NEWS : Biafrans Know Their True Leader Freedom is as old as man. Right from the time of the early man, man has lived every aspect of his life

 

Freedom is as old as man. Right from the time of the early man, man has lived every aspect of his life struggling to be free, to live a life of freedom. While Europeans and Americans embraced this freedom, they have refused to see Africa as a free nation.

 Using different African leaders, Africa has remained under slavery even after many years of the abolition of Slave Trade.

Like I said, to be free is inborn in man. There has been a move to gain freedom even among Africans. In 1967, Biafrans were subjected to a genocidal war for declaring the Republic of Biafra. This is a move to end the killings of Biafrans going on across Nigeria. 

This move unfortunately, is against Britain who have seen Nigeria, not as a country, but as a British company. The efforts of the then Ghanaian president to sue for peace was truncated by Britain using BBC to spread propaganda and incite hatred against Biafrans.

As Yakubu Gowon and Odumegwu Ojukwu agreed to form a confederacy in Nigeria, BBC was busy broadcasting that Gowon has bowed to Ojukwu. Invariably, they are saying that Nigeria has finally bowed to Biafra. 

Something that infuriated Nigerians. It isn't then a surprise that Gowon denied the Aburi resolution and went forward to create states out of the Biafra territory.

Britain needed that war. The war that took the lives of more than 2 million Biafra children alone. There is every need to cripple the East and enthrone the Fulani as the new masters in what is to become a new Nigeria. The war came,

 Britain sided with Nigeria and supplied them with enough ammunition to subdue and exterminate Biafra. It is pertinent to note that without the strength and ingenuity of the Biafra people in 1967-70, there wouldn't have been anything like Biafra people today.

Sadly, Biafrans were defeated but not destroyed. They were forcefully returned to Nigeria, but not without marginalisation of the Biafrans, even to their sons that never saw Biafra war. Nigeria believed that with The advice of Gen Phillip Effiong which says, 

"Treat the surrendering Biafrans well or risk their children rising" has been totally relegated by Nigeria Government. 50 years after, Biafrans have risen up once again. Seeking for the restoration of the Republic of Biafra.

The road to freedom for Biafra has been a turbulent one. Persons and groups of persons has made claims of leadership for Biafrans. The new era of the struggle started with Raph Uwazurike. The movement for the Actualization Of The Sovereign State Of Biafra (MASSOB) he called it. MASSOB got the followership it deserved. 

The battered children of Biafra wanted freedom, but there was no leadership figure. The political leaders of the East are all slaves to the Fulani. Competing among themselves who will serve the Fulani most and betray their own people more. So Uwazurike fits into the craving of the 'We the People'.

Raph Uwazurike didn't last long. He was bought by the oppressors of his own people and he started dancing their own music. But the people are not fooled. God has raised another leader in the person of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and the people followed.

IPOB became the group the Federal government can't penetrate. A lot of things have been perfected by the enemies of freedom to kill the Biafra struggle, but IPOB remained stronger

. They have used some elements claiming to be fighting for Biafra to destroy the group. They proposed a fake unity, whose aim is targeted towards dethroning Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, but failed. You can't force yourself on people, it is rather the people that says who is their leader.

The people have seen the dedication and sincerity in Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. They have seen his sacrifice for the struggle and the people have followed him till this day. All the mischievous elements claiming leadership and forcing themselves on people should understand that it is the people that says who will be their leader.

Mazi Nnamdi Kanu without monetary inducement raised hundreds of thousands of media warriors that can write and defend the struggle against the sponsored elements by Nigeria Government. 

Today again, God has raised men to stand under his command, to protect his people against the invasion of Fulani herdsmen terrorists, who wipe villages and rape women.

The people of Biafra stand with Mazi Nnamdi Kanu as the only true leader of our people, and no other.

BIAFRA : The Eastern Security Network (ESN) A Breath of Hope to Biafran People

 

Since the launch of Eastern Security Network (ESN), I have really taken out some time to observe what is the general opinion of the Easterners (Biafrans), to whom this kindness have been shown.

 I clearly noticed that the birthing of this security outfit, came along  with it, a certain level of re-assurance to the people that someone somewhere, still cares about their wellbeing. They truly deserve peace and such a patriot is willing to do anything to create such a conducive environment for them.

However, I still noticed that there yet exist, some other three major counter opinions attached which stated that: 

To these I am going to briefly respond to. The people who think or thought that the governors and elders should have been carried along, should be quickly reminded that the Governors Forum whose chairman is Engineer Dave Umahi of Ebonyi State, had openly stated that they did take an oath to protect the interest of the Federal Government of Nigeria (the Fulanis) and not that of the Biafran citizens. 

This was clearly said by 'Dave Umahi' himself and has been proven right by other governors especially of the South-East region through their recent behaviors. The Eastern elders likely, have not been different in their behaviors towards the safety of our land and the preservation of it's value. On the 26th of August 2020,

 a letter was addressed to the Ohaneze Ndigbo leadership by Miyetti Allah, implying that they had made the choice of the next President of Ohaneze Ndigbo in agreement with Governor Hope Uzodimma of Imo State. In view of this, how does one yet expect the people to trust this set of leaders for their safety and survival?

Talking about the forest guards that needed to be supported due to their legality, I will simply give a brief narrative of what I personally withnessed about an incident that took place at Enugu.

 In the month of December 2019, I went to visit someone at 9th Mile, Ngwo, Enugu State. And to my greatest surprise, I met the presence of several armed men comprising of majority of forest guards and police mobile officers roaming around the popular 9th Mile junction for about two hours (3:00pm-5:00pm).

When I later took time to enquire what actually transpired, it was learnt that they were ordered by a State commander to go and apprehend some hoodlums (Fulani suspects) whose presence were noticed in that neighborhood. But as they got there, they got a Federal order to halt the mission within that long moment of time. Tell me if that was not enough for the hoodlums in question to make their escape.

Talking about the purported proscription of IPOB, it is noteworthy to state here that this submission holds no water. Anybody holding this opinion should be equally reminded that the case is still in court and the Federal Government is yet to prove it's claim.

With these facts therefore, it is reasonably clear that no person needs further explanation to prove that there cannot be a better security measure for Biafraland at the moment than the appearance of Eastern Securitg Network (ESN) which is beyond the control and dictates of the corrupt Igbo politicians and elders.

NEWS : Oludayo Tade, 2020 verdict – Mr. President, lead us well

 

The unsmiling and gloomy faces of Nigerians on the streets invite a probe into their lived experiences and everyday encounters with a view to unpacking how leadership cluelessness and underperformance continue to negatively impact the lives of the majority.

Whether holding umbrella or broom, the gluttonous leadership structures elevate primitive accumulation for the SELF above the common good of the REST.

They ascend leadership positions through deceit and construct their castles with the common patrimony and in exchange, unleash poverty, unemployment and insecurity on the pummelled hoi-polloi.

Bitterness and regret seem to have enveloped those who enthusiastically had hoped the CHANGE promised by candidate Muhammadu Buhari will be positive and the country will be on the path of greatness again. Nigerians appear to have entered a metaphoric ‘one-chance’ vehicle of change which has served them the next level of insecurity, bad economy and deepened corruption.

Saheed is a mechanic who patronises roadside Amala food vendors where he spends about N300 (N200 Amala and N100 meat) for lunch. The Amala was N50 per wrap but Saheed who had planned to buy the usual combination was shocked when told that the wrap of Amala had experienced inflation and is now N100! He would now need N500 to reach his old level of satisfaction under the new price regime.

Ten litres Groundnut Oil that was sold a month ago at N6, 000 is now about N10, 000. Don’t even go near red oil. Bread bakers have reduced the quality to retain the old price. Welcome to PMB’s second wave of ‘enugbe’ economy (recession).

The latest data from the National Bureau of Statistics released in December 2020 put the inflation rate at 14.89%. Do you wonder why food prices soar above the reach of many Nigerians?

Farming communities are at the mercy of rampaging herders, bandits and rustlers who displace them at will while government response remains lukewarm.

During the farming season, some farming communities battled violent aggressors, got displaced and lodged in internally displaced persons’ camps.

While those displaced could not farm, those who managed to plant crops are at the mercy of terrorists like the Zabarmari massacre where rice farmers were slaughtered like chickens.

At the time of writing this piece, there has been no information about the arrest of their killers and we have since moved to Kankari abduction and release episodes among others. How do you ensure food sufficiency when you can’t protect farming communities?

African China’s song, ‘Mr President’ has become an evergreen message to the leadership that things are worse off. To know if Mr President is (not) leading us well, carefully examine what brought him to power after three serial rejections at the polls.

PMB unseated former President Goodluck Jonathan on three major electoral promises: fight corruption, tackle insecurity and fix the economy.

Today, many hailers of the President Muhammadu Buhari (PMB) presidency have become wailers. Pressure groups, labour Unions, and human rights activists invested a lot in this government and their regrets are conveyed by lamentations.

African China saw ahead of 2020 when he said: “food no dey, brother transportation no dey and our road no good o, what about NEPA people oooo we no get light. make una lead us well, no let this nation to fall inside well. Mr President!”.

African China’s song captured Governors and National Assembly, and Police, who he advises to ‘police well well no dey take bribe’. Unable to stimulate the economy coupled with State governors’ parasitic dispositions, people’s dreams get dashed as anomie sets in.

A government that uses naked force to suppress law-abiding Nigerians drawing attention to apparent gaps in governance, willingly and happily negotiating with terrorists and bandits.

Those who slaughter people get amnesty, but law abiding citizens get chained, restricted and violated by the state.

The results of this security deficiency are what made Nigeria to be classified among nations experiencing serious hunger.

The 2020 Global Hunger index examined 107 countries and Nigeria came 98th. A Hungry man is an angry man and anger and protest can engender insecurity as people innovate survival strategies including taking to crime.

This perhaps will help to explain why Nigeria presently seats in the third position on the 2020 Global Terrorism Index ahead of Syria (4th) and Somalia (5th).

If cows are killed the way our frontline fighters are killed, many lives would have been sacrificed. What do their families benefit for dying for the country? How then can we be happy?

The 2020 World Happiness report analysed data from 156 countries and asked people how happy they perceive themselves to be.

The idea behind this is that there is a need for the government to give priority to the issue of happiness and well being in determining how to achieve and actualise growth and sustained development.

Nigeria is 113th out of 156 countries. Ghanaians are happier and are at 89th position. Even Morocco (95), Cameroun (96), Algeria (98), and Niger (107) are better than us.

With a poor economy and insecurity, corruption is inevitable. From NDDC Ponde-gate, to off-the-microphone scenario and lately, Maina-gate, we see how rich men infuse ill-health dramaturgy to evade being tried for alleged corruption.

In another court, a poor man that stole a goat was sent to jail. African China understands Nigeria’s inequality in the treatment of offenders and how classism shields corruption when he says “Poor man wey thief maggi dem go show im face for crime fighter. Rich man wey thief money we no go see im face for crime fighter.

Tell me something I know know”. The fraud in the electoral system still calls for concern and the 2020 Edo and Ondo elections will not be exceptions. Hmmmm……African China notes “election for my country na padi padi, wayo wayo, arrange naa ni. People People wey vote them in still dey live in pain, this na disgrace I am so ashamed”.

Certainly, those who promised to take millions out of poverty but succeeded in plunging millions into it and crowning the country as world capital of poverty should be ashamed for failing on their promises.

Hide not under COVID-19 because the foundations of the outcomes we see today predated the month of March 2020 when COVID-19 became a national emergency. What aggravated health problems?

Lethargic leadership failed to close the airspace to allow powerful associates into the country and caused circulation of the virus.

Unlike terrorists, bandits and kidnappers who go after soft targets, COVID-19 virus is a ruthless classless virus. Trapped inside the nation, ‘big men’ cannot access medical tourism.

They breached COVID-19 protocols from Aso-rock; even the burials of the powerful violated social distancing yet no one was punished.

One would have thought that the unfortunate loss of lives of big men and ordinary Nigerians would have trained PMB and state Governors to fund health and education in their domains but as soon as ease of lockdown occurred they resumed medical tourism.

The strain is much and the tension is rising. It is also not too late for Mr President and the lethargic National Assembly to wake up before plunging the nation finally into the well against the wise counsel of African China.

Fix the economy to reduce the strain and attack insecurity frontally and check growing inequality which has made more people corruption-friendly.

Stop allowing security threats into the country from northern borders. For the former hailers now wailing, the lesson is learning from history.

A variable (integrity) is proving insufficient to entrust the future of millions in the hands of those who have shown lack of capacity and clue to solving economic and insecurity problems and bridge the widening gulf between the haves and have-nots.

Future generations should learn not to vote for a candidate that is better suited for the job of EFCC Chairman as Commander-in-Chief of the nation.

In 2021, Mr President, Lead Us Well and bring positive changes that will catapult Nigerians into the NEXT level of security, happiness and prosperity.

Dr Tade, a sociologist sent this piece via dotad2003@yahoo.com

SPORT : EPL, Alan Shearer blasts Werner, others after Chelsea’s defeat against Arsenal

 Newcastle United legend, Alan Shearer, has blasted Chelsea striker, Timo Werner, for offering nothing following the Blues’ Premier League 3-1 defeat against Arsenal on Boxing Day.

Shearer also slammed Chelsea players for lacking creativity against Mikel Arteta’s men.

Arsenal defeated Chelsea at Emirates, thanks to goals from Alexandre Lacazette, Granit Xhaka and Bukayo Saka.

Tammy Abraham did score a late second-half consolation goal for Frank Lampard’s side.

“They [Chelsea] lacked creativity,” Shearer told Match of the Day.

“It was not until the 85th minute where they had an effort on target—a lack of intensity and drive and quality in the final third.

“When you look at some of the players on show in the attacking third, then this could be a worry for Frank.

“[Timo] Werner, who was dragged at half time, did not offer anything in that first half, got into one or two decent positions.

“Arsenal had men behind the ball, and they made it very difficult for them,” he added.

NEWS : COVID-19 second wave, NCAA issues new protocol for UK, South Africa passengers

 

The Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority (NCAA) has given out a new protocol for all passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa effective from December 28 as the country prepares for a second wave of the pandemic.

The NCAA Director General, Mr Musa Nuhu, issued the protocol in a letter to all Nigerian operators and foreign operators flying into Nigeria with a reference NCC/DG/AIR/11/16/286 on Sunday in Abuja.

According to Nuhu, the move affected all airlines with passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa regardless of transit arrangements.

He said the Federal Government, through the Presidential Task Force, had reviewed quarantine protocol due to the recent spike in cases of COVID-19 in Nigeria and reported a highly transmissible new variant of virus in the United Kingdom and South Africa.

“For the two countries, passengers must present the following documents in order to be allowed to board their flight to Nigeria.

“Pre-departure “PERMIT TO FLY/QR code“ generated from the Nigeria International Travel Portal (https://nitp.ncdc.gov.ng) showing evidence of payment for the post-arrival day 7 COVID-19 PCR test and;

“Documentary evidence of a “NEGATIVE COVID-19“ PCR result done within 96 hours (4 days) of boarding from a verifiable laboratory or health facility,” he said.

Nuhu said passengers would be received and processed separately by the Public Health Authority on arrival in Nigeria.

The NCAA boss further said that all passengers would be required to self-isolate for seven days after arrival followed by a COVID-19 PCR test.

He stated that a dedicated register of arriving passengers from the United Kingdom and South Africa would be opened for enhanced surveillance and active enforcement of the protocols.

“This shall be applicable to scheduled and non-scheduled flights conveying passengers originating from the United Kingdom and South Africa.

“The earlier quarantine protocol which became effective on Sept. 18, 2020, shall continue to subsist for a flight originating from other countries except for the validity of the pre-departure PCR test result which now is 96 hours (4 days) from date of departure.

“The effective date is Monday, December 28, 2020, Local Time (2301UTC),” he said.

Nuhu said the punitive measure would be taken against who would fail to comply with the content of the letter.

According to him, any airlines fail to comply will be fined three thousand five hundred dollars ($3,500).

“Airlines may be required to return non-Nigerian defaulting passengers to the point of embarkation. Repeated non-compliance by any airline will lead to the suspension of the Airline`s Approval/Permit to fly into the country,” he said.

NEWS : 2023, Anglican Archbishop reveal threats to Igbo presidency

 

Alexander Ibezim, the Anglican Bishop of Awka Diocese and Archbishop of the Ecclesiastical Province of the Niger, has pointed out why Igbo presidency may suffer a setback.

Ibezim said Igbo Presidency may suffer setbacks with the growing marginalisation against the ethnic nationality in the federation.

He noted that the presidency should not be about equity and competence rather than being a gift to the Igbo nation.

The clergyman, who spoke with journalists in Awka, the Anambra State capital, insisted that Igbo people were being marginalized.

“There is no need to talk too much about it, anybody that is a good Nigerian knows that an Igbo man is marginalized.

“We have been marginalized for a long time. So, anything that comes to an Igbo man is like a gift.

“That is why some people are talking about restructuring Nigeria today. It is not an individual affair, but a collective pursuit. Presidency is not about being an Igbo man or not.

“The main thing is to maintain equity and justice so that people in the land will be happy,” he said.

NEWS : How I was saved from being killed during 1976 coup – Obasanjo

 

Former President, Olusegun Obasanjo has revealed that he was saved from being killed by whiskers during the February 13, 1976 military coup.

Obasanjo, on Sunday disclosed that General Olu Bajowa (Rtd) was the one who saved him from the bullets of Lieutenant Colonel Buka Dimka.

According to Obasanjo, who stated this at Igbotako in Okitipupa Local Government Area of Ondo State during the celebration of the 80th birthday of Gen. Bajowa, the former president, stated that “When Dimka coup came, if Olu had not been what and what he is, I would have gone with the coup.

Narrating how he was saved, Obasanjo said “I want to say something about Olu. Either he knew it or he didn’t not know. He had a child, a boy, and wanted to name the child after me. He had to call me early in the morning, that morning that Dimka struck.

“And because Olu said he was coming, I had to wait a little bit. I waited beyond the time I would have gone out. Olu then came, he made the request and I granted the request.

“So, I was a little bit late in going on the route that I normally took to work. And Reinumuje went ahead of me and they thought it was me and they shot his car. They shot his car, Murtala was shot.”

Obasanjo emphasized that Bajowa being a performing soldier made him draft him to lead the 11 Battalion during the nation’s civil war.

Meanwhile, Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu also lauded the exploits of Gen Bajowa while in the military as he described him as one of the illustrious sons of the state who has brought pride to the sunshine state.

Governor Akeredolu, who spoke at the commissioning of a community radio station, Awawa 94.1 FM as part of the activities marking the 80th Birthday of the retired Army General noted that having become a General in the Nigeria Army at the young age of 38 years, Bajowa’s exploit in the Nigerian Army was a thing of pride not only to the state but the country at large.