Biafra at dawn is the expectation of an average Igbo man. From Imo to Abia, Enugu to Anambra, not leaving behind Ebonyi the noise and chants of Biafra very deafening. Never joke with any young man of the above states with Biafra, their obsesssion very orgasimic .
Nigeria for these class of igbos is a scam, a zoo and a jungle that offers nothing but oppression, discrimination, lies, bad governance, intimidation, electoral fraud and all manner of injustice and tribal bigotry.
Like the Isrealites with the fetters of slavery, they seek for freedom into their promised land of Biafra where honey drips and life so soft to be hard.
A promised land that would on the spur of the moment give them what Nigeria never gave them. A Biafra that would provide visionary leaders who wouldn’t with a pole touch the dirty politics of Nigeria politicians, who do nothing but snatch ballot boxes, rig elections, pad budget, pilfer from public fund, appropriate funds for projects that wouldn’t be executed.
The question I have always asked amidst this euphoria for the dawn of Biafra and the falling into perfect lines those disaligned activities in this our present Nigeria is, where will these breed of Biafra leaders come from? From the ingenuity of AI generation? immune from the destructive influence of seemingly political “bala blue, bu la ba” of Nigeria political system? Or would there be an instant attitudinal change of what we knew them to be from the political play ground of Nigeria?
In as much as life is full of possibilities with nothing permanent, there is still what is called ancient path that defies flexibility( pattern). Amidst the cry for the dawn of Biafra, one would have expected to see a pristine political road map for Biafra Republic in this recent Ohaneze election. Nah! Leopard changes no spots.
Sadly, the election against my expectation was marred with same stains, twist, dirty games and abracadabra of Nigeria political structure.
Nothing different, nothing emulating, nothing to show that at least there would be different however small, when biafra eventually dawns.
I saw nothing different between what happened during the Ohaneze Ndigbo elections and the adage “jumping off the ground to perch on an anthill”. It is sad and very discomforting that as I write, there are three persons laying claim to the presidency of Ohaneze Ndigbo all from igbo speaking area in Rivers where his Excellency Nyesome Wike, Dr. Peter Odili, Hon Chibuike Amaechi etc come from. Some of them at some point disclaimed their igbo origin for some political reason.
Today their kinsmen are struggling to become president of the highest Igbo soci-cultural organisation. Are they now Biafrians ? Or they are just interested in Ohaneze Ndigbo presidency?
Our problem may be Nigeria, but our major problem is ourselves, Ndigbo. What is eating us is not far from us. Right inside us it resides, eating us deep and reducing our worth and values. Nigeria may be our malaria and headache but this cancer that has eaten us deep is from us, to cure it, our call to make.
The recent elections into Ohaneze Ndigbo presidency, a true test of our Biafra at dawn. By the way what is the value of Ohaneze Ndigbo to the security plight of Ndigbo, a plight that is gradually consuming us? Of what benefit is this organisation they are struggling to occupy to our collective brotherhood? Our survival from the hands of kidnappers? Could it be just a toothless fat bulldog? Hollow with no portfolio for effects, results and change in the struggle of an igbo man? Another group to eat, drink,do conference, seminars etc with no considerable influence to change our ugly narratives?
Dr. Jarlath Uche Opara Jarlathuche@gmail.com
