THE CALL FOR BIAFRA AND THE RIGHT OF A PEOPLE TO SELF DETERMINATION.

It's a common topic that runs through every people's recorded history worldwide; that a people, at a point in their existence, would face politico-economic pressure, oppression or hegemony from externally stronger races: majorly, via military prowess. From within the oppressed people, a civil movement of resistance and liberation would afterwards, be born. Heroes or heroines spring therefrom. Even Christianity, is largely a product of this phenomenon. 

British-oppressed India? Mahatma Ghandi! Apartheid South Africa? Nelson Mandela! British colonial imperialism over "Nigeria"? Our nationalists! Ogoni environmental and economic injustice? Kenule Beeson Saro-Wiwa! Ndigbo Cinderella? Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu! Howbeit, some of these heroes and heroines are unsung or never live to behold the

fruition of their struggles.

However, experiences have effectively proved that war and conquest have hardly produced a decent way of self determination. In today's world, a peaceful but highly pressured tug on the conscience of the global community would drive a positive revolution devoid of agony, bloodshed and the entire pathos of war. Apartheid South Africa is a case in point. No violent struggle ever ends well. 

Only round table dialogue. Even the United Nations Organization's Charter recognises the right of a people to PEACEFUL self determination. However, a due right must accrue to you and you must present empirical and veritably cogent reasons to back same. My dear "Biafran" agitators, at the moment, you don't have such cogent and compelling grounds for such clamour. It's best understood that this your vicious call to violence, anarchy and war is borne out of your paranoia that the non-igbo president you doggedly supported lost out at the polls to your avowed "enemy" region. This is very much uncalled for and highly despicable at a time in a volatile world fraught with regional wars and terrorism; horribly making human lives living hell you elect to ill-advisedly go incendiary. You pitch your camp with the wrong side of history. See reasons with me brethren! Federalism is not Confederalism. 

Violent breakaway is always disastrous. The then head of state, Gen. J.T.U Aguyi-Ironsi (your own kin) had Isaac Adaka Boro incarcerated over such attempt for the Niger Delta. Shelve this your call to violence..."Cut the tall trees; kill the cockroaches" was the Hutu's hysterical call to his fellow Hutu over his cousin the Tutsi. After the war and genocide, they're still ONE RWANDA! After some protracted civil strife, South Sudan, in a referendum, became independent of Sudan but two years later, itself, collapsed into civil strife. The ideal solution, I think, is not in breaking away but in collectively tackling misrule, mediocrity, rapacity and corruption. 

Above it all, we must be equitable, fair and evenly practise social justice. So far, I don't think you've been too unfairly treated to orchestrate such an energetically bloodthirsty invitation to secession. We're in a democracy. Rule of Law is supreme; not being in the saddle of the presidency. You invest massively in lands that are foreign to your homelands. That is largely your disservice.

For now, please, ONE NIGERIA!

By  Barr. Samuel Sunday