Many may have misconstrued the silence of some members to fair weather tendencies, I guess we all know that only fools talk without thinking or seeking to understand those things they talk about. While nobody wishes to sweep anything under the carpet, I feel the time has come to fully concentrate on the big picture while dealing with whatever side attractions that may present themselves. We should no more be bugged down with issues of any single pro Biafra group as Biafra Nigeria World forum members have their own task cut out for them. In line with this reasoning here are some points to ponder on certain festering issues,

- The struggle surpasses any single individual or group and that no individual or group is more Biafran or has a monopoly on issues affecting Biafra. However I continue to salute chief Uwazuruike’s courage for rekindling the fire and bearing the torch which no one hitherto dared touch.

- The decision by MASSOB to re -organize is very welcome albeit late. Inclusiveness should be the watchword, while timely communication should be priority.

- At some point Biafra Foundation would have to defend itself if it wishes to be remain relevant. It is clear that certain allegations will not go away if not properly addressed. The longer they remain silent the more difficult it would be to clear issues which may have been easily dealt with earlier.

- Those who have any axe to grind with any pro Biafran groups on sensitive matters should do so with decorum and with consideration to the fact that there is a need for continuity after quarrels may have been resolved. There is a place for everything and you do not pull down your house just because the roof is leaking. I donated to the BNW call for action and if I feel my donations has been misappropriated I will go through the channels I made my donation to see that things are done properly. How many of us saw the Financial statements of NADECO ? Did the ANC ever publish it’s donor list during apartheid ? How does Arafat account for the money he receives from Saudi Arabia and Iran? let’s think a little deeper my brethren unless of course what we hear is not exactly what is intended. I will not support anybody who demands that MASSOB produces a financial statement as that is tantamount to financial suicide. Folks if you believe in the cause then join a proactive group where you can demand accountability from the leadership of such groups, but individuals who could be of future help to MASSOB must not be compromised in the name of accountability. Further more future fund raising must not be an all comers affair, the intentions of the giver is more important than the giver.

- I salute the courage of all my sisters on this forum who have been active. Let me state that the new generation will gladly fall behind any woman who shows herself capable of leadership.

One of my favorite sayings which I heard not so long ago, was :

I may not know what tomorrow brings, but I know who holds tomorrow...

And another of my favorite stories,

There was once a black american lady who had comefrom a very poor background, having been raised with her five sisters by their mother a single parent.
Anyway, all of the children had made it out of poverty, and someone asked the lady what was the single greatest lesson of her life and then she had related the story ofthe pies:

Apparently her mother had had a policy that each day she would bake a pie for her children for dessert. When they grew up, they had asked their mother about this pie baking, and she had replied, that since their lives were so hard, that she had determined that each day she would bake her children a pie to remind them about how sweet life could be.

So, fellow Biafrans, let us look at the sweetness of life, too, in the midst of this destitution.

Excellent post. In our disgust over these revelations, some seem to have forgotten how far we have gotten since last year. Early last year, even our communication with the rest of the world was controlled by admitted opponents of Biafra. Today, when anyone wants to know what the Biafrans think, they come to BiafraNigeriaWorld. Neither our foes nor our friends can claim ignorance of our case. We have laid the facts out in our own words and as Chineke has given us abilities. Some of us have formed strong relationships with key members of various Biafra organizations. Those relationships are yielding results on the ground in BiafraNigeria.

We have served notice to the evil regime in Abuja that the Biafrans are coming. Acting as individuals, and working as members of various groups, we the Biafran Diaspora have told Abuja that MASSOB is not alone. It is clear that the message is sinking in and the enemy is restless. The only sign to date that there is intelligent life-form in Aso Rock is that the moron-in-chief at Aso Rock no longer pretends that Biafra is a thing of the mind. We have to be grateful to General Ojukwu for providing the "Biafra of the Mind" cover for us to fool the retards in Aso Rock, while we did important quiet work.

A closer look will show that even the recent leadership crisis at MASSOB is a byproduct of the growth of the Biafra movement. There would have been no joining of Okwukwu and his COLIP with MASSOB but for the expressed mutual understanding that Biafra was the objective. Such unions are bound to produce tensions. That is where I situate recent developments at MASSOB. Moreover, I agree with sentiments expressed elsewhere by OU; even as a stooge, that an Ijaw man, Batubo, even wishes to be called a Biafran who wants to take Uwazuruike’s post is also an improvement.

There have been some concerns about excessive secrecy, especially secrecy over public interest items. Secrecy has its place. However, secrecy to the extreme threatens to turn a movement into a cult. A cult exists to serve only the interests of its members and nothing else. This is a point I have sought to impress upon members of the various Biafra groups.

Biafra Foundation has forwarded two statements to me, along with permission for public release of those statements. I forwarded the statements to the webmaster of BiafraNigeriaWorld. Once I receive the links to the statements, I will make them known in this thread.

Each Igbo or Biafran has a decision to make. We each have to decide if or how we wish to fight for Biafra. Until a credible structure emerges to lead Biafra, my goal and my role is to identify groups or individuals, especially Biafrans, who are willing to fight or die for Biafra. I have found some of those individuals at Biafra Foundation. I do not speak for that organization. But, I know a few honorable men in that organization, and nothing that you say will change my views of those men. It will be a colossal mistake for you or anyone to assume that I give blind support to any group. The Biafra business is dangerous enough without such carelessness.

You are correct when you point out that I am not a member of Biafra Foundation or MASSOB. I am NOT, and I do NOT wish to become a member of either organization. However, you should know that some of the great strides that we have made so far on the way to Biafra are the works of determined individuals who either work alone, or work in very small unheralded groups. I am not as sure as you seem to be that separating the individuals from the groups is easy task. In any case, even if you were to succeed in your anti-corruption campaign against Biafra Foundation, you should know that targeting Biafra Foundation alone may not solve the problem.

Additionally, I am not sure that your angst is directed at the correct group of targets. Even if you have the correct targets, I am not sure that the targets themselves are ripe for the attack.

At the risk of opening oneself to your potential charge of moral relativism, I dare say that as an Igbo, you should know that as far as pan/quasi - Igbo groups go, Biafra Foundation could not possibly be the most corrupt. But then, you could not make the said charge of relativism without also finding that you may be guilty of selective enforcement of your purported anti-corruption absolutism. I hope that the one contradiction is as anathema to your perspective as the other. The risk that one may be accused of moral relativism or selective absolutism are two dilemmas that confront Biafra activists, especially as they seek to strike at the corrupt core of BiafraNigeria. Most activists who have thought long and hard about Biafra have encountered and resolved those apparent contradictions. You have to do the work yourself or the dilemma will gobble you up.

As the world's window to the mood of Biafrans, this forum has often played the role of an open theatre, laying bare all of Biafra's internal contradictions. It is our responsibility to resolve the contradictions and prevent them from impeding the progress to Biafra. The debate about openness v. secrecy in the struggle is certainly an area that tasks our intellectual dexterity. We live in an information age. We can dominate the information superhighway or we can become road-kill thereof. Think about it.

All:

Here are the responses from Biafra Foundation

1) Regarding the MASSOB Crisis

2) Resolving the Crisis

It is not my job to speculate about the motives of Biafra Foundation or the motives of any other pro-Biafra person(s) or group(s). Who knows what your own motives are in pursuing this line of questioning and inquiry? Without prejudice to the merit of the allegations as presented so far, motives alone, without a correlative negative conduct is utterly worthless and does not deserve my attention. I will only respond to conduct that I consider objectionable. Show me one of those and we are in business.

But, if you must know what BF's motives are, you might want to contact them directly. It seems to me that you are one of the most Internet-savvy members of this forum. Why don't you locate BF's readily available contact information and drop them a line. The cooperation you get may surprise you. I am sure that by now, they are familiar with and wary of your capacity to unravel any group that engages in "dubious" behavior. Even if BF ignored everyone else, they would think hard before ignoring you.

__________
Damian

One of the crucial things that the recent crisis has taught us is the importance of prompt response to accusations and the clear stipulation of where each one of us stand on issues raised.

It is understandable that Damian has done his personal best in conveying Biafra Foundation's message(s) to this forum. However, Damain is neither a member of Biafra Foundation nor the spokesperson for Biafra Foundation. The help he rendered to Biafra Foundation in no way exonerate Biafra Foundation from responding directly to charges levelled against it by concerned Biafrans.

A lot of pressing questions have been posed to Biafra Foundation by various members of this forum. In order to reclaim it's credibility, I believe that Biafra Foundation need to directly address those questions. The need has risen for Biafra Foundation to designate a spokesman whose specific duty it is to post write-ups for Biafra Foundation and to answer any questions and concerns that members of this forum may have for Biafra Foundation.