Breaking News: IPOB recounts how 5 Million souls were wasted in last 4 decades struggle for Biafra , set for Referendum

Read slowly this press statement unedited:

A very good friend of mine was completely disappointed when I was nonplussed but rather contemplative at the news of EU’s position concerning the agitation for the self-determination of Biafran people.

After fusing over me for some times, I told him that considering where we are currently on this journey, that it is only a juvenile that will be overwhelmingly happy for this news. (Nwata akwo n’azu, anaghi ama na uzo di anya). This is because organizing a referendum, even though there are many presumably easy routes to it, but on our own case may not be as easy as most people think.
An independent Sovereign state of Biafra, which to me, most of our people angle for, is a very contentious issue. It’s so contentious and evokes so much emotions, for having supervised the wasting of nearly 5 million souls over the past four and half decades.
The contention surrounding Biafra is simply because the opposing side believes that it’s jugular is located in Biafra, therefore anything that gives rise to Biafra is invariably calling for its own death. But that is as erroneous as its deceptive, because many world-dominating nations today do not have oil under their soil.
In fact Japan that is quoted to have about 125 trillion dollars in Foreign Reserve, not only that it has no petroleum deposit, it is not up to Biafra in land mass and population.
While Nigeria that claims to be ‘Gaint’ of Africa cannot boast of up to a trillion dollars in Foreign Reserves.
Be that as it may, Biafran issue is still so contentious because the ruling North/West that runs the Government of Occupation in Biafra land believe strongly that its existence is economically anchored on Biafran territory. Therefore any referendum for the self-determination rights of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra that may authorize the freedom of Biafra people and her territory being separated from Nigeria must not be done in a jiffy. The point being made here therefore is that the leadership of the indigenous people of Biafra, if a referendum is ever going to be held in Biafra, must not only do justice to it, but must also show that justice has been done. The leadership in Nigeria must stand on top of our shoulder, not just peeping to see we are doing it correctly, without flaws, but can even go to any length to put impediments on our way, to ensure we fail.
Therefore the onus must lie on the leadership of IPOB to organize an undisputed referendum to convince all doubting and suppressive ‘Thomases’ that majority of Biafran people actually want to take Biafra out of Nigeria through their votes.
Therein lies our challenge. How prepared are we? Many people on the streets think, on one side that its UN or EU or even AU that will come down and organize referendum for Biafra. Some even dumbly believe its going to be done by Nigerian Government. So they see no challenge in it, even though this group is very apprehensive of the possible outcome of such exercise if it is organized by Nigeria, since even a Local Government election being organized by a Nigerian Government agency is sure to be rigged.
Therefore, as it becomes clear to all of us that WE are expected, at the appropriate time to organize this referendum and execute it, we become more conscious of the enormity of the task ahead.
After considering our present position, vis-a-vis organization, cohession and leadership, one will definitely realize that we are miles away from being ready. The truth unfortunately, is that our people are not aware of this scenario.
What therefore is urgently needed for us to be ready for a referendum?
Simply put, a well organized, disciplined people of Biafra under one central, equally disciplined Government. Do we have this? We are very far from that.
As this problem is starring us in faces, some people, thinking they are working for the good of Biafra are still opposing any move to get our people organized understand a central Government. Many of these people doing this may not be doing so in a bad faith, but are ignorantly thinking they are doing the best for Biafra. But the truth is that ignorance, not only is no excuse to the law, its equally not an excuse to reality. The reality here is that we need a well-knitted, well-organized, well-coordinated people under an equally well-organized, well-coordinated, well-knitted and well-structured and a disciplined Government organ to execute the referendum if, and only if we expect a good outcome from such exercise. We must be ready to work with one voice and one mind. We must be responsible and wise. We must be able to attract respect from not only the international community, but also from Nigerian Government to convince the world that if given the chance, Biafra won’t constitute a threat to the already threatened world peace due to leadership crisis. We need to also be very well-coordinated to ensure that all the YES votes, that are ever for Biafra, are well-harnessed.
Our direct job, after agreeing with Nigeria on the boundaries and supposedly eligible voters and guidelines for the voting, will include, not exclusively registration of voters, and enlightenment programs to educate our people on how to vote during the referendum.
Apart from all these not-so-easy activities, funding of the whole exercise must be borne by us. Organizing referendum is just the same thing as organizing a national general election. If this is challenging to an already existing government and her people, how easy therefore can it be for a people as ‘ coherent, obedient and discipline’ as Biafrans?
Finally, it’s my humble suggestion that all the groups agitating for Biafra, including all Biafrans not directly amongst the agitators, should as a matter of Biafran urgent national importance converge under and inside the Customary Government of the indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) in order to start now to prepare for this all-important exercise of our journey to freedom.
The need to use the Customary Government platform is that it is being run within the legality of Nigerian law, international law and customary practices as recently innunciated by the European Union. It’s imperative to inform our numerous Biafra people that no matter how much you detest Nigeria and her leadership, it is with international law that the host sovereign nation MUST approve and recognize the emerging nation and all processes leading to freedom. Any activity that is unilateraly executed may lead to the entire exercise being vitiated and likely derail the move to freedom.
Therefore, from the fore-going it can be seen that whoever that opposes our peoples unity in leadership and as a people is inadvertently an enemy of Biafra. And am sure that no TRUE Biafran will like to be found or adjudged to be so in the long run, except those working already as agents of Nigerian Government of Occupation in Biafra land.
Therefore, let us without delay do the needful. Biafra Customary Government awaits you as do so.
Mr Anthony Aniebue,
IPOB Administrator.