IPOB demonstrators across Nigeria
By Larry Iloh
Not long ago, the people of Scotland had a referendum on whether they still want to be part of the United Kingdom. The result turned out Yes. So the yes votes have it. This referendum didn’t come easy; it took decades of agitation to force the Westminster govt to grant the referendum. Even as Scots still feel isolated by Westminster Parliament today, the issue of Scottish independence is far from settled.
In 2017, British people will have a referendum on whether to continue to be part of the European Union. This is generating all sorts of opinions and campaigns…
This evening, the British prime minister will be having Xmas dinner with his 27 other European Union counterparts in Brussels. One of the hot topics on the agenda is the renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the European Union. Discussions have been ongoing to see what the EU can concede to Britain to persuade her citizens to vote ‘Yes’ in the referendum.
It is interesting to note that in the Scottish independence referendum, Scots of all the different political parties were free to join whichever camp they believed could favor Scotland better. It is also interesting to note that the Scots who championed the campaign for independent Scotland were not accused of doing so because their son, Gordon Brown, lost election in 2010. The same thing applies to the current renegotiation of Britain’s membership of the European Union. Apart from UKIP that wants Britain out of the EU altogether, politicians of the main different political parties are free to campaign for either ‘in’ or ‘out’. Even ‘our own’ Chuka Umunna is one of the pillars of Britain ‘in’ EU camp. And David Cameron has made it clear that whereas he wants Britain to remain part of the EU, if he fails to get the concessions he seeks, he will join the ‘out’ campaign.
Now, let’s bring this politics home. The Biafra agitation did not start with Nnamdi Kanu and will not end with Nnamdi Kanu, just as the Scottish demand for referendum did not start with Alex Salmond. It is a very narrow narrative to lump the agitation for Biafra with the defeat of the People Democratic Party (PDP) in the last presidential election. Equally narrow is the confusing of the protest to release Nnamdi Kanu with the agitation for independent Biafra, although one can lead to the other. Thank God the Rule of Law and the resolve by our youths to stand firm in their demand for justice yielded positive response nationally and internationally. While we should shun any form of violent protests, we should not relent in the current legitimate demands for Nigeria to address the Biafran question. And while we still jaw-jaw over who and who should belong to Biafra, the issue of Biafra should no longer be a matter of if but when.
So, let the debate begin. Britain joined the European Economic Community (what is now European Union) in 1973 and sealed it with a referendum in 1975. Today, as the scope of the EU continues to develop and expand, the British want out unless their demands are met. The rest of the EU is not taking up arms against UK and will not. Instead, they are renegotiating. It is therefore fraudulent for the Nigerian constitution to say that all Nigerians agreed to be one indissoluble country when Nigerian citizens have never been given any opportunity to discuss their existence as one country. This is the fundamental problem with Nigeria, and it needs to be addressed. This does not call for any wars or armed confrontation. It can be resolved peacefully through a sovereign national conference or a referendum.
If I am not mistaken, we have the South East Governors’ Forum, South East House of Representatives’ Forum and South East Senators’ Forum. We can start by forcing them to put Igbo interests ahead of their personal ambitions and interests. They should lead the call for a referendum on our membership of the Nigerian project. Calling for a referendum is not the same thing as voting for ‘out’. Anybody who wants to be part of Nigeria can still be FREE to exercise his or her choice and vote ‘in’. The point is that we must be given the opportunity to decide.
So, as we return to our various Eastern communities this Xmas, let us use the opportunity to do our own bit. Pick up the phone, call your governor, his aides, your senator, your house of reps member, house of assembly member, their aides; tell them what you want on the Biafran question. Make your voice heard.
. Larry Iloh wrote in from the United Kingdom.
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