Polluted Ogoni Land
It is another day of epistle and the agony of the Ogoni people in Gokana Province of Biafra land. The environmental degradation and oil spillage in Gokana autonomous community in Rivers State region of Biafra is quite alarming. This environment is highly polluted, the air is polluted, the land is polluted, and the waters are also polluted with highly collusive crude oil. In the situation where the federal government of Nigeria has used that polluted area to campaign to win elections promising the Ogoni people of Biafra land that once the leadership of Mohammed Buhari (a.k.a Jubril Aminu from Sudan) ventures into office, he will flag off the immediate clean-up of the Ogoni land. Even the Ogoni's were falsely informed by the federal government of Nigeria that they had signed the UNICEF report to proceed on the clean-up process but it is all lies and deceit.

The Nigerian government paid the Yoruba Propaganda machines journalist to report that they have deployed machines that will be used to clean-up Ogoni province of Biafra land but it's all deceit and propagandists. As I put up this article right now in Gokana autonomous community of Ogoni kingdom, nothing is done only the presence of the Nigeria security were found there to protect the environment from anyone taking pictures evidence of what is going on that region. What a sad situation where the poor masses can't breathe some fresh air, drink some good waters and farm in a fertile ground. This is the situations on ground.


Polluted Ogoni Land
However, I was fortunate to move around to get the real facts situations on ground about the oil rich region and the environmental degradation caused by the federal government of Nigeria. It’s quite unfortunate that Nigeria government have been using the Black Gold (Crude Oil) in Biafra land in trading business with foreign countries even before the bitter civil war which lasted for about 3 years (1967-1970) and also neglecting the indigenous people suffering the spillage.

Due to oil exploration and other human activities in the oil rich region popularly referred as Niger Delta the Biafra territory, there is evidence of environmental degradation all over the area (Oronto, 1998). Environmental degradation is occasioned by consistent flow of industrial waste, oil spills, gas flares, fire disaster, acid rain, flooding erosion, etc., which has led to the pollution of farmlands and fishponds. It has also led to the destruction of properties and human lives, including aquatic and bio-diversity.

Current environmental problems in Nigeria have become great threat to Biafran environment and nature in general. Environmental pollution in the oil rich region in Biafra territory requires great attention! Let’s have a look at most essential issues and discuss the best solutions to the current environmental problems in the country Nigeria exploring the Black Gold (crude oil) in the region.

The Air Pollution In The Oil Rich of Biafra territory
Current environmental issues in the oil rich region, some places like Rumuolumeni (Iwofe), Obigbo, Ogoni (to be precise) just to mention but few locations in Biafra region mainly include air pollution. This is one of the most important threats to the indigenous people living in coast of Biafra land.


Polluted Ogoni Land
Compared to 1990, the Nigeria government became full of power plants. There began the development of heavy and automotive industry, construction of factories by American, European, Chinese companies, which led to the increase in the level of air pollution by 65%.

The number of deaths from the low-quality air is increasing every year. They already exceed death rates from AIDS and malaria combined. The indigenous people living in the riverine area of Biafra land are nothing to write home about. The level of air pollutions caused by Shell petroleum company, Agip, etc is something else. Environmental pollution has led to the increase in the rate of cardiovascular diseases and problems with respiratory tract.

The Rivers State Media (Igwuocha Province) was able to meet and interact with the chairman of the Traditional rulers of Ogoni province of Biafra (name withheld) who unveiled to us that the Ogoni people fought at the side of Biafra during the 1967-1970 bitter civil war. He unveiled to us that his own father was a general during the war. Both him and his late father were Biafran soldiers. Late Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu (the people's general) appointed his late father (name withheld) to organize their men to stand the force of Nigeria during the war. We were shocked when he unveiled to us that bucker (where Biafra soldiers camped during the war was at his father's compound and lots more).

Polluted Ogoni Land

Speaking to Rivers State Media (Igwuocha Province) the chairman of the traditional rulers of Ogoni province of Biafra (name withheld); as a youth the same country we are supposed to belong to, has killed our professionals, our elders, our youths, those outspoken activists who stood their ground against tyranny were all sentenced to death by gullibility. But in recent times, the issue of Biafra has come and gone. And this time it is a must, and everybody is allowed to have their stack and say. The need to understand from the people on what is paining them, and they need to know the pains of our people. So that we use it to establish facts for the world to see; that they may hear even from the very land on what is going on.


Because the Nigerian government keep on telling the world that they are doing it very fast, that everybody is okay now but on the ground is not like that. And I have gone also a bit further; to pray to God, the heavenly Father to help me to understand what the problem is and what is the solution. And the Most High reviewed to me that Biafra will settle all our problems. And that is only Biafra that is capable of doing so; because that is how God has made it.

The Ogoni people can have their nation but to get that nation realized; their must be "A UNITY OF FORCE AND PURPOSE". From all the Easterners and the Riverine; to speak on one thing and decide. And if that is done; is going to come. From there everybody can secure their land. "THAT IS THE MESSAGE GOD GAVE TO ME" and God told me that if you deliver this message if anybody have a doubt; let the person find out if he is a church person (let him/her pray or go to a prophet) from the spiritual angle, what did God said about this matter. And if is a traditional man, if there is anywhere they normally ask questions to know the truth about a particular situation; should also go their and ask, whatever result they get their; that is the truth. And God has assured me that this message is real. And that is the message I have and I have been telling anyone I come across, that this is the way forward.

Rivers State Media (RSM) had an exclusive interview with the Chairman of the traditional rulers of Ogoni kingdom.

Rivers State Media (RSM): Sir, what do you think about the Biafran struggle?  You are an elder; and I believe you know much even more than I that was informed about the genocide against our people. So, what do you have to say about the situation and plight of our brethren?

Chairman of traditional rulers of Ogoni kingdom: In Parable; when a house is boiling; you don't sit down and watch the house to go in flames because it will definitely consume such individual too. However; I think for them to be a realistic prospect of having Biafra nation or goal. There must be people who will be more instrumental for that to happen but we have a lot of obstacles. The Igbo people must forget the fact that; there was numbers of abandon property in Rivers State. The man called "FINE-COUNTRY" was the man that brought about the idea of abandoned properties; during the creation of this state towards the regional state. Fine-Country was not an Ogoni man, unfortunately that thing abandoned properties was hanged over the neck of Ogoni man at the time of agony of the people. And once a system is propagated that way, it dies in the minds of people. I keep telling them, look; I have friends who are lawyers, bankers, etc who talked about these issues. Although Port Harcourt (Igwuocha), the Igbos owned Port Harcourt because they were outnumbered as of then. But the fact of the matter is that we take our eyes upwards and that what we should be talking about. Things we should be talking about was; how can the east be unified again? Things that supposed to come to east come to east. For I struggled for Abia State, I struggled for Enugu State, I struggled for this and that etc. What about in those days the like of Michael Okpara was Prime minister of the east. We get roads that was built from Port Harcourt (Igwuocha) to Khana (Gokana). When he was the governor of the east; he was an Igbo man wasn't an Ogoni man. That was when we have one heart (unified).  Now we have divided home, how can we bring that together? That should be the first priority of the Igbos or anyone that has fate for the revival of Biafrans.

Speaking further; "anything you want to do in life is a matter of approach".  To bring about the unity of what we had in the east right then, will take a lot of determinations. The dream of Biafra is something that sometimes it takes some of us who were involved in it from the initial stage.  If you want to mention that name (Biafra) is like a wind, because some us, the spirit is still in us we are cold. But exactly, the British mentality, we Nigerians has perfected it; "Divide and conquer (Rule). "TO MAKE BIAFRA A REALITY; WE MUST BRING BACK THE ENTIRE EASTERN REGION TO WHAT IT USED TO BE (UNITY)".

How do you get the Annang man, Ijaw man, Bonny man, Adoni, Etche, Ikwere, ishekiri, Urhobo, Efiks, Oron, Nksris, Ekid, Itu Mbon Uso, Atam, Bekwara, Yakurr, Bokyi, Ugep, Yala, Etung, Ejagham, Abana, Bakassi, Ogoja, Ogoni, Egere, Mboli, Andoni, Ogbia, Ekwara, Kohumono, Ukelie, Yache, Yache, Igede, Quos, Effut, Iwuruha, Ekpie, Ogba, Ukwani, Isoko, Warri, Asaba and all the entire riverine areas to get together if that is possible? If you are to say you want to create a country or nation right now; will somebody from Enugu say he is entitled for the presidency of the country? Will someone from Abia state say he will be entitled for presidency? So, we have internal (crisis) problems that must be resolved before it can be a reality.

 Also, we have people who are senators, house of Representative, etc, none of them are coming together to bring something that will benefit the east. If Biafra had to be a reality right now, most definitely the Igbos are going to be the ones to carry people along. How are they prepared? Because the division in Nigeria now from the twelve (12) original states to 36 states we have now; in the east, where we have the eastern Nigeria, no one is going to be there to give up power. I thank God for this great work you guys are doing now and hope it would finally come to success.

Because those of us who are in power now has tested money so much; that we cannot think about how to unify our people. Because in the first place we must unify the people. The issue of "BIAFRA IS VERY DIFFICULT BUT NOT IMPOSSIBLE". It is not Impossible to achieve.  If we are united in the east here, that could had not happened. We could have made the Biafra struggle a reality. Because when you think that these are the people who are standing in your way, you eliminate them, if you want the truth you get the truth and if you want the other side of the story I don't have time for that he said.

Giving reasons; why I don't have time for that is, I fought as a Biafran soldier, in fact all my relatives fought as Biafran soldiers. And some of the people who are advocating for Biafra today were not even alive! So, I am entitled to talk about anything Biafra. There was a bunker here (where our the Biafran soldiers were kept during battle front).  Even where soldiers are staying here, the Nigerian soldiers wanted to remove it but is not that it can't be remove but because I have sentimental value for it. Also, because I intend to preserve it for benefit of doubt. So, that when people come it can be an evidence and proof that our people were hardcore Biafrans.

We must be prepared for what is about to come, the unification of our people must be paramount to us. Why should the petrochemical industry which is located in Ogoni but is been operated by foreigners. Our people are not empowered to join the labour force etc. The injustice and subjugation must stop. Other industries where dead because you have to go to the north to get a permit to make it function and without their approval. Nothing can be done about it he said.

Biafra must be built upon and not forced on anyone. But each time I wake up in the morning, I often say, if there is Biafra I think we would have not suffered the way we do today. Indeed, our future lies on the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra.

In summary, Biafra is the profound solutions to our problem as a people. Biafrans let's unite and make this great dream a reality. All hail Biafra the land of the rising sun.

Written by:
Mazi Dimkpa Ikenna Ikenga Amadioha-Gbo
For: Rivers State Media (Igwuocha Province)

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