Author: Okoronkwo Iheke Chukwu
Editor: Lucky Chibundu
Following the threats and counter threats to indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) on their collective decisions to boycott Anambra State election slated 18, November 2017 and subsequent election in Biafra Land until the date of the referendum is given to them by Nigerian Government. Let us examine the meaning of "boycott". According to Wikipedia online, "A boycott is an act of voluntary and intentional abstention from using, buying, or dealing with a person, organization, or country as an expression of protest, usually for social, political, or environmental reasons. The purpose of a boycott is to inflict some economic loss on the target, or to indicate a moral outrage, to try to compel the target to alter an objectionable behavior.
Sometimes, a boycott can be a form of consumer activism, sometimes called moral purchasing. When a similar practice is legislated by a national government, it is known as a sanction."
Having clearly defined the meaning of boycott, it is now very clear to understand why the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) resolved to boycott the election in Anambra state, we are simply boycotting this election to compel Nigeria to give us a date for the referendum .
There was a man called Mazi Mbonu Ojike who is also known as "the boycott king", he was a renowned freedom fighter and he lived during the era of Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, Dr. Kingsley Mbadiwe, Chief H.O. Davies, Dr. Michael Okpara. He was also a Finance Minister under Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe but, he fell out with his leader. Mazi Mbonu Ojike who died at the age of 44 in an auto accident.
When Mazi Mbonu Ojike was still alive he did his best attacking the colonial masters and their anti-African policies. He was an orator and wordsmith. He was a man of intellect and understanding. He canvassed passive resistance, which was made popular by the great Indian leader, Mahatma Gandhi. He traversed the length and breath of the colonized territory, urging the people to sustain the civil disobedience. He practiced what he preached by adopting native names, clothes, food, and ways of life. He wore traditional dress to the office and served palm wine, instead of whiskey, champagne or beer at his official receptions and parties.
He replaced his suit with agbada or jumper and encouraged civil servants to appear in office in native attire.
Mazi Mbonu Ojike became famous during the struggle for independence through his weekly column, ‘Weekend Catechism’ in the West African Pilot. Through that popular platform, he appealed to Nigerians to perceive independence from the cultural perspective. His idea was that the attachment of the young educated elements to British culture was another form of enslavement. Thus, the great nationalist taught Nigerians to reject or avoid “foreign things” or “imported things”, contending that, in the process of identifying with or embracing the culture of the colonial masters, the pride of the colonised community is further injured.
Mazi Mbonu Ojike was an apostle of self-reliance. He had prayed to live to that period when Nigerian shops, factories, banks, universities, societies, and clubs would be like the ones in advanced countries. Up to now, it is an elusive goal due to the single fact corruption is deeply rooted in the minds and hearts of every Nigerians and like a canker worm it has eaten up the Nigerian system. Nigerians have continued to boycott home goods in preference for imported commodities. In our universities, lecturers have boycotted their duty and are now sexually harassing students while students are boycotting lecture rooms and teachers are boycotting duty posts. Labour is boycotting work and government is boycotting good governance.
The former Vice Chancellor of Ebonyi State University, Prof. Frank Ndili once urged Nigerians to embrace the “boycott philosophy” but still yet, the so called Nigerians also refused to listen to the voice of these men.
Biafrans of Igbo extraction are known to be pace setters, we have yet again shown that we are ever ready to lead once again. Biafrans will boycott the gubernatorial election in Anambra state and it will be the beginning of the end of Nigeria because even after 50 years since the end of the 1967-70 Biafra war they have refused to learn.
For those contesting in the upcoming election, I am sorry, the indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) under the leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu will not vote in the upcoming election and in the same vein, we won't use arms and ammunitions to stop any one from voting, like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu didn't force anybody to stay at home on 30th may.
What happened on 30th May would be a child's play to compare with what will happen on Anambra election day because, that day has been declared "Nsala ( Native soup) day"...eat, enjoy and sleep.
To those who are planning to vote, I have one question to ask all of you, what sort of election on earth will those contesting for gubernatorial seat forcefully induce people to participate in ?.. the election that will see people standing under the sun from morning till the evening hours without being accredited, at the end of the day, hoodlums will hijack the ballot boxes and shoot sporadically in the air, leaving some unlucky ones killed and lucky ones injured, while fleeing with electoral materials ?
Votes don't count as long as Nigeria election is concerned because the winner is always declared before the election day. For instance, Uche Oga vs Okezie Ikpeazu in Abia state and Judiciary is not even helping the matter because the person that will be declared a winner by Independent National Election Commission (INEC) after the election cannot be removed through Judiciary process which we have witnessed so far.
So, why you should risk your life all in the name of voting while your votes won't be count at the end of the day.?
Even without Nnamdi Kanu's directive, Nobody is interested in voting in this failed country since our votes are meaningless to politicians ?.
We are still saying "Boycott Anambra State Election and all Elections in Biafra land"
ALL HAIL BIAFRA.
Publisher: Prince Richmond C. Amadi
For Umuchiukwu writers.
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