“We are actually people of different cultures…we have merged in spite of religion and culture, married across; produced children, and only crazy people can think of balkanising Nigeria. But we are not short of crazy people, that is the frightening part…”
-Muhammad Buhari, Nigerian President 2015

I am really surprised by the reaction of many Nigerians to the recent declaration by the Nigerian Army and the Central Government, that the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) be considered a terrorist organization with the attendant restrictions. How anyone can be surprised by this proscription is my confusion. Nigerians fascinate me in how emotional and illogical we can be, and how far off the spectrum of normal behavior we often find ourselves. I’m not particularly tribalistic- can’t even afford to be as I, an Ikwerre girl, has somehow found myself married to the traditional Ikwerre enemy: the Igbos. The first time I told Obi’m my dad is not the biggest fan of the Igbos, he laughed and said, “That’s fine, my dad doesn’t like the Ikwerres!” *Whomp, whomp*. Thankfully both dads are reasonable enough to not really generalize… or sha to make exceptions.

Anyway, let’s stay focused because this IPOB thing is a real issue and looks like it’s here to stay. I feel like the rise of this terrorist group, right under our noses, is what happens when you don’t smack a child that is deserving: They grow into a monstrous adult with no capacity for handling criticism, however constructive. In 2015 I was living in Nigeria’s South-South and mistakenly chanced upon Radio Biafra. For me, it was ridiculous, unserious but very, very funny. At first. I just thought it was a bunch of hooligans making trouble on air, because how could anyone take this stuff seriously?! I wondered, who was this ranting maniac of a man that referred to black people as monkeys and baboons, when he clearly spoke with a deeply intoned Igbo accent and could not be far in origin from this allegedly accursed black race? He referred to Nigeria as the zoo and idealized the ‘soon-to-be’ Biafra as the new Zion…yet when callers rang the interactive programs on the show asking for details on the structure of the great Biafra when attained, they were met with insults hinged on the limited capacity of their brains “…to understand”. I remember one caller directly asking Nnamdi Kanu, “Will you be president of Biafra when it is formed?” because inquiring minds want to know and shiiiii  in this proposed Biafran socialist system of ‘equality’, history has shown that some animals will certainly be MORE equal than the others! The caller was cursed off air by the very same Nnamdi Kanu and no response was given. I stopped listening to the station when the discourse went from ridiculous to frankly, hateful. I heard on numerous occasions, Nnamdi Kanu recommend the KILLING of non-Igbo neighbours who resided in Igbo states, and heard his followers  call-in to applaud this suggestion.

Those agitating for Biafra are yet to tell us the structure, the new governance system, the source of funding-as we know red earth does not gold coins produce, planned to be implemented. On the last point, I see that IPOB intends to hinge on the wealth of the oil-rich Niger-Delta which is why they are intent on forgetting that there are ONLY five Igbo states in Nigeria. #LeaveNigerDeltaOuttaYoProblems. What upsets a lot of Niger-Deltans is the determination to saddle the South-South with this secession mess, solely because we are an oil rich territory. You think we have fought for so long to be recognized as a minority but as an entity nonetheless, and we will allow the East force us to join this harebrained secession scheme? When the only thing that is in it for Niger Deltans is subjugation and exploitation of our rich natural resources. No Bueno, signor.

It’s shocking how Nigerians allow history repeat itself! Just look at what we are presently going through with the current crop of politicians in leadership! After 4 attempts at the presidential seat, despite his ailing health, advanced age and the fact that he had already enjoyed the role as military head of state in the 1980s, Muhammad Buhari and his cronies came into power purportedly on the wings of change…WITH NO DISCERNIBLE PLAN FOR RULING!!!!!! And IPOB has the same strain of madness running in its veins: this determination to rule simply for ruling sake. Nigeria exists to annoy, I assure you. These sorts of leaders compel me to ask, what was all the effort for? Just to breast the tape and sit on the throne, simply to bask in the euphoria of succeeding against perceived and actual enemies?

How petty.

The Indigenous People of Biafra have moved from being a voiceless nuisance on the radio to funding their own secret service and building an army for their as yet, non-independent state cradled within the sovereign and united state of Nigeria. Please reread the last sentence and assimilate the information detailed within. Then, let us consider how and why this deliberate and applied act of treason should ever be permitted in a nation state that desires peace. Where else would this even happen, where else would this have been ignored for long enough to get to this stage? You think that the Americans would know that there was a group of thousands of people forming a private army while living within America, in a bid to eventually secede by any means necessary…and they would allow them roam the streets even declaring certain days their own public holidays and holding protests however peaceful? In the wise words of Lauryn Hill, “Uh-uh, come again!” Come again, fam! A colleague of mine was blinded in one eye during a ‘peaceful’ Biafran protest, which he stumbled into on his way home from work. Peaceful. Protest.

In many ways the Igbos are an integral, invaluable strand of the Nigerian fabric. Indeed no group is more Nigerian than the Igbo because they are possibly the only ones who will emigrate to a totally different state and assimilate completely with the people and customs of the state, growing businesses and investing in the area. Lagos is a testament to this fact. Igbos are necessary to the Nigerian story and they are not any more indigenous or marginalized than any other ethnic group! Come on now, with approximately 40million Igbos?! Who go fit marginalize them?! If Igbos are marginalized, what will the minority ethnic groups of the Niger Delta say?!

What boggles my mind is seeing intelligent people engage in this divisive rhetoric. Take Oby Ezekweseli’s recent tweets. The thumb-thug as usual sat on her Twitter throne to spew edits that were simply questionable, inflammatory and quite unnecessary, considering the political temperature of the day. Hear Oby:

A REAL LEADER does NOT SUFFER FROM the destructive disease of ETHNIC PREJUDICE…WORST is when a LEADER makes ENEMIES of MOST cos he abhors the ACTION or one or FEW. That is NOT LEADERSHIP! That is ETHNIC PREJUDICE….it is tragic that you, OUR president Buhari have deliberately or inadvertently ALIENATED a SEGMENT of the PEOPLE YOU LEAD. It is TRAGIC.

I quickly ignored the random capitalization and e-shouting emphasizing how little thought went into the tweets, I agreed with this thought:

There ARE WAYS that a LEADER ASCENDS the MORAL HIGH GROUND and LEADS A CONVERSATION on UNITY. DONE WELL, the MISCHIEVOUS LOSE THEIR HOLD.”

I wish she had started with that an expatiated on that point by including proposed solutions. Unfortunately, like some Nigerians, she reacted to the declaration of the IPOB as a terrorist organization with an argument founded on ‘whataboutery’… instead of considering in detail the reason for the proscription. Some Nigerians heard the news and very simply cried tribalism citing as an example, the fact that the Fulani herdsmen have not been declared a terrorist organization because Buhari hails from Northern Nigeria like many of these herdsmen. Is the Fulani herdsmen a group of just the general name we call the nomads mainly from the north who drive their cattle cross-country to graze? The few that engage in crime represent a straggling, disunited group of career criminals with black souls and a thirst for needless violence.

Let’s try, Nigerians, to apply logic instead of emotions please. Boko Haram-also a predominantly northern organisation, has long been declared a terrorist group. Like IPOB, they are united and operate as an organized collective: They seek funding domestically and internationally to sponsor their activities and have a central ideology, one which is reflected in the name of the organization itself. Fulani herdsmen on the other hand are simply a nomadic group of armed robbers. So, why on earth would they be declared any more terrorist than the kidnapping Evans’ gang?

For me, IPOB is dangerous and too close to home for my comfort, particularly as they have their eye on the treasure base of the nation: my state, Rivers state. As a country we should not allow such divisive rhetoric to have a place in our discussions! Nigeria has enough problems at it is.