IGBO UNITY: ANOTHER MISSED OPPORTUNITY. Today Monday the 12th of January 2015, the people of Anambra state, one out of the nine states created out of the former Eastern region of Nigeria that was forced to declare an Independent Sovereign State of Biafra on the 30th May 1967 will be thrown into mourning mood in a re-burial ceremony of the sons and daughters of Igboland that lost their lives during the conflict that ensued following the unilateral declaration by the peoples General, General Odumegwu Ojukwu. Since the unconditional surrender declared by Col. Philip Effiong, the then 2nd in-command to Gen. Ojukwu, who was complelled by the excruciating situations of hunger and starvation, couple with harsh situation of dearth of military supply to the then Biafran Army to call for a cessation of hostility in early 1970 to end the nearly 3 years of war between the Federal Troops and the secceeding Biafran Army, no government of the Igboland has organized a ceremony to bury our deads. Individual families and even some socio-political organizations might have arranged in their little ways to bury these dead sons, daughters, mothers, fathers and children of our land, but the Government that led these people to their deaths have not been able to arrange such earth-cleaning ceremony. Therefore this re-burial ceremony being organized by Anambra State Government, led by Chief Willie Obiano is a very welcome activity. It is a general belief in Igboland that when the dead is not given a proper burial, the spirit of such dead people will not be allowed passage into the land of the dead, thereby constituting themselves into a group of angry disturbing spirits. These spirits, it is believed continue to disturb the natural activities of the living, thereby calling for urgent action to accord the spirits their rights of proper burial. Its on this note that a well-deserved appreciation should be given to Chief Willie Obiano and his Executive Committees for thinking out this noble action. There is no mincing of words in saying that so many people have linked the prevailing obnoxiou, repugnant and uncoordinated behaviors of some Igbo people, both leaders and the led recently to the activities of certain unfriendly spirits. Its not the reason for this write-up to expose those unacceptable behaviors because of space and time, but suffice it to say that this action of Anambra state government to re-bury our dead is an action in good direction. What is therefore missing in it is the much desired unity of action by the other parts of Biafran territory that shared in the same fate as Anambra state. Where are the rest? Why only Anambra state? Biafra war was a common experience to all Igbo and indeed all former Eastern region, including the then Republic of Benin, made up of the old mid-western region, now Delta and Edo states. Therefore, in which ever sense it is being discussed, the present Southeast and SouthSouth states, each had its own experience of Biafra. It will therefore not be out of place to say that the Biafra war is one of the things that binds us together. Can we therefore be seen as fools if we; Igbo and her south south neighbors use this re-burial ceremony to try to fashion out a point of friendly contact? I am positing this believing that such friendly re-union is at this time being sort for seriously while the two region strive to cement its regional development indices. This friendly expectation is above all more especially a highly sort commodity in the entire Igboland. For some time now Igboland has been swiftly drifting apart as more and more states are being created, making a once homogenious people appear more divided than it ought to be. Its mine belief that at least the meeting of the South Eastern State Governors forum would have synchronized this re-burial ceremony to be held by all Southeast states together, even if it is may not be possible to get our Riverine brethrens to key in. In so doing, our elders and leaders will be reminding the Igbo youths of things that unite us, instead of always raising issues that divide us. May I therefore suggest that within these 30 days burial period that commences today, the remaining four Igbo states and by extension all the states sharing the Biafran experience should join in this ceremony. Its my opinion that we loose nothing now by being united. We shall loose nothing by orchestrating those things that bindand unite us. Let us therefore try to use every opportunity at our disposal to build this bridge of love and togetherness amongst our people. Together, we must conquer. Together, we must conquer tomorrow. Together, we must build a stronger future. Echi di ime, onye ma ihe oga amu. Udo kasi.
Posted on: Mon, 12 Jan 2015 00:24:51 +0000
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