Biafra Referendum — The Choicest Way to End the Unending Agitation for Biafra, Quench Rising Social Unrest in Eastern Nigeria and Effectively Preclude a Repeat of the Biafra War!
The 30th of May 2022 mark 55th anniversary of the birth of the Republic of Biafra. The Nigeria-Biafra war has officially ended 52 years ago, but the ‘war’ for the restoration of the Republic of Biafra is yet raging and have become more pervasive and tactical than in 1967. The campaign for the State of Biafra has gotten a worldwide frontier and has taken new forms and new energy; and this is particularly so since the birth of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) — whose members and supporters spread across the world. The IPOB phenomenon has given rise to a new Biafra spirit and agitation scenario whose stage both home and abroad. IPOB’s Biafra rallies have become a frequent vista in major city in the world and a revamped subject of media attention. In Biafraland, IPOB’s civil disobedience, particularly, the weekly Monday sit-at-home, and the concomitant unrests cannot be denied. This means that Biafra is yet alive; the Biafra question has not been addressed. There is need then to give the best answer to the Biafra question.
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On account of this providential rise and quick success that Nnamdi Kanu’s Indigenous People of Biafra has made — in both the local and international fora, in the re-awakening of all the peoples of Nigeria to demand for true freedom, in challenging Nigeria’s debauched political hegemony, in changing the long-held false narrative of Nigeria’s unity being non-negotiable, in the amazing show of tenacity and perseverance in spite of bloody government clampdown as well as in their willingness to defend their land manifested in their formation of security outfits to counter the advance of Fulani herdsmen and their militant Islam — the cabals have been upset. Many people have thus, very rightly expressed fears of the re-emergence of the war situation of 1967 or at least widespread conflict, particularly in the Biafra region of Nigeria.
These fears are quite valid and cannot be denied! However, they are valid, not because the Biafra agitators are taking up arms against anybody, but because Nigeria has again proven to be an unjust and oppressive system and that this oppression is now reaching the throats of indigenous peoples, who are not only marginalised and disfavoured in the Nigerian system, but are now under siege, their very lands are besieged by brazen Fulani invaders, who maim and kill people in their own lands, for no known reason and yet walk away with glee. This is certainly a major apart of what is raising fears of renewed armed conflict in Eastern Nigeria — and without being naïve or over simplistic, it must also be acknowledged that there are other factors. But the quickest, simplest, safest, cheapest, wisest, noblest, surest solution is also within our immediate reach; and surprisingly, this solution, which the laws of the United Nations call referendum or plebiscite, has been widely and strongly advocated for, by the same party in the dispute that is being falsely accused of seeking to escalate conflict and cause a war in Eastern Nigeria.
Everyone who has ever paid sincere attention to the provocateurs of the Biafra struggle, can confirm that, not only do they have a good case, they are also ready to process their Biafra restoration demand by the best and highest means of self-determination. It is quite well known that the demand of IPOB and other Biafra agitators is a referendum, by which the people of the defunct Eastern Nigeria would affirm or deny their wishes to restore and revert to the defunct sovereign State of Biafra. This stance has been made known to all relevant stakeholders in the Biafra dispute; it is in the public domain and is reconfirmed by them at every opportunity. The act and process of referendum is simple and peaceful! It is what the various relevant laws recommend for self-determination. It is the preferred UN protocol and widely practiced procedure of affirming or denying autonomy. It is the way of peace. It is the way to avoid war. Leaders who know that wars are costly and wish to avoid them, should not also ignore the way of peace.
Sovereignty naturally belongs to the people. Sovereignty does not belong to leaders! At best, leaders are trustees sovereignty or executors of the sovereign will of the people. Therefore, in a case of sovereignty dispute, leaders should concede to the people; leaders should quickly go back to the people to re-affirm where they wish to place their sovereign mandate. This is done through a referendum. A referendum is a political process in which the people exercise their sovereign right of self-determination. In it the people express their sovereign will regarding what form of political expression they want and to which political union they wish to belong. Sovereignty does not belong to politicians; it belongs to the people! It is not for leaders to tell the people where to place their sovereign rights. It is the people that tell leaders what they want. This is what IPOB and other Biafra agitators are saying. It’s what the laws say. It is simple, clear and doable.
Let’s now cite some recent examples of countries that have employed the protocol of plebiscite in determining sovereignty disputes. Recall that it was by a referendum that the peoples of Donetsk and Luhansk affirmed their desire to exit Ukraine in 2014. In the same 2014, Veneto in Italy, Catalonia in Spain, Sint Eustatius in Netherlands, Scotland in the UK, all had unsuccessful referendum for their self-determination quest. They did not succeed, but it was the people who made the decision with their votes. In 2017 Catalonia did another one. In the case of Bougainville, talks are yet on going on their yes-vote in a 2019 referendum to leave Papua New Guinea. Most recently, in 2021, as well as in 2020 and 2018, New Caledonia conducted unsuccessful referendums in their ongoing quest for self-determination. As it appears, they even had government aid or at least, they were not hounded down.
Let’s also look at some much earlier instances of the use of plebiscites. In 2011, South Sudan left Sudan after a referendum. In 2006 Montenegro by a referendum separated from Serbia. In 1999 East Timor left Indonesia via a plebiscite. In 1991, Ukraine, Latvia, Lithuania, Armenia, Georgia, Estonia, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan, got independence from the Soviet Union after a referendum. In the same 1991, Kosovo, Croatia, Macedonia also left Yugoslavia by a plebiscite; with Slovenia leaving earlier in 1990. In 1992, Bosnia/Herzegovina used plebiscite to part with Yugoslavia. By referendum, in 1905 Norway left Sweden; in 1917, Chile left Spain; in 1918 Iceland left Denmark. Mongolia and Cambodia got independence respectively from China and France in 1945 after a referendum. By the same process, in 1962 and 1977 respectively, Algeria and Djibouti, left the dominion of France. Eritrea left Ethiopia in 1993 via referendum. With agitation persisting and expanding 55 years after a civil war, a Biafra referendum is an imperative!
Nobody wants war, but all over the world and all through history, people go to war, if the price of freedom is war. It is disingenuous to give impression that wars are simply senseless, useless and fruitless. The purpose of war is usually more costly and more precious than the price of war. Therefore, whenever war becomes a necessity, reasonable people all over the world go to war. Yet, it is always better to avoid war, because wars are indeed costly. Leaders who love their people, do all that is reasonable to avoid war. Therefore, rather than attempting to blackmail Biafra agitators as war mongers, Nigerian leaders should do the needful; they should quickly arrange for a referendum. But if referendum is made impossible, then war becomes inevitable. The earlier the safer for all of us!
Permit me to urge that the noblest choice Igbo and Nigeria leaders should make in the face of unending agitations for Biafra and the attendant social unrest is to do what the leaders of other nations have done. You know what to do to procure lasting peace and concord in Nigeria. It is not far-fetched! Call the people to a referendum and commit to honouring it. Speak frankly and act sincerely! Let’s reiterate that the quickest, simplest, safest, cheapest, wisest, noblest, surest solution is a referendum, UN-monitored plebiscite. the greatest choice, the choicest option for peace and social accord in Nigeria is in the protocol of plebiscite. Politicians, have you heard? Please be honourable, as you people love to be called. Work towards a It is the best strategy to avoid the resurgence of conflict and worst of all, of warfare! This would be your greatest gift of love to your people. It would be your greatest gesture of patriotism towards Nigeria and the surest way to rescue her from the giant of misfortune, the same you, have turned it into. I hope you heard!
Michael Richmond Duru
Saturday, 1st May 2021
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