REFERENDUM NOW FOR IGBO NATION!
(An Open Letter to Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo)
Chief G. Nnachi Enwo-Igariwey
President-General,
Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo,
Park Avenue,
Enugwu, Enugwu State.
Dear Chief Enwo-Igariwey,
We, the members of IgboZaraIgbo, seeing no relief in sight for the Igbo ethnic nationalities in the failed contraception called, Nigeria; having lost all hope in the ability of this mirage to function as a true nation; refusing to accept that it is the lot of the Igbo to continue to lose millions more of our innocent children, mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters, in the failed attempt to keep this abomination alive, direct you and Ohaneze’s attention to our demand as articulated below in this open letter.
The moment when the rain started to beat us was the unauthorized inclusion in 1914 of the Igbo Nation in an unfortunate amalgamation of strange nations by British colonial authorities. That fraudulent experiment designed for one hundred years expired in 2014. The peaceful dissolution of the forced nations should have followed suit. Due to the quest for human freedom mounted on the marauding British colonists by Igbo and other freedom fighters, a fake “Independence” was foisted on Nigeria’s different nations in 1960. The truth is that the colonizers merely went behind the scene, choosing the weakest link among the strange nations to stay the status quo. Human tragedy has been the result!
Fast forward to 1966: When certain Army fellows, comprising soldiers of the incompatibly amalgamated nations, were engineered to teach the misbehaving politicians a lesson, the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) quickly generalized the coup as Igbo coup, setting in motion the unending hatred against the labeled culprits. Of course, envy and jealousy against Igbo success across Nigeria were already considered factors for hate. The slaughters of over 100,000 Igbo living in northern Nigeria but also in Lagos and other parts of the country, and the counter coup of July the same year said it all. Note from what we know now that the patriotic soldiers seized power to bring Chief Obafemi Awolowo to power.
The hunt for the Igbo did not stop as a forty-eight hour “Police Action” was dispatched to Igbo territory to teach them more lessons. The result was a thirty-month war that took the lives of more than three million Igbo and other Easterners, notwithstanding the attempt General Emeka Odimegwu-Ojukwu made to avoid a war during the meeting in Aburi, Ghana. Finally, in January of 1970, there were calls for “Truce” to “end of hostilities” between the two warring factions. “No Victor, No Vanquish,’ and three famous R’s of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation, and Reconstruction – were fully used to celebrate the former “brethren” forgetting their differences, while deceiving the world that the genocide against the Igbo had ended.
Was the amicable “Truce” between “brethren” real, forty-five years later? The truth is, while the Igbo, cum Biafra were busy picking up the pieces to reposition themselves within Nigeria, the later had dubious agenda in mind that spelled mockery to the truce agreement. There were propaganda moves to infer that Biafra surrendered in that war. However, under the Nigeria Freedom of Information Act (FOI) of 2011, IgboZaraIgbo organization challenged the Nigerian government to release the declassified Biafra Surrender document two years consecutively, with no replies from Nigeria. There was a secret agreement between the Yoruba and their Hausa-Fulani leadership to relegate the Igbo to the backwater of Nigerian affairs for one hundred years – all for daring to defend their lives against wanton pogrom the likes of which the world had not seen since the Nazi genocide against the Jews. These partners also collaborated to deny Igboland, the implementation of the famous three Rs – all for the fears of the unknown, hence neglect of Federal presence in Igbo territories, forty-five years after the war. There is continued occupation of Igbo territories by the Nigeria armed forces, leading to the use of deadly force even against peaceful protesters. There is ongoing harassment and intimidation of Igbo citizens across Nigeria, including pre-meditated deportations and callings to go back to their “enclave.” There are ongoing killings of Igbo citizens across Nigeria, especially in the Hausa-Fulani areas. An estimated twenty thousand Igbo has been slaughtered with impunity and their properties destroyed. The list of atrocities against Igbo by Nigeria is unending. Forty-five long years since the genocide war dubbed “civil war,” Nigeria has worked hard to destroy the Igbo Nation, even with the deliberate attempt made to deny the Igbo power – whether military or political in Nigeria.
The Igbo, a tested battle ready nation, is not weak even under the unprecedented aggression toward them but are only allowing peace to reign – being a peaceful people. However, our endurance has reached the limit. Igbo will not reject themselves. Peaceful separation of Igbo from hateful Nigeria remains the best option. Self-determination is a right for any aggrieved group, as enshrined in the United Nation’s Charter and countless international human rights instruments, including the African Charter on Human and People’s Rights (otherwise known as the Banjul Charter). We at IgboZaraIgbo worldwide concur to this separation, and in line with the Lower Niger Congress and other agitating groups. A stitch in time, they say, saves nine.
Since you, the Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo, claims to be the “Onu na ekwuru Ndi-Igbo,” and in the ongoing threats to the survival of Igbo people across fraudulent country of Nigeria, we submit that it is the interest of the Igbo that discussions begin without delay amongst Ndi-Igbo on a referendum for the Igbo nation to chart a new course for freedom by claiming their human rights to self-determination – just like the many nations in Africa and beyond who have claimed this same right since the breakup of the former Soviet Union in 1991. Failure to act will be regarded as an act of sabotage against the Igbo Nation – perhaps, confirming that greed, selfishness, cowardice, and self- interests is now the mainstay of Igbo leadership, and indeed the modus operandi of Igbo leadership and intelligentsia. Rest assured, at the right time every Igbo, including you (Ohaneze Ndi-Igbo), the Governors – past and present, the Legislatures – past and present, the Traditional rulers – past and present, businesspersons, and any other individuals or groups, who have paraded themselves as Igbo leaders – must account for their stewardship to OHA. This is a given and Oha Igbo is watching!
Sincerely,
Signed:
For and on behalf of the membership of:
IGBOZARAIGBO
1629 K Street, Suite 300
Washington, DC 20006
IgboZaraIgbo@yahoo.com
Cc: Abia State Governor
Anambra State Governor
Ebonyi State Governor
Enugwu State Governor
Imo State Governor
