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Sunday, June 11, 2017

BREAKING THE SILENCE: Why I Held Back My Support For IPOB May 30th Cause






* Three Reasons Why The Struggle May Not Succeed Legally and Politically

Okonta Emeka Okelum, Asaba

Many of my friends on Social media responded with mixed feelings over my out-burst of zero support, some later expressed their surprise both in support and in disbelieve about my position.
Yes, that post was and only addressed the issues that concerned that day's activity and the reasons I presented concerned issues of the protest.

But today, my main reasons will address more germane democratic, political and governance related issues, these reasons before early this year gave yours truly the conviction that the Biafra Issue might not scale through, if we are going to be true to ourselves, most shocking too, are recent actions at the national assembly further confirms my position.

My convictions are very simple and they are thus:

First, is the position that in the Nigerian Constitution, those who drafted and ratified it never had in mind the least possibility of any internal national schism nor possible future agitation for regional break out.

So the fact that the nation's constitution does not have provision for referendum weakens my desire to throw in my support, as a well-trained activist, of all the advocacies and struggles I had embarked upon, my leaders took great pains to unveil to us constitutional appropriateness of the engagement, drawing it's legality from both national and international legal instruments, conventions, treaties and other vital legal documentation.

I just can't easily allow myself go blind with the crowd after what does not have the right constitutional backing.

Secondly, so far, so good, the IPOB led struggle has not openly earned sufficient political will it deserves to attract my support.
Over the recent years, with wide alert attentions, I sought to catch sense strong waves of support from top ranking political and public office holders of the five major south eastern states, none came my way.

On this May 30th sit at home campaign, I was steadily tuned to all the south eastern radio stations with strong reception at Asaba, with keen attention I listened to their hourly news broadcast, to hear what their various state governors will say in support to the on-going sit at home campaign, surprisingly, till end of the day's exercise, none of the region's governors expressed support for the day long struggle.

The fact that the south eastern states has well informed political representatives as both retired and serving senators, NASS representatives, governors, ministers, federal & state level board members, ambassadors, Local government chairmen and councillors, yet none of these class of big weight had called themselves together throw their weight behind this engagement, gave me the early red signal that there is no head way towards the IPOB campaign.

One social media photo shopped image got me thinking last year, it was a photo of a global football super star celebrating a scored goal, who raised his jersey, unveiling an inscription begging "UN GIVE US BIAFRA" it was days later I ruminated over the social media image again and my conviction got clearer.

Another reason why the UN will possibly do just nothing is this, who and who currently represent Nigeria at the UN, are those folks from the Igbo extraction?

Who during general assembly or other special meetings of the world body will echo the agitation of the south eastern states for international support at the global level.
I just do not see the possibilities of an Hausa and Yoruba dominated UN representatives, leaving what their party instructed them to say at the U.N and dance towards globalizing the Biafran struggles.
Thirdly, is the near grave time testament of the founder and funder of the original conquest for the attainment of the Biafran struggle, even, Chief Dim Odimegwu Ojukwu on the fact that all about Biafra is gone with the wind, as well as his avowed pronouncement that no other pro Biafra agitation will succeed.

Before May 30th, especially, last year, the video was seen on few occasions, but since the month of May pronouncement of the IPOB to stage a sit at home protest, the video got more often and frequently repeated posting on the social media, attracting required responses from both supporters and non-supporters alike.

With this work of mine, I know some blind Biafran Supporters will not address the three issues raised here, but will resort to name calling and needless insults, all this work requires is but an honest examination of the points presented and intellectually engaged.



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