By Onumajuru Onyekachi MacSantos
“No smoke without fire’ no successful struggle without the strength of women. In the past and this modern day, women have played and still playing pivotal role in freedom fighting and information dissemination. Even in the Bible, women were part of the propagation of the gospel, for example, women spread the news about Christ resurrection.
Here comes the forthcoming official and golden opportunity to spread the good news to the grassroots about the upcoming Biafran referendum. Women August Meeting is the perfect platform to do the most sensitive, important and necessary underground work toward Biafra restoration. The wonderful women conference has attracted development and also yielded fruits in our communities, clans, provinces in Biafra land. Women have achieved much through the platform of August meeting to sensitize both old and young in their various localities in Biafra land.
Any freedom fighting without women must have a bold question mark, and the project will identify failure because women are the backbone of freedom fighting globally. Any individual or organization that undermine the power and ability of women is designed to fail. Women are the champions of information; when it comes to revolution, protest of any workable and successful struggle all over the world.
Women hardly disregard or sabotage struggle effort, unlike the men. Women discharge their duties very excellent and confidently without attracting prying eyes to themselves. August meeting is an organized perfect way to disseminate and direct the referendum information to the main grassroots in rural areas in Biafraland. Women remain the giants of evangelism and information. Biafran women never relented in supporting their husbands and children in the issue of freedom. Remember, “Behind every successful man there is a woman.
The vital work of Biafran women never go unnoticed, they have recorded some achievements, and mighty roles in the past. Women protest and revolution always attract global attention. The major contributions of women have propelled the struggle to the greater echelon. Practical examples are the Akwa Ibom (Ikot Abasi), women progrom and Aba Women Riot both of which took place in 1929, 1967-1970 Biafra genocide, Abiriba Women naked protest in Abiriba stadium in 2017, handshake across the Niger in early 2018 and Awka restructure summit that took place in 2018 respectively. I will briefly analyze them serially.
The Akwa Ibom women peaceful protest popularly known as Ikot-Abasi massacre in December 16th 1929 at Consular Beach, Egwanga Opobo now known as Marina Beach, Ikot Abasi local government area, where more than 26 died on the spot of the ugly incident including the women leader madam Adiaha Edem, the mother of Udo Udoma. Where they started beating the fence of the District Office before the commander of the contingent of British Soldiers; Lieutenant J.N. Hills ordered the troops to open fire on the women who were peacefully assembled.
Aba women revolution also known as Aba women riot in the same 1929, as it was named in British colonial records, is the more aptly considered a strategically executed anti-colonial revolt organized by Biafra women to address social, political, economic and women tax grievances. The riot encompassed Biafran women from more than six clans in Biafra land; namely (Ibibio, Andoni, Ogoni, Bonny, Opobo, Lower Benue and Igbo) respectively.
Biafra war in 1967 to 1970, the women played significant role in the Biafra sector. An analysis of women’s coping strategies using two process model of primary and secondary control shows that rather than privileging one another, the women combined both process in ways that were functional and meaningful in the Biafra cultural context. Women worked as nurses, doctors, spies and cooks in the war.
In the year 2017, when IPOB women’s wing were preparing for the coming of the mother of IPOB supreme leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, Ugwueze Okwu Kanu, Nigerian soldiers invaded their venue with violent conducts and adoption. The women didn’t relent or turn away from them rather they went naked and boldly chased the Nigerian soldiers away from Abiriba Stadium.
What of the compromised “handshake across the Niger” held in Enugu by Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the fraudulent restructure summit in Awka at Alex Ekwueme’s square both occasions took place the same year, where Biafran women gallantly showed their disapproval of restructure, killing, intimidation and mental slavery etc.
Finally, another explosive protest from Igwuocha, IPOB Igwuocha women protested bitterly, went half-naked to protest against the kidnapping of IPOB supreme leader Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and also warned Nigerian government to release their son. The protest in Igwuocha (Port Harcourt) was in July 2018. The achievements of Biafran women are too numerous to mention. The great Biafran women can still activate and also replicate their previous and present exploits in the forthcoming August meeting.
The women of integrity and honour, the appointed time is here again to showcase and demonstrate to the world what they are known for, also put the world on notice and remind humanity that the same blood that flow in the veins of Biafran women in 1929 is still the same blood that flow in the modern-day Biafran women, when Biafran women displayed their bravery to the world.
The fast-approaching August women conference is another platform to surprise the world through peaceful and educative evangelism. This is pure door-to-door evangelism about the upcoming Biafran referendum; take the message to old men, old women and youths in the towns and villages in Biafran land. Women this is your war; flood every nook and cranny in Biafra land with the message of our referendum.
Biafran women are perfect game changers, you people did it before, you can do it again, women are genuine and incorruptible in nature, always on the right track.
IN BIAFRA WE STAND
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