BIAFRA - BEING A STATE OR A STATE OF BEING? Until we have achieved that state of being in Igbo land, the desired geopolitical region (state of Biafra or whatever name so called) remains at risk. So, we must pursue both tasks together, the *state of being* however far ahead in actual implementation.
The *state of being* is as follows:
We have to do as the Catalonians have done in northern Spain.
When they realized that the Castelianos (Madrid) will never voluntarily or easily give them Independencia, the Catalonians (Barcelona) decided to turn inwards and develop their region technologically, economically and infrastructurally. Now, Catalonia region is the economic powerhouse of Spain.
The same thing with Bayern in Germany. When Germany was declaring itself a nation state, Bayern (Bavaria) had the choice to stay out and be a country on its own (like Austria did). Instead, it opted to stay within a greater Germany and become its best part. Today, Bavaria is the most technologically and economically powerful region in Germany - and it has the whole of Germany now as its primary and biggest market to trade in or not to trade in.
The same thing with California in the USA. It's not only the biggest economy among the states of the US, it's also the 6th largest economy in the world! This is probably because it is within the US and can leverage on all the synergies that come with that to be so powerful.
If it were to suddenly break away and stand alone, as a competitor against the rest of the US, things might not be so easy for California.
Of course, the circumstances of Catalonia, Bavaria and California are not quite like those of Biafra (Aligbo or Cakebird region if you like), and we may successfully break away and become a great republic. But we need to accept the constitutional hurdles and the costs of premature breakaway. Our first attempt failed because it was forced on us when we had nothing on the ground, nothing at sea and nothing in the air to fight with. They have wanted to force us into another major crisis from 2015 to date. We have survived only by the skin of our teeth.
Nigeria does not fear IPOB as it is. In fact, they want IPOB to challenge them, so they can militarily wage war on the Igbo. IPOB at present is not the Biafra that Nigeria fears.
They fear the Biafra that might become like Catalonia, like Bavaria, like California. That's the Biafra they fear. So they need militant IPOB and other separatist groups to give them an excuse to come and reduce Igbo land to a wasteland again and turn back the hands of our clock once more to zero, like they did in the 1967-1970 war.
Even if we don't want and don't start any hostilities, they will use the slightest excuse or provocation or accident to send in their troops to Igbo land or to Ndigbo elsewhere in Nigeria - to kill them and steal their property. Like before, all the world powers and countries will give Nigeria the required land, sea and air support plus their diplomatic machinery, and we would find ourselves again standing alone - with only Haiti, Ivory Coast, Gabon and Tanzania on our side.
We are not cowards and would gallantly fight back if pushed to the wall by any aggressor(s), but we have to put on our thinking caps. We have to shift the battle to the field where we are sure to win. Even asking for referendum now is premature and unrealistic.
We have to pull back and restrategize. What matters most now is release of Nnamdi Kanu and all other Biafran political detainees.
All Igbo can reach a consensus on that. Even most of our current political leaders that most of us love to hate would buy into that agenda if properly approached, with assurances that release of the detainees would not constitute a direct threat to them.
But it is not referendum that will give us the Biafra we need. And, of course, it is not guns that will give us Biafra. As Ndigbo, the first step to freedom is to balance extreme individualism of the Igbo genius with collectivism of a region with shared cultural values.
We have to pool our wealth, intelligence and efforts together to turn Igbo land into a First-World region.
The second point concerns our political leaders - governors, ministers, senators, federal and state house members, commissioners, local government council chairmen, councillors, traditional rulers and non-governmental political leaders. As much as most of us don't like most of them, we have to work on and with them.
Where they are not doing well or satisfying us, instead of boycotting voter registration and elections, we should participate fully in all personal data-capture exercises and electoral matters. During elections, we replace deficient elected leaders with persons unquestionably faithful to the cause.
One thing we must understand is that our bad leaders need unproductive agitations to stay in power through endorsements by people who don't wish Ndigbo well. All they need to do is to offer themselves to be used against Igbo masses in return.
One of the unpopular Igbo leaders actually told me that Biafra agitations are good for his political career, for he only has to condemn them to be liked in certain high places. He also told me that he would rather people of his state stayed outside the state because of insecurity than returned and be asking him accountability questions.
Without street Biafra agitations, with peace all over Igbo land, with most Igbo people relocating to Igbo land or at least investing in Igbo land, the colour of our political representation would change speedily and we would be well on our way to becoming that great region of Nigeria that majority of our people want to see.
We the people are holding all the aces. Shifting our focus from agitations that may not give us what we want to peaceful engagements with our political representatives will make them relaxed and not given to fighting their own people for their political survival.
We can then demand that they invest in infrastructures - road/rail/air/waterway links to Igbo towns and villages, potable water, drainage systems, housing, hotels, banks, post offices, educational facilities, libraries, tax breaks for small businesses, and regional economic integration.
We can demand that they constitute expert groups across every field from within and the diaspora to develop and advise on the framework for regional development.
Instead of going to Abuja, the state governors should come together, put money together from their budgets and build a 4th or even 5th Niger bridge in Igbo land, dredge and chart all navigable waterways, develop the dry ports, and make it mandatory that every South-East governor prioritizes regional integration. Land costs, taxes and tariffs across the region must come down to encourage investors and businesses.
Computer Village in Lagos is full of Ndigbo. The governors and leadership should put their moneys together and build something similar in every state of the South-East.
Follow up on Geometrics power project of Prof Barth Nnaji, with a view to completely electrifying all Igbo land. Oji River Power Station and the coal mines of Enugu should be reactivated for additional supply of electricity energy.
Put their money together and elevate Enugu airport to a level higher than Lagos or Abuja airport as a regional aviation hub. Developing the Owerri airport to a full international cargo airport and take advantage of the central location of Owerri in the South East.
Quality educational institutions are absent or in shortage in the South-East even though we constantly produce the highest number of applicants to universities. Let us build more quality schools by collaboration with our diasporans. They're the best in many parts of the world. Let's harness this advantage.
We need a world class Stock Exchange in Igbo land. We can achieve that without the Federal government, because we are seriously involved in trading. Encourage our diasporans to work with our state governments to establish and run world class healthcare institutions.
IPOB has already come up with a blueprint for an Igbo-wide democratic customary government, very republican in nature, and this is good. Incidentally, it is in accord with the Nigerian constitution.
If peacefully implemented, this can be a mechanism with which to hold elected executives and legislators to account, if Nigeria stays together. And if Nigeria falls apart for reasons beyond our control, then automatically we already have a framework of state administration in operation.
However, IPOB must win Igbo people over by championing their welfare with their own governors and other government officials. Warn the government officials that they might not be re-elected and they might face investigation and criminal prosecution if they fail to serve their people well.
Rebranded IPOB should also encourage the training of security personnel, standardization, integration and sharing of information by the different state security groups to stamp out crimes like robbery, murder, drug abuse, kidnapping, ritual killings, human trafficking, prostitution, etc.
We are Igbo. We are in the communities and we know those who are into crime. People must start explaining their sources of wealth. IPOB can utilize its huge following to ensure crime is wiped out and good governance is entrenched in the South East.
Then, IPOB and Nnamdi Kanu, if rebranded as proposed, would for ever be remembered kindly by history.
If we are doing things like all these, few Arewa and Yoruba elements will not need to issue quit notices or attack Ndigbo again. Ndigbo would on their own come back in droves to build up Igbo land to the admiration of all...and even encourage other ethnic groups to emulate us.
It is not beyond the Igbo to venture into modern and very lucrative cattle rearing and be the leaders in all of Africa? We did it before at Obudu Cattle Ranch and can do it again - even bigger and better this time. Are we not known to come late into any venture and excel beyond those in it for years before us?
The governors of each South-East state should as a matter of urgency encourage ranching in all Igbo states for prospective and enterprising Igbo cattle farmers by, for example, giving them land and financial support.
Meanwhile, anti-open grazing laws should be enacted by every state assembly of the South-East. Cow owners must establish ranches and truck their cows to the market but must not roam about anywhere in the South-East.
IPOB has power. If they use it wisely, they can bring about tremendous positive changes at home without any bloodshed. They are uniquely positioned at this period in time to use their massive following and break that extreme individualistic Igbo trait to bring about positive changes that will shape Igbo history for generations.
If they misuse it by going the route of endless crises or even war that didn't work decades ago, then it would be a great shame indeed.
If Nigeria stays together, Igbo land can and will become the most advanced region of Nigeria and Africa within twenty years, if we start now.
If Nigeria breaks up, we as a region would by then be ready to face challenges of regional autonomy with greater confidence.
We are not ready now. And this is where we need to put all our eyes into...with Nnamdi Kanu and other Biafran detainees freed as quickly as possible.
Chinedu Jideofo-Ogbuagu.
