NIGERIA IS A SINKING TITANIC

by Okey Iwuji

 

Titanic story has become a household knowledge to generations born some 100 years after her demise on April 15, 1912 in a deep sea off the coast of Newfoundland, North Atlantic. The unfortunate story became popular than the architect, Thomas Andrews who designed and built the state-of art ship ever celebrated which great prospect in revenue generation in the ship industry was not in doubt due to the luxurious comfort it could afford and number of souls it could accommodate on a single boarding. Besides, the gadgets installed were so wonderful at the time that the designer could boast that even God cannot sink it, without acknowledging flaws human craft could be prone to, in what was considered as master piece of it’s time. White star liner’s desperate quest to be ahead of competitors seems to imply a hasty completion of the ship’s building between 1909 and 1912 which left some flaws.

 

 

Titanic was owned by British white star liner and was reckoned to be about 900 feet long and 100 feet high and the fastest on 30 knots in speed with individualized watertight compartments for which it was accredited as unsinkable in the eyes of the builder. The ship could carry as many as 2,206 passengers and 898 crew members on board on that maiden voyage. Incidentally, this envious vessel which left Southampton England, with pomp and glamour could not sail to it’s expected destination, New York city when it ran into an iceberg that drowned it with about 1,500 of it’s many occupants.

Co-incidentally, the same British coupled Nigeria in 1914, two years after Titanic ended in the belly of an Atlantic Ocean with great eagerness to reap fortunes from it’s abundant human and natural resources to compliment her domestic revenue and to offset her continued trade deficit emanating from the northern axis with that of south. Though, it reaped this fortune for 46 years but seemed dissatisfied when the founding fathers of Nigerian independence came knocking at the door requesting for their freedom. Such men like Pa Nnamdi Azikiwe, Pa Enahoro and Pa Awolowo and host of others.

In pursuit of this economic gains, Britain undermined outstanding differences in culture, language, religious and philosophical believes of the tribal units being fussed into one ship called Nigeria and which began to sink no sooner she left to sail in 1960.
Due to economic interest in the southeast, Britain, Egypt and Russia backed the Nigerian government in weaponry and personnel to crush the seceding Biafra which was perceived as region with independence-front-liners, to restore their control on the region’s newly found oil without doing much to entrench justice and fairness in the politics of the country since after the civil war.

 

 A war that has been described by historians as the worst inhuman and disastrous in a modern age that claimed more than 3,500,000 people through starvation programme which Britain and her allied permitted in utter disregard to rules outlined in Geneva war convention of 1949 which both countries subscribed to.

It must be recalled that 1914 was in heat days when European powers that scrambled and partitioned African territory were tying up their African booties as though bunches of firewood and Britain was in a hurry to tie up her fragmented booties in the west coast of Africa into an entity known today as Nigeria before France and other contending powers could breach into these protectorates. By this effort, Nigeria became big in human and material resources like the titanic, commanding a high population of about fifty million and vast mineral resources spread across the regions by Independence Day.

The competition that existed in the ship industry in United Kingdom that gave birth to this great vessel, titanic, was similar to competition among European nations scramble of Africa that produced Nigeria. Titanic and Nigeria were both products of intense competitions between Cunard and White star liner in one hand and Britain, Russia and France in another hand.

Just as titanic was hastily done to meet the challenges of that time, Nigeria amalgamation was hastily done as well to make administration easy for the overlords. Though the Nationalists could be partly blamed for the haste preceding the Independence that forced unwilling and unready section of the country to be co-opted into the independence project for which opportunity Britain seized to create a big fundamental problem the nation is grappling with till date. While desire to be independent from colonial rule was high in the hearts of founding fathers, they fell to the British bait by accepting to be merged with unready north meant to continue an indirect rule on the new nation and independence front-liners were ready to accept any conditions that would make the white overlords ease out quickly. For if the agitators were insistence on being separate nations and patiently waited for more years, may be the story could have been different today.

 Thomas Andrews-Titanic Builder.

 According to hypotheses, titanic was doomed from the start by it’s design though it was hailed as a-state- of –the –art master piece. The watertight compartment design contained a flaw which analyst think may have been a critical factor in her sinking; while the individual bulkheads were indeed watertight, water could spill from one compartment into another, unlike those of contemporary vessels owned by Cunard. In the same way, the British in desperate desire to cede power to a manipulative stooge introduced corruption and mediocrity into a young nation at the very beginning by compromising census population figure to the favour of the north having promised Sir Ahmadu Bello a 50% seat at the house of parliament as a condition to encourage him accept amalgamation of the northern and southern protectorates and even exceeded to 55% to make the north lord over the new nation. Also by installing a grade 2 teacher as a prime minister when great brains were available in large numbers in the Nigerian politics of the time, Britain dug a foundation of mediocrity in governance in Nigeria which is bedeviling the Nigerian state up till tomorrow. Looking back 53 years after, do Britain feel ashamed of the evil seeds of corruption and bloodletting sowed in Nigeria for quest of filthy lucre?

 The British was said to have poisoned the minds of other sections of Nigeria against the Igbos for being outspoken, wise and industrious and accuse them of domineering tendencies thereby creating hate, suspicion and unnecessary bickering from the very first and no wonder her silence during the various massacre of biafrans in the north and supportive role during the war. Britain set up many commission of inquiries into the various genocidal killings in Nigeria of those days and despite the findings went ahead to side Nigerian government against the Biafra state.

 Lord Lugard,Nigeria Amalgamator

The ceding of Bakassi Peninsula to the German government without the consent of the indigenous people of the land based on the treaty of protection signed with the king of bakassi way back 1884 is among recent evidence of fundamental problems the colonial master created for the new nation, Nigeria. Nigeria, on her own and possibly with the aid of her foreign war advisers signed off Bakassi again to Cameroun to block Biafra from accessing the world through the sea and to support the cause of Nigeria. Today, the signing off of the peninsula has become a spate in the eyes of well meaning Nigerians, a source of aggression and axis of death for bakassi people and Nigerians at large from Cameroun neighbour, for which Nigeria will forever live to regret.

 Sir Ahmadu Bello-The Sarduana Of Sokoto.

It was discovered that there was a small coal fire in one of the bunkers of titanic which was alarming, though not an uncommon occurrence on steamships of that time. Stokers hosed down the smoldering coal and shoveled it aside to reach the base of the blaze. After assessing the situation, the captain and chief engineer concluded that it was unlikely it had caused any damage that could affect the hull structure, and the stokers were ordered to continue controlling the fire at sea. According to a theory put forth by a small number of Titanic experts, the fire became uncontrollable after the ship left Southampton, forcing the crew to attempt a full-speed crossing; moving at such a fast pace, they were unable to avoid the fatal collision with the iceberg. According to a British journalist, Michael Nicholson, during the civil war, the war would have been inevitable because of what he referred to as tribal prejudice, jealousy and gang up against the Ibos because of their unity, progress and industry which was helped to full blow by 1966 coup led by Igbo officers. But the zeal of the officers to arrest a monumental corruption, embezzlement and extravagant lifestyles and anarchy of some politicians which became worrisome to all observers of the new republic gave rise to the coup in order to entrench orderliness. Corruption and ethnic prejudice in Nigeria and other contemporary nations of Africa

were like little coals of fire discovered in titanic at that time which went out of control because of negligence. And moving fast to save the situation through the coup of 1966 created bigger problems leading to disintegration as it was wrongly executed and Northern soldiers pretended to misunderstood and misinterpreted the true situation. Whereas Ghana’s coup by flight Lt.Jerry Lawrence successfully curbed corruption but Nigeria’s created multiple coups, deepened corruption, tribal hatred, selfish political class, mediocrity and religious bigotry.

 

Pa Anthony Enahoro-One Of the Nationalists.

 Thomas Andrew’s confidence of an unsinkable ship may have contributed to inadequate precautionary measures in providing a few numbers of 16 lifeboats and 4 Engelhardt collapsible that could accommodate 1,178 people of a ship which capacity when full could carry about 2,435 passengers and 900 crew members totaling about 3,300 people. Though 16 lifeboats and the collapsible were said to exceed British Boards of trade regulations of that time but was inadequate for emergency evacuation amidst confusion and present day standard. Each of the lifeboats was meant to carry 65 persons but some left with fewer than 28 persons because of confusion. The Nigerian government henchmen have over the years adopted some wrong and inadequate safety measures which are thought to keep the titanic entity afloat. These measures include among others; the divide and rule of some ethnic nationalities especially Igbos, marginalization, brutal crushing of opponents who refused to be bought over, playing up ethnic and religious sentiments and recently campaigning against military intervention while leaving out equity, justice, fairness and accountability which is the bane of stability of any nation. It is on these false measures that the drivers of the nation’s doom brag of none divisible Nigeria, like Thomas Andrew’s unsinkable titanic. Yet, what these henchmen have failed to accept is that Nigeria is sinking and need urgent rescue through national dialogue by all ethnic groups in Nigeria. In the face of religious and ethnic tension, with people being killed on daily basis by Boko haram sect, Biafran agitators waxing stronger everyday especially taken the Nigerian state to court seeking for independent state and Bakassi, Ogoni hoisting  indigenous flags declaring autonomy, these self-serving leaders have refused every call for Sovereign national conference,

 Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, one of 1966 coup plotters

 pretending that Nigeria well be better while it gradually falling apart. Can a group of people continue in a nation filled with hatred against one another and bloodletting and remain indivisible?

 What will the Ibrahim Badamosi Babangidas,Obasanjos and Danjumas do when Nigeria finally sinks into the bottomless history notes unprepared since they have refused to accept the through position of things and prepare the minds of Nigerian citizens rather boast their readiness to go back to trenches to keep Nigeria one?

Will they out of shame commit suicide in order to end with Nigeria like Thomas Andrews who for shame of what people will say ended his life with the unsinkable titanic?

Nigeria union compares favourably with the two lovebirds of titanic who would have wished the voyage have no end and moreso ending disastrously. Jack Dawson, a poor young fellow in sizzling romance with a rich Rose Dewitt Bukater was said to have distracted the ship captain who stirred at them in their love nest and losing concentration ran into an iceberg that ended titanic. Jack took advantage of Ross, influence, obsesses, control and would never let her go even when Rose parents became uncomfortable with Jack’s companionship and needed some space, so the poor North and southwest bourgeoises in marriage union with rich south have refused Nigerian people to go their separate ways because of free oil money that lubricates their families and black and white cronies at the expense of our suffocation and cries for freedom. As Jack could no longer hold back Rose in the face of danger so these bourgeoisies  will someday leave indigenous people of Nigeria alone.

NIGERIA FIGHTS BIAFRA AGAIN 2

By Okey Iwuji

The suit filed by BILIE human right, on behalf of the indigenous people of Biafra against Nigeria, at Federal high court Owerri, praying the court among others to determine whether it is unlawful for the remnant of the indigenous people of Biafra, who were not consumed by the civil war of 1968-1970 to choose to be known by their indigenous name, Biafra and to seek for self determination as enshrined in the United Nations and African charter received attention on the 16^th day of January 2013 after two consecutive failures by Nigerian government to appear in court to respond to the questions from BILIE.

This day’s appearance was not without cohesion from the Court which threatened to continue with the hearing should Nigeria fail again this day, having ignored the originating summons on the 30^th Oct and 26^th Nov 2012 respectively. Nigeria’s turn up attracted a fine of #5,000 for contempt of court as the presiding judge Justice SM Shaibu was not satisfied with reasons by Nigeria’s solicitor for dishonouring the court’s invitation.

Though the case was adjourned to 28^th March 2013 to enable BILIE lead consul, Bar.Emeka Adolf Emeka, tidy up some legal issues in accordance with his prayer to the court. Present at the court were Bar.Uwazie and BILIE team of lawyers eagerly waiting to argue it out with Nigeria team led by Bar.Adeleja. With Nigeria fully represented in court means that the stage is set to use the rule of law and logical reasoning to ask Nigeria, to let God’s people go.

Nigeria receipt of contempt of law at this preliminary hearing has raised some obvious questions, whether she will come to equity with clean hands? Whether she is afraid to stand in defense for her reasons in killing several millions of Biafrans during and after civil war for their interest to be known as Biafrans instead of Nigerians? Will Nigeria not unnecessarily foot drag in this case to buy time instead of being straight on the matter? Why will Nigeria not honour the request of Biafra and other ethnic  nationals  to go  away from a system that has never benefitted greater percentage of the population, while Britain, Egypt are willing to offer their subjects the opportunity to decide their fate through referendum. For instance, Britain has given a referendum to the Scottish to decide their independence despite years Scotland has been a member of British nation and still preparing to do the same to entire citizenry to decide their willingness to continue in a United European nation. This is what democracy should be and Nigeria claims to look up to Britain and America for good governance. Unlike Nigeria’s President’s claim that Nigerian people have lived together for one hundred years therefore no part should be allowed to breakaway, Scotland has been part of Britain for years with it’s better system and still wants to leave from great Britain.

Official campaign for Scottish Independence in Britain.

In another consideration, will Justice SM Shaibu that started well by not conceding to Nigeria government’s unfounded reasons for lack of appearance on the expected days and equally pledged to be unbiased in the matter, hold on to his integrity for posterity sake, till the end without compromising the process by employing a kinsman sentiment because some Yorubas are known for their penchant to bend judgment in order to favour their kinsman when matter has to do with outsider.

The choice of Bar. Adeleja to represent Nigeria in a court presided by his kinsman has a far reaching implications. Apart from kindred spirit that rob justice, the Yoruba brothers have through several writings of today and speeches of yester-years given impression that the war of secession was an Eastern and Northern region affairs and now would it be appropriate for the same Yoruba to lead in a second battle of resistance for Biafra independence while the Northern lawyers sit back and watch closer neighbours fight to finish for a cause that primarily belongs to North as claimed?

Alex Salmonds launches Scottish Independence referendum consultations.

Does the selection of Bar.Adeleja based on merit or political games which the south has failed to realize over these years? Merit in the sense that he is the most qualified and knows more about the Nigeria-Biafran war than the lawyers of Northern extraction or a continued exercise of divide and rule diplomacy which the North and her British political adviser has used to make united south unattainable. If on this, then the Attorney General of the Federation, Justice Mohammed Adoke, a northerner, who was joined in suit with the president of Nigeria by BILIE has made a score card. The reason is to further generate bad blood between the Ibos and the Yoruba of the same south making a political agreement difficult. A good political thinker would know that a little political accord of the south west that produced Jonathan presidency is being threatened by recent publication’ There was a country by Prof.Achebe.President,Goodluck.E.Jonathan

While the offices of the President and AGF leave no choice for the duo but to defend it, Bar.Adeleja has no compelling duty except he belongs to the brigade that vows to truncate Biafra vision at all cost or he is driven by love for blood money which Judas of bible took to betray the Messiah. If this is true as well, then goodluck to him and all his supporters to remain in Nigeria but one thing is certain, Biafra is gone from Nigeria conglomerate to their own land that will ensure security of their lives and properties.Justice Mohammed Adoke,AGFN.

A single word of advice for Bar.Adeleja is to look before he leaps because Biafra is a political, economic and spiritual phenomenon of southeast. All that are fighting them fight the God of Heaven, their very God and would be visited like Pharaoh and Egypt at all fronts in due time.

NIGERIA FIGHTS BIAFRA AGAIN

By Okey Iwuji

All men are born free and equal, and have certain natural, essential, and unalienable rights; among which may be reckoned the right of enjoying and defending their lives and liberties; that of acquiring, possessing, and protecting property; in fine, that of seeking and obtaining their safety and happiness.[11]

The above quote have been undeniable conscious words of freedom fighters of ages and these unalienable right has Nigeria enunciated in her constitution, at least 1999;

*Every person has a right to life, and no one shall be deprived intentionally of his life, save in execution of the sentence of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty in Nigeria.

*Every individual is entitled to respect for the dignity of his person, and accordingly -

(a) no person shall be subject to torture or to inhuman or degrading treatment;

(b) no person shall he held in slavery or servitude; and

(c) no person shall be required to perform forced of compulsory labour.

*Every person shall be entitled to his personal liberty and no person shall be deprived of such liberty save in the following cases and in accordance with a procedure permitted by law -

(a) in execution of the sentence or order of a court in respect of a criminal offence of which he has been found guilty;

(b) by reason of his failure to comply with the order of a court or in order to secure the fulfillment of any obligation imposed upon him by law;

(c) for the purpose of bringing him before a court in execution of the order of a court or upon reasonable suspicion of his having committed a criminal offence, or to such extent as may be reasonably necessary to prevent his committing a criminal offence;

*In the determination of his civil rights and obligations, including any question or determination by or against any government or authority, a person shall be entitled to a fair hearing within a reasonable time by a court or othr tribunal established by law and constituted in such manner as to secure its independence and impartiality.

*Every person shall be entitled to freedom of thought, conscience and religion, including freedom to change his religion or belief, and freedom (either alone or in community with others, and in public or in private) to manifest and propagate his religion or belief in worship, teaching, practice and observance

*Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference

*Every person shall be entitled to assemble freely and associate with other persons, and in particular he may form or belong to any political party, trade union or any other association for the protection of his interests:

*Every citizen of Nigeria is entitled to move freely throughout Nigeria and to reside in any part thereof, and no citizen of Nigeria shall be expelled from Nigeria or refused entry thereby or exit therefrom.

*A citizen of Nigeria of a particular community, ethnic group, place of origin, sex, religion or political opinion shall not, by reason only that he is such a person:-

(a) be subjected either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any executive or administrative action of the government, to disabilities or restrictions to which citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions are not made subject; or

(b) be accorded either expressly by, or in the practical application of, any law in force in Nigeria or any such executive or administrative action, any privilege or advantage that is not accorded to citizens of Nigeria of other communities, ethnic groups, places of origin, sex, religions or political opinions.

Biafrans agitate for Sovereign State of Biafra

Despite the acceptance that freedom is man’s unalienable rights, the government has looked the other way in using high handedness in dealing with some sections of the society especially the freedom agitators from the southeast of the nation whose movement has been based on the principle of non-violence. Since re-emergence of Biafra agitation in early 2000 no fewer than 1,000 Igbo sons and daughters have been brutally killed by Nigerian force for their faith and agitation for Biafra. Many have been maimed and some others slammed in various prisons across the country and others could not be traced after their arrest. It is well known fact that Nigeria has not given up in her quest to wipe out the Ibo race and memory of Biafra from the earth surface, being disappointed that such unexpected number of Ibos survived the civil war in 1970, has therefore continued to catch-in opportunities available to unleash havoc on helpless biafrans. In fact right now, the Ibos are being referred to as a minority tribe in some official documents dubiously written by some disgruntled Nigerians because that is what they set to achieve.

Similarly but with different approach by violence, Boko haram has held Nigeria’s jugular since 2009, asking for a separate Islamic state from the entity called Nigeria. Their target mainly has been on Christians and Igbos who were given ultimatum to leave from northern states or convert to Islam. Although government institutions and some other Muslims have been touched for intervening to stop and condemning the killings of innocent citizens of a country who have unalienable right to live in any

Body of Massob members killed by soldiers.

part of the country, yet the total approach and complicity of the Security and Legislative men and utterances of notable political figures of northern origin has left doubt the will to nip on bud the activities of the sect. The Odua People’s congress (OPC), a militia from the western axis of the country is still seeking for it’s Oduduwa state from the Nigeria state. This group was sometime classified as terrorist group by United States due to hundreds of innocent people killed in several parts of Yoruba land by this group. Interesting none of the violent groups has been killed, hurled into prisons in Nigeria like those from the southeast who chose to be non -violent. Many member s of Movement for the actualization of sovereign state of Biafra members are languishing in prisons in Nigeria and some others killed. On the 5^th of November 2012, another group of Biafra agitators, Biafra Zionist movement, led Benjamine Onwuka and about 500 members were arrested in Enugu for re-declaring the state of Biafra. it was gathered that each was bailed with the sum of one million naira and a surety that must have a building in the state capital or Abuja.

Oodua Peoples Congress(OPC) during agitation for Oduduwa Republic.

No other year has witnessed strong agitation for either total or partial independence from the Nigeria people like this year 2012. While people clamour for sovereign national conference to discuss our willingness and terms to live together as a nation, some other advocate true federalism or regionalization to enable some level of independence to regions and others are asking for full independence from Nigerian state, in all these, the government hold on to her fears for a dividing nation should any of the choices be made, amidst, daily bombardment of church institutions, killings at people homes, shops and other work places by Islamic fundamentalists in the northern part of the country.

It must be recalled that on 2^nd of August Nigeria woke up to hear the declaration of independence from the Ogoni people of Nigeria. In that declaration Dr. Goodluck Diigbo, the broadcaster, said, “We are acting with legitimacy to reclaim all of our rights, without exception,” and by this declaration of political autonomy, we, the Ogoni people are determined to enforce the United Nations Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples, without fear or retreat,” In the same manner, Bakassi people a week later declared independence from Nigeria through commander –General Ekpe Ekpenyong Oku, who  in addition said;

“Please for the umpteenth time, we plead with our people to leave Abana now. The fight is going to be thickest and fiercest now that our brothers from the northern and eastern flanks have fully arrived. Bakassi we hail thee. “Throughout history, injured people have had to resort to arms in their self-defence where peaceful negotiations fail. Bakassi people are no exception. Our right to self-determination is imminent; some will die, but some will live to reap from our labour.” he added

Boko haram agitates for Islamic state for Northern Nigeria.

In all these show of discomfort in a continued one Nigeria project, the Nigeria leadership has continued to pay lip service to non -negotiability of national unity whereas secretly fan embers of hatred, division and make malignant policies aimed at keeping some people perpetually down to advantage of others. Such utterances as made by the likes of Babangida and Obasanjo only depict the mind of people that considered Nigeria as a conquered entity reserved for them and their children. In their words, they are ready to go to war at this age to make sure their Nigerian slaves do not gain their freedom, agreeing with the words of Martin Luther King Jnr that,’ Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed. Therefore, in the light of the senseless killing of the southerners, especially the Ibos, destruction of their properties in a grand conspiracy and wide dissatisfaction in Nigeria by different ethnic groups a human right organization, Bilie human right initiative, an indigenous  organization registered with United Nations and Nigeria, through her counsel, Barrister Emeka Adolf Chigozie has thrown a legal fight to Babangida, Obasanjo , Nigeria government and all that think it evil for indigenous people to ask for freedom from the Nigerian project, especially the Biafrans. Since it is well known that the two leaders are old enough (though refused to acknowledge so)to go literally into the trenches of today, Bilie decided to show them alternative trenches were earth need not to rob on their agbada.

Bilie's decision was further inflamed by unrepentant comments from some Nigeria elites and ruling class who boast their readiness to repeat all issues raised by Chinua Achebe's, There was a country, against the Nigerian government, especially the salvation policy, 20 pounds payment to every account holder in Nigeria banks after the civil war, the indigensation policy and abandoned property promulgated against the Ibos.

In an originating summons issued to Nigeria government sometime October, this year at Federal high court Owerri, Bilie stated thus; Gentlemen of the Press, we are here today to let the world know what is happening in Nigeria. The safety of the lives and properties of indigenous people of Biafra living in Nigeria are no longer guaranteed. The Biafrans were forced to surrender their sovereignty and become Nigerian citizens on the promise that their lives and properties would be protected by the Government of Nigeria. Now, it has become clear that the Government of Nigeria is impotent and incompetent to protect the indigenous people of Biafra who were not consumed by the war. In fact, the Nigeria Police and Army Officers have continued to harass, intimidate, arrest, detain and kill Biafran human rights activists who are agitating for the self-determination and independence of Biafra by peaceful means but spare the militant activists from other nationalities agitating for similar outcome. There is clear and demonstrable policy of discrimination, marginalization, oppression and racism against the remnants of the indigenous people of Biafra living in Nigeria which has caused some of them to deny their identity in order to receive favours from the Federal Government of Nigeria. The situation has compelled Bilie Human Rights Initiative to file multiple suits against the Federal Government of Nigeria and its agents on behalf of the indigenous people of Biafra to protect their human and peoples’ rights. At the moment, the two suits Bilie Human Rights Initiative has filed are as follows:

(a) Case number 1 is for the Self-determination and Independence of Biafra

(b) Case number 2 is an order seeking restraint on the part of the Federal Government of Nigeria and her agents from the continued intimidation, harassment and threat to life of the publishers and distributors of Eastern Pilot Newspaper and violation of the publication’s freedom of expression as guaranteed under the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

The Case for Self-determination and Independence of Biafra:

On behalf of the Indigenous People of Biafra, Bilie Human Rights Initiative has filed the case, Suit No. FHC/OW/CS/102/2012 in the Federal High Court of Nigeria in the Owerri Judicial Division against the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of the Federation seeking to enforce the rights of indigenous people of Biafra to self-determination and independence. The said suit brought by way of originating summons requires the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of the Federation to appear in court to answer fundamental questions impinging on the rights of Indigenous People of Biafra which to date has remained unanswered and untested in any competent court of law.

Bakassi prepare for war as it declares independence

LET the Federal Government of Nigeria and the Attorney-General of the Federation within thirty days after service of this summons on them, inclusive of the day of such service, cause an appearance to be entered for them to this summons which is issued upon the application of BILIE HUMAN RIGHTS INITIATIVE representing INDIGENOUS PEOPLE OF BIAFRA who are indigenes of the South East geopolitical zone of Nigeria, parts of the South-South geopolitical zone of Nigeria and parts of the Middle Belt zone of Nigeria seeking to enforce their right to self-determination pursuant to Articles 19 - 25 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990, and to redress all wrongs occasioned on them by the Defendants in consequence whereof the Claimants pray for the determination of the following questions: 1. Whether the Indigenous People of Biafra who are the remnants that were not consumed in the Nigerian-Biafran war of 1967 – 1970 have the right of self-determination pursuant to Articles 19 – 25 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.

Ogoni declares independence

2. Whether the Claimants who identify themselves as Biafrans by indigenous identity are committing any offence by doing so contrary to any provisions of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 or contrary to any provisions of the Criminal Code and whether it is a crime under any national or international law to mention the name of BIAFRA or for the remnants of the Indigenous People of Biafra who were not consumed by the war to maintain their indigenous identity as Biafrans with their native emblems and symbols as they do now even though they are Nigerians by citizenship and nationality laws; and if the answer is in the negative, whether the Defendants are justified to arrest, detain, shoot and or kill the children of the Claimants for identifying themselves as Biafrans by indigenous identity contrary to the rights of indigenous peoples as guaranteed by Articles 19 – 25 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990.

3. Whether by the interpretation of Section 2 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 it is a crime for the Claimants and or the people of other ethnic nationalities held together in Nigeria against their will to exercise their right to self-determination by seeking for independence under the law as guaranteed by Articles 19 – 25 Cap 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and the United Nations Resolution 61/295 of 2007 known as the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.

4. Whether it is lawful under the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 and under the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 for the Defendants to hold the ethnic nationalities in Nigeria together by force against their will who now constitute the six geopolitical regions namely: South East, South South, South West, North Central, North East and North West, in a forced marriage akin to slavery contrary to their human and peoples’ rights of self-determination as there is no provision in the Nigerian law or international law that makes it a crime for a people to seek for freedom by the rule of law.

5. Whether the amalgamation of the peoples of the south and north by the British Government to form one country called Nigeria was with the consent and agreement of the indigenous peoples of the lands; and if the answer is in the negative, whether the Order-in-Council 1910 – 1913 made by the British Government to create Nigeria in

1914 was null and void ab initio for lacking legitimacy as it could not form the basis of the Nigerian Constitution thereby rendering the amalgamation invalid.

Federal hgh court Owerri hears Bilie & Nigeria

6. Whether by the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1963 which took effect on 1st October 1963 and remained in force until the midnight of 30th September 1979 the Defendants were right to seize and confiscate the assets, properties, money, and all treasures belonging to the Claimants by promulgating the Abandoned Properties Act of 28th September 1979 while the 1963 Constitution was in force, being more than nine years after the war and after the declaration of “One Nigeria” while regarding the Claimants as Nigerian citizens but depriving them of their properties, money and assets; and if the answer is in the negative, whether the Defendants are still justified to withhold the said money, properties and assets belonging to the Claimants.

7. Whether the Defendants were justified to violate the International Humanitarian Law and the Laws of War known as the Geneva Convention 1949 (to which the Defendants acceded and ratified on 20th June 1961) by bombing the Biafran civilians, killing the Biafran civilians and using starvation to kill the children, women and the elderly of the civilian population of the indigenous people of Biafra in the war of 1967 – 1970 in order to win the war.

8. Whether the Defendants by registering Nigeria as a member of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) in 1986 and licensing an Islamic Sharia Bank in Nigeria under the 1999 Constitution contrary to Section 10 of the Constitution of Nigeria have violated the Constitution and turned Nigeria into a

Islamic country; and if the answer is in the affirmative, whether the Claimants have the right to dissociate themselves from the Defendants and refuse to answer the citizens of an Islamic country in the exercise of their right to freedom of worship, freedom of association and self-determination as a people.

AND LET THE DEFENDANTS TAKE NOTICE that the Claimants who are called Biafrans by indigenous identity and Nigerians by nationality have commenced the legal processes leading to their referendum for self-determination and shall at the hearing of this summons pray the Honourable Court for:

(a) An Order declaring that the Claimants have the right to self-determination pursuant to Articles 19 – 25, Cap 10, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 1990, and are therefore free to exercise their right to self-determination for independence or any other political status of their choice.

(b) An Order declaring that the ethnic nationalities that make up Nigeria are not held as slaves under Section 2(1) of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 and therefore have the right of self-determination to decide their political status by the rule of law.

(c) An Order declaring that the Defendants are liable to pay to the Claimants by way of compensation or reparation the present value of all the money, properties and assets of the Claimants seized by the Defendants as a result of the Nigerian-Biafran war of 1967 – 1970 since the properties were not seized in wartime but nine years after the war based on the post-war discriminatory policies and laws made by the Defendants to suppress the Claimants from generation to generation.

(d) An Order directing the Defendants to comply with the provisions of Article 20 (3) of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights (Ratification and Enforcement) Act Cap 10 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria 1990 and consequently give all assistance to the Claimants in the exercise of their right to self-determination for a peaceful conduct of their referendum for independence or for any other political status of their choice.

(e) An Order granting judicial protection to the Claimants, their homes, their offices and their correspondences individually and collectively as they exercise their right to self-determination and an Injunction restraining the Defendants, their agents and privies, from interfering, arresting, molesting, intimidating, disturbing, hindering or harassing the Claimants or doing any act or omitting to do any act aimed at frustrating the Claimants’ exercise of their right to self-determination which they have commenced with a referendum.

(f) An Order compelling the Defendants to release from its prisons and detention centres all indigenous people of Biafra who are agitating as pro-Biafra Movements for Independence of Biafra by peaceful means and to drop all charges of treason or treasonable felonies made against them and to release all their properties seized by the Defendants.

(g) An Order affirming the Memorandum of Ohanaeze Ndigbo dated 28th June 2012 submitted to the National Assembly for the restructuring of Nigeria into six autonomous self-governing regions, namely: South East, South West, South South, North East, North West and North Central, as a manifestation of the Will of the People in the exercise of their right to self-determination and directing the Defendants to present an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for a law granting autonomy and self-governing

status to the six geopolitical regions in Nigeria; OR IN THE ALTERNATIVE, in the role of the Judiciary as the last hope of the common man, an Order directing the Defendants to present an Executive Bill to the National Assembly for a law dissolving Nigeria in peace along the compatible ethnic groups instead of allowing the country to break up in bloodshed.

(h) An Order declaring that the Defendants by registering Nigeria as a member of the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC) have turned Nigeria into an Islamic country contrary to Section 10 of the Constitution of Nigeria 1999 and therefore the Claimants being Christians have the right to dissociate themselves from the Defendants and refuse to be called the citizens of an Islamic country.

The facts of the case and exhibits relied on are contained in a 44-Paragraph Affidavit filed with the suit. Bilie Human Rights Initiative is by this legal action accelerating efforts to bring legal clarity to the issue of arbitrary arrests of indigenous people of Biafra. We believe that what Biafra lost after the war was its sovereignty and not its people since we were not annihilated by Nigeria as Rome annihilated Carthage.

By this BIlie has on behalf of the Ibo nation beckoned the federal government of Nigeria and all who try to silence the Ibos when Biafra is mentioned to tell us why we should not bear our indigenous identity and why we should not go out of the Nigerian project. Though the summons was properly served on the government to appear in court or cause appearance to be entered for her on 30^th October 2012 for 1^st hearing the later failed to show up and case was adjourned to 26^th November 2012 which she failed to honour the second time but honoured the case instituted  by the same Bilie at Abuja against her on behalf of Eastern Pilot Newspaper which security agents of the government has been harassing and impound her papers that write against the injustice meted to the Ibos. Nigeria government unexpectedly committed herself before the court having attended Abuja case without reason for absenting that of Owerri and by this leaves Justice S.M Shaibu of the federal high court no other choice than to continue with the case on the 16^th of January 2013. And being aware of the implication Nigeria has shown interest to be in court on that date. It will be exciting moment lovers of human rights are waiting to see. May be Britain and Russia will deploy their anti -freedom personnel to help argue for Nigeria why the Biafrans should not go.

google.co.uk,yahoo.com,theinspectors.com,

IGBO-JEWISH ANCESTRY (PART 1)

Surfing through the NET recently a You-tube clip, ’Re-emerging the Jews of Nigeria’ drew a curiosity of a writer to watch and listen what it has to say. The clips contain some group of Ibo men and women from different parts of the land in a worship place described as synagogues by the director, chanting and singing praises to God. The songs were not familiar ones as they were sung in Hebrew tongues. And some members of the congregation interviewed confirmed they were Ibos either residing within Nigerian States of Abuja, Port Harcourt and Anambra or outside Nigeria adhering to Judiac way of worship of ancient fathers.

The comments from the public reacting to this clips as read gave impression of four categories of people represented in the discussion forums. Some were abusive, aggressive, agitated and others appreciative in their expressions. It is these four sets of mindset, this article intends to address in this series, under the following presentations;

1. The Ibo Jews
2. The Liberal Jews.
3. The racist Jews.
4. The tribe conscious Nigerians.

      And

5. A sincere analytical opinion of the situation.

The Ibo Jews-

There is no law prohibiting any man or group of people from seeking to know their root, and for the Ibos in particular, it is a tradition to look homewards because there is no place the tribe considers to be like or better than home. When we were growing up, there were men and women counted as one of us in the village, only to hear one day that these people have discovered their roots, packed every belongings and left the village to their places of birth. Also men have equally made sudden appearance in my community to take their rightful place in their family history.

That is the power of bloodline of an Ibo man, no matter how long and comfortable it resides outside the lineage will certainly return in due time.

In fact recent years have witnessed a tremendous search for identities by men and women across the globe. In Nigeria for instance, clips of videos and pictures of persons from America and Europe were shown who came to the country in search of their parents. Cases that readily come to mind are that of Michelle Sijuade, a Nigerian of a British mother, who has been to this country up to two times putting desperate effort to connect back to her Dad after long years of separation. The 34 year old woman based in London came to Nigeria in March 2010 for her father named Ken Sijuade, who left her when she was about two years old.

Michelle posted a chilling note to all who care to help out;

Nigeria: Please Help Me Find My Missing Father 'Ken Sijuade' Author: Michelle Sijuade Trafford | March 08, 2010 Well, hello everyone! I'm new here! AND I’m in London! I am looking for my Nigerian father. I am 34 years of age and am keen to find my missing father with whom I have had no contact since 1977 after I believe he was deported from London back to Nigeria. He was known in London between 1975-1977 as Ken Sijuade. He left when I was just 2 years old . Michelle Sijuade Trafford. My father registered me at birth he gave me HIS Nigerian name 'Sijuade'. Now, as a kid growing up in the 70s (without a dad) in London was quite alternative to say the least. I have to admit I didn't promote my given name BUT as I grew older I have to say that I am SO happy he did this for me. I AM SO PROUD. BUT I want to find him. I haven't seen met him before, this for me is really sad. I wasn't brought up to believe in religion and he also had me christened, so once again never paid much attention to this fact but I do appreciate and respect his reasons for doing this for me. Anything someone does for you to this degree you have to respect no matter what your beliefs. For me it showed that he cared. I've missed out on a lot - not having a father around...but it’s a long story!   Anyway, whilst I go on, I might just introduce myself, I'm Michelle Sijuade Trafford. And I’m going to ask YOU, would you have any idea where I might find my missing father Ken Sijuade? This is quite a desperate case. If you have any information, which might guide me in the right direction to finding him, please, please let me know. Thank you for reading this. Much appreciated! Michelle Sijuade

Michelle’s Dad is from Yoruba tribe of Nigeria going by the surname Sijuade. Therefore, that implies that Michelle is a Nigerian lady of Yoruba origin. Though, she has not located her father yet but all hope is not lost provided the man still lives. There is a very strong belief that with time and more efforts the man will be located.

Michelle, is not the only one in search of her Dad, American TV star Stacie Turner, stormed Nigeria in January 2011 in company of her own family to locate her father, Mr.Nze Augustine. This 42 year old was lucky to have her Dad alive till date and finally happy to embrace the arms of a man called father who disconnected with her since childhood. Stacie Turner is a Nigerian of Ibo descent and her mother is a German/Finish descent. Her joy new no bound as she finally slipped into the bosom of a long awaited Daddy. Read her testimony;

I started the search for my father nine years ago when my son was born and I was diagnosed with sickle cell traits. And I said it’s interesting to find out my medical history because I always knew I was adopted. All of sudden because of this medical history I was curious to know who my parents were for the very first time. So, I wrote the adoption agency to try and get my medical information. They didn’t have it but instead they sent me a summary of who my parents were. And it was the first time I found out that my birth mother was a German/Finish descent and my father was of Nigerian descent. As I grew up with my family, I always thought that I was African-American not knowing I had these other nationalities in my background that I didn’t know anything about. And so I came to Nigeria out of curiosity to find out more about my father.

Meeting face to face with my father is indescribable. Though, I initially found him in April 2010 when I first contacted him on phone. Since then we had talked on phone a number of times but the network was always bad, and because of the dialect we couldn’t really have a conversation. But finally seeing him on that day was completely overwhelming for both of us. He was completely open and welcoming. The moment was incredible. I found out that I have 10 siblings. I grew up as an only child and never thought I have all these relatives, which is a wonderful thing.

Stacie Turner (third from Right and Dad next to her) and other members.

The moment we both met, I was speechless. My father was screaming and crying. I also started crying. We didn’t say anything to each other. Emotion was just overflowing. He just kept looking at me like ‘is it real? Are we really here? Originally, I didn’t want to come looking for him because my birth mother has said the experience would bring him shame. But fortunately, we have some good friends in the United States who are traveling with us. For my husband’s best friend who is a Nigerian it’s like ‘oh that’s ridiculous. It’s not part of our culture not to seek out your family’. What my husband’s friend said turned out to be true because the entire family completely embrace us.

Likewise, the Cross River born Nollywood actress, Shan George recently disclosed her several unfruitful attempts to reconnect her British Dad, George or family members since four years ago. The said actress was fathered by a British expatriate from Manchester, United Kingdom working in Nigeria then. The information available with her was insufficient to link with her supposed family members abroad, but there was an understanding that her father might have died.

Nollywood actress Shan George.

Now it is not about economic issues that inspire Nigerians to search for their links across the world rather love to be united with bloodline raises a curiosity as pointed out by Stacie Turner because this group of people for instance are comfortable and independent and discovering their root might not add anything to their financial status rather take from it. What they need is warm embrace from kits and kin and a place among the brethren. Nigerians have been told by Mark Walton of African Channel, an International TV station based in Los Angeles to expect an unprecedented boom in tourists’ traffic from the United States following the report that more than 70 percent of African-Americans have discovered their roots lay in Nigeria through DNA test. According to Mr. Walton, the current trend in Europe and America is that countless people desirous of unraveling their behavioral pattern resort to DNA test to really understand who they are and where their forebear came from. And, the results of the majority of such tests have proven that majority of African-Americans are of Nigerian ancestry.

Corroborating Walton’s assertion about the relevance of DNA tests by African-Americans to possible influx of US tourists’ to Nigeria, Mr. Jim Holden, President African Travel Association (ATA); observed that requests for information on Nigeria by African-Americans have surged since DNA issue popped up. In the same vein, Mr. Stephen Richer of the US National Travel Association, the umbrella body for US Travel Trade, also revealed that demand for tour packages to Africa, especially Nigeria, has risen significantly, following the DNA test fever in America. Mr. Richer, who also commended Otunba Runsewe for taking Nigeria tourism on a US Road show; urged the Nigeria government to gird its loins by beefing up infrastructure and setting in motion other strategies to attract home-sick African-American yearning to visit

Nigeria

Rev. T D Jakes,an Ibo American

From this information gathered in US, it would not be surprising to have many African-Americans making Nigeria, at least, a second home in the near future if Nigeria could put her ace together, by providing an enabling environment for the diasporas. Infact, Africa-Americans are desperate to have DNA test result further analyzed into tribal roots which result claims that about sixty percent of African-Americans of Nigeria descent would probably be Igbos, prominent among these are Actor Blair Underwood, Actor Forest Whitaker, Rev .T D Jakes, Paul Robeson and Booker T Washington, just to mention few. It was a chilly joyful experience for some Africa-Americans to have finally laid to rest their nations of origin and would not hide the willingness to be integrated into the African society by way of come back. It is exciting to read expressions of African-American relatives when some discovered their root. Stump is one of such African descent in America;

Now, "I have a place where I can go back and say, 'This is who I am; this is my home,' " says Stump, 34, a homemaker and mother of six in Basalt, Colo. "That's something I never, ever expected to say."

The truth is that some of the African-American yearning to come back are comfortable and might not have need for Nigeria economically rather assist in developing the nation and the continent in general.
 This is normal in Africa, in Nigeria and with Ibos in particular, it runs in our blood to search for our place of birth in due time. Ibos don’t get lost in a strange land.

The Ibos see any true male child from the tribe who does not think homeward and remained in a foreign or strange land (outside Ibo enclave) as efulefu, which means fool and prodigal. Such person is without honour and inconsequential in the sight of his kinsmen. Even at death, the Ibos could spend whatever to take the corpse of a tribesman home. Within and outside Ibo land, families and communities ensure that this ancient tradition is upheld except on extreme cases where event around the death is a helpless one. Therefore, it is not wrong for the Ibos as a society to seek to know where they came from, for there is no place like home.

Now, if in Nigeria today and the world at large people could trace their origin, then that of the Ibos cannot be an exception. The Hausas are said to migrate from Nubia, Fulanis from the Arab world,Yorubas are direct descendants of Cush, the son of Ham of Noah, itsekiris from Benin and Benin from the Yorubas (though some of these are controversial), then how will one think that the Ibos have no place of origin?

If these historical descents are true, what is not true is the myth that the Ibos ancestor, Eri, fell from heaven, for there is no related story like that in any part of the universe. Ibos came from some place and the quest to connect their root has been a primary concern over the years unlike Jeff Lieberman’s opening bias remark that with the introduction of internet in Nigeria, young Ibos began to research their history;

With the introduction of the Internet in Nigerian society, young Igbo men began to research their history and noticed a pattern of similarities between Igbo and Jewish traditions. This discovery gave rise to Igbo shaking off years of Colonial Christianity and fueling a movement toward Jewish identity and practice, which has been fraught with turns into Messianic worship, family exile, prejudice from Muslim and Christian neighbors, and scorn from Jews in the Western world, yet it has also been a communal journey.

Jeff, would have spared himself the publicity of ignorance on a subject, he knows little or nothing about. To narrow down an age long quest of a people to internet connection that is about 15 years old is to rubbish and make jest of the issue on ground. No wonder some forum contributors followed this thought to castigate and talked down the Ibo race. If one would ask when was internet introduced in Nigeria to start with? Did Jeff know when the first set of Israel archeologists stormed the Southeast of Nigeria to check out some archeological proofs? Does he know that an Ibo ex-slave in London, by name Olaudah (Ikwuano) Equiano, had written some documents tracing the ancestral home of the Ibos to Israel before his death in 1797(Some two hundred and fifteen years ago)?

Olaudah (Ikwuano)Equiano (1745-1797)

Does he know that as far back 1995, the Israeli government under Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin has sent delegates to Nri, a place considered as the first settlement of the Ibos to confirm this claim and the delegates were satisfied with the sites they saw and concluded that the Ibos are indeed one of the lost tribes of Israel, also other delegates under Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was sent in 1997 for the same mission?

Does he also know that the Israeli ambassador to Nigeria, on March 28, 1996 paid another visit to Nri kingdom, wept for similar things he saw in Israel that is found also in the kingdom and gave gift of Olive fruit and Oil which Israel traditionally presents as special gifts to those recognized as kings in Israel to Eze A.E Chukwuemeka? Those material items excavated from the ground are they information downloaded from the internet?

Does pattern of similarities in tradition strictly make the people one? If so, the Arabs who share some similar traditions with Israel would have claimed to be the later, but the case of Ibos goes beyond tradition pattern seen on the internet.

It is an exaggeration by Jeff to slight the Ibo nation to say that Igbo shook off years of colonial Christianity…and scorn from Jews in the Western world…yet it has also been a communal journey.

The question is how does 40,000 estimated number of Ibos that embraced Judaism came to represent a tribe that numbered up to 50 million people and where are the synagogues in the Southeast that are not seen, such that it could be regarded as a communal journey?

How many western Jews are scorning the Ibos quest for Jewish identity and how many are in support? The Ibos are predominantly Christians and would not be possible to convert to any religion in such a large number as painted by Jeff.

 

Yitzhak Rabin,Israeli Prime Minister.

The story that the Ibos are from Jewry is not new among the tribe except for the new breeds. All the people interviewed in the video clips fall within middle thirties and above age group and this similar story will be heard from any Ibo that falls within that range elsewhere in Ibo land and that does not mean that other ages below the group may have not been privileged to hear the story of Jewish ancestry. I remember hearing the story from Pa Nzegbulam, as a child. He was a grand uncle and a very close friend of my grandfather, Fredrick Iwuji. Pa Nzegbulam was a Second World War soldier who traveled wide. He used to tell us the story of Adolph Hitler of Germany and the World War. So, the men having become old about late 70’s and early 80’s took to tapping Palm wine having retired from active works and I will always accompany them to the stream where the wine was tapped being my grand dad errand boy and escort or meet with them at the stream whenever I came back from school. Besides, my grand dad was a tuberculosis patient which made him unable to carry heavy load and needed my company most times. It was one of those days this story of being Jews was told. Those stories did not mean anything to me and I am sure my mates that were privileged to have it also. That a nation called Israel exists was like the story of heaven, hell and Adam and Eve from our catechism lessons. It was a bit confusing that we were Nigerians, then from Israel and as children in primary school; we were not thinking beyond our village and daily chores, Nigeria was our world, so it didn’t matter for us. What I am not sure is whether this story from our fathers were told with understanding that some day their descendants will return to Israel or for the sake of knowledge because if it was for the first reason concerted efforts beyond story telling would have been made to drive a stronger hunger for Israel before now. Besides, the Ibo- Jewish ancestry has been on the burner in world discourse before 1948 when Israel was proclaimed a Sovereign nation by the United States of America and United Nation and all Israel were enjoined to return to their homeland in Israel. It was not on record that our fathers made efforts to return to Israel and were denied. May be, the British government played down the event from the reach of Ibos to discourage their going being part of British colony like efforts made to prevent Israel before UN and America intervention.

Surprisingly, one of the commentaries posted on the NET acknowledged having read the story from World geography textbook as early as 1950’s when most of us writing have not been conceived; ‘I recall being surprised when I read this in my 1950’s era 7^th grade World geography textbook,’The Ibos are referred to as ‘the Jews of Africa’ because they are so industrious ( as close to a direct quote as I can remember).

I want to believe that the person who wrote this is neither an Ibo nor a Nigerian and for him to be surprise at the time he read World geography text book means he was a bit up in age and old right now. Also, I am sure that the textbook referred to is out of circulation by now and World geography is no more a subject taught in very many countries today, for instance, Nigeria. We never read world geography at my time so that confirms that Jeff dived into a subject he is unfamiliar with. Secondly, because of passage of time this individual could not recollect and quote correctly the presentation as contained in the world geography.

On further search on the NET, a write up credited to Rabbi Yehudah ben Shomeyr of Adint-Ministries, Canada disclosed that connection of Igbo people to Israel has contained in Encyclopedia Britannica publications since 1929 and a Torah Commentary on Sh’mot in 1922 commented on the Igbo-Gad connection also. What is not certain is whether our grandparents drew their knowledge from these publications since my grandfather was officially recognized to be born in 1904 or was the knowledge from oral tradition like any other.

Rabbi Yehuhah ben Shomeyr

Having read many articles on Igbo-Israel relationship written by Ibo and non Ibo researchers on the subject, one will not hesitate to advice our Ibo brothers in the light of the tribe’s proverb that you can only show someone his relation and not his friend. It is left for that relation to acknowledge and embrace the relationship. Some of these Ibos should not impose themselves on Israel through legal battles but leave her to take time and sought things out by herself. Over the years, different groups from black and non black nationalities have been staging protests to show affinity with the nation Israel, though these might not be known and accepted by Israel yet God of heaven knows his own and will just do that at the fullness of time for in-gathering of his own people.

The implication of granting and integrating the Ibos as Jews are enormous and will alter the political, economic, social, security and religious landscapes of the nation, therefore, require a diligent and comprehensive approach to address.

If God be in the programme of in-gathering of the dispersed of Israel in according scriptural prophecies and Ibos happens to be among his people nothing can stop him from fulfilling the prophecies. To struggle to convert to Judaism for acceptance into the fold is man made way to helping God achieve an objective designed from the foundation of the world and no one can successful help God whose ways are

past finding out.