Mr. Kanu a young man who probably didn't see Nigerian soldiers or Biafran soldiers during the civil war in 1967-1970, and probably not having practical knowledge or experience on the bitter consequences of war in the massacre of millionss of souls, bombing, killing, maiming, looting and massive destruction of property, for which, he has for some years been beating the drums of war flagging the organization he calls Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) when Nigeria needs peace instead of war.
Mr. Kanu a Nigerian citizen of the Igbo race who claims to have denounced his citizenship of Nigeria, had come out with a defiance campaign against the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, calling himself the leader of a "Biafran Republic" that had been a figment of imagination thus creating division, disharmony and distrust amongst the people of Nigeria, creating much tension in different parts of the nation annually that occasion clashes between his group and the state authority, which in most cases resulted in lose of lives and property.
One cannot count the number of those who had fallen victim to the antics of the UK based propagandist.
Mr. Nnamdi Kanu operates like a propagandist taking advantage of his controversial radio Biafra station, wherby he gives controversial information, announcements and news that misled many youths to their early graves and others to sorrow.
During the #EndSars protest, Mr. Nnamdi Kanu sounded like, he was the overall Commander giving orders like a man ready for vengeance against perceived enemies, in the manner of an infuriated man, ready to cause a mayhem across the nation.
That was the scenario Nigerians found themselves as the self acclaimed Biafran leader, Mr. Kanu bombarded the airwaves with announcements through his radio Biafra, the new media and other networks. He commanded the protesters not to leave but to continue their protest. It was just like a battle Some of IPOB activities at EndSARS protest:
In Nnewi it was reported that:
"The leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, and Director of Radio Biafra, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu on Tuesday, lent his voice to the nationwide agitation for ending Special Anti Robbery Squad (SARS), a unit of the Nigerian Police Force, advising the agitators to regist being compromised hear him:
"EndSARS campaign is leading in the right direction. Only three ingredients are needed now. They will throw money at the issue in the hope of buying people off the streets, but they must be registed."
"Consistency is viral at this stage. Don't allow mental fatigue to creep in. Momentum.has a multiplier effect. With momentum the movement becomes unstoppable.
"These three key ingredients will deliver victory.
After this, things will no longer be the same in Nigeria. I salute your courage..."
This was how Nnamdi Kanu instigated the peaceful EndSARS protesters to violence as recorded in some states.
In Ebonyi State, it was reported that the protest was not peaceful, but violent according to the Governor of the State who imposed curfew to stop 'attacks by hoodlums'.
"Governor of Ebonyi State, David Umahi made the curfew declaration in a State broadcast on Wednesday after several attack by hoodlums who destroyed some government and private properties."
In Abia state, it was reported that the life of the Governor was threatened to be arrested by the IPOB leader, as in:
"Kanu Urges Abia Youths to join EndSARS Protest, capture Gov. Ikpeazu." It reads:
"The leader of the Indigenous People Of Biafra (IPOB) Nnamdi Kanu has urged the Youths of Ohafia, Abia state to join the ongoing EndSARS protest and capture the Governor of the State, Okezie Ikpeazu....".
Threatening to arrest the Governor of a state in a widely orchestrated 'peaceful protest' is suspicious like a 'handshake that went beyond the elbow'.
In Rivers State, Governor Nyesome Wike frowned at activities of IPOB the organization led by Nnamdi Kanu, and made an open declaration in these words,
"... members of the proscribed indigenous People Of Biafra ... can't use the State to launch attacks".
Governor Wike: "... recalled that since IPOB was classified as a terrorist organization by the Federal High Court in September 2017 by the Federal Government, the group has carried out intermittent processions in parts of Rivers State especially in Oyigbo and other notorious suburbs in Port Harcourt Local Government Area ... unleasing violence.
"The Rivers State Government had severally warned and even advised IPOB and it's members to discontinue it's insurrectional actions in Rivers State.
Instead IPOB unleashed another urgy of violence and destruction inflicted at Oyigbo area and parts of Port Harcourt City Local Government Area, Tuesday 21st October 2020.
"...this evil, wicked and audacious action resulted in the unnecessary loss of scores of lives, including soldiers and police officers..". Gov.Wike said.
The aforementioned are just 'a tip of the iceberg' compared to all the gruesome incidences of killing and looting that occurred across the nation.
The position of the Rivers State Governor, Nyesome Wike's proscription of Biafrans in that State was widely supported by the Rivers people in view of the fact that Rivers State was never part of the Igbo States that were Biafra Republic, as declared by Odumegwu Ojukwu which led to the civil war in 1967-1970.
COL. OJUKWU APPOINTED AS MILITARY GOVERNOR
It was in 1966, then Head of State, Major General Aguyi Ironsi appointed Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu Military Governor of the Eastern Region,
but according to historical evidences:
" The Eastern Region, felt increasingly alienated from the Federal Military Government under Gowon.
Ojukwu's main proposal to end the ethnic strife was a significant devolution of power to the regions. The Federal Government initially agreed to this solution at a conference in January 1967 but then rejected soon afterward.
Ojukwu responded in March- April 1967 by separating the Eastern Regional Goverment's revenues from those of the Federal Government"
That at that point there were:
" Mounting secessionist pressures from his fellow Igbo finally compelled Ojukwu on May 30 1967 to declare the Eastern Region to an Independent sovreign State as the republic of Biafra.."
Consequent upon that divisive development, according to historical evidences, 'a civil war broke out which lasted to January 11, 1970 as Ojukwu surrendered.""But before Ojukwu declared his Biafran State, the then Head of State and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Yakubu Gowon, created 12 States, which occasioned split of the Eastern Region to 3 namely: Rivers, South East and East Central.."
Rivers State was created for the Ijaw People, and an Ijaw man from Nembe, a Naval Officer, Commander Alfred Papapreye Diete-Spiff was appointed Military Governor of the State and was in the Federal Republic of Nigeria from the beginning to the end of the civil war.
It is also on record that, even that Ijaw freedom fighter of Kaiama who led a 12 day revolution against the Federal Government, Isaac Adaka Boro was a Military Officer, a Major in the Nigerian army. So, Rivers and Bayelsa States were not and are not Biafra territories.
The civil war was dastardly, many fellow Nigerians were killed, some maimed, blinded, when the Nigerian Military ... launched operation."tail wind" it was unbearable which led to the escape of General Ojukwu to Cote d'Ivore, leaving behind his deputy, Major General Philip Effiong who surrendered to the Federal Government.
His broadcast:
"I, Philip Effiong do hereby declare I give not only my own personal assurances but those of my fellow officers, and colleagues and of the entire former Biafran people of our fullest co-operation and very sincere best wishes for the future.
"It is my sincere hope the lessons of the bitter struggle have been well learned by everybody and I would therefore like to take this opportunity to say that I, Major General Philip Effiong Officer administering the government of the Republic of Biafra, now wish to make the following declaration:
" That we are firm, we are loyal Nigerian citizens and accept the authority of the Federal Military Government of Nigeria. That we accept the existing administrative and political structure of the Federation of Nigeria.
"That any future constitutional arrangement will be worked out by representatives of the people of Nigeria. That the Republic of Biafra hereby ceases to exist."
In response, Head of State and Commander-In-Chief of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, General Yakubu Gowon declared:
'No victor no vanquished"
General Gowon in an interview spoke as follows:
Excerpt: from the archive:
How are going to treat the Igbos:
Gowon: As far as I am concerned right from the beginning of this operation, we've never taken the Ibos as enemies as Ojukwu had made them to believe and has made the world to believe, as far as I am concerned, the Ibos will be treated as equal citizens in this country, there will be no secondary citizenship in Nigeria unless by their own behavior and performance, and this applies to any Nigerian whatsoever.
"The head and the heart is the only yardstick which can judge who will be a secondary citizen. Therefore the Ibos have nothing to be afraid of, they can be rest assured that they have a part to play in rebuilding the new Nigeria, which has just been born. Let them come, let them join hands with us, wherever they are and appeal to them, the Ibos at home and areas not liberated. Ibos abroad, Ibos everywhere, not to listen to the propaganda of foreign press, or propaganda of people who really don't care for their welfare. The Ibos have nothing to fear as far as I am concerned.
Let them come back home I have given them my word of honour. There will be amnesty for anyone who tries to come back and with that I am quite convinced, if they are ready to play their role properly, I think we will rebuild a new Nigeria where no man will be oppressed."
General Gowon in his integrity.received all former Biafrans into the Nigerian family with equal privileges.
When Ojukwu returned back to his home country Nigeria, in 1982 he was received directly into the Government party at that time, the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and was a staunch member without a jot of discrimination.
The Ikemba (1 ) as popularly called by his kinsmen, friends and well wishers, Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu was elected as a Delegate to the 1994 Constitutional Conference convoced by Head of State, General Sani Abacha of blessed memory.
Under that arrangement, Ojukwu also with his people founded a political party of their own, the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA), this shows that the Ibos were well intergrated.
They were also well intergrated in terms of holding high political positions, the Igbo people have received their fair share as it is:
* Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe was Vice President of Nigeria.-
* Chuba Williams Okadigbo -.Senate President
* Evan Enwerem - Senate President
* Anyim Pius Anyim - Senate President
* Ngozi Okonjo Iweala - Finance Minister
* Oby Ezekwesili - Minister of Education
* Dora Akunyili Director Genaral NAFDAC and many others.
The Igbo people have been favoured in the creation of States, from two they now have five, so what do they want from Nigeria?
Why is it that none of the Igbo big wigs had said anything against the Indigenous People Of Biafra IPOB or Biafran Republic, which Mr. Nnamdi Kanu has been canvassing on their behalf as their leader over the years?
Why is it that even those big Igbo political leaders, including those in Government are mute over it, are they in support of IPOB or what?
Nigeria had suffered a great lose no doubt from all angles.
We have lost our own children. We have lost so much, we lost our sons in the military, we lost our sons in the police and we lost our sons in the civilian population, yet we have to embrace peace, because Nigeria needs peace and not another civil war.
