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Biafra is dead forever, ACF tells Ndigbo
The Northern socio-cultural lobby, the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has taken a swipe on Igbo leaders, accusing them of fanning the embers of another war and secession.
This is also as ACF has expressed their confidence in the ability of the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government to deliver the desired dividends of democracy to Nigerians, saying, “We are confident that Nigerians will soon begin to reap the benefit of his (Buhari) experience and credibility.”
Addressing a press conference preparatory to its 2015 Annual General Assembly (AGA) holding in Kaduna, the Chairman of the National Executive Council (NEC), Ibrahim A. Coomassie, described as worrisome the renewed agitation by pro-Biafra proponents.
According to him, “ACF has observed with serious concern the continued agitation by some Ndigbo elements for the creation of a Biafra Republic out of the present Federal Republic of Nigeria. As you will recall, the issue of Biafra was settled in 1970 after a Civil War.
“It is, therefore, sad and unfortunate that 45 years after, when Nigerians are now united in a democratic system of governance, some elements are now busy drumming the idea of another war and secession through ‘Radio Biafra’ and MASSOB activities.
“The agitators for this unholy division are in their safe abode outside Nigeria and are openly campaigning in foreign countries.
“The most painful aspect of this agitation by the young Ndigbo elements is the deaf ear and silence from the elders, who experienced the bitter pill of the seccession attempt – the 30 month civil war – and who know the consequences of such futile agitation.
“ACF expects Ndigbo leaders to come out openly and condemn such agitations in the present day Nigeria just as it and others condemned and berated the Boko Haram insurgency in the Northeast region. We cannot afford to transit from one insurgency into another.
“ACF, therefore, calls upon the Ndigbo leaders and groups to come out, not only to condemn but to publicly dissociate themselves from this act of treason against the state by some disgruntled Ndigbo elements.”
ACF noted that recently, an elder statesman from the South-East celebrated his birthday in Abuja with the launching of his two books, stressing that in that meeting, “a good number of who is who in the South East attended in their traditional regalia and as the activities progressed, it was nothing but Biafra with inciting and provocative speech by one speaker after another, this made other Nigerian (Non-Igbo) to make a dramatic walk out, even the guest of honour could not stop them in spite of pleadings.”
Reacting to ACF’s attack on Igbo leaders, the Archbishop of the Enugu Anglican Province and Bishop of Enugu Diocese, Most Rev (Dr.) Emmanuel Chukwuma, in a telephone interview with Hallmark, said that the ACF statement on Biafra is insulting, intimidating and unacceptable.
Bishop Chukwuma maintained that government in Nigeria must be all-inclusive in the true spirit of one Nigeria, adding that any attempt to marginalize the South East would be resisted. “We must get our rights; that is what we are saying. The North has ruled this country for a long time to know that the task of keeping Nigeria as one should be sustained. So, Ndigbo will continue to agitate that we must be part of the government.
He said that the insurgency in the North East and attendant killings is spiritual, and can only end soonest if the North can come out and apologise to the South East for the genocide it committed against the people during the civil war.
“The North should come out and apologise and appease the South East for the war in the North East to end in time because it is spiritual,” He asserted.
