The leader of the proscribed separatist organization, Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, Nnamdi Kanu, has ordered those who believe in the Biafran cause all over the country to take the back seat and sit-at-home on May 30, in commemoration of the death of millions of Biafrans in the Nigerian Civil War. Even though this has been the case in the recent past, this particular order seems a bit far-reaching as it enjoins both Christians and Igbos in most parts of the country, particularly the Southeast, Lagos, Abuja, and the North, to join the sit-at-home exercise.
The May 30 Biafra sit-at-home exercise has been a reoccurring exercise in recent years and has recorded a varying degree of success. While it is religiously adhered to in some Southeastern states such as Abia and Anambra, the case is not always the same in some of the other eastern states. The order for this year’s sit-at-home protest was relayed through a statement released by Emma Powerful, the spokesman of IPOB. It read:
“We the global family of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) ably led by our prophet and liberator of our time, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, wish to announce to the public and Biafrans both home and abroad, that the annual anniversary of our fallen heroes and heroines will be on Sunday, 30th of May 2021.
“As usual, there will be total lockdown of the entire Biafra land on that day. There will be sit-at- home across Biafraland, Lagos, Abuja as well as northern towns with reasonable Biafran population.
“The sit-at-home order is also to be observed in all the markets within and outside Biafra land where our people do their businesses. It shall also be observed by Diasporan Biafrans in the over 100 countries with the IPOB family is present.
“We equally request our fellow comrades in Yoruba, Middle Belt, and other Christians living in the far North to solidarise with us in the event as we honour all those who have paid the supreme price in our struggle for total freedom.”
On May 30th, 1967, Late Odumegwu Ojukwu who was a Lieutenant Colonel in the Nigerian Army at the time, declared the secession of easterners and some other non-Igbo ethnic groups from the Nigerian political unit to establish the Republic of Biafra, which ultimately resulted in the Nigeria Civil War. Even though the war ended on 15 January 1970, with the country Nigeria still together, May 30 has been celebrated as “Biafra Day” by Biafra apologists.
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Meanwhile, the Department of State Services (DSS) has warned Nigerians, especially past political leaders and top religious leaders, to desist from making statements that further drive a wedge between the different regions in the country. This is coming from the recent calls by some notable Nigerians for a change in government as a result of the prevalent and wanton killings and destruction of properties in several parts of the country.
According to the country’s secret security outfit, these divisive statements are capable of inciting chaos in the polity. They also decried the fact that respected citizens are the ones perpetuating the agenda to destabilize the country. It noted that even though everyone has the right to free speech, there are limitations to every right and insisted that the service won’t fail to invite suspected persons to its office to explain their public utterances and statements where and when necessary.
As it seeks to work with leaders of thought from across the nation to quell the ongoing spread of violence all over the country, the service reminds Nigerians that the power to change any government lies in their hands at every election cycle and they should desist from creating panic and confusion with unguarded statements.
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