THE BIAFRAN MISCONCEPTION AND THE MYOPISM OF SOME OTHERS -By Rees Chikwendu

Rees Chikwendu

It is a misconception to think that a Biafran nation would be without some internal differences and rancor. But it is even great myopism to think that a homogenous Biafran nation would not be united – more than a Nigeria entity cloaked in devilry, and without any value for human life and prospects for its youths. Such argument lacks syllogism, and to assume that an independent Biafran nation would be a replica of South Sudan, is profoundly baseless.

Biafrans owe those holding this form of argument some degree of enlightenment. It’s either they are among the Igbo haters, uninformed or misinformed.

For more than 50 years, they have thrown the propaganda of disunity against the Igbo, using it as tool to make them loathe themselves. It has backfired, and the Igbo is beginning to rally around a superior ideology of Biafranism. Every time you hear this set of people use the slogan, “The Igbo is not united,” they are full of hate bile or (maybe) being misinformed by those before them. Today someone told me that in an independent Biafran nation the unity of the Igbo would still be elusive. Thinking he was making any sense, he stated further: “Anambra Igbo would want to be recognized more than Imo Igbo or Anioma Igbo, vice versa.” He argued that equality would not be achieved in an independent Biafran nation due to Igbo differences. This has been one of the worn-out clichés about the Igbo. It is a banner for those who want to shutdown the Igbo discourse on independence. They rap it up to tarnish the effort of the Igbo to free themselves from the failed Nigerian state, as if they are even enjoying the one Nigeria existence, which they sing like hymns, especially every time Igbo matter is raised.

The argument that an independent Biafran nation would turn into South Sudan is not true. This is because South Sudan is not still a homogenous nation which a wisely mapped Biafran nation is going be. South Sudan comprised of ethnic groups such as Dinka, Toposa, Shilluk, Nuer, Luo, etc. However, Biafra is a homogenous group, not withstanding its various Igbo dialects. Biafrans are one people – one language and same culture. Except if the proposed future Biafra would include surrounding minority ethnic nationalities with their distinct language and identities. This will not work in the interest of Biafran nation. But in the absence of this intended lumping, a homogenous Biafran nation would never be another South Sudan. Besides, the Igbo people are the most educated ethnic group in Africa, which can be a pinnacle of hope for the black man. Maybe an independent Biafran nation can be a model of advance nation and industrialization for Africa, and would be a step in recreating what the imperialists created to keep black people killing each other for decades. Maybe that is a reason Western nations turned blind eyes during the genocide against the Igbo. It might also be a reason they remain mum on the Igbo struggle even today.

It seems there is a Western fear of an African example of a true nation-state with its enlightenment and re-orientation of the mind which the Igbo nation represents.

Further, homogeneity does not eliminate internal conflicts and some bitterness, so to think otherwise is dumb. One thing is certain: A homogenous and independent Biafran nation would never rise up against itself in a civil war. They would not slaughter each other because of religion the way it is in Nigeria, where Muslims slaughter Christians like chicken. Although, some degree of irritability would exist. Don’t family members sometimes bicker? Don’t siblings sometimes fight one another? But the fight of siblings cannot be as dangerous as the fight of strangers and mortal enemies. Yes, there would be internal differences (and some conflicts) within independent Igbo nation, but the advantages of independent existence as a homogenous nation will far outweigh what is obtained in the killing machine called Nigeria. Moreover, whatever internal differences expected to arise in an independent Biafran nation, would be checkmated through the instrument of provincial government. What exist today as states in Biafraland would be converted into provincial governments which enables efficiency and effectiveness of governance. Given the autonomy of governance, such provinces would reduce the tendency for Imo Igbo to want to be recognized more than Anambra Igbo or for Anioma Igbo to want to be recognized more than Ikwere Igbo, etc. Provincial government would recognize the minor differences and keep them to the minimum causes of disunity.

Take the Netherlands as an example. It is a constitutional monarchy and a parliamentary democracy made up of the union of its provinces (about 12 of them), and the provinces govern with reasonable autonomy. The country is a nation of Dutch people – with one language and same culture. Nonetheless, it does not eliminate internal differences and some levels of rancor among the Dutch people. I am not surprised whenever Dutch people are arrogantly dissing one another within the differences of their dialects, provinces, and regions. It is something human. Although the dialects do not divert from the standard Dutch language, but they sometimes mock each other, arrogantly. For example, Drents speaking Dutch dialects could mock the urban (randstad) speaking dialects and vice versa. The north of Holland has some gas reserve on its ground, and those from this area sometimes accuse (or bitter) other provinces of using the gas revenue to develop their regions, too. The bickering never results to hate. The point: The Netherlands is a homogenous nation of Dutch people, yet they have some internal bickering that does not results into killing one another. I think the same thing happens in Germany – a brotherly or family bickering. Therefore, homogeneity does not take away minor differences within the same group. Don’t be deceived by the term homogeneity.

Importantly, with the nature of the Igbo society – more egalitarian than other Nigerian ethnic societies – it will be easier to fashion a society with the ideals of equality. Also, with the mindset of the Igbo, that is, one of enlightenment and progress, an independent Igbo nation will speed into the rank of First World within twenty years. Knowing the Igbo republican political system, an independent Igbo nation will enshrine democratic values faster than any other Nigerian ethnic nationality. Moreover, ethnicity problem – the very root cause of many Nigerian problems – would be eliminated in a homogenous Igbo nation. Governed with the instrument of provincial government, minor differences that could cause disunity will be checkmated and replaced by a political community of superior ideology. Then it would not matter whether the president or prime minister is Igbo Anambra or Igbo Anioma, rather political ideology based on human rights, equality, freedom, and advancement of the entire Igbo nation would supersede minor differences.