NIGER DELTA REPUBLIC OBJ NAMED US OR BIAFRA REPUBLIC FRANK OPIGO REAFFIRMED TO US; WHOSE LEGACY SHOULD GO?

NIGER DELTA REPUBLIC OBJ NAMED US OR BIAFRA REPUBLIC FRANK OPIGO REAFFIRMED TO US; WHOSE LEGACY SHOULD GO?

By Ifeanyi Chijioke.

In 1967, a nation name Biafra which has existed over 5000 years ago was declared for the inhabitants or indigenes; people of the old Eastern region, today ‘Southsouth and Southeast’, that name was Biafra. The name was gotten through the proper channel to our culture which is leadership or decision by Jury; it was unanimous decision by the house that we shall be called Biafra. The think tank that reminded us of the already existing name is an esteemed son of Ijaw speaking part of Biafra. Frank Opigo in his wisdom posited that we shall retain the name that existed over the years which is more of Ijaw than Igbo language as claimed by Asari Dokubo. He is a man from the corrupt and present Niger Delta Obasanjo named Biafrans in that part to bring division. My question is; should Adaka Boro Avengers go on with the legacy of Obasanjo or the legacy of Frank Opigo? They should answer this question by subsequently releasing a statement to the press or in their further dealing tell me who is worthy of respect between Obasanjo and Opigo.

“Adaka Boro may not understand that Biafra existed 5000 years ago as you can see in older African map. Therefore Opigo did not create it, rather he reminded Ojukwu of the existence of Biafra. Be mindful that even before the Biafra reaffirmed by Opigo and fought by them as led by Ojukwu was created we have in existence "The Bight of Biafra" denoting Biafra already existed. Again the British traded with Biafra when they first came to that vicinity. There are numerous documented evidences to prove the fact that Biafra existed 5000 years before Opigo reminded our fathers our name. If Opigo our father reaffirmed we are Biafra, it becomes disrespect to our ancestors to try and affirm Niger Delta republic” Chinwe Korie explained. And this takes us to the question, should we leave our ancestral name for a fake name given by Obasanjo? Are we still fighting for oil to enrich our pocket or freedom to live peacefully and save our lives from carnivorous Nigeria that sees us as conquered people?

When Olusegun Obasanjo came into power as a democratically elected President of Nigeria, oil exploration had taken a stable shape, being the major economy of the country, it has to be protected. The call for the restoration of Biafra was indistinctly heard and so effort to rule Biafra with divide and rule strategy was due to be renewed or strengthened. This proactive move gave birth to Niger Delta, a concocted name given to Biafrans living across the Niger. You would agree with me that Niger Delta is not indigenous name or a local name; if Adaka Boro should go with naming us Niger Delta Republic; does it mean we have no ancestors or we never existed but just started existing by virtue of divide and rule strategy by Nigeria?

I will write to Adaka Boro Avengers with utmost respect and without mincing words, ‘Niger Delta Avengers’ is the only freedom fighting outfit I have special respect for. I am pro-Avengers because of the discipline of the agitators and the resoluteness of the group. They are focused and in line with what the people want, they are the People’s army and yet they make the difference in the fight. You will agree with me that without Avengers, there won’t be significant action across the Niger part of Biafra. I also see Concerned Militant Leaders led by Gen. Ben as potential group who are in line with what is achievable.
This column is never and will never be the position of IPOB; this column is my position and what I solely view. I am a reporter even though I emotionally write my reports instead of report it casually, that new brand method of journalism has helped in literally communication our truest heart and spontaneous feeling. I see the call made by Adaka Boro as the greatest joke of the year, we need to get serious and know what we are here to do. I am not much bothered because I know where my heart lies, I don’t know when last Adaka Boro claimed responsibility of any action but no matter what; we are all on same cause. We are freedom fighters from different angles and contributing our quota but we must stay in a uniformed line to be considered serious people.
When I saw the headline of the call made by Adaka Boro, I was so happy, I said so our people have finally come to the realization that the divide and rule strategy if allowed to continue would only destroy us and continue to make us ineffective minorities we have been for 65years. The defeat of Jonathan was a blessing in disguise; his defeat has united us and helped us conquer a lie of over 65years. We lost the election but we won everything and we shall never lose anything henceforth but as long as we understand why we lost everything to them.

Adaka Boro called on Southeast and Southsouth to return home, this call coming from a freedom fighting group is a sign of self realization and awareness. Then when I read down, I realized that Goodluck Jonathan, Annkio Briggs our loving mother and other figures in Southsouth were mentioned and I asked; is there nobody from the Southeast that ought to come home? If Southsouth and Southeast were called for the declaration of Niger Delta Republic, why didn’t Adaka Boro call other Southeast brothers domiciled in the Western and Northern Nigeria? This is very much unserious call to me, if we shall successfully call for the declaration of Niger Delta Republic, then the house must unite and do so. By calling on Southsouth and Southeast, the house is united and complete but declaring Niger Delta Republic OBJ named us is insulting. If we shall leave the name Opigo reminded us for the one Obasanjo gave us; then we have to sit down and unanimously decide that.
Finally, I wish to bring to the notice of Adaka Boro that I would rather die than answer the name the man that killed over five million of us gave us. I will rather leave Biafra land than stay in a Republic named by a man that massacred my mother, father and siblings in Odi, Bayelsa state. I will rather be named Nigerian; a name at least a white man gave than stay in Niger Delta Republic, a name a Monkey-face gave me. We should start being a serious people; freedom fighting groups should learn from Avengers and serve the interest of the people first. We have all agreed on Biafra and let all hands be on deck for the restoration of Biafra.

Niger Delta is a hoax; it is something than cannot be achieved because nobody will divide the house of Ephraim after Ephraim divided the house of Israel. Niger Delta Republic is a move made by Nigeria to keep us enslaved and any propagation of the name is opposing the freedom we all want today. I respect the call Adaka Boro made; it is a very crucial call but it was made with a wrong name. There is no more Niger Delta, Southsouth or Southeast, we disagree with them and agree with the united states of Biafra. I have written on how we shall run Biafra, a blessed nation with blessed people.

Authored by Ifeanyi chijioke, for The Great Biafra Journalists.

Published by Okpalaeze.