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May 30: IPOB, MASSOB, pro-Biafra groups defy clampdown, insist on 52 years’ remembrance
BY: Ikenna Oluka
The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, the Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, and a coalition of pro-Biafran groups working on restoration of a sovereign republic of Biafra, have said they will all ignore the military buildup and intimidating clampdown on Biafra agitators to mark the May 30 remembrance of 52 years’ declaration of Biafra Republic in 1967.
They said it will be celebrated in a unique method with honour to nations and bodies that have always identified with the aspirations of the Biafra people. IPOB on its own said that threats, lies, propaganda, misinformation, arrests, torture, illegal detention, will only serve to strengthen their resolve to restore Biafra other than diminish it.
It regretted that whereas Biafraland is under siege, with hundreds kidnapped on daily basis, the Nigeria army capitulates in front of Boko Haram while it supports ethnocentric campaign of genocide against non-Fulani population.
IPOB spokesman, Emma Powerful told Vanguard that “Biafra Remembrance Day celebration is on Thursday 30th of May and Biafrans must not come out on that day.
It will serve as a reminder to the overlords in Nigeria that we Biafrans are united in our quest to be free from the iniquitous bondage called Nigeria.
“We owe it to our fallen heroes and heroines to honour them in the finest traditions of IPOB on May 30th. No matter how many troops they deploy on our streets or how many people they kill or arrest, Biafraland will be locked down on that fateful day.”
“There is nothing Nigerian government, her police, army and other security apparatus can do to stop or jeopardize 30th of May. It will be observed. It is better for Nigeria police and other security agencies to stay indoors and respect that day or the spirit of those that died in the quest for Biafra will destroy them.”
Similarly, the coalition of pro-Biafra groups, include the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign state of Biafra, MASSOB, Eastern Peoples Congress, EPC, Bilie Human Rights Initiative, BHRI, Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria, MOBIN, among others, have condemned the arrest of over 140 members now remanded inside Enugu Prison and other arrests in Onitsha, with killing of two pro-Biafra activists.
They said the arrests, clampdown and killings were illegal, insensitive and ethno religiously motivated. They insisted that people of Biafra will never succumbed or be intimidated with President Mohammed Buhari’s Fulanisation of Nigeria, adding that May 30th Biafra day anniversary is sacrosanct and settled.
“No amount of Nigeria security agencies can deter Biafrans from celebrating and honouring our heroes,” they said.
Leader of coalition and head of MASSOB, Comrade Uchenna Madu said that “the Pro-Biafran 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 on 30th May, 1967.
“We will observe the May 30th Biafra day in a unique form that will attract the presence of notable indigenous leaders of ethnic nationalities in Biafra land. We plan to honour and celebrate the heroic exploits of our gallant Biafra soldiers and other individuals that have contributed immensely towards the progress of Biafra.
“We shall also honour other individuals, friendly nations and organisations that assisted immensely for the survival of the people of Biafra. “The May 30th anniversary convention will also attract notable Biafra leaders from Ikot Ekpene, Ijaw, Igbo, Calabar and Bakassi people. There shall be a 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 that 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 as a mark of respect and honour to our father land; it is also a reminder to the visions and commandments of our great ancestors and Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu (Eze Igbo Gburugburu) that we are not Nigerians but Biafrans.”
The coalition also condemned the gruesome murder of a front line vocal pro Biafra activist, Prophet Anthony Nwoko.
Source: Vanguard)
The Enugu State government has inaugurated a steering committee to eliminate Gender-Based Violence, GBV, in the state, declaring zero tolerance for the social malaise.
The inauguration took place at the Government House Enugu.
The panel, which is chaired by the Commissioner for Children, Gender Affairs and Social Development, Mrs. Ngozi Enih, draws its membership from the Nigeria Police Force, Ministry of Agriculture and Agro Industrialisation, Ministry of Local Government, Rural Development and Chieftaincy Affairs, Ministry of Human Development and Poverty Reduction, Ministry of Trade, Investment and Industry, Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education as well as the Civil Society.
Inaugurating the panel known as the Steering Committee for Strengthening Institutional and Community Responses to End Gender-Based Violence/Domestication of Enugu State Gender Policy using the Oputa Panel approach, Governor Peter Mbah restated his administration’s commitment to not bringing perpetrators of GBV to book, but also putting in place proactive measures – activities, infrastructure, and systems in place to prevent them.
Mbah, who was represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, said, “We take gender-based violence seriously. We have zero tolerance for it, and in Enugu State, we are ready to go the extra mile to deal with it.
“If you notice, the government has selected people that are very committed to this goal. This is not an activity where we just want to check-off the list. We will track this. We will monitor this, and we will have quarterly engagements on the successes that this particular committee has achieved in terms of reference that we are going to send.
“We will tighten those terms of reference indicators, so that we monitor what we are doing both in terms of cost input and the value added. It’s very important to us. Many people will be involved – civil society, the police and various ministries.”
He however, said that the effort was to protect everyone, men and women alike, as GBV was not restricted to any gender.
“The whole idea is to hold people responsible that are involved in matters relating to gender violence and deter people that by culture or by association get involved in that, protect women, protect our children, and in the case of violence against men, protect our men because most times we misconstrue gender violence to mean women, but it can also be men too.
“We encourage our men to speak out and to make sure they understand that the policy that Enugu State is soon going to domesticate is for everyone, and not only for the female gender,” he stated.
In her remark, Mrs. Enih, explained that the Oputa Panel approach was inspired by the need to cover all local peculiarities in domesticating the policy on GBV, restarting government’s confidence in the members of the panel.
“The approach we are going to use is the Oputa Panel approach, and in the Oputa Panel approach, we are going to tour the 17 Local Government Areas to get firsthand information about what our people are going through because policy is meant for the people, and a policy should suit the people.
“Again, every community has its peculiar problems, so that’s why the government decided that if we have to domesticate the gender policy, we have to hear from the people who own the policy and know the changes that they desire to see. That is the reason we are using this approach.
“The committee members are to also serve as judges. As we gather this information from our people, we will come back to tailor it in a way to suit the people of Enugu State, and then our policy is ready.
“We want the people to know that there is a gender policy for them. I can assure you that when the people are aware that there is such a policy, they will seek for the enforcement of that policy. So, this is not going to be one of those policies that will just lie on the shelf,” she said.
Digital solutions provider, Globacom, has congratulated Christians in Nigeria on this year’s Easter celebration, and urged them to emulate the noble qualities of Jesus Christ.
The company, in a goodwill message to the Christian faithful in the country, lauded their perseverance through the Lenten period which preceded Easter. It enjoined them to always promote the ideals of selflessness, love and peace among all as a way of demonstrating the virtues of the exemplary life of Jesus Christ.
“Peace, love and sacrifice are the central message of Easter. Christ offered himself in atonement for the sins of the world and he lived a life which made Him an eternal symbol of peace and goodwill for mankind”, Globacom added.
The company enjoined all Nigerians to share in the lessons of promoting selflessness, a necessary ingredient in the growth and development of every society. It also enjoined all Nigerians to join hands to make Nigeria a better place for all.
Easter is celebrated yearly at the end of the Lenten season of fasting and prayer considered as a ritual of purification for the Christian faithful. It also precedes the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ on Good Friday and His eventual resurrection on Easter Sunday.
The company assured its customers of seamless voice, data and Short Messaging Service (SMS) during and after the Easter celebrations, while urging them to avail themselves of the various data and voice offerings on the network.
The Guild of Private Broadcast Managers has extended its heartfelt congratulations to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) as it celebrates its 70th Anniversary.
In a congratulatory message signed by the Guild’s National President, Ambassador Patrick Uzoyi-Peters, JP MNGRM, the guild described the milestone as a testament to the NUJ’s unwavering commitment to upholding press freedom, journalistic integrity, and the advancement of democracy in Nigeria.
“For seven decades, the NUJ has played a pivotal role in shaping the media landscape, advocating for the rights and welfare of journalists, and ensuring that the voice of the people remains strong and unyielding. Your resilience, professionalism, and dedication to ethical journalism have been instrumental in fostering transparency, accountability, and national development”.
Celebrating this historic achievement, the Guild’s President, Uzoyi-Peters recognized the sacrifices and contributions of journalists across the nation who work tirelessly to inform, educate, and empower society.
The Guild reiterated it commitment towards collaborating with the NUJ in promoting responsible journalism and strengthening the media industry for the greater good.
While wishing the NUJ continued success, growth, and greater impact in the years ahead, President Uzoyi-Peters prayed that the anniversary serve as a renewed call to uphold the principles of truth, fairness, and press freedom in our collective pursuit of a more informed and just society.
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