South-East: How echoes of Biafra relive support for separatist groups

For the first time in many years, the sit-at-home order by promoters of Biafra Republic had a massive compliance across the South-East. However, the inherent support for the separatist groups debunked governors’ claims that they had quelled the movement, fueling apprehension on the next steps of the pro-Biafra groups, LAWRENCE NJOKU reports.

On May 30, Jane, a civil servant in the employment of Enugu State government, had waited over 30 minutes at the popular Igbariam Bus Stop, on Agbani Road, for a vehicle that could convey her to work.
 
Seeing that the road was deserted and her continuous wait would make her report for the day’s duty late, she decided to walk the over six kilometer distance to her office at Okpara Avenue. The government had forced the workers to report to duties that day or face sanctions.
 
Jane was not alone, several other workers, who could not find means of transportation that day, made it to their offices on foot. The scarcity of vehicles was due to the sit-at-home declared by agitators of Biafra Republic, to commemorate the death of Biafrans in the Nigeria/Biafra war fought between 1967 and 1970.

Like Jane, those who had walked to their offices responded to the threat of sanction by the state government, who had ordered workers to either report for duties or regard their employment as over.
 
Indeed, sit-at-home directive by proponents of the Biafra Republic had neither been so successful nor gained the momentum that attended it last week, raising concerns about the popularity of the separatist groups in the region. 

Besides, coming a day after the first anniversary of the President Bola Tinubu-led administration also speaks volume about what the government should expect in the hands of its promoters going forward.

Pro-Biafra agitators, the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), among others had issued the directive, asking residents of the region to stay at home and close all commercial activities in all the five states in the southeast. They asked residents to observe the day to pray for the repose of the souls of Biafrans who paid the supreme prize in the Nigeria/Biafra civil war.
 
The groups had argued that the war represented part of the dark history of the Igbo people, as many Igbo were killed during their efforts to protect the republic of Biafra and the reintegration of the region back into Nigeria.
 
A day after the successful sit-at-home exercise, however, an elated Media and Publicity Secretary of the IPOB, Emma Powerful said: “This year’s Biafra heroes and heroines day was significant. At least an important message has been sent to our adversaries that the illegal detention of our leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, does not deter the resoluteness of IPOB and Biafrans for our freedom. IPOB is a state actor that is fully in control of Biafra territory.
 
“As we remember our fallen heroes and heroines, including IPOB members, who were killed, we do so reverently. Our message to Nigeria is never will Biafrans be slaughtered unchallenged again.
 
 “IPOB uses this moment of sober reflection to call on governors in Biafraland to declare May 30 a public holiday to honour the Biafra fallen heroes from henceforth. The demand to honour the Biafra heroes and heroines with a public holiday is just a demand.

“Just like Southwest leaders pushed and immortalised Chief MKO Abiola with June 12 as democracy day and a holiday, Ohanaeze Ndigbo and Igbo governors should be courageous enough to pursue the agenda to immortalise Biafra heroes with a public holiday. Until then, IPOB has declared May 30th of every year as Biafra heroes’ day, which must be observed by Biafrans at home and abroad.”
 
But are these reasons enough to elicit the level of deep compliance to sit-at-home order as witnessed last Thursday that shut down the economy of the South-East?

Could it be that the region was now poised to embrace Biafra Republic again and are now ready to work in unison with its proponents and agitators to realise the feat? Are the people now tilting towards a parallel government in the region? What other message is the zone attempting to send to the rest of the country by that exercise that defiled even counter directives of elected governors of the region?   
 
Was the civil action communicating something about the leader of the IPOB, Kanu, who has been detained in the last three years by the federal government or an indication that the zone was not moved by the President Bola Tinubu-led administration? These and probably many other posers are agitating the minds since last week that the exercise was concluded.
 
Those asking the questions are doing so because sit-at-home had been discountenanced in the past or had long lost its potency such that states barely observed it. Apart from some towns in Anambra State, residents of other states had for long stopped observing sit-at-home order of the agitators.
 
For instance, in Enugu State, its government has ensured that workers and even businesses don’t reckon with directives from the Biafra agitators, especially on when not to go to work.
 
In fact, in an attempt to stop further Monday sit-at-home in the state, the Governor Peter Mbah-led administration had sanctioned some traders that refused to open their shops for activities in the state.

Mbah had undertaken various tours of the state to encourage residents to open their businesses on Monday, as well as held several dialogues to convince the people on why they should not accept further orders to sit-at-home.

“I am yet to pinpoint any developmental effort he has started in the Southeast. Our governors are not any better as they are using tax to further create pain for the people. It is just a sign of things that will unfold soon,” he stated.