From David Onwuchekwa, Jeff Amechi Agbodo, Onitsha
THE Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), governed by the Supreme Council of Elders, is wooing Britain on a proposed referendum on Biafra.
IPOB, under the leadership of Mr. Nnamdi Kanu has congratulated the British government over the successful referendum which confirmed the country’s exit from European Union (EU).
The group described the exercise as a good omen and a step ahead of Biafra’s secession, calling on British government to support the wishes of Biafrans to secede.
A statement signed by spokespersons of IPOB, Mr. Emma Nmezu and Dr. Clifford Chukwuemeka Iroanya said the British government, which is the closest ally of the Nigerian government must, as a mark of exemplary leadership, guide President Muhammadu Buhari and his colleagues to respect the wishes of the people.
“IPOB congratulates the government and people of Britain for organising the Brexit vote and applauds the British government for respecting the wishes of her citizens. However, it smacks of hypocrisy that the same David Cameron that initiated the Brexit vote has been propping up the Nigeria government in the acts of suppressing the quest by Biafrans to exit from Nigeria. Is it because Biafrans are blacks and black Africans inferior to white British people?
“Why does British government think that what is good for the white people is not good for the black people of Africa especially Biafrans? Mr. David Cameron, in organising Brexit is taking advantage of the rights of people to make their choice. But in denying Biafrans the right to choose their own nation, Cameron is telling Biafrans that they are inferior because of the colour of their skin. He is directly telling Biafrans that because they come from an inferior race, they do not deserve to exist as a nation of their own choice.”
Meanwhile, IPOB has distanced itself from the reported alignment with the Niger Delta Avengers (NDA) and other militants in the Niger Delta by the group’s faction led by Kanu and Uchenna Madu’s faction of Movement for Actualisation of Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB).
Deputy Chairman of the Supreme Council of the Indigenous People of Biafra (SCIPOB), Dr. Dozie Ikedife made the declaration, yesterday, when he spoke with newsmen in Nnewi.
Ikedife said he saw the Biafra war from beginning to the end and witnessed how millions of people especially from the South East were slaughtered and property worth billions of pounds destroyed because of the struggle for self determination.
The Ikenga Nnewi said nobody in his right senses would talk about a repeat of the 30 months pogrom that inflicted pains and sorrows to almost every family in Biafran land. He insisted that he would not support any war, “because any life lost cannot be replaced…”