OPINION: Why ethnic minorities may suffer if Biafran Republic is achieved?

Editor’s note: The agitation for Republic of Biafra has been on the front burner of discussion in the last few months. The leader of Independent People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu was recently granted bail after spending almost two years in detention over an alleged declaration of Biafran Republic via his radio station.

In a message sent to Legit.ng, a Facebook user, Dan Ok writes on what could happen to ethnic minorities if Biafran Republic is achieved.

It is obvious that from the list of states - Abia, Akwa Ibom, Anambra, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Enugu, Imo, Rivers states, Igbanke in Edo State, Igala in Kogi State, and Idoma in Benue state, Biafra is not only made up of Igbo-speaking people but has other varieties and diverse cultures.

READ ALSO: Pat Utomi drops bombshell, says every Nigerian is a Biafran

Now back to the question of where the other tribes will be kept if Biafra is actualized. The relevance of a thing is determined by the role it plays at a certain time especially in the face of difficulty. A man who sits and watches his friends struggle to kill a bush meat can never eat a fat share of such meat.

This is simply the truth as his friends might not even give him any share in the meat but if given, it will be out of bitterness and such meat will not amount to anything. No matter how generous those friends may be, the fact that he was there, able and strong enough to join them in the pursuit of the bush meat but he did not, maybe because he is a coward or he does not see what his friends are doing as the right thing to do, they will not see it nice at all giving him anything out of the meat.

Looking at the three major secessionist groups, their leadership are all Igbos, their membership are all Igbos and the struggle over the years after the Civil War have been carried on by mainly Igbos. I begin to wonder where these people will place other tribes especially Cross River and Akwa Ibom if their dream is realized.

The blood that has continued to spill after the Civil War in pursuit of Biafra is the blood of the Igbos, those who have been wounded in this after-war agitation are the Igbos, those who have been arrested and made to suffer are the Igbos, and those who are still calling for a Sovereign State of Biafra are the Igbos.

What makes any of the other tribes constituting the non-existing Biafran nation think that its people will be kept in a better place if this nation finally comes true? You cannot detach the above sentiment from it. Or maybe you can but an Igbo man or woman cannot.

There will always be questions like "how many of them fought with us?", “how many of them protested with us?” How many of them were arrested?", "how many of them were killed?" and so on. The born-to-rule mentality will be birthed inside the Igbos once the nation of Biafra is achieved.

They will see themselves as the sole owners of such a country. Considering the level of greed in the Igbo land and how power hungry the Igbos are, they might declare to be President of Biafra for more than a thousand years to compensate them on the fight for Biafra before any other tribe can be President.

In fact, all other important positions will be held only by the Igbos. Let's face reality, this feeling or sentiment of “I did It alone or we single-handedly did it" will never be overlooked. Other tribes will be fighting to get positions. The internal war that will come is unpredictable. There will be a strong feeling of Igbo superiority over other tribes.

Other tribes will be made to be inferior. Yes! This is so, because the struggle is the Igbos', it was not supposed to be so, but it has been made to be so; it has become an Igbo thing and it will definitely become an Igbo nation if such nation is actualized.

Let us not fool ourselves, let's face the truth. These guys will become demigods if not gods in such a nation. Following the struggle, we can all see that it is only the Igbos that are involved, but I wonder why they (Igbos) keep on carving in other states or tribes into their map when they know what they will become if the achieve Biafra.

READ ALSO: I am the messiah of Biafra - Nnamdi Kanu

A keen follower of the struggle so far should be concerned about the question "what will be the place of other tribes or ethnic groups in the Sovereign State of Biafra?”

This article does not in any way suggest my support for or my stance against the struggle for the independence of Biafra because the UN has given everyone the right to self -determination.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial policy of Legit.ng.

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Watch this Legit.ng video of Nnamdi Kanu's release from Kuje Prison:

Source: Legit.ng