OKEY MADUFORO, writes 
With the current discordant tunes from the leadership of the Independent Peoples of Biafra, (IPOB), OKEY MADUFORO, writes that the group may have strayed from its objectives
At the peak of killings by some Islamic fundamentalist in Kano State several years ago, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, proponent of the Igbo secession from Nigeria sat at his Kasabianca Lodge with his hands supporting his jaws.
When scores of journalists paid him a visit to apparently get his reaction to the killings in the North, be painted a picture of a contrived warlord who age has taken a greater part of and out of near frustration, Ojukwu exclaimed: “I have been running this race for so long and this is a relay race and when I turned my back and front I found no one to hand over the baton.”
The baton for Igbo emancipation and the realisation of the Biafran independence came in two forms later in 2003 as Chief Chekwas Okorie formed and registered the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) as a political party to serve as a fallback towards realising a president of Nigeria of Igbo extraction.
Similarly, Chief Ralph Uwazurike formed the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB); a shadow organisation for the Biafran Independence. Uwazurike indeed reawakened the spirit of that struggle Ojukwu started and it took the administration of President Olusegun Obasanjo by the storm when the body first executed its sit at home mass action.
Even major markets in the North end South West were closed down to the chagrin of the powers that be, and out of frustration Obasanjo described it as a mass return of Ndigbo who had gone home for the annual new yam festival because it took place around July and August that year.
Soon, Uwazurike became the toast of the town with everyone in Igbo land associating with MASSOB and several pockets of organizations with similar agenda were given birth to.
The travails of Uwazurike and MASSOB are no longer news to Nigerians and the world over and less than 20 years of that struggle and the consequential killings and frustration by the then powers that be, the name Uwazurike and MASSOB became something for the history books.
The fate of MASSOB became a sorry issue when he compromised the concept of a Biafra Republic and supported the first term election of President Goodluck Jonathan, thereby abandoning the main purpose for which it was formed.
Soon, the ranks of MASSOB were broken and members became the militant arm of some politicians and Political parties in the South East. Uwazurike’s followers were apparently perplexed when it became clear that MASSOB has been used by politicians to feather their own nests.
First victim of this crack was the Director of Information for MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu, who was suspended by Uwazurike for what he described as insubordination. Madu’s anger, however, was that Uwazurike was paid handsomely while his followers remained poor and wretched, adding that after Uwazurike’s release from prison he abandoned other comrades, including himself, Madu, in prison.
Today, Madu leads a faction of MASSOB working with the Indigenous People of Biafra IPOB while Uwazurike controls what is left of the other MASSOB. While MASSOB took a final bow, the Umuahia-born Prince, who was initially with MASSOB, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu took the center stage with his Radio Biafra which was set up as a propaganda arm of IPOB.
Late President-General of Ohaneze Worldwide, Chief Dozie Ikedife, said: “IPOB was the concept of myself, former Chief Judge of Enugu State, Eze Ozobu among others and Nnamdi Kanu was given the publicity arm while we are at the International Court of Justice over Biafran Independence.
“Suddenly he hijacked the project and registered Radio Biafra Limited and started insulting everyone and this was against our initial plans and mode of operations. However, he is still our son but he has to take it easy the way and manner he is carrying on because it can be counter- productive.”
Basking in the euphoria of the popularity he is currently enjoying, Nnamdi Kanu appears to have commenced a journey towards the departure lounge of taking a back stage just as Uwazurike did at some point. Just last week, the popular IPOB had its foundation and structure jolted when Kanu announced the suspension of his Deputy Leader Comrade Uche Okafor Mefor.
Mefor was accused of the same insubordination that Uchenna Madu was accused of by Uwazurike that led to his suspension. It was gathered that a cold war has been ongoing between Mefor and Kanu over his style of leadership and that Kanu appeared to have digressed from the issue in question to self-ego, thereby reducing the struggle to a personal ambition.
Kanu, on his part dismissed these allegations, contending that Mefor is playing the black leg against the Biafran agenda. But in a release signed by Mefor and made available to reporters in Awka recently, he contended that the deputy leader’s office is intact and Kanu’s act is a display of desperation and the only reason on the part of this malicious campaign.
He noted sadly that subscribers of IPOB worldwide announced the resolution where the office deputy leader of the group has been purportedly abolished.
“Let it be on record that I was not appointed as a Deputy Leader and it is worthy of note that the office of the Deputy Director/ Deputy Leader was a natural or default position to me as one of the directors of IPOB as in respect of the UK company’s House records when it was registered.
“Presently, Nnamdi Kanu and I are jointly and severally responsible for the activities of the office, be it known that my patience and humble nature must not be taken for granted.
Furthermore, Mr. Edoziem and others are appointees and we unanimously agreed to create the office of the Directorate of States. Consequently, I have come to the inescapable conclusion to suspend Mr. Chike Edoziem and all others at the Directorate of states of IPOB until further notice.
“I have also communicated the notice of emergency meeting of Board of Directors of IPOB worldwide where the actions and inactions of those at the directorate and other matters relating to our movement will be discussed extensively,” he said.
He added that as Mr. Edoziem rightly admitted in his memo, he disagreed with a certain broadcast of Nnamdi Kanu on radio and “I also disagree with certain assertions on radio that are either irrelevant or not in line with our aims and objectives and or otherwise inaccurate.”
He cited as a case in point the issue was the alleged death of President Muhammadu Buhari which is irrelevant to the group’s quest for freedom or suffering of its people in Biafraland. “Are we trying to exonerate Mr. Buhari as per Hitler example?
There is absolutely no doubt however, that Buhari or whoever that is in Aso Rock has been committing crime against humanity from October 2015 till date but our focus ought to be how to make him answer for these crimes rather than trying to make him Nazi-style hero.”
Secondly, he said the reactionary broadcast could easily be misinterpreted and it’s important that Kanu should appear on radio with a well-written script and I chose not to be part of a broadcast where threats are issued and so on.
“My stance in this regard has saved the movement on several occasions as it gives a different picture to the global community. Additionally, the Biafra we are seeking to restore is going to be without a shadow of doubt a secular society.
“The public denial that he never said that Biafra will be a Jewish state that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu is pursuing, a theocratic Jewish state of Biafra is an afterthought because his interview in Israel tells it all.
“He had continued to exhibit that conduct of disrespect for the people of other faith until the recent outcry that made him to make a reluctant political statement that Biafra will be a Secular State which is not enough. “Even in Israel, people of other faith coexist among themselves.
Why is the obsession with that pronouncement? How do you expect me to be happy when my comrade in the struggle bluntly refused to heed wise counsel? “I am no doubt a Christian, a proud Catholic for that matter.
Let it be on record that no amount of intimidation or harassment will persuade me to think otherwise.
The people of Biafra are a people of faith and their freedom of conscience, belief and of religion must be respected.
Let me reaffirm my resolve to stick to non-violence, non-partisan mission statement of IPOB worldwide , any individual or group regardless of his or her position who is against our documented aims and objectives is advised to resign, and or form another organisation for himself, family and cronies,” he said.
He said Mr. Edoziem and allies, without known good reason acted ultra vires, asking: “is it not odd that an appendage of directors is making a decision that affects the functions of one of the director?
He reiterated that the Biafra restoration project is on course but “we must not go into armed struggle. because the massacre of our people in Obigbo, Ebonyi, Enugu, Abia last month cannot not be forgotten and our brothers who are injured must be taken care of, not abandoned.”
At the moment, it has become clear that the struggle for a Republic of Biafra is currently being challenged by the internal wrangling within the body and apparently the usual allegations that the powers that be in Aso Rock Villa is sponsoring the crisis is far from being the truth giving the level of self-eulogies and vain personal glories being canvassed by its leadership.
It is fast becoming a Chinese form of revolution where the leaders sip tea in the interest of the masses.
