BUHARI IS GOOD, JONATHAN IS EVIL! By Agha Egwu

BUHARI IS GOOD, JONATHAN IS EVIL!
By Agha Egwu

Tinubu did two brilliant things in the APC campaign to overthrow PDP. First he painted Buhari as a reformed Angel, as a Messiah bringing change. Anybody who really knew Buhari knew that this was false. But the most brilliant thing about Tinubu propaganda was that he painted Jonathan as evil. They defined GEJ as immeasurably clueless and totally corrupt. This too was false.

So their hordes not only voted for Buhari as the Messiah, but actively voted against Jonathan as the devil incarnate, the harbinger of all things corrupt.
People often underrate propaganda. They think of it as a set of untruths that can be blasted away by simple truths. But propaganda can turn the purest untruths into hardened reality, constructing imaginary world's with its own logic as hard and logical as the real world.

Pick a lie. Repeat it continuously and people come to believe it as truth and incorporate it into their mental world's as hardened truths. It was a method developed by the nazis and deployed to devastating effect in the mass murders of the Jewish holocaust. And that was how the hordes of APC and fellow Nigerians constructed the lies of Tinubu's media machines into their mental worlds as hardened irrevocable truths.
Slowly, as the Buhari disaster unfolded they blamed it on GEJ the devil. Eventually, Buhari 's blunders became so glaring that the excuses have worn thin and more of their followers are now openly regretting ever voting Buhari.

For many of the Hausa Fulani and Northern muslim followers, for whom change meant an Islamic revolution, they still see Buhari as the Mahdi, the Messiah, and are enamoured of his glaring actions to advance an Islamic agenda and Northern dominance. They love it. The economic and social collapse mean nothing to them as Islam comes first, and anything can be sacrificed for it.

For the Yoruba and other southern followers who wanted true social and economic change, and were thoroughly decieved into believing that was what was on offer, a certain cognitive dissonance has set in, in which what they are seeing is in severe discordance with what they expected. They have tried very hard to reconcile and justify the obnoxious actions of Buhari, till they have now become mentally and emotionally exhausted.
For many it is difficult for them to believe that they wanted the best for their country, but have inflicted the worst upon it. Many have realised they made a grievous mistake and have gone silent. Some realise they have been grossly deceived and have come out blazing in anger. Still others are looking for justifications, too embarrassed to admit their terrible error.
But one strand of thought is still keeping them sane - and that was where Tinubu was at his brilliant best - the conviction that Jonathan was so corrupt and clueless he just had to be changed. You would hear them say, but I don't regret removing Jonathan. He was so corrupt. This is now the only justification that the Southerners, especially the Yoruba, are holding on to.
But this must be stripped of them too. The so-called wailing wailers have concentrated on proving the absurdity of a Buhari presidency, and have done so most successfully. But the ex-Buharists are still clinging to the illusion that Jonathan was terribly corrupt and inept and so they removed him.
This propaganda clutter must be removed from their eyes so that by 2019, most former Southern Buharists would face the outrageous truth, that they removed the best President this country has ever had and replaced him with the worst ever.
Jonathan was certainly not as corrupt as those before him. The truth is that all Nigerian administrations, including Buhari have been enormously corrupt. So corruption is a given. Everybody did and does it, so in comparing Nigerian adminstrations, corruption must be taken as a constant.

But what about Jonathan 's achievements. They are simply staggering for a Nigerian President. The ex-Buharists have been so propagandised that when you show facts of these achevements they deny it.
Jonathan made Nigeria, Africa's biggest economy, first destination in Africa for foreign investrnent, third fastest growing economy in the world after China and South Korea. The ex-Buharists will say it's a lie or did it put food on the table. But now that we have a recession under Buhari they keep mute or mutter excuses.
You point out the trains GEJ developed they said those are outmoded, even though they later claimed it. You point out the 10 or more Federal universities he developed, they say they are not functioning even though they have graduated students. You point out the Almajiri schools they say where are they? You show them the airports he reconstructed, they look the other way.
You now look at the people oriented policies, the democratic credentials, the freedom of speech, the Youwin programme that bred so many young entrepreneurs and compare these things under Buhari or any previous President, you realise that the Jonathan slogan of a breath of fresh air was no lie.
Reforming Ex-Buharists are still trying to justify that it was right to vote out Jonathan. I call upon all wailers to start shifting focus. The depicting of the true demonic and imbecilic, clueless nature of Buhari has been thoroughly exposed.

Now that web of propaganda that trapped so many into believing that Jonathan was so bad he had to go, must be ruthlessly rooted out. They must face the full horror of the crime they committed against the Nigerian State - they removed the best President we have ever had and replaced him with the worst ever.
That is the only way we can ensure they do not repeat such a grievous mistake in 2019. They must learn to resist all propaganda, shine their eyes and pick the best out of whatever choices they throw at us.

Oct 1 speech: Ohanaeze, Ezeife, others blast Buhari

By Emeka Mamah, Ben Agande, Dapo Akinrefon, Simon Ebegbulem, Gbenga Oke, AbdulSalam Muhammad, Peter Okutu & Dirisu Yakubu 


•Say he’s trying to push S-East out of Nigeria; full of excuses 
•Speech disappointing, empty —Ozekhome, Junaid Mohammed 
•He has opportunity to bring Nigeria back on track—Afenifere 
•He was rationalising failure
Osuntokun; 

• it’s laudable— ACF, Oshiomhole

LAGOS – President Muhammadu Buhari’s Independence Day broadcast elicited strong reactions from across the country, yesterday, with Ohanaeze Ndigbo and the Eastern Consultative Assembly, ECA, taking strong exceptions to the indictment of Igbo leaders over the escalation of agitation for Biafra. 
The President’s speech was, however, welcomed by the Arewa Consultative Forum, ACF, and some of the President’s political supporters, including Comrade Adams Oshiomhole.
 However, critics from across the country, including Dr. Junaid Mohammed, Alhaji Tanko Yakassai, Senator Roland Owie, Chief Mike Ozekhome, SAN; Mr. Akin Osuntokun, among others, flayed the speech for either being empty, sectional or lacking in imagination. 

The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, which was the object of criticism in the broadcast for allegedly superintending over what the President described as the years of the locust between 1999 and 2015, failed to articulate a reaction yesterday.

Warning against the sustenance of ethnic agitations, Buhari had in the broadcast said: “As a young army officer, I took part from the beginning to the end in our tragic civil war costing about 2m lives, resulting in fearful destruction and untold suffering. Those who are agitating for a re-run were not born by 1967 and have no idea of the horrendous consequences of the civil conflict which we went through,” he said.

Chiding leaders of the region involved, the President said: “I am very disappointed that responsible leaders of these communities do not warn their hot-headed youths what the country went through. Those who were there should tell those who were not there, the consequences of such folly.

” Buhari’s govt always has excuses — Ohanaeze 

Responding to the broadcast, Ohanaeze, responding through its National Publicity Secretary, Prince Uche Achi Okpaga, who described Buhari’s policies as sentimental, lopsided and sectional, advised the APC-led Federal Government to always take responsibility for the current situation in the country.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo said:  “The issue is that the Buhari administration has always found one excuse or the other for the challenges facing the country. They have never taken responsibility before (because) they were not prepared to rule Nigeria. 

“Hate speech started from Buhari and he has continued to implement policies against the existence of Ndigbo. The agitations did not come from oblivion; it is part of his policies which I describe as sentimental and lopsided. These policies had over time fuelled agitations and so, he should not blame Igbo leaders but his administration.

“We blame the agitation on his administration and not Igbo leaders.” ECA, in a statement said it was a regret that the President, helped by his kitchen cabinet, had continued to see Nigeria on  an ethnic prism.

ECA Secretary, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Uko, while reacting to the speech said: “Mr. President has finally confirmed to all and sundry that he is light years behind global trends and far away from the political reality of the Nigerian situation. This is exactly what happens when a leader surrounds himself only with his kinsmen.
 “They erroneously mistake their sectional worldview as the national interest. Gen Buhari has clearly misread the resolve of the younger generation to change their lot in Nigeria through any means necessary.
“His kitchen cabinet is obviously living in an ancient world where the fear of the inevitable restructuring forced them to take solace inside the cocoon of an outdated, unrealistic northern daydream of forcing Nigerians to head to a National Assembly which was created by a discredited military constitution. “The obstinacy of those scared of the inevitable new people’s Constitution, regional autonomy, and true fiscal federalism gave birth to the agitation for secession; this same obstinacy will ultimately destroy Nigeria. “As the agitation rebounds and resurges, time will unveil the price we all will pay for delaying the return of Nigeria back to regional format.”

Buhari trying to push S-East out of Nigeria —
Ezeife Former governor of Anambra State, Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife on his part said President Buhari was trying to push the region out of the Nigerian State. “Buhari is the engineer of the problems. He is trying to push the South-East out of Nigeria by marginalising, dehumanising and humiliating them,” he said, adding that the development led to the agitations by the youths that has now morphed into a national concern. “The young ones couldn’t understand what he was up to and so they reacted as young people. “We didn’t have these problems under President Olusegun Obasanjo,  Umaru Yar’Adua or Goodluck Jonathan but immediately Buhari took the oath of office and swore to protect the Constitution, he reneged on such things as the federal character.

“He told us he belongs to everybody and to nobody but we have seen that he belongs to Katsina,” he added. Buhari’s speech disappointing, says Ozekhome Rights activist and constitutional lawyer, Mike Ozekhome, SAN, flayed the speech as not good enough. 

Describing the speech as “disappointing” Ozekhome noted that President Buhari left the real issues for trivialities, wondering why the Commander-in-Chief failed to say a word on the threats issued against the Igbo by the Arewa youths. He told Vanguard that the President’s perceived hatred for the Igbo, again manifested in his national broadcast, saying his description of the nation under his stewardship is far from reality.

Nothing interesting from Buhari—Junaid Mohammed
 In his reaction, Second Republic lawmaker, Dr. Junaid Mohammed, said the speech lacked substance, adding that there was nothing interesting about it. He said: “I feel very sad that Nigerians have found themselves in this quagmire and it is very unfortunate. “Unfortunately, he surrounded himself with family members who have no experience about government. So what do you expect from such government? “I strongly believe Buhari cannot take this country to the promised land and for him to be telling us his experience as a junior officer in the military when the country needs urgent attention is unbecoming of a leader.”

He has opportunity to bring Nigeria back on track—Afenifere 
For the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation, Afenifere, the President has the opportunity to bring Nigeria back on track by restructuring the country. Afenifere’s National Publicity Secretary, Mr. Yinka Odumakin, said: “The only way Nigeria will not disintegrate under him (Buhari) is for him to begin to lead the conversations around the need to restore Nigeria to better federalism as promised in the APC manifesto. “He still has the opportunity to bring Nigeria back on track. The call for restructuring is the call for a better Nigeria, the call for restructuring is to avoid a breakup.

” Nothing new, says Yakasai
 Yakasai on his part, dismissed the speech as empty on the claim that the President did not say anything new. “From my own understanding, President Buhari did not say anything new, and there is nothing new about the speech most especially if you are conversant with his style,’’ he said.

 He was rationalising failure —Osuntokun 
Mr. Akin Osuntokun, who served as Political Adviser in the Olusegun Obasanjo administration, said there was nothing remarkable about President Buhari’s broadcast. He said: “First I am happy for the President that he looks well-rested and apparently in good health. There is nothing particularly remarkable, negative or positive about the speech. “It was all about exaggerating modest achievements and rationalizing failure. You can see the escapist argument he was making on the seeming intractability of the Boko Haram insurgency.” 

No hope in the speech — Owie 
Former Senate Chief Whip, Senator Roland Owie, also faulted the speech saying: “I see no hope in that speech. It is unfortunate that Nigeria has found itself in this situation under a government that has no direction. The anniversary speech does not give hope to anybody. “He was elected to preside over the country, but he is not doing that. When I compare what happened in 1983 when he came first and when he came now, nothing has changed.

” Buhari’s speech is way to go — ACF 
The ACF, however, welcomed the President’s speech as soothing, saying it was the way to go. The ACF in an email reaction sent to Vanguard through its Publicity Secretary, Muhammadu Ibrahim Biu, said the speech was  “a score card of the Buhari administration on securing, economy and corruption which was the hallmark of his campaign promises. “ACF advocates peaceful and meaningful dialogue on all issues of national importance and the use of our democratic institutions to achieve better results. Agitations that come with threats and intimidation have no place in our present democratic dispensation. ACF would, therefore, support any restructuring that comes with clarity of purpose and is just, fair and equitable to all sections of the country,” he said. 

Buhari deserves applause — Oshiomhole
Former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, while also praising the President’s speech said:  “I think the President’s speech made it clear about what is being expected and the progress made so far. The president has emphasized that the unity of this nation is non-negotiable and that is the stand of most of us. “That is sending a message to all those who are plotting one evil or the other against this nation. The President also emphasized plans to create more employment for our youths to check restiveness. So I see hope because if you look at where we are coming from you will know that we are on the right track with President Buhari as President. He deserves applause for this” he stated.

Read more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/10/oct-1-speech-ohanaeze-ezeife-others-blast-buhari/

Nnamdi Kanu's House After Military Invasion In Umuahia (Photos)

by Angelanest: 7:53pm On Sep 16

A journalist who visited the residence of Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of the Indigenous  People of Biafra IPOB in Umuahia, Abia state capital earlier today -  has shared pictures from the area which has been deserted following  the military invasion in the region. According to Nnamdi Kanu's lawyer, Ifeanyi Ejiofor, who accused the  Nigerian Army of declaring war on Mr. Kanu,  the soldiers forcefully gained entrance into Nnamdi Kanu's house after shooting  for about 40 minutes. His entrance gate was broken and forced open in  a bid to arrest the IPOB leader. Source; https://www.nationalhelm.co/2017/09/nnamdi-kanus-house-after -military-invasion-in-abia.html 3 Likes

Nigeria: UN experts denounce ultimatum and death threats targeting Igbo minority

Nigeria: UN experts denounce ultimatum and death threats targeting Igbo minority

GENEVA (25 August 2017) – An ultimatum telling Nigeria’s Igbo minority in the north of the country to flee their homes is of “grave concern”, a group of United Nations human rights experts* has warned.

The experts also deplored a hate song and audio message being circulated on the internet and on social media. The Hausa-language audio message urges northern Nigerians to destroy the property of Igbo people and kill anyone who refuses to leave by 1 October, the same date given in the ultimatum.

“We are gravely concerned about this proliferation of hate messages and incitement to violence against the Igbo and their property, especially considering the previous history of such violence,” the experts said.

“The Government must be vigilant, as hate speech and incitement can endanger social cohesion and threaten peace by deepening the existing tensions between Nigeria’s ethnic communities.”

The ultimatum was issued on 6 June 2017 during a press briefing by the Arewa Youth Consultative Forum in the city of Kaduna. It called for sustained and coordinated campaigns to remove the Igbo population from the northern region.

The human rights experts noted that some local and national figures, as well as some media representatives, had publicly denounced any form of hate speech and incitement, but said other officials still needed to follow suit.

“We are deeply concerned that some prominent local leaders and elders have not condemned the ultimatum, hate speech and the perpetrators,” the experts stressed.

“We call on the Government, media and civil society representatives, and local and religious leaders, to reject and condemn hate speech and incitement to violence unequivocally and in the strongest possible terms.”

The UN experts said any incidents of hate speech and incitement to violence had to be investigated and the perpetrators prosecuted and punished. “This includes the people behind the ultimatum and those responsible for the creation, publication and circulation of the hate song and audio message,” they added.

(*) The experts: Mr. Mutuma Ruteere, Special Rapporteur on contemporary forms of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia and related intolerance; Mr. Fernand de Varennes, Special Rapporteur on minority issues, and Ms. Anastasia Crickley, Chairperson of the Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.

ENDS

Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms that address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. Special Procedures’ experts work on a voluntary basis; they are not UN staff and do not receive a salary for their work. They are independent from any government or organization and serve in their individual capacity.

For further information and media requests, please contact Ms. Karin Hechenleitner Schacht (+41 22 917 9408 / khechenleitner@ohchr.org / racism@ohchr.org) or Mr. Damianos Serefidis (+41 22 917 96 81/ dserefidis@ohchr.org / minorityissues@ohchr.org)

The Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) is the body of independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination by its State parties. For further information and media requests, please contact Ms. Nicoleta Panta (+41 22 917 9310 / npanta@ohchr.org)

UN Human Rights, country page: Nigeria

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:

Xabier Celaya – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

You can access this news release online

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today. #Standup4humanrights and visit the web page at http://www.standup4humanrights.org

"They were not even born when the war happened."

A good number of Igbos, and I dare add, other young Nigerians, are totally not understanding Nigeria as it is right now. It is not enough to make dismissive remarks like "They were not even born when the war happened." Or remarks like "They don't understand what they're asking for."

Make them understand. That is, if you understand what you're asking them to understand. If it makes sense to you. It even gets more annoying when you hear the older ones, the actors and spectators of the unfortunate war, urge the younger ones to learn from history.

According to Osibanjo, "experience is the best teacher for a fool. History is a much gentler teacher.'
I agree.

But comments like that could even draw the ire of the young ones who have today been denied history classes in school.

Who keeps a people ignorant of their history? But even more annoying is the fact that those who urge this learning have themselves not only failed to learn from experience, but have bluntly refused to learn from history, the much gentler teacher.
And what is there to learn? What is there to understand?

• That a boy from Anambra State aspiring to get some education at the prestigious Unity schools has to score about 139 marks in the entrance examination while his counterpart, perhaps even his classmate or neighbour from Zamfara State would only have to score 4 marks

• And that it takes an even weirder turn when they're done with school, at which point the Zamfara boy would have over 80% more chance at a federal job than the 80% more studious boy from Anambra. How do you explain that to a young Nigerian so that he may understand?

• How can they understand that a State like Kano, created at about the same time as one like Lagos, has about 44 local govt areas while Lagos State has a paltry 20 constitutionally recognized local govt areas. Bear in mind that Kano state has long been sub divided into two states of Kano and Jigawa. Jigawa alone has 27 LGAs of its own.
• You can say that the old Kano State has 71 LGAs while Lagos still lags behind with 20. And that the entire South East of five states has only about 94 local govt areas? Did it strike you that the South East is the only region still dawdling with five states? It would not have mattered of course if the National cake wasn't shared on the basis of local governments. Only if it was baked on that same basis. How would any young person without a brain for understanding twisted things get this?

• How can they understand that in the present Govt, the entire South East has no representation in the security body of the country. So when the security chiefs sit to discuss security, the primary role of any govt, there is nobody from the entire SE region in attendance. How can anyone understand this.

• How can even a gentle teacher make anyone understand that a South South youth would die for daring to steal crude oil from what used to be his fertile and arable farmland, while his Northern counterpart can freely mine minerals from his backyard. We only get to hear anything about it when lead poisoning begins to ravage communities.

• How do you understand that we have Petroleum Equalization Fund which ensures that petroleum products get to the people in the North at the same price at which it gets to those in the South but we do not have Tomato Equalization fund or Carrot Equalization Fund to trim the cost for people in the South? Break it down for me so that I may understand since I didn't witness the war.

• How do you break down the brazen massacres of Igbos, Christians and other innocent Nigerians any time the North wakes up from the wrong side of the Asuku Ezra: bed? Or when an artist draws a denigrating sketch of Mohammed in countries some of the victims have never heard of? Or when a group of girls decide to bare their bodies in beauty pageants? Or when a man cannot win elections? Or when a farmer must till his farmland? Or just about when anything...just unbelievable impunity. And no one ever gets justice.

• But we can start by explaining how Katsina State alone just got allotted more slots that the entire SS, than the entire SW, than the entire SE, than the entire N.Central in the ongoing (or is it completed?) recruitment by the DSS.

And a host of flustering matters.

So what is it you want History to help you teach? That the oppressed should stay calm and "ask nicely" like Obasanjo put it? They should ask nicely for their share of a piece of cake jointly baked by all? They should treat Nigeria with love like Obasanjo again suggested. It shouldn't matter that they get only rebuffs in return. I don't blame Obasanjo. It's probably the way he knows love and reconciliation...one sided. Any wonder his daughter would literally disown him publicly?

I listened to all the speeches made at the Biafra@50 event. They were all rich in flowing grammar, beaming with rhetorics but glaringly bare on commitment. Nobody but Nwodo dared point a way out. Osibanjo's speech had no mention of restructuring, something I can bet my last finger that he believes in. It would seem like we don't want to find a way out of our predicament yet.

Make no mistake, the clamour for Biafra is getting more tumultuous by the day that I fear that the voices of some of us preaching 'restructure' may soon be drowned.

And this house may come crash

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COPIED  FROM FACEBOOK  (

Benjamin Chinwendu )

MUSIC LEGEND, ONYEKA ONWENU ( THE STALLION HAS SPOKEN)

Southeast, a peaceful region, a criminal silence of all southeastern governors, states assemblies,
senators and house reps. I say this to you, you
may hide under the altar of cowardice and
hypocritical silence, be assured we know why
you are silent. When we voted for you guys,
we entrusted our collective welfare into your
hands. In matters like this, we look up to no
one but you. Silence speaks one language
betrayal. Yes you betrayed our trust. We feel
abandoned. We will wait for you during
election time.

From the slaughter of our old men, children
and rape of our women by Fulani herdsmen, to
the beheading of Bridget and the acquittal of
the murderers, to the slaughter of pro Biafra
agitators praying, those celebrating memorial
of our fallen heroes to this final occupation of
our land, we tell you Biafra shall arise.
Biafra is our destination. The youthful spirit of
our ancestors. The eternal city of all who
desire to live in freedom for self actualization.

That day will come when the oja will sound,
the gong shall herald the rising of the Sun,
the victory of the wise men from the east.
That day as Martin Luther King Jr said, "we
will remember not the words of our enemies,
but the silence of our friends"

And for Nigeria, the grave of Biafra ingenuity,
keep your evil intent on the people of Biafra.
You must know that it is your hatred,
marginalization through policy of exclusion
and your murderous policies and impunity to
our people that fuels our energy.
We will not give up.

Biafra is all we ask and only that we shall
accept. No presidency. No restructuring......

Onyeka Onwenu

• 
  

ONE OF THE RICHEST MAN IN NIGERIA ADVISE BIAFRA TO DO THIS

Biafra: The Southeast Igbo Did Not Kill Ahmadu Bello

 Biafra: The Southeast Igbo Did Not Kill Ahmadu Bello By SKC Ogbonnia

The recent quit notice issued by the Arewa Youths to the Igbo (or rather the “South-Easterners”) residing in Northern Nigeria has provoked peppering opinions. But there is a cogent reason to take it easy on the innocent youths. They are plainly the victims of gross distortion of national history that began during the civil war but is today causing more harm than any good intended.

---

by SKC Ogbonnia Jun 28, 2017

The recent quit notice issued by the Arewa Youths to the Igbo (or rather the “South-Easterners”) residing in Northern Nigeria has provoked peppering opinions. But there is a cogent reason to take it easy on the innocent youths. They are plainly the victims of gross distortion of national history that began during the civil war but is today causing more harm than any good intended. 

First and foremost, the provocative quit notice would not have come to pass if the Arewa youths had any clue that the South-South zone, the thin thread that currently holds Nigeria together, boasts of many parts of Igboland, including such big cities as Asaba and Port-Harcourt (formerly Iguocha). The gullible youths were basically acting the script of the government of the day that is crudely attempting to re-write the history to decree the Igbo nation merely as the “landlocked” Southeast political zone—as if the Hausa-Fulani people are limited to the Northwest political zone.

Instead of inundating the polity with bogus threats of arrests, the government might as well make hay of the ignorant proclamation by the Arewa Youths to educate the younger generation the true Nigerian history. The true history will teach them that, besides the Southeast, there is a large natural Igbo settlement in the North Central and South-South zones. The gained knowledge can help them to come to terms with the objective fact that Ohaneze Ndigbo, the apex Igbo socio-cultural group in Nigeria, for example, is historically constituted and led by the native Igbo from seven states, including Delta and Rivers States.

The most nauseating duplicity, however, is that the Igbo political leadership aids and abets the federal plot to marginalize the Igbo nation squarely to the Southeast. Notice, for instance, how they succumbed to ensure that all consultations with the federal government since the quit notice were limited to the ‘red caps’ from the Southeast. But the raison d'être is not difficult to fathom. Such errant politicians are the prime beneficiaries of the Nigerian corrupt enterprise and thus afraid that perceived opposition to the federal conspiracy could draw the ire of the anti-corruption agency against them. The following but dizzying claim by the Igbo governor of Delta State, Ifeanyichukwu Okowa, adequately tells this story:

“Biafra agitation, we criticize it. Anioma land as it is said, was part of Bendel State; we were part of the Midwest State, we have not been part of the South East. So obviously, we cannot be said to be part of them (Biafra). We may speak a similar language, but we are not part of the South East. We were part of the Mid-West, now we are Deltans.”  Hmmm…
Okowa’s statement is not only furiously spacious but also grossly grotesque. This explains why it is imperative to educate the governor along with the Arewa youths by exhuming here the tragic history that Chukwuma Nzeogwu, the leader of the coup cited by the Arewa youths as the ringing reason for the deep hatred on the Igbo, and the very man most closely linked with the death of the political totem of the North in Ahmadu Bello, is not from the Igbo Southeast—but from the Igbo South-South in the present Delta State where Okowa himself is the governor. Needless to remind the moronic governor that the “Midwest” location of his “Anioma land” did not prevent the federal side from inflicting the most gruesome genocide of the war in the area. The Igbo was the Igbo then and still today. Thus, the long-standing scapegoating of the Southeast Igbo based on the Biafran experience is a paradox.

All these go without saying that the ongoing propaganda by the federal authorities to isolate the current Biafran agitation to the Southeast is a serious security gamble. The truth is that the Biafran struggle has never been a solely Southeast affair. Besides millions of Igbo South-South people, including Nzeogwu, the non-Igbo from the South-South zone naturally played or have continued to play important roles. The government must recognize that mere lies are not sufficient to dampen the stake of millions of ordinary South-South people who subscribe to the Biafran cause, including the likes of the spunky Ijaw High Chief Asari Dokubo.

It is no wonder, therefore, that the Coalition of Niger Delta Agitators swiftly responded to the quit notice given to the Igbo by issuing their own quit notice to the Northerners living in the South-South zone. Although the government is, interestingly, doing its best to undercut the Niger Delta threat, such counter ultimatum from the Niger Delta youths is whistling reminder that the attempt to separate the Igbo Southeast from their kith and kin in the South-South in the current crisis is gibberish.
Vladimir Lenin famously said that, “A lie told often enough becomes the truth”, which is sadly true. But a nation built on a cacophony of lies is a sizzling time bomb. Perhaps one can grasp the idea of implementing a divide and conquer policy—glossed with false history—to end the civil war. But to continue to peddle such fallacy as facts in the present-day Nigeria is a poisoned chalice.

Often said is that the younger generation from the East did not experience the war and thus ought to shut up. But that admonition is mistaken. The harsh economic condition and the obvious lack of equity in the land, which is attributed to the Biafra, have combined to push the Eastern youths to dig deeper in their research on the war. They are finding the bitter truth. They have found a pattern of state conspiracy to obliterate their history, which has become synonymous with Biafra. They are angry and rightly so.

They are angry at the mean-spirited strategies adopted by successive governments to undermine development and job opportunities in the East—from the Abandoned Property saga, man-made landlocking of the Southeast, and lack of viable seaports and international airports in the region. These Eastern youths are perplexed why the tribes in the entire South are being balkanized into hostile units while any semblance of bond in the Northern Region is religiously guarded.

Their findings thus far are right on the nose but obliquely incomplete. A further study will reveal to the Eastern youths that their worst enemy are the local politicians who connive with federal authorities against the region. Similarly, instead of targeting the Igbo who have contributed immensely in the development of the North, the true enemy of the Arewa youths are the Northern politicians who have for several decades hoarded political power as well as huge individual wealth; yet their region is the most impoverished in the country.

Clearly, both the Northern and the Eastern youths have a common enemy in the political elites. Therefore, instead of divisive rhetoric and vile hatred, the posterity beckons on the Nigerian masses—from east, north and west—to unite and explore democratic ways of ousting the corrupt oligarchy that has continued to cling onto power through mass deceit. True.

SKC Ogbonnia writes from Houston. You can reach him at SKCOgbonnia1@aol.com.
http://saharareporters.com/2017/06/28/biafra-southeast-igbo-did-not-kill-ahmadu-bello-skc-ogbonnia

QUIT NOTICE TO IGBOS: UNITED NATIONS CALLS FOR TOLERANCE

QUIT NOTICE TO IGBOS: UNITED NATIONS CALLS FOR TOLERANCE, COMMENDS NIGERIAN STATESMEN FOR CONDEMNING THE ACT

The United Nations has called for tolerance among the various ethnic nationalities in the country. This followed an ultimatum issued by an amalgam of groups from the north asking Igbos in the north to quit the region before October 1 or face attacks. In a release by the global body, it thanked the elders of the nation who have in one voice condemned the ultimatum. The statement read:

The United Nations has noted with concern media reports of an ultimatum issued by northern youth groups during a press briefing held at Arewa House on Tuesday 6th June 2017 in Kaduna calling for all Igbos to leave Northern Nigeria by 1st October 2017. This follows a sit-down-strike in the five States of South East Nigeria on 30th May purportedly meant to observe the 50th anniversary of Biafra.

‘We have to work together to resolve peacefully any concerns that different groups in the country may have,’ says the United Nations Resident Coordinator in Nigeria Mr. Edward Kallon. ‘I am heartened by reactions of leaders from all over the country condemning this ultimatum.’

The United Nations calls for tolerance and a spirit of togetherness in transparency to address the concerns of all the citizens in a peaceful manner, while ensuring that no one is left behind in the quest for sustainable development. The UN further urges especially cultural and religious leaders to play their part in guiding the youth to settle differences peacefully, while also calling for the re-invigoration of the National Peace Committee which worked tirelessly during the elections period in 2015 to play a role and address the current concerns that impinge on the peace of the country.

Nigeria is a great country with immense potential to build the welfare of its population and lead Africa in meeting the sustainable development goals. This can only be achieved in an atmosphere of the rule of law and peace, where all citizens live happily irrespective of their ethnic or religious backgrounds.

‘I commend the Federal and State Governments, youth and civil society leaders, security agencies, cultural and religious leaders for their efforts to promote peace in the country.’ Said Mr. Edward Kallon. ‘And the UN is ready to continue supporting Nigeria to build an enduring democracy in peace, prosperity and respect for diversity.’

 http://dailyglobewatch.eu/index.php?url=2017%2F06%2Fbiafra-quit-notice-to-igbos-finally-biafra-agitation-quit-notice-to.html#.WTnYZ6U5NvA.facebook

On the 82 Chibok girls Recently Released

By Reno Reno Omokri

 Anybody that is not happy that 82 Chibok girls were released must be a monster whose humanity should be called into question. I thank God that these girls have been released and I commend the Federal Government for the feat of ensuring that these girls are reunited with their families. May God bless President Muhammadu Buhari for providing the leadership that enabled this to happen.

Having said that, there are some factual observations I want to raise. What you are about to read is completely devoid of any opinion. I am just stating facts. You may not like the facts. You may not even like me. But one thing you cannot do is ignore the fact. 

May 5, 2017: 82 Chibok girls were released by Boko Haram to the Nigerian government after negotiations that involved a prisoner swap and according to some news reports also included substantial payments: But questions about this incidence remain. 

On May 3, 2017, international AFP News AgencyP News Agencygency, reported that on Friday April 29, 2017 fighter jets from the Nigerian Airforce had pounded Boko Haram positions in Balla village, which is 25 miles from Damboa, just outside Sambisa Forest. Citing intelligence reports, they reported that the bombing was so intense that several Boko Haram fighters were killed including the group's deputy leader, Abba Mustapha, alias Malam Abba and another leader, Abubakar Gashua, alias Abu Aisha, described as a key person in the group's hierarchy. 

The Nigerian Air force emailed a statement  to the AFP in support of these reports on the same day and said "Battle damage assessment conducted after the strike showed that several leaders of the Boko Haram terrorist organisation and their followers were killed during the attacks".

Babakura Kolo, a member of the Civilian JTF (a militia registered with the Nigerian government to help in the fight with Boko Haram) testified that "a number of commanders were killed." 

On May 4, 2017, Boko Haram's leader, Abubakar Shekau, released a video denouncing and taunting the Nigerian government over the attack and promising reprisals.

Yet, after this incident on April 29, 2017 that led to the death of their top commanders and many of their foot soldiers, Boko Haram still went on to release 82 Chibok girls to the same Nigerian government that their leader had sworn revenge on exactly a week earlier? Does this add up? Does this gel with reality? Does this even make sense? Is Boko Haram that magnanimous? 

On May 7, 2017, when the girls were ferried over to the Nigerian Presidential Villa at Aso Rock, Abuja to meet with President Muhammadu Buhari, photographs released showed them looking very well fed and robust. In fact, the next day (May 8) Africa's top blog, Linda Ikeji's blog published a photo of the released girls side by side with a picture of a woman and her baby in one of the Internally Displaced Persons camp in Borno state for a side by side comparison and these Chibok girls, who had been living rough inside Sambisa forest looked well fed, well groomed and buxom while the woman in the IDP camp looked haggard and hungry. It leaves you questioning who has been in captivity and who has been free. How is this possible?

This is not the first time Chibok girls have been released. Almost exactly a year ago, just a week before the current Nigerian administration marked its first year in office some Chibok girls were also released. Another batch were released in October 2016. The thing is that when these girls are released there is a media blackout on them. No one is allowed near them to interview them. 

I understand that they have gone through an ordeal, but Malala also went through a similar or even worse ordeal and no one shielded her from the press. Malala Yousafzai was shot at age 15 by the taliban and left unconscious. She survived and she was threatened by the taliban who threatened to kill her should they catch her. Her case was one of clear and present danger. Yet she was not sequestered from the public even though, like the Chibok girls, her English was not so good at first. In fact, an international press tour was arranged for her placing her on the world stage and kickstarting the activism that earned her a Nobel Prize making her the youngest person ever to be so awarded. 

One would have thought that that is what would have played out for the released girls. 

Last October, 21 Chibok girls were release by Boko Haram after negotiations. Till date, these girls have been kept from the press. Even their own parents are not allowed aThe New York Timesew York TimesTimes York Times piece on them published on March 11, 2017. The girls are kept in S safe house according to the New York Times. During the Christmas holidays they were allowed to visit Chibok but were housed in the home of a "top politician". Their parents were only allowed to 'visit them'. Soldiers guarded the girls and after some hours asked the parents of the girls to leave.

On Christmas Day itself, they were denied entry to the politicians house to see their own children and on January 8, 2017 the girls were returned to their safe house and according to the New York Times "Neither the public nor their parents have been able to see them since."

No one really knows what went on with these girls since their abduction. It is all smoke and mirrors.

These girls are innocent. They did not kidnap themselves. They were pawns in a game whose puppeteers we do not yet know. No one should raise any questions about these girls after what they have been through. But surely we can raise questions about events themselves. Think people. Am I the only one seeing this?

Reno Omokri is a Christian TV talk show host and founder of the Mind of Christ Christian Center and the Helen and Bemigho Sanctuary for orphans. He is the author of three books, Shunpiking: No Shortcuts to God, Why Jesus Wept and Apples of Gold: A Book of Godly Wisdom. His book, Facts Versus Fiction: The True Story of the Jonathan Years: Chibok, 2015 and Other Conspiracies, is set for release in June, 2017.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2017/05/82-released-chibok-girls-boko-haram-magnanimous-reno/