Yesterday's arguments showed a sharp division between the states, as the littoral ones opposed government's stand on resource control while those described as "landlocked" argued in Aso Rock's favor. In barring 11 of the states from taking part in the suit, Justice Uwais said: Defendants numbers 4, 11, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 21, 22, 29 and 30 (meaning Anambra, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Enugu, Gombe, Jigawa, Kano, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun and Oyo) had not filed their briefs. Therefore, the Chief Justice announced that they have forfeited their rights to address the court.
But, Mr. Clement Akpamgbo (SABN), who led the lawyers for Abia State (a supposed "landlocked" state) discountenanced Chief Williams' argument. He insisted that since the matter for determination is both one of law and of fact then contiguity of states to the offshore boundaries sought by the Federal Government cannot be discountenanced. He cited Section 162(1) of the 1999 Constitution Section 313 and 162 of the Constitution as well Decree No. 106 of 1992 to buttress his argument.
He referred the court to Order 38 Rule 14 of the Federal High Court, Rule 135(1) of the Evidence Act, Section 1(1) of the Territorial Water Act to prove that the Federal Government not only needed to produce affidavit evidence to buttress its case, but should also appreciate that there should be no onshore, offshore dichotomy in determining what constitutes the terrestrial boundaries of the states.
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Some States are More "Littoral" than Others
Patrick:
Let's break it down. Ikpatt and others like him from Cross River or Akwa Ibom states will soon pay the price for their blind support of the Nigerians. If Rotimi Williams' argument prevails, as it is likely to, we are going to find out that Cross River has no oil. What Cross River refers to as its oil is what Obasanjo refers to as off-shore oil. Cross River State is less Littoral than Rivers State and Beyelsa. Obasanjo is defining the seaward boundary of all "littoral states" to limit them to just a short distance from their land boundaries.
The so-called "littoral states" must realize that when they surrendered themselves to the Nigerians, they also surrendered the leverage they could have had had they joined the smaller Biafra. When international law documents mention "states" for the purpose of delimiting a continental shelf or the seaward boundaries of a state, the reference is to sovereign states, not the Yakubu Gowon concoctions in BiafraNigeria. What happens beyond that, and what benefits accrue to the political subdivisions of the country depend on what clout the subdivisions have within the sovereign entity to which the municipal jurisdictions (the Yakubu Gowon, Babangida, Abacha states) subject themselves.
Therein lies the dilemma of the "littoral states." Their best argument lies in disputing Nigeria's sovereignty over them either as a historical reality, pointing out that the Nigerian state did not exercise such sovereignty in any real terms, and adding that other sovereigns are the ones controlling events in that region. But, alas! they have precluded themselves from making that argument because they have sworn themselves to servitude to Nigerians.
Well, as long as BiafraNigeria exists, this is a win win situation for Nd'Igbo. The only reason that any Igbo State should spend money on lawyers on this one is to hammer out the details of the outcome. More report.
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Chei! When I saw that word "littoral," I knew there was trouble, especially after I racked my high school grammar brain and concluded that "littoral" was not a synonym of "latrine." Any time you see a strange-sounding adjective next to the word "state" in BiafraNigeria, it is an attempt to separate Nd'Igbo from their minority brothers and sisters in the East. First, the Nigerians slashed all over the map of Biafra to create what they call "Niger-Delta." May be that is not working anymore. The Ikwere people know that they are Igbo, and the Ijaw people are realizing that their interest is best served in Biafra. The new buzz word is "littoral," as in "littoral states." What next?
Since Dikeanatuegwu was the first to convert "Niger-Delta" to "Nig[g]er-Delta," let me be the first to covert "littoral states" to "latrine states." In my village, we have a saying that it is only a latrine man who will allow outsiders to cause a fight between him and his own brother in the in the misplaced hope that the stranger will make him richer than his brother. The geopolitical equivalent of that latrine man behavior is what these latrine states are embracing. Tufiakwa!
posted
Fighting Igbo people over littoral this and littoral that will not solve our problems. The problem of the Niger-Delta is in the Hausa-Fulani man and the Yoruba man.
Posts: 94 | From: Richmond, VA | Registered: Jun 2001
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As far as resource control goes, the Igbo should adopt a carrot and stick approach with Easter minorities. While the minorities are hugging the North, Igbo should oppose resource control. When the minorities come back to their senses, only then should we support resource control. From what we know, the proven oil reserves in BiafraNigeria will dry out within 25-years. Before then, other energy sources could render oil obsolete.
Then, the Igbo would remember which minorities were our friends and which were our enemies. We should work to expedite the obsolescence of oil. For now, let the minorities and the Northerners fight it out over resource control/management. Until the minorities decide that they want to be good neighbors, they are welcome to continue playing boy-boy to Awusa people.
But, who are the winners. I stand by what I wrote on this subject last January, in this very thread
quote:Some States are More "Littoral" than Others
Patrick:
Let's break it down. Ikpatt and others like him from Cross River or Akwa Ibom states will soon pay the price for their blind support of the Nigerians. If Rotimi Williams' argument prevails, as it is likely to, we are going to find out that Cross River has no oil. What Cross River refers to as its oil is what Obasanjo refers to as off-shore oil. Cross River State is less Littoral than Rivers State and Beyelsa. Obasanjo is defining the seaward boundary of all "littoral states" to limit them to just a short distance from their land boundaries.
The so-called "littoral states" must realize that when they surrendered themselves to the Nigerians, they also surrendered the leverage they could have had had they joined the smaller Biafra. When international law documents mention "states" for the purpose of delimiting a continental shelf or the seaward boundaries of a state, the reference is to sovereign states, not the Yakubu Gowon concoctions in BiafraNigeria. What happens beyond that, and what benefits accrue to the political subdivisions of the country depend on what clout the subdivisions have within the sovereign entity to which the municipal jurisdictions (the Yakubu Gowon, Babangida, Abacha states) subject themselves.
Therein lies the dilemma of the "littoral states." Their best argument lies in disputing Nigeria's sovereignty over them either as a historical reality, pointing out that the Nigerian state did not exercise such sovereignty in any real terms, and adding that other sovereigns are the ones controlling events in that region. But, alas! they have precluded themselves from making that argument because they have sworn themselves to servitude to Nigerians.
Well, as long as BiafraNigeria exists, this is a win win situation for Nd'Igbo. The only reason that any Igbo State should spend money on lawyers on this one is to hammer out the details of the outcome.More Report
Ikpatt:
Your Supreme Court has spoken.
___________________ No Biafran will be permitted to play Mother Theresa to the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani, but play Osama Bin Laden to the Igbo or Biafrans! Posts: 1182 | Registered: Mar 2001
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But, I am not done. I will break it down further for Mr. Ikpatt and his ilk.
The Supreme Court of BiafraNigeria declared,
quote: the seaward boundary of a coastal state is its low-water mark.
So if an oil well is situated on shore, on the beach, or in an freshwater creek or lagoon, it is legally within the boundaries of the state.
But if it is offshore, it is legally in federal BiafraNigerian territory.
I ask you Mr. Ikpatt, how many oil wells are located in the seaward boundary of Cross River/Akwa-Ibom, or their low-water mark, or on their beaches, or in their freshwater creek or lagoon? The answer, little to ZERO!
What this verdict means is that Imo State now has more oil than Cross River and Akwa-Ibom states combined.
Who said dead men don’t speak? That verdict was Bola Ige speaking from his grave. Remember not to blame it on Nd’Igbo. We supported resource control.
___________________ No Biafran will be permitted to play Mother Theresa to the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani, but play Osama Bin Laden to the Igbo or Biafrans! Posts: 1182 | Registered: Mar 2001
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Why are we all suprised by the ruling? We expected it and it should not be a shock especially to the so-called SOUTH SOUTH, whatever that means. Their highest hope is dashed to the max. What is South South or litoral states? It is neither a culture, race or ethnicity just a mere geographical area marshalled out for special treatment. Better be careful what you wish for. They wished for it. It is a dream come through. Tammy David West of Nigeriaworld.com ought to know better. A political Scientist who just can't come up with better reasoning on how to salvage his people from the dungeons and dragons. Every body is now a journalist.
Hail Biafra
[ April 06, 2002, 04:28 PM: Message edited by: Waypoint1Biafra ]
Posts: 1672 | From: Minnesota USA | Registered: Mar 2001
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Let me say to you what my O'level High school Economics teacher told me. ima akwukwo Nwa m. Your brilliance is so inroxicating brother, Biafra needs more you.
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Some people never learn. Governor James Ibori of Delta State seems to think that it is enough for the “federal” government to simply adhere to the principle of derivation unconnected with a clear court ruling that Biafra’s offshore oil resources belong to the government of BiafraNigeria. This is absurd. It continues to show that these small men that call themselves governors of the “Niger-Delta Region” fail to understand what they must do if they want control the resources in their area. Here is what Governor Ibori had to say.
1) Could this decision have been rendered while M. I. Okpara was governor of the Eastern Region?
2) Would Bola Ige have taken this case to court if the Niger-Delta consisted of Sokoto, Kano, Jigawa, Niger, Yobe, Kaduna, Zamfara, Katsina, Bornu, Bauch, Kebbi, and Gombe states?
3) Is it not absurd that even after all the bizarre gerrymandering, two of the most important cities of the so called Niger-Delta are Igbo cities, including your own capital city, Asaba, even though you think that the best way to win resource control is to alienate the Igbo?
Your answers to those questions should teach you that local realities are at least as important as international law. More importantly, the only time that international laws are enforced in your country is when those laws are detrimental to you and your people.
Always remember, Nd’Igbo supported resource control. It was a Yoruba that took you to court, and it was a Hausa Chief judge that presided to take your oil.
___________________ No Biafran will be permitted to play Mother Theresa to the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani, but play Osama Bin Laden to the Igbo or Biafrans! Posts: 1182 | Registered: Mar 2001
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quote:These facts were gathered in Abuja yesterday as the Kanu Agabi's panel ended its meeting on the implications of the resource control ruling. According to The Guardian inquiries last night, the federal government will soon write to inform both states of the need to refund the amount, even as the government is pursuing a political solution to stem violence in the Niger Delta area.
Agabi is an Ogoja boy from Cross River and knowing how stupid, narrow minded and parochial some of our neighbours can be, I won't be surprised if he sees it as a one up for Cross River on their Akwa Ibom enemies.
___________________ Awo's political idea was based on the assumption that any town beyond Owo was Igbo or Hausa. Awo was not socialised; he was not a good mixer because he did not have the opportunity, which the secondary school offered. ~TOS Benson, Baba Oba of Lagos Posts: 2644 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Apr 2001
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Brother OU Isn't this a sad state of Nigeria, as always people from the East are always used to distroy each other. Is nothing new.
___________________ Biafra: save my bullets when I die, Oh Biafra, Allelua if I surrender and that will be forever. Posts: 272 | From: Birmingham AL | Registered: Mar 2001
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Wow It seem like Mr Ikpatt have just lost his job as Obasanjo's spokes man. wow is always easy when the shoe is on somebody else feet. #2 Igbo hater Mr Clement Ikpatt may have finally saw the light.
The plan for annihilation, in fact colonization, of Akwa Ibom, Niger delta and Igbos all in Biafra, was exposed in 1966/67 by Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and General Efiong. Unfortunately many of your people went ahead to paly with Awolowo and the Hausa/Fulani. This is just the begining. The intention is a systematic take over of all the resources (Oil) in the whole area. The next supreme Court rulling will declear even the Oil on land as Federal property. Remember the land use decree? That will be the tool. All land where oil is found will be decleared federal territory. It has just began.
Have you asked yourself why Ken Sarowiwa was killed? Do you think Nigeria would have killed him if he was Yoruba, Hausa or even Igbo? Surely he would not have been killed if he had the support of one of the Major groups. Nigeria is a polity of groups. The larger your group and the more united your group the stronger. What do we see? That the old Easter region has been desintigrated by the Nigerian mechine is the trick ploted by Awolowo and his cohort to usurp and turn to antiquity what used to be the fastest growing economy in the 60s only for archeologists to trive. That is where Nigeria is heading to if not checked.
Lockily, we all still have a chance, peharps our last, to take once again our destiny into our hands, to found a nation from 'ab inicio', where, 'de novo', every ethnic nationality can determine its stake and interest. That option is Biafra Republic. Biafra movement has extended hands to all peoples who seek justice and equity, all peoples who want a functional state, all peoples who want to determine their own type of government and their participation in it, all peoples who have resolved to resist the policies aimed at making them and their culture extinct, that is the people Biafra would work with.
So, Mr. Ikpatt do not say you were not informed this second time around. If you loose it now, you have lost it forever!
ndeewoo!!
[ May 27, 2002, 03:29 AM: Message edited by: igbondeewo ]
Posts: 148 | Registered: Nov 2001
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posted
Until our minority brothers and sisters in the socalled Niger Delta or Old eastern region, realize and understand that their faith and dreams is inter=mingled with that of the Igbos, Nigeria will continue to milk the easterner dry. Instead of Mr Ikpatt now crying over spilled milk he should join the Biafran movement, that is still the only way to get the whole of eastern region out of this predicament called one Nigeria. Gen. Effiong saw it 34 years ago, unfortunately other Akwa Ibomites have not woke up to see what he and DIM Ojukwu saw then. Unfornate Mr Ikpatt is making noise right now, but once Obasanjo flashed a crumb left over in his face he will abandone this new found pulse.
I do NOT share your optimism on Ikpatt's repentance! Ikpatt is doing what he knows best ie pretend to be pro Akwa Ibom in order to avert the wrath of the Akparawa Ibibio and Anang for his well documented anti-Ibom activities. For the records, Ikaette is the most powerful civil servant in BiafraNigeria and should have enough clout to influence things if he so wills. Just look at how cleverly he praised Awolowo, Ige and Obasanjo. I bet Boalji Aluko, his mentor, will be smiling.
The whole dichotomy thing IMHO is a pile of cack scripted by a crude and imbecilic bunch of fraudsters. Mr Anenih is always looking for a blackmailing tool and my prediction is that he will come round and convince the Akwa Ibomites that he'd negotiated a debt reprieve for them. This is because he has succesfully convinced them that they are owing the government as it stands(please scroll up to my previous link). Once Anenih has done them this favour, they'll be only too glad to vote for Ikpatt's nationalist Obasanjo again.
Absolute and Total rubbish if you ask me. What a "supreme court" in place built with Akwa Ibom oil decide may NOT be binding on the people of Akwa Ibom if they so declare. That they have a right to self determination is an undisputable truism further reinforced by Kenuele Saro Wiwa and his less-than-a-million Ogoni kinsmen.
Alas, the BiafraNigerian Governments knows this fact and that is why they are quick to deploy people from the marginalised area to do their dirty job. Nice try Clement Ikpatt!
___________________ Awo's political idea was based on the assumption that any town beyond Owo was Igbo or Hausa. Awo was not socialised; he was not a good mixer because he did not have the opportunity, which the secondary school offered. ~TOS Benson, Baba Oba of Lagos Posts: 2644 | From: United Kingdom | Registered: Apr 2001
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posted
Brother OU I am not holding my breath as far as Mr Ikpatt is concerned, I have seen that cameleon several times not to take him serious. Yes this is the same Ikpatt who insult Biafra hero and Eastern Region Icon General Effiong few months ago, Just because Mr Ikpatt wants to prove his loyalty to Obusonjo. I think probably so many Akwa IBomites are ready to desend on Mr Ikpatt for his past activities. That may explain this new found wisdom. May be Mr Ikpatt is also setting the ground work for his boss Obasanjo's relection.
Mr Ikpatt conively try to heap all kinds of praise on the achitect of Eastern Marginalization Chief Obafami Awolowo, but then and soft pedal where he suppose critize him. Mr Ikaptt cleverly praise AWO for playing a part in gaining Nigeria Independence, as far as I am concern AWO's role on the independence is very limited. Even if AWO played a major role, that can not diminish the cancer he planted on Easterner and Igbos, which is still rocking havoc on our people till today. So brother Ohafia I am not fooled by this new found wisdom by Mr Ikpatt.
posted
The decision of the Yoruba to take the oil-producing states to court is the biggest political mistake of the Yoruba post Awolowo. Fortunately, it is clear even to the Igbo-haters from the so-called Niger-Delta that Nd'Igbo had nothing to do with the Yoruba oil grab that Obasanjo and Bola Ige designed to deprive them of their oil.
Ikpatt is so predictable. There was a time when Clement Ikpatt was a fire-breathing Awo hater. I guess Ikpatt's apprenticeship under the OPC professor is paying off for the professor and the Yoruba.
Stay tuned.
___________________ No Biafran will be permitted to play Mother Theresa to the Yoruba and Hausa-Fulani, but play Osama Bin Laden to the Igbo or Biafrans! Posts: 1182 | Registered: Mar 2001
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posted
I guess the minorities atr getting smarter. Read. Message To Leaders And Activists of the Niger Delta
THE ONLY SOLUTION TO SLAVERY IS FREEDOM
1. OUR LAMENTATION: After the 15th of January 1966 coup, the Northern Military that still rules Nigeria conceived their revenge. This includes the domination of the South. It is in this regard that they discovered Obasanjo to be their likely supporter as there would be personal benefit in the deal. Obasanjo knew the coup leaders of January 1966 very closely; but he was not with them. This impressed the Northerners to pay a high stake. And they used him. They themselves have expressed how serviceable he has been to them; particularly, after the civil war that enabled them to imagine that the Niger Delta is an African El Dorado. Nigerian Military rulers behave to the people of the Niger Delta exactly in the same way as the sixteenth century colonial Spaniards behaved to the red Indians or the Australians behave to the aborigines. They called them ‘minorities’; and they create quangos to ” manage the affairs of the aborigine” as if they are imbeciles. So Obasanjo following the foot steps of his military predecessors, now creates the N.D.D.C - Niger Delta Development Commission for the development of the area as if we are ‘aborigines’ incapable of administering ourselves.
Those of you who are old enough will remember that Balewa treated us in the same way. After him was Ironsi, he did not refer to us specifically. Then came Gowon, who followed Balewa’s foot step. After him was Murtalla Mohammed, then Obasanjo the apostle of the North. After him was Shagari, then Buhari and then Babangida who unconstitutionally nominated Shonekan as head of state for a few months that were not remarkable. Then came the notorious Abacha and then Abubakar after whom the North traded Abiola for Obasanjo. So goes the relay of Northern military officers and their unpatriotic Obasanjo from the South. All of them treated us in the same way - like aborigines and red Indians who lost their lands. Do you think that this sequence will ever change for our benefit ? We and our neighbours the Igbos have been suffering hardship since the genocide that began on the 29th of May 1966. To the North the date is still significant to the extent that they made Obasanjo began his administration on that anniversary in 1999. Do you think it was a mere coincidence? We pray that individual Igbos are not fooled to support Obasanjo and double cross us. We and they are in the same boat. Any temporary benefit they may enjoy today, cannot compensate the slavish nature of their status in the unworkable Nigeria in which their future generation like our, will for ever play the second fiddle.
We consider it an insult on our capability for outsiders to create commissions or other bodies for us in the management of our own affairs. knowing that the people of the Niger Delta are no less capable than any other of the tribes that are forced to become Nigeria. It is much more insulting when one realises that the Niger Delta produces all the money for the Revenue Allocation that makes the lazy tribes to hold on to fragile Nigeria. As daft as Obasanjo appears to be, he still knows that he could apply the over used concept of ‘ divide and rule’ in trying to weaken our struggle. He appoints a member of the Igbo ethnic community - which is our closest neighbour with whom we seek cooperation in the struggle for our freedom and that of the Igbos themselves - to head the N.D.D.C as its chairman. But we will continue to convince our people that the Igbos are our God given neighbours with whom we must be brotherly. Obasanjo is extremely worthless in respect of promoting our cherished aspiration. In this respect he is an evil and dangerous man.
The Ogoni atrocities perpetrated by Abacha first brought the suffering of our peoples to the lime light of the International Community. Abacha killed our people in order to rob us of our God given resources; and he made billions of pounds from our people. God did not allow him to enjoy the money. Today much of it is being blown about in the air all over the world. His successor Mullah Obasanjo is squandering the moneys in the corruption based economy and building sports stadium to please the Northern chieftains who have never shown much interest in sport. As mullah Obasanjo’s regime’s watches the Northerners discard our cherished Christian morals and justice, his courts sanction the robbery of our God given resources from our lands, our rivers our waters and our creeks by deciding that we do not have the basic right of exercising control over these our lands, waters, creeks and resources. Nothing more need to show the world that we are treated exactly like slaves. It is the nature of slavery since the Roman times, that they have no right. We are only called upon now and again to join in the election to vote for some one presented by the Northern military. This is a gross abuse of democracy and human right. Our voices can never never be heard and we will continue to be minorities and be treated like aborigines even by our fellow Africans. This is unacceptable. For this we form the N.D.R.M.
2. OUR SOLUTION: ~ We must ask ourselves the question ~ What is our benefit in remaining in Nigeria, a country that was not created by God; but by an imperial power for its own purpose. ? In other words - God in His infinite wisdom created each of the ethnic groups, and put each of us in its own place. A colonial power for its own benefit forced us into one ‘country’ and left. There is nothing common among us except that we were slaves of the same master. Allow us to repeat what we have been saying - Other countries in Africa are also created by the European colonial system, but while the average different ethnic groups in each African country is only 40, Nigeria, The Congo and the Sudan has each more than 200. The Congo has no religious problem; but Nigeria and Sudan are cursed with religion conflicts ; and both are engaged in never ending bloody conflict of North and South.
That we in Nigeria were slaves of a common master that has left us is not enough to keep us in the same country. Why do we have to stay together when the slave master has left us ? Dr. Datti Ahmed, a Northern Islamic scholar touched on this point in respect of the North and the South and wrote in THE NEWS magazine of 15th
May 2000 “LET THEM GO THEIR WAY, AND WE GO OUR WAY” The ‘ them’meaning Southerners and the’ we’ meaning Northerners. This will be the only Godly solution to the problems created by the colonial system. If peacefully applied , the separation will be like that of Czechoslovakia, instead of Yugoslavia where the different ethnic groups fought to death before they eventually separated.. In Yugoslavia they did not exploit one section for the benefit of the others; and they did not have Revenue Allocation . So none of them gained much benefit for the deaths they all inflicted upon one another. But in Nigeria, those that are being exploited will gain after a fight ; but others would have suffered death for nothing; as eventually justice will prevail; and the Niger Delta will enjoy the right of controlling their God given land and resources. But peaceful separation will benefit every ethnic group. There is no way the North can for ever prevent a determined South , or even a determined Niger Delta from separating on the long run. Only self seeking and corrupt politicians will ignore this fact because they want to use the country.
In East Timore the 900,000 people fought hard and got their freedom while the 200 million mighty Indonesia, one of the few Islamic nations that manufacture weapons, got nothing. The East Timoreans had fought bravely and eventually got justice in order to live under their cherished Christian civilisation. and values. Right from the beginning they knew what they wanted - freedom; and they went straight to it. They did not beat about the bush demanding Resource Control, true federation, zoning of offices, human right and the lot of irrelevant demands. They were so wise that Indonesia could not treat them like imbecile or aborigines creating quangoes like the NDDC. Congratulating the people of East Timore on their Freedom, Kofi Annan the U.N. Secretary said: “ It is a historic moment for East Timore and the United Nations. A proud and resilient people have realised a dream common to all peoples - to live as free men and women under a government of their own choosing. Their pride is also the pride of the International community that sympathise with their course and struggle and aided them on the final push. Rarely has the world come together with such unity resolve and speed to secure a people’s self determination”, They now have common Christian values that will enliven their new nation.
The great achievement of the people of East Timore is not without loss of lives on the part of their patriots. But they doggedly fought together with only a few turncoats and renegades who readily fraternise with their oppressors. We pray that we do not have too many of those types of people in the Niger Delta. They are a curse to any community struggling for freedom. In 1958 after the London Conference for Independence, Zik ‘ proudly’ said in jubilation “We’ve got independence on a platter of Gold”. Now people in the former Easter Region in which he was the Premier are asking “Which independence ?” The people of the former Eastern Region - the Igbos and their neighbours are today the most exploited in the country. Both of them have been very foolish for quite a long time. In their own interest both sections must be wise very quickly. In 1958, like Zik many in the South did not realise that , independence was in fact handed over to the Islamic North in abuse of democracy. Now that we have known, it is a waste of time to blame any one or to cry over it for too long. We must now fight for real independence and get ourselves out of Nigeria - a patchwork of tribes cemented together by the amalgamation and maintained financially by revenue allocation derived from the South and the Niger Delta. We must convince one another of the utter uselessness of mullah Obasanjo. He is not a good man for us. To separate from Nigeria must be our one and only concern.
We must realise that the international community does not look into what is considered ‘domestic problems’ such as resource control, true federation and such like. They are internal matters. Like in olden time, even today, no one is interested to know what a master does to his slaves. Many are only interested if the slave struggles to be free. It’s also like husband and wife that are always fighting . It’s much easier for the court to adjudicate if either seeks divorce or separation.. So it was with East Timore. If they had been demanding true federation and resource control, people would sympathise with them; but no one could do any thing to help them. It was because they wanted separation or self determination, that the world felt obliged to help them. Not even the International Court will assume jurisdiction on what may amount to internal matters such as demand for resource control or true federation. In Yugoslavia the international community went to help because some of the ethnic communities declared separation.
The world today frowns upon any ethnic community that holds down another from separating. Like individuals, communities should be free to chose the people with whom they wish to live or to form a country. Today in the year 2002, it is very much different from the year 1967. After the Cold War the major powers are more relaxed, and so they are more interested in justice than ‘ national influence.’ Albeit, we must not resort to violence against any one. The foreigners who carry on business amidst us, do so because they have permission from our masters. They are innocent of our struggles. If they behave badly and support our oppressors, then we must cry out very thunderously to the world.- much more than when blood thirsty Obasanjo sent troops to bomb and kill hundreds of our people on the eve of the New Millennium. When we declare separation the foreigners among us will take notice of it. When we eventually succeed, they will negotiate with us and become our guests. Then they will obey our laws and live to please us. Now they are only to please our masters that have power over them. No one can help us while we beat about the bush looking for domestic remedies like resource control and true federation. We must refrain from giving the impression that we are not acting wisely. Fortunately we are miles wiser than our oppressors. And we have justice on our side. Everyone will help us when we seriously demand separation.
FINALLY: Let this be the first struggle we will be engaged in. The slave trade which we suffered from was ended by European Christian abolitionists. The colonial system which began in our area as much as Nigeria is concerned, ended with a “Platter of Gold” in a way that deceived us. Now we must fight to end the North's domination. It is they who created Abacha and then Obasanjo. ~ the two devils. And they will create more unless we separate. May God help us.
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