A voice for the voiceless
Daniel Ekpo hails from an ethnic nationality of the Niger Delta
“A people that cannot sincerely determine their political & economic future or their Social & Cultural development devoid of the definition of another culture are living in slavery” – Moi
THE PRELUDE
The entity called Nigeria has, long before now, been divided along the religious and regional divides. The shy but undeniable religious lines have pitched the Northern Muslims against the Northern and Southern Christians even when we tend to deny it; same way the unconsented British marriage has always pitched the average Northerner against the Southerner. The average Northerner is religiously scared of being led by a Southerner; if it occurs, it won’t be for long (if in doubt, check the Northern states). We cannot deny these facts – any attempt to do so is to continue in self-denial.
THE TRUTH
In as much as we the educated ones that mistake our cowardice for civility, we try to sound civilized and politically correct; we know right inside us that when the chips are down, there is an unconscious separation and instantaneous alliance to our kind, (to thy tents, oh Israel) either religiously or regionally for fear of the unknown. Until recently, the minorities in Northern Nigeria have always formed alliance with the core North – until it was clearer to them that they shared more similarities with the South, as they have only been a willing tool for their Northern masters when sheer numbers are required. Even the Southwest, until the recent political divide, may have to reconsider their continuous alliance with the North that has been more of, on basis of negotiations, either to be excused from the spur-of-the-moment killing tendencies of the Muslim North to serve their people and otherwise or political negotiations. The Christians in Northern Nigeria and Southerners living in the far North, having been the ones with the biggest share of the wrath of these dividing lines, will be the ones to agree with me. I am not attempting to convince you, I am making a statement of fact.
But be it as it may, apart from the ethnic cleansing attempted on South Easterners caused by these Regional/Religious divide in 1966 which led to the Civil War, the need for separation and secession or self-determination has never been an urgent reality as it is now. It never really dawned on Nigerians until now. The reason is not rocket science; it is simple. In the country’s entire history, Nigeria has never been so deeply divided along GEOPOLITICAL LINES as it is now. And this geopolitical divide has presented us with the unique opportunity to look deeper into things that were previously too sacred and revered to be questioned.
In as much as the POLITICAL lines have pretended to weaken the former lines of divide, it has in reality manifested as the colossal monster that has emboldened Nigerians enough to fight back when pushed to the wall. Before now, the oppressed Nigerians were said to literally make a hole on the wall when pushed to the wall. But the current political divide seems to have exposed the strength of the preexisting cleavages. It is rather unfortunate that the revered monster of oppression has found a way to fit itself on the side of evil, thereby making the political divide a war between the GOOD and the EVIL.
Politics in Nigeria’s Fourth Republic started off as a “national one” that was able to suppress the monster of religion and regionalism in 1999 when the PDP was the ruling party. Nobody was really interested in the political permutations between the North/South or Muslim/Christian divide because it was normal to always have a certain Alhaji in some positions and it was normal to have government being the regular government that we had always known. Things were neither strange nor new. Obasanjo was already a household name as a known ruler who could not be questioned; the Abubakars, Musas and the Yar’Aduas were not strange. The opposition party of the Southwest, AC, was contented in struggling for states in the Southwest while that of the Southeast, APGA, was also contented with a state or two in the former Eastern Region. A party like the Labour party evolved as that of the common man and was neither here nor there, except when necessary, it formed alliances. The main opposition, the APP, was later converted to being a regional party up North by later changing it to become the ANPP and was strictly Islamic to suit its region. While all these was going on, alliances were made with the ruling party to gain recognition at different levels as it would suit the region.
THE AWAKENING
Breaking down in order to rebuild on a sound foundation
Emergent Lower Niger federation sequel to geopolitical devolution of today’s Nigeria
The first attempt to create a national opposition was done by the sudden dissatisfaction in the ANPP that gave rise to the CPC. The CPC was created on the basis of religion/Region, hence the birth of the first national electioneering violence that was targeted at the other side of the geopolitical divide, namely the Christians and Southerners. By this time, the other regional party from the Southwest also attempted to metamorphose to a national party by not just changing its name to the ACN, but also attempted to forged an uncoordinated alliance with the CPC in fulfillment of the earlier stated alliance of the North and Southwest. Even though it failed, the common denominator, VIOLENCE, was birthed in both regions. Unfortunately, the PDP, being the only national party had no option but to produce its flag bearer, the presidential candidate from an inconsequential, unwelcomed and an uncelebrated Region; THE SOUTH SOUTH – perceived in the eye of the Northerner/Westerner as IGBO who inahbit the Region that is mostly perceived as a feared Conquest that must not be allowed to smell the throne. From hence then began the political gimmickry that was only spoken in whispers.
The fight to unseat these close relatives of the “feared conquest” seated on the throne started as soon as the 2011 elections ended. In the efforts to garner support from the electorate/masses, the secrets of government that has been on for decades were exposed. It was difficult to accept anything as being good as the electorate were also equipped with the social media tool at the time and collaborative efforts were made far and wide. Secrets upon secrets were exposed along the lines of divide. Partisan political support alignments were based on religious and regional sentiments in total frustration of the ruling elites. They had to fight back by giving into even more expositions on secrets that would never have been known. Cost of food eaten by the President was exposed as if the previous ate less; cost of contracts were exposed even if when it was less compared to the previous. Nigerians suddenly saw how much they were cheated in these four years and not how much they had been cheated in the past 50 years. The incumbent government of the day fought back and brought forth papers to educate the masses of how government were ran in the last 50 years in its attempt to compare notes. By that time, it did not matter again, opinions were formed along ethnic/religious lines, to thy tents and we were all summoned. Nothing was good as long as it was from our end; just like they saw no misdeeds from their evil past. The lines were drawn – only a few went on board the other ship for selfish reasons in pretense of being politically correct together with the few that were awed by the unwarranted oppression of the perceived weak. The trumpet voice of separation was sounded loud and clear. TO THY TENTS, OH ISRAEL!!!
THE BIRTH OF & THE NEED FOR SEPARATION
The lines of divide, even though rooted in Religion and partially Region, became political. Nigerians all found their voices by being either politically incorrect or otherwise. It was clear that a certain region cannot be tolerated. It was also confirmed that, in order to get power back, some regions were ready to kill part of theirs just to spite the others’ ability to be perfect. The die was cast. Again, TO THY TENTS, OH ISRAEL made more sense than ever. The burgeoning political divide had forced some traditional rulers to speak up about hidden conceptions of some regions in public just to garner the required sympathy to achieve their political goals. In all these, the partisan political divide, in attempt to be politically frank, had opened festering sacred wounds that may never heal again.
The Northern/Western alliance, after regaining their lost power by blackmail and promises to be better, has turned out to be worst ever. Worst maybe because of the expected standard it created as a tool to blackmail the government of the “Feared Conquest”. The Southeast zone, having realized that the rejection of the Southsouth was not due to their performance but rather the perception of their similarities with the Southeast, had no choice but to voice out their reservations and opted for separation instead of the open intimidation emanating from the other zones. And the former obscure Nnamdi Kanu created the required and trusted trigger after having been let down by a couple of politicized elders in the past.
CONSEQUENTIAL CONCLUSION
It will be unfair to assume that the Southeast is the only zone seeking separation from the contraption called Nigeria. It is an open secret that neither the Southsouth nor the Middle Belt (they prefer that to “Northcentral”) will be willing to desire the core North in preference to the Southeast. And like earlier stated, the Southsouth is as good as Southeast (Igbo) in the eyes of the Northerner. The Middle Belt has had enough of the North after being used as willing tools when numbers are required. The Southwest is deeply divided politically as they have suddenly realized that a certain few have been using a majority for personal gains. As it stands, the need for separation is a national call that cannot be ignored for too long. Not after the expiration of the unconsented “agreed” 100 years of amalgamation.
Today, it is the Southeast that is democratically agitating for SELF-DETERMINATION. The Southsouth zone is imploding from the inside due to the continuous attempt of the North to stretch its manipulative and meddlesome hands into their affairs in Akwa Ibom, Rivers and now Bayelsa states. It is just a matter of time and those hands will press just the right button to trigger the impending joint agitation for self-determination. The Middle Belt had being pushed into oblivion and yet, they won’t let it be. The Caliphate hands which stretched into Taraba state is causing an implosion from within; they have now looked the way of Benue in an attempt to ridicule the quietness of that state. Their actions are gradually giving births to the Nnamdi Kanus and Asari Dokubos of that geopolitical zone. For how long will the political correctness of a few hold together the loose ends of our elastic limits?
Regionalism with local autonomy is the way forward
Movement for New Nigeria’s (MNN) agreed to above map to be future federations for a devolved Nigeria.
In sincerity, apart from the oil in the Niger Delta, what are the unavoidable inter-regional benefits that underscore the ruse that the contraption must remain as it were? If the Southeast/Southsouth (SESS) have not had reasons to deport, kill or butcher themselves before the present era, would their emergent political union not be better-off than the present one in which a killing in faraway Norway/France/Afghanistan or Libya will put you at risk of being retaliated against here at home? If the average Benue/Plateau/Taraba/Southern Kaduna/Nasarawa/parts of Adamawa/parts of Gombe indigenes have never considered killing the Southerner because of the quarrel of America and some Islamic nations, would it not be better to unify our diversity with these entities if that is the criterion for strength? Must we live in fear of intimidation at all times?
Joining the pro-Biafra struggle does not make these other nationalities Igbo, rather it would be in total solidarity against these intimidating hegemonic schemers who are attempting to put other regions in a state of relative insignificance and perpetual subservience to their domineering interests. And more so, the name “Biafra” is not a region; Biafra rather is just an identification of the coastal areas of the River Niger delta. So, who cares what name is used? Just like the Bight of Benin in Lagos, we also have the Bight of Biafra in the Niger Delta. Biafra is not an Igbo name; that is all I can say.
I AM A NIGER DELTAN
I STAND FOR AN END TO REJECTION
I STAND FOR SELF-DETERMINATION
I STAND FOR FREEDOM
I STAND FOR BIAFRA!
(Written by Donald Ekpo)
