By Okey Maduforo
Special Correspondent, Awka
Former federal Attorney General and Justice Minister, Richard Akinjide, has drawn the anger of the All Progressives Grand Alliances (APGA) and Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) over his statement that Biafra is dead and buried.
Akinjide made the claim in reaction to the sustained agitation by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the South East and South South.
APGA National Publicity Secretary, Ifeatu Obiokoye, dismissed his remarks as spurious and coming from someone who lacks knowledge of the impetus for the new restiveness.
“Without doubt we all condemn the senseless protests and recent violence in Onitsha leading to destruction of property and loss of precious lives.
“Be that as it may, the Biafra issue cannot die in the minds and fallen spirit of Ndigbo as long as the government at the centre continues to treat Ndigbo as second class citizens in this country,” Obiokoye insisted.
“As long as the South East remains the only geopolitical zone with five states, all other zones have six or more, as long as economic policies of the government at the centre continues to destroy the commercial life of Ndigbo, Biafra cannot be said to have died.”
Obiokoye said the only way to address Biafra is to tackle the critical issues affecting Ndigbo tabled at the national conference last year.
“Foremost is the disproportionate issue of resource allocation based on the number of local government councils, number of seats at the National Assembly.
“It is only when those recommendations of the national conference are implemented concerning Ndigbo that those agitations for Biafra will begin to disappear.
“If these issues continue to linger and remain a cause of anger and frustration of Ndigbo, the Biafra dream would remain in the minds of the people of Igbo land.”
MASSOB leader, Uchenna Madu, added that Akinjide was one of those who frustrated the aspirations of Ndigbo during and after the Civil War.
He told Akinjide to “go and bury his head in shame to have made such hopeless and malicious statement against Ndigbo and Biafra in general.
“The Yoruba people have never experienced any civil war before and Lagos has been the capital of Nigeria so they found themselves lucky.
“You can imagine the fate of the South West if all the multinational companies and other business concerns move out of Lagos and relocate to other parts of the country.
“We have not forgotten the sabotage of the South West against Biafra and the economic blockages that were instituted at the insistence of Obafemi Awolowo that impoverished our people.
“However, we salute Noble Prize winner, Wole Soyinka, who saw and experienced the war in Eastern Nigeria for his support and sympathy for the Biafra agitation, he is a true commander.”