Elephants,Crumpets and Biafra

The recent arrest of the “proxy freedom fighter” Nnamdi Kanu, who fights for Biafra’s secession in the confines of his home in London while sipping tea and eating crumpets (…yeah, crumpets… I am posh like that) has been followed by an uproar and more importantly, a form of awareness  for my unaware Igbo brothers who have taken to numerous social networks to swear their allegiance to a dream sadly abandoned over 50 years ago.

Now, I’m a die-hard fan of freedom fights and I think this little call for secession is adorable and cute but with Boko Haram and an epileptic system within the country, this is just a drama we do not need (besides, we already have Nollywood and afrocandy for entertainment).

Nigeria’s ‘Hero’, Yakubu Gowon declared there was no victor and no vanquished in the great Civil War though the facts and figures say otherwise. There might not be a victor in the real sense of purpose because the war had a senseless foundation of tribalism, but the body count and the people of the soil scream that the Igbos were vanquished.

This bitterness that has being the elephant in the room for half a century has not been confronted. This conspicuous wrinkle on the fabric that is Nigeria has not been ironed out. This is why Oba Akiolu’s blabbers opened old, albeit, fresh wounds simply because we have not properly dealt with this issue.  

A perfect settlement of this conflict would require pushing of blames. And in this context, I personally think that Nigeria is to be blamed (you know? Killing a whole tribe of good people because of the sins of a few? Or were the murdered market women also plotting against the government?)

To blame…

Take for example, Germany pushing the greater share of the blame of the holocaust on Hitler’s head. But looking at it, the German army was not full of Hitler’s family members and friends. Instead, they were filled with Germans who shared Hitler’s dreams. Germany pushing the blame on Hitler shows that she is guilty of all the wrong done and relieves others by blaming One.  The mere fact that Nigeria has no defense for itself in this war apart from the lackluster excuse of “trying to keep the nation together” is weak enough to turn the stomach. (Excuse me, I have to puke!)

Now, Mr. Nnamdi on his radio show in London in-between tea breaks and crumpets (yes, crumpets again!) says that Nigeria is corrupt beyond repair and tribalism is deep in its bloodstreams. But sir, I think the problem with Nigeria is rather individualism and not tribalism. The “every man for himself” mentality which is well practiced by Igbo people in Igbo states as well as the whole Nigeria (but other tribes don’t have a crumpet-eating man declaring his tribesmen saints).

Eastern states are ruled by eastern governors and if Mr. Nnamdi‘s logic is correct, then eastern states should be flourishing way beyond the others in every aspect… Since they are self loving and loyal to their tribes. (I’m not talking about you – Jim Nwobodo and Stella Oduah)

 If the Igbos decide to follow Mr. Nnamdi and push for secession, driven by the fuel of passion and sensation, the end product will be reminiscent of 1968 because when push comes to shove, Mr. Nnamdi would run away to London to his tea and crumpets the same way Ojukwu sought asylum when the war was to be lost. (How can you ask people to martyr themselves for a cause and then run away when it is your turn?)

The Igbos are a charismatic and smart bunch and for the bitterness in this Biafran issue to be alleviated, we actually have to unveil and pet this elephant. But if at the end of the day, they decide to separate, they must have a plan that is not borne of passion and adrenaline. As Wole Soyinka said… “You cannot call bluffs for bullets” and neither can you call sensations for bombs.

Have a great week!!!