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| Nigerian Army…Mightier than Biafran Army? |
True to prophecy, the mere shadow of armored tanks approaching River Niger
bridge last week was enough to dismantle the rather imposing castle of conceit Nnamdi Kanu had erected across the South-east
in recent times, like straws under a Category 5 hurricane. The little
braggart who had romanticized rebellion so vigorously, who had threatened fire
and brimstone so darkly, suddenly went into hiding when war arrived his
doorstep.
bridge last week was enough to dismantle the rather imposing castle of conceit Nnamdi Kanu had erected across the South-east
in recent times, like straws under a Category 5 hurricane. The little
braggart who had romanticized rebellion so vigorously, who had threatened fire
and brimstone so darkly, suddenly went into hiding when war arrived his
doorstep.
Today, how pathetic that lieutenants
of the absconding coward who yesterday spoke the language of thunder, evoking
the imagery of bloodshed and Armageddon, are suddenly defending that “IPOB is non-violent”.
of the absconding coward who yesterday spoke the language of thunder, evoking
the imagery of bloodshed and Armageddon, are suddenly defending that “IPOB is non-violent”.
For clarity, keen followers of this
column will attest yours sincerely has consistently been a vigorous advocate of
a Nigeria that guarantees
accommodation for all, irrespective of size, tongue or creed. One, therefore,
has no inhibitions whatsoever in conceding that Igbo are entitled to their grievances over feelings of alienation
under the Buhari administration. The
renewed cry of Biafra would sound
quite legitimate against that backcloth.
column will attest yours sincerely has consistently been a vigorous advocate of
a Nigeria that guarantees
accommodation for all, irrespective of size, tongue or creed. One, therefore,
has no inhibitions whatsoever in conceding that Igbo are entitled to their grievances over feelings of alienation
under the Buhari administration. The
renewed cry of Biafra would sound
quite legitimate against that backcloth.
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| Nnamdi Kanu…Commander-In-Chief, Biafran Army? |
But uncouth Kanu, half British citizen,
adulterated the idea. He seemed unprepared for the fame he was thrust into by President Buhari’s goof in jailing him
in the first place. With insecure Igbo
governors and shameless political leaders swooning over him for photo ops
outside Kuje Prisons, he began to see
himself as larger-than-life. Sensible ones were afraid to speak out lest they
were branded sellout. Then, he graduated into a con-man.
adulterated the idea. He seemed unprepared for the fame he was thrust into by President Buhari’s goof in jailing him
in the first place. With insecure Igbo
governors and shameless political leaders swooning over him for photo ops
outside Kuje Prisons, he began to see
himself as larger-than-life. Sensible ones were afraid to speak out lest they
were branded sellout. Then, he graduated into a con-man.
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| Ex-Abia State Governor, Dr. Orji Uzor Kalu equally visited Nnamdi Kanu in jail |
While observing the galaxy of world
leaders gathered at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope John Paul II during the Cold War, a bemused Joseph Stalin, communist Russia’s lawgiver, had famously asked an
adviser, “How many divisions does
the Pope have?” It was
obvious the blood-thirsty tyrant never realized the good Pope possesses something mightier – moral authority.
leaders gathered at the Vatican for the funeral of Pope John Paul II during the Cold War, a bemused Joseph Stalin, communist Russia’s lawgiver, had famously asked an
adviser, “How many divisions does
the Pope have?” It was
obvious the blood-thirsty tyrant never realized the good Pope possesses something mightier – moral authority.
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| Late Joseph Stalin wondered how many division late Pope John Paul II commanded |
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| Pope John Paul II commanded with high morality |
Notwithstanding his latter-day
pretensions to some Jewish genealogy,
no such moral authority could by any stretch of imagination be attributed to Kanu, nor has his conduct reflected any
common sense, especially lately. In seeking to actualize Biafra, his toxic rhetoric against non-Igbo would only be tolerated by those without any ounce of self-respect.
The man bemoaning injustice ironically appeared to find pleasure in speaking
lowly of others who themselves are mostly victims of the same perverted order.
pretensions to some Jewish genealogy,
no such moral authority could by any stretch of imagination be attributed to Kanu, nor has his conduct reflected any
common sense, especially lately. In seeking to actualize Biafra, his toxic rhetoric against non-Igbo would only be tolerated by those without any ounce of self-respect.
The man bemoaning injustice ironically appeared to find pleasure in speaking
lowly of others who themselves are mostly victims of the same perverted order.
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| Author Louis Odion FNGE….Singing a warning song to Igbo ire-dentists |
To achieve liberty, this political
illiterate did not realize he first needed the solidarity of fellow captives to
push against a common enemy. Disaffection with the Nigerian state is not enough
justification to call your ethnic neighbours unprintable names. Myopic Kanu apparently only thought of returns
from merchandising Biafra and did not
seem to realize the big danger posed to fellow Igbo living elsewhere by his incendiary rantings.
illiterate did not realize he first needed the solidarity of fellow captives to
push against a common enemy. Disaffection with the Nigerian state is not enough
justification to call your ethnic neighbours unprintable names. Myopic Kanu apparently only thought of returns
from merchandising Biafra and did not
seem to realize the big danger posed to fellow Igbo living elsewhere by his incendiary rantings.
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| Chief of Nigerian Army Staff, Tukur Buratai being decorated by the Commander-In-Chief, Muhammadu Buhari |
He claimed the same DNA as Ojukwu. But the Ikemba Nnewi
was certainly not foolish like him. As emperor of the Eastern region half a
century ago, Ojukwu controlled
battle-ready battalions before he dared Gowon.
But Kanu’s lack of common
intelligence became obvious when he started circulating video recordings of
himself reviewing “guard of
honour” mounted by nothing but a phantom guerrilla army. He was living a lie.
was certainly not foolish like him. As emperor of the Eastern region half a
century ago, Ojukwu controlled
battle-ready battalions before he dared Gowon.
But Kanu’s lack of common
intelligence became obvious when he started circulating video recordings of
himself reviewing “guard of
honour” mounted by nothing but a phantom guerrilla army. He was living a lie.
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| Commander-In-Chief of the Biafran Army monitoring his Brigade of Guard |
He gave them
different funny names – Biafran Secret Service, Biafran National Guard, the Lion
Squad etc.
With that, he only succeeded in
playing into the hands of the enemy.. So, his fake army became easy meat for
the Nigerian Army too eager to utilize
them for target practice. Anyone who watched last week the videos of troops
brutalizing the young “Biafran
fighters” armed with nothing more than Biafran memorabilia cannot but see an obscene picture of the
disproportionate balance of power.
playing into the hands of the enemy.. So, his fake army became easy meat for
the Nigerian Army too eager to utilize
them for target practice. Anyone who watched last week the videos of troops
brutalizing the young “Biafran
fighters” armed with nothing more than Biafran memorabilia cannot but see an obscene picture of the
disproportionate balance of power.
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| Operation Python Dance |
As a parent, I wept seeing young boys being
dehumanized needlessly. But you don’t begrudge the swooping hawk for the
violence to the chick; you blame mother hen careless enough to expose her
sucklings to danger.
In a way, the shallowness of the
thinking in Abuja was also
inadvertently exposed last week while Abia
burned. While defending PMB against
the charge of “marginalizing” the Igbo,
a presidential spokesman had the temerity to, among others, insinuate that the
headship of the nation’s two main “cash cows” –
thinking in Abuja was also
inadvertently exposed last week while Abia
burned. While defending PMB against
the charge of “marginalizing” the Igbo,
a presidential spokesman had the temerity to, among others, insinuate that the
headship of the nation’s two main “cash cows” –
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| Ibe Kachukwu….Ibo or Ijaw? |
CBN and NNPC – have been
left in the hands of South-East indigenes. Seriously? But verifiable public
records only indicate that both Ibe
Kachikwu, the junior oil minister, and Godwin Emefiele, the CBN czar, hail from Delta State located unmistakably in the South-South. (That is
assuming Kachikwu still today has “real powers” after the NNPC was
“excised” from his portfolio and a northerner made the head.)
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| Godwin Emefiele….’I no be ibo o’ |
But it all seems expedient this hour
for the emergency cartographers in Abuja to
casually gerrymander Delta into Igboland in the new geography of
political perfidy.
for the emergency cartographers in Abuja to
casually gerrymander Delta into Igboland in the new geography of
political perfidy.
Assuming such fallacy was not
actually bred by mischief, there can only be a much more abominable
possibility: poor understanding of the ethnic identities of the citizens who
populate the South-east and the South-South by those who arrogate to themselves
the right to rule over us and the veto to determine our fate.
actually bred by mischief, there can only be a much more abominable
possibility: poor understanding of the ethnic identities of the citizens who
populate the South-east and the South-South by those who arrogate to themselves
the right to rule over us and the veto to determine our fate.
Maybe, that mis-recognition of Kachikwu is why no other Igbo was considered in the recent
appointment bazaar in the NNPC. Out of 15 slots, the north cornered 10, even
when that region does not contribute a single barrel to the nation’s crude
export. But South-east which is oil-producing on account of Imo State got absolutely nothing. Could
it also be a coincidence that two out of the ten slots got by the
north came from UBA where PMB’s Chief
of Staff once worked? Where is the equity?
appointment bazaar in the NNPC. Out of 15 slots, the north cornered 10, even
when that region does not contribute a single barrel to the nation’s crude
export. But South-east which is oil-producing on account of Imo State got absolutely nothing. Could
it also be a coincidence that two out of the ten slots got by the
north came from UBA where PMB’s Chief
of Staff once worked? Where is the equity?
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| Governors of Enugu, Ebonyi & Anambra couldn’t convince Nnamdi Kanu out of war mongering |
As always canvassed in this column,
ultimately, the historic responsibility lies with PMB to foster national unity, give every section of the
country a sense of belonging, irrespective of the voting pattern in the last
general election. That is the surest way to lobotomize the virus that feeds
ethnic entrepreneurs like Kanu. Sure,
the easy part is the rendition of Python
Dance. But history teaches us that the peace that endures is one rooted in
justice.
ultimately, the historic responsibility lies with PMB to foster national unity, give every section of the
country a sense of belonging, irrespective of the voting pattern in the last
general election. That is the surest way to lobotomize the virus that feeds
ethnic entrepreneurs like Kanu. Sure,
the easy part is the rendition of Python
Dance. But history teaches us that the peace that endures is one rooted in
justice.
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| President Muhammadu Buhari….The Eze Ndigbo President? |
It is never late for Buhari to begin to act differently.
Apparently buoyed by the
“success” of Python Dance
in South-East, the Army has already served notice of also enacting Crocodile Smile II in South-South and
South-West. Will the killer herdsmen – the acknowledged midnight children of
impunity behind the pogrom against defenseless peasants in those territories
and elsewhere – be targeted this time?
“success” of Python Dance
in South-East, the Army has already served notice of also enacting Crocodile Smile II in South-South and
South-West. Will the killer herdsmen – the acknowledged midnight children of
impunity behind the pogrom against defenseless peasants in those territories
and elsewhere – be targeted this time?