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The MASSOB, Ngwa youths disruptions
In the final week before the Igbo Day celebrations, indications emerged that trouble makers were going to waylay the programme. The Ukwa and Ngwa sections of Abia State, egged on by politicians who lost out in Abia politics of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), started reading meanings into the plan to conclude the celebration in Aba, the Enyimba city. According to them, Ohanaeze decided to let Governor Orji Uzor Kalu host them in Umuahia and Aba to "confirm" him for re-election, an act that the agitators found reprehensible. They alleged that they had complained about their perceived marginalisation in Abia State to Ohanaeze. As a group that is also engaged in a campaign to end the marginalisation of the Igbo as a whole, the group had hoped Ohanaeze would be quick to step down Kalu’s quest for second term and allow a candidate from Ngwa or Ukwa sections of the state to replace him as governor in 2003.

It is not clear, however, if the Ngwa youths knew that Ohanaeze had an official policy of encouraging one-term tenure for all elective positions, along with the rotation of power from one section of any political entity to the other. It was also not clear whether the youths knew that unlike Afenifere, which is a political party as well as a cultural union, Ohanaeze is, for now hardly in any position to make anyone governor or remove anyone as governor.

After a series of media warnings that the "Ukwa-Ngwa Ethnic Nationality" would cause trouble if the Igbo Day rally was held in "our territory", which went unheeded, the youths struck on Sunday, 29 September, 2002. The Port Harcourt – Enugu express road was blocked and a huge traffic jam was created. Bonfires were made and the billows of smoke made the thousands of people coming to participate in the rally to be stranded. Some panicked and went back home. But many others still found their ways into the Enyimba City Stadium. Governor Orji Kalu’s convoy was attacked and his car damaged.

However, inside the Aba municipality, there was calm. Apart from an early morning protest by the Ngwa youths, which was dispersed, the rally went smoothly. The only major item on the agenda that remained was the launching of the Igbo dictionary and the parade of the town unions. It was at this time that the event suffered its second and final dislocation. The Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) invaded the arena. They were in full military camouflage, complete with Biafran insignia, waving scores of the red-black-green Biafran flags, though they were not armed. There were hundreds of them, mostly teenage boys and girls, with some of them in their twenties. Led by the MASSOB leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, they went right up to the VIP stand and asked that the event be terminated forthwith. To avoid any argument that could spark off a riot and force the fully armed mobile policemen to start shooting, the Ohanaeze chiefs decided to terminate the event. These were the few tragedies of the event.

In an encounter with one of the facilitators of the Ngwa youths action, it was learnt that the event was not staged to show disrespect to Ohanaeze or announce the "secession" of Ngwa people from the Igbo race. It was meant to "call attention" to the plight of Ngwa people in a state where most appointments and elections to public offices have been to their disadvantage. Was this not an overkill? I asked. One was told that even if it was an overkill, at least the objective of drawing attention had been achieved.

Well, MASSOB, could certainly claim the same feat. They did call the attention of the entire country that they still exist, and that, in fact, they have grown to the level of wearing military uniforms without caring about the consequences that the law enforcement agents could visit on this act. They still canvass non-violence, non-exodus. Between the Ngwa and MASSOB actions, the signals are clear: the Igbo political terrain is growing in "radicalism", and unless the root causes of this newfangled pro-violence inclination is addressed, rough times lie in wait ahead. What happened in Aba is the sort of thing that could be copied and replicated in other cities, such as Umuahia, Owerri, Onitsha, Enugu, Nsukka, Abakaliki, Asaba and Port Harcourt, though Ndigbo hope not! New political elite have found violent trouble-making and rabble-rousing as the easiest way to emerge, especially in Nigeria. Having called attention to themselves and created their little kingdoms, they ride on the crest of their new political fantasy to take their place in the pantheon of other little gods scattered across the country.
It always works.
….

...Why MASSOB disrupted the rally — Uwazuruike
By Ogbonna Amadi & Fred Iwenjora
RALPH Uwazuruike, the leader of the Movement for the Survival of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) speaks on the events that led to the disruption of the Igbo Day rally at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba on September 29 as well as on the clampdown on Bakassi Boys.

Igbo Day disruption
I learnt of the Igbo Day even before I went to the United States for the World Igbo Congress. So, I was prepared to go to Igbo Day for this year. Last year when it took place in Enugu, I was in Washington DC commissioning the MASSOB House there. On the 29th of September, I went to Aba with my contingent, some members and some detachment of security. Even on the road, some mobile policemen were instructed to stop us from entering the city but their move was not successful because I had more men. At the gate of the Enyimba Stadium, there was a large contingent of mobile policemen who didn’t really want me to enter the stadium but I went in.

On getting to the high table, a lot of them were lined up purposely to stop me from getting there. But I was bent on reaching the place. Those at the high table, prominent Igbo people were interested in having me there. Most of them were either my friends or my godfathers. So, I had nice time staying with them. I greeted some of them like Ikemba, Ezeigbo Gburugburu, Dim Odumegwu Ojukwu, Justice Eze Ozobu and so on. I was in no position to speak to some of the governors who are clamouring for Obasanjo’s presidency and still want to answer Igbo people.

At the gate, I must say there was a bit of misunderstanding between security agents. Initially, they wanted to stop us from going upstairs to the high table. So, there was a rift. I had to be there at the high table. If there is any other Igbo man who should be there at the high table, it is me. Outside Ojukwu, it is Ralph Uwazuruike and no other person. If I go to any Igbo function, I shouldn’t be at the lower table. I should be at the highest table. So, I made sure I was there irrespective of what bottlenecks they presented.

Protocol officers tried to stop me. That was why when I climbed the high table, I didn’t shake their hands. Justice Eze Ozobu introduced me to some of them, but I didn’t shake their hands because their conduct was dishonourable. I am a known Igbo citizen. Why should anybody stop me from attending Igbo Day? Because of the rift generated by the security agents, the function came to an abrupt end because the security agents couldn’t contain MASSOB.

To an extent, the purpose for which the event was held was achieved. There was an Igbo Day 2002 attended by prominent Igbo citizens. What else do you want to achieve? It was a gathering of Ndigbo and all of us were there. We saw ourselves and acknowledged the presence of ourselves and it came to an end.

On the issue of the Ngwa people who threatened to disrupt the event, they should have waited till the occasion was over. I was told that a prominent Igbo leader addressed them before they allowed the occasion to hold.

Igbo president
I have said it severally that if you want gold, you have to dig deeply. If you want Igbo presidency in Nigeria, you have to ask for Biafra and they will beg you with the presidency. If you say you want Igbo president, they will likely give you ministerial position because you are not asking for much. Igbo shouldn’t deceive themselves. They should unite for Biafra and they’d get the presidency. But whichever way they want to pursue that, it is left to them. A good businessman does not go for anything less.

Bakassi Boys proscription
First and foremost, I was one of those who propelled Bakassi because I felt it was very important to curb crime in the East. I participated to see Bakassi set up. I mobilised men here to go to Aba. At a point, these governors hijacked Bakassi and these boys stopped taking instructions from us. They were getting money from them. From nowhere someone came and started paying the boys million.

become divided and have put their hands into what they shouldn’t do. I think they lost focus because they didn’t work hand in hand with MASSOB. When Hausas were killing Ndigbo at Kaduna nobody said anything until it was out of hand. I am going to Aba to meet with the rail line people and get together with the leaders of Bakassi Boys and know what to do. I won’t say anything until I meet with them.

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I would normally ignore your tirade, name calling, and defamation of people’s character, etc.etc. on this thread and in person (I am sure you know what am talking about), but this time you have taking it too far.

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I also would like to remind you of your last accusation and name calling which was followed by your apology. Although I forgave, that episode is on record and I have a copy of the minutes.

Fellow forumites, there is a pattern here, am salivating he gives me an opportunity to make an example out of his stupid self!

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These so-called leaders are nothing but self-propagating, arrogant rogues. They are all over Nigeria and in all tribes...

Until we learn to stop hero-worshipping and take over the control of our destiny in our hands, we will always come short at the end.-------bababoyz

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