WHY NIGERIA WILL EXTINCT BY 2014----EASTERN PILOT REPORT “Except in the eyes of the extremely naive and incurable swindlers in the corridors of power, this country has already collapsed; only that the horror of its probable disintegration would be difficult to face.” – Godwin Onyeacholem. Nothing proves the assertion that the edifice called Nigeria has effectively collapsed and is in need of an urgent and fundamental dialogue on how to disintegrate peacefully, than the recent positions coming from various quarters and sections of the country as the likely end result of the proposed national conference. From South West, who has already prepared their national anthem, flags and insignias comes the firm position that the outcome of the conference should be subjected to referendum. The stakeholders from the South West unanimously submitted that decisions reached at the conference be taken to a referendum. They posited that afterwards, the President will forward an Executive Bill to the National Assembly which shall enact it into law without tinkering with any of the decision. This is just as other ethnic nationalities and civil society groups in the Niger-Delta are demanding that Nigeria should return to pre whiteman’s arrival status. This position was made known by the Regional Coordinator of the Pre-national Conference Congress, Sir Casely Omon-Irabor, adding: “I think one of the major issues this conference will discuss is whether there is need to continue to enslave ourselves in a union that is oppressive and dangerous, considering the spate of civil insurrection in various aspects of the country.” The North, speaking through the governor of Niger state and the chairman of Northern Governors Forum, Alhaji Babangida Aliyu deposited that the north will survive on its own if the conference settles for break-up and vowed that the interest of the north must be pursued at all times. From the South East comes a bold statement in full support of ending the ill-fated union of nearly hundred years. In a statement issued by the Deputy-Chairman of the Supreme Council of Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Ikenga Nnewi, a former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, indicates that the south east will be heading to the national conference with one thing in mind, Biafra. Dr. Ikedife maintained that Biafra must be discussed at the conference. The statement says thus: Reaction from the Supreme Council of Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra to the proposed convocation of National Conference announced by His Excellency, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan, President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria The Supreme Council of Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra do hereby state categorically and for the avoidance of doubt the position of the People of Biafra in respect of the proposed National Conference being convened: 1) The Indigenous People of Biafra represented by the Supreme Council of Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra do hereby affirm that it has nothing in principle against the convocation of a National Conference to seek to address the myriad of problems plaguing Nigeria of which sectarian and religious violence is most prominent. 2) Having said this, we must caution as the apex body governing the affairs of the Indigenous People of Biafra that all aspects and areas of interest pertaining the aspirations of the Biafran People in respect of the pursuit of self -determination must be on the table for discussion. To this end therefore, we advice the President and the panel constituted, to take cognisance of the need of the People of Biafra to address these issues with other ethnic nationalities during such conference. 3) There must be no no-go areas in terms of the issues to be discussed and deliberated upon at such conference. If it is agreed that such gathering exist to critically appraise the state of the country and bring about workable solutions that will lead to the preservation of life and property then key stakeholders or representatives of those most affected by the unrest in the country must have adequate representation. Civil, religious and separatist movements such as the Indigenous People of Biafra must be given presence at such conference or else the whole project will be an exercise in futility. 4) The principle drivers of sectarian violence in Nigeria is ethno-religious which makes it prudent to ensure the inclusion of religious leaders and those seeking separate existence from corporate Nigeria. 5) We view this proposed National Conference and Dialogue as an opportunity to correct the errors of the past provided that the conveners ensure that those most affected by the troubles are given the platform to express how they wish to exist. 6) Finally, we make bold to add that the Conference be SOVEREIGN if the conveners are truly bent on achieving the core reasons for convening the Conference in the first place. This is with the view to making decisions reached at the Conference binding without further legislation or executive tampering. We however warn that anything short of making the Conference SOVEREIGN would make whatever decision reached at the Conference to gather dust in the shelves which is tantamount to going the way of the last jamboree called National Conference. Nigerians should not be fobbed off with a jamboree 7) In conclusion, we the Supreme Council of Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra recognise the irreducibility of the right of any ethnic nationality within the Nigerian Federation to seek to remain as they were before the whiteman came. And to that effect, we make bold to say that Nigeria should be a Federation of the willing. Dr. Dozie Ikedife, Deputy-Chairman of the Supreme Council of Elders of the Indigenous People of Biafra.
Posted on: Sun, 03 Nov 2013 19:57:32 +0000
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