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Biafra Day celebrations: 14 groups to honour ‘friendly nations’, organisations May 30
BY: Oliseama Okwuchukwu
Fourteen different pro-Biafra groups have teamed up to mark this year’s May 30 Biafra Day celebration and would honour some nations and organisations which they said have remained friendly to the Biafra course.
This was disclosed by the leader of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Uchenna Madu, in a statement signed by him and other pro-Biafra groups leaders which was made available to newsmen in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
Although the statement did not disclose the nations and organisations that would be so honoured on that day, Madu, told our correspondent upon enquiry that they concealed the list because of security reasons.
The pro- Biafra groups are: Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB), Eastern People’s Congress (EPC), Igbo Youth Cultural and Restoration Initiative (IYCRI), and Bilie Human Rights Initiative (BHRI).
Others are Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), Biafra National Liberation Council (BNLC), Biafra Revolutionary Organisation (BRO), Biafra Liberation Crusade (BLC), and Joint Revolutionary Council of Biafra (JRCB).
Also part of the larger group are Biafra Revolutionary Force (BRF), Customary Government of Biafra (CGB), Biafra Central Council (BCC), Biafra United Liberation Council (BULCO) and Biafra Intervention Project (BIP).
In the statement, the groups said that in addition to ‘friendly’ nations and organisations, some individuals who have also contributed to the Biafra course would be honoured on that day which set aside to celebrate the exploits of gallant Biafra soldiers during the war.
The statement read partly: “On May 30, the members of all pro-Biafra groups and entire people of Biafra will converge on a stadium for the Biafra anniversary convention. Some reputable and erudite scholars will deliver speeches on Biafra and her quest for freedom.
“We agreed on a more eloquent and interactive commemoration anniversary where the members and people of Biafra will interface and reflect soberly on the real issues concerning Biafra emancipation.
“Pro-Biafra groups have unanimously agreed and resolved to jointly observe, commemorate and celebrate the 52 years anniversary of Biafra declaration by our foremost leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu) on May 30, 1967.
“MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups will observe the May 30 Biafra day in a unique form that will attract the presence of notable indigenous leaders of ethnic nationalities to Biafra land.
“As we planned to honour and celebrate the heroic exploits of our gallant Biafran soldiers and other individuals who contributed immensely towards the progress of Biafra, we shall also honour other individuals, friendly nations and organisations that assisted immensely in the survival of the people of Biafra.
“The May 30 anniversary convention will also attract notable Biafra leaders from Ikot Ekpene, Ijaw, Igbo, Calabar and Bakassi people. There shall be special prayers and supplication for the fallen Biafra heroes during the Nigeria-Biafra war and our comrades that were killed by Nigeria security agents including the people of Biafra who died in the hands of Islamic Boko Haram and Fulani herdsmen.
“The people of Biafra all over the world are enjoined to observe this year’s anniversary with prayers and supplications in their respective homes. This year’s anniversary will be celebrated by the people of Biafra not as a pro-Biafra group.
“As every revolutionary struggle has its own methodologies, the coalition of pro-Biafra groups will continue to introduce new and positive dimensions that will eloquently and convincingly harp on the need of the hours.
“Until the diverse ethnic nationalities that make up the Biafra nation come together, liaise together, interface, and agreed on the strategic ways forward, Biafra actualisation may be mere wishes,” the statement added.
The groups condemned the “gruesome murder of a front line vocal pro-Biafra activist, Prophet Anthony Nwoko,” saying that its Security and Intelligence Directorate was rounding up its investigations into his killing and would not hesitate in dealing with the culprits.
Source: The Sun
President Bola Tinubu has signed into law the bill seeking to reintroduce the old national anthem. Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced this at the joint sitting of the senate and house of representatives on Wednesday, May 29.
Akpabio said the president signed the bill into law on Wednesday morning.
The bill received accelerated hearing in both chambers of the National Assembly.
Lillian Jean Williams, a British expatriate who lived in Nigeria during its independence, penned the lyrics for “Nigeria, We Hail Thee,” while Frances Berda composed the music.
The anthem was however dropped in 1978 during Obasanjo’s military administration.
See the lyrics of the anthem below
Nigeria, we hail thee,
Our own dear native land,
Though tribe and tongue may differ,
In brotherhood, we stand,
Nigerians all, and proud to serve
Our sovereign Motherland.
Our flag shall be a symbol
That truth and justice reign,
In peace or battle honour’d,
And this we count as gain,
To hand on to our children
A banner without stain.
O God of all creation,
Grant this our one request,
Help us to build a nation
Where no man is oppressed,
And so with peace and plenty
Nigeria may be blessed.
We supposed the new generation has to go and start learning the old national anthem now.
Ben Affleck believes he was “temporarily insane” when he married Jennifer Lopez and the star actor is reportedly pushing for a divorce after “coming to his senses”.
The pair tied the knot in August 2022, rekindling their romance 20 years after they called off their first engagement.
Less than 2 years later, Ben has allegedly labelled their relationship a “fever dream”.
Page Six reports the actor is keen to end their marriage, claiming the decision to wed was due to “temporary insanity”.
A source told the publication: “If there was a way to divorce on grounds of temporary insanity, he would.”
They added: “He feels like the last two years was just a fever dream, and he’s come to his senses now and understands there is just no way this is going to work.”
People also reported Ben and Jennifer have “very different approaches to fame” leading to clashes.
Although they recently attended Ben’s child Finn’s school production together, the couple are reportedly living separately despite buying a £47million ($60million) mansion together last year.
Divorce rumours were further fuelled when fans noticed that J.Lo liked an Instagram post about “broken relationships”.
A 30-year-old teacher at Landmark School Mgbakwu in Awka North Local Government Area of Anambra State, Faith Nwonye has been arrested for allegedly beating an 8-year-old pupil into a coma.
The state commissioner for Education, Ngozi Chuma-Udeh, who disclosed this while briefing journalists in her office on Monday, May 20, 2024, said that the school has been permanently shut down.
Chuma-Udeh said she had summoned the school’s proprietor and Nwonye to explain the incident that led to the brutal beating of the primary pupil.
“We received this unfortunate incident from an illegal school in Mgbakwu that a child was beaten to a coma over the weekend. On behalf of the State Government, we invited the proprietress of the illegal school as well as the teacher who purportedly beat the child,” she said.
“We’ve handed the matter to the police for further investigations, as we await Mr Governor’s directives. Meanwhile, the school is closed down indefinitely because it’s not supposed to exist in the first instance. Any parent who is enrolling his/her child in an illegal school is doing so at his/her own peril.
“To the proprietors of private schools, anyone running an unapproved school in Anambra is a criminal. It’s a criminal offence to run an illegal school in the state.
“Whether the school is legal or not, it’s criminal to beat a child. According to the doctor, the chances of survival of the child is 20%.”
The commissioner added that the teacher would be brought to book.
“As soon as the police are done, the teacher will face other institutions against child rights. She’s going to have the full wrath of the law brought upon her over her actions,” she said.
“Anambra state abhors violence to children, women, and any other person. It’s not part of this administration and Mr. Governor is against such.”
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