to take the container to the South East? Is it not so? What is the benefit of belonging to a dead system? Tell me. No freedom of speech. No freedom to life. No freedom of association. No electricity. No drinking water. No good roads. No employment. No security. 

I want to tell you the story of two persons who spoke out to condemn terrorism in Nigeria and what happened to them. One of them is Major General Danjuma Ali-Keffi. He is a retired senior army officer who was forced out of service, detained for 64 days in a solitary confinement, and subjected to humiliating treatment after uncovering individuals suspected of financing and sponsoring terrorism in Nigeria. He led Operation Service Wide (OSW), a multi-agency task force aimed at identifying Boko Haram masterminds and dismantling their nefarious networks. He lost his job for working hard against the murderers. The Fulani-controlled Government removed him from the Nigerian Army for serving the nation meritoriously. Can you see that? 

The second character who suffered and died for speaking against the killing of Christians in Nigeria was Obadiah Mailafia. He was the Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria. He died on September 19, 2021, at the National Hospital in Abuja, Nigeria, under serious controversial circumstances. Obadiah Mailafia was speaking against the killings of Christians in Southern Kaduna, and alleged that some top-level politicians were linked to terrorist networks operating in northern Nigeria. The Fulani-controlled Government killed him within a short time. Obadiah's family and associates claimed that he was openly denied proper medical attention and was moved from hospital to hospital looking for help, without any hospital accepting to treat him. The only one which accepted him charged his family so much money that it became clear to them that he never truly wanted to save Obadiah's life which was hanging in the balance. Obadiah was denied proper medical attention, including oxygen and a ventilator, despite the fact that he complained of breathing difficulties. The doctors at Gwagwalada Hospital in Abuja bluntly refused to follow the medical advice given by a foreign consultant and quickly pronounced him dead, even when his wife felt his pulse. The man was not ready to die. But Fulani-controlled Government told doctors not to cure him so that there would be no voice to protect the vulnerable Christians in Nigeria. Before this time, there were several threats from Fulani Muslims to him. He began to hide himself from them. Government said that any hospital that cured him will summarily be dealt with. Is it supposed to be so? A conspiracy among hospitals not to cure him led to his death. The Middle Belt Forum (MBF) and the Southern Kaduna Peoples Union (SOKAPU) have demanded for an independent forensic analysis of Mailafia's death, citing suspicions of foul play and conspiracy to kill an innocent man who protected the Christians in Southern Kaduna. The list of the atrocious activities of Fulani leaders against Nigeria is endless. The name "Nigeria" should be blotted out of the surface the Earth or it should be re-named. Nigeria is a kingdom of iniquities!

 Inspite of these litany of wickedness against the nation, the vindictive Fulani leaders are still claiming that the bandits and jihadists are freedom fighters. They also said that the "unity of Nigeria is sacrosanct." They are pushing for continued unity of Nigeria without peace. They want continuum of a unified Nigeria without equality in Government's resources sharing formula. They want to continue stealing crude oil from South-South forever under the name of one Nigeria. They want other ethnic nationalities to continue under enslavement and serve them as kings and lords. They said that banditry was caused by poverty and unemployment. They goofed. Banditry is not caused by poverty and unemployment. Rather, it is a culture of armed criminality and violence enriching the perpetrators and their mentors such as Sheikh Ahmad Gumi and his goons. If banditry and terrorism do not benefit the Fulani leaders, why do they persistently ask successive Nigerian Governments to dialogue with terrorists and bandits? Why do Fulani leaders, the promoters and bank-rollers of jihadism, call bandits "fellow Nigerians who deserve our cooperation and empathy." Should armed robbers be empathized and cooperated with? If Fulani leaders are not milking the Federal Government dry through regular collection of gargantuan ransoms for the release of hostages, would they call the bandits freedom fighters? When did Fulanis become freedom fighters? Who enslaved them? Are they not the ones who enslaved and tied Nigeria with the rope of brass with the mentoring of the Queen of England? 

Bello Matawalle (Minister of State of Defence) publicly claimed that Fulani-led armed bandits are not criminals but freedom fighters. But, we know that the first Fulani bandit commander (Kachalla) was Kundu. He was from Katsina State. His deputy, Buharin Daji, killed him and took control. From one Fulani bandit commander or Kachalla to 120+ today. It all began in 2011 with Kundu, and expanded under Buharin Daji. They are not freedom fighters. What freedom is found in the following heinous crimes?

* Burning down Zurmi?

* Massacring Yargaladima?

* Kidnapping the children of Yauri, Katsinawa, Shinkafi, and Birnin Magaji?

* Taking huge ransoms from Kanawa, Katsinawa, and Zazzagawa traders? 

Terrorism and banditry are caused by the power-that-be in Nigeria. They feed from it. It is business. They use them also to propagate their wicked Islamic expansionist agenda and kill people as their Allah commanded them. The Fulani Muslims, in particular, want all Christians dead at all cost! They hate us so much! They love to afflict Christians. For example, in an election of the Organization for African Unity (OAU) Secretary-General in 1985, President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria, voted against Nigeria which he was ruling, in favour of Niger Republic instead. He secured the election of Ide Oumarou, a Fulani man from Niger Republic, as opposed to Peter Onu, an Igbo man from Nigeria. By so doing, Buhari became the first and only Head-of-State in world history of international relations to vote against his own country in favour of his tribe's man living thousands of miles away. 

In conclusion, the Igbo people of Nigeria have been clamouring for secession due to arbitrary killings of their Christians and burning of Churches by Fulani jihadists, marginalization, oppression, and economic exploitation. Other reasons that fueled the demand for self-determination and autonomy include insecurity, corruption, backwardness, and dearth of infrastructure in the region. We want our own country -- Biafra!

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