Often times, what ignites bigger things comes from a tiny space. What could possibly push for massive ablaze could be a drop of fading light in a matchstick. In a Nigeria question, often times some overlooked sensitive issues has been a traceable root of escalated problems and known tragedies.
I will try as much to limit the scope of my emphasis on looming war before Nigeria government, the international community, Opinion molders, United Nations, African Union etc. the necessity of averting it with the call of a referendum than a statement bordering on restructuring, unity building and intensified security.
Nigeria has experienced civil war (some will prefer it called Nigeria - Biafra war on the claim of two nation in the battle of dependence), and the trauma still lives. In separate views, records still recount over three (3) million people lost their lives both through the instrumental application of hunger measure and wide extermination in 1967 - 1970 war.
Despite some practical measures (Setting up Youth Corps, 3Rs: reconstruction, rehabilitation, and reconciliation, £20 pounds refund etc.) in place to absorb the shock and trauma, the major nations (Biafra, Oduduwa and Arewa) that makes up the country Nigeria are still battling to see selves in separate entity but full force at the centre has been suppressing rising pressures especially since Northern extraction leader, General Mohammedu Buhari (presently President Mohammadu Buhari) took over power in 2015.
Different agitating groups have crop up to the rise of different opinions. The most in attention are The Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, in opinion for the restoration of Biafra with their unrelenting leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. IPOB as popularly called is officially branched across more than hundred countries, using Radio Biafra station licensed in London and extremely connected to social media mainly Facebook and twitter.
On October 18, 2015, it was reported that Mazi Nnamdi Kanu had been arrested in Lagos State by Department of State Security and was later charged to court. From Magistrate Court to High Court, Kanu was severally given unconditional discharge in a same competent court of jurisdiction but the executive played on the Judiciary and refused the bails for further detention. This heightened momentum of the agitation as Judiciary was ignored their verdict as an independent organ, Kanu gained recognition from international spectators. Fortunately, Kanu was granted bail on stringent conditions mostly to watch his health, 20 months later.
Now, the same executive has started pressing for re-arrest of the same leader on grounds of bail conditions. And things keep getting twisted as Executive keep doing work of the Judiciary.
The call for war is getting attention by day as another independent force leader, Asari Dokubo has declared to retaliate any action to re-arrest aforementioned leader of IPOB. Northern youths in separate times have subjected other Igbo region to withdraw back to their region (constitutionally wrong) and circulated voice tape containing threats in line to the quit order thou, the president did not react in any to that national threat despite treating Kanu with the same charge.
Oduduwa people's Congress, OPC, subsequently has announced their interest in going independently or support the restructuring of the country economic system.
In all these, the president, Mohammedu Buhari has preferred neglecting all calls channeled to him, maintaining Nigeria indivisibility and nonnegotiable stand. Actually, this absolutely calls for national security and demand Jaw-Jaw to War-War approach. The president shouldn't be hypocritical and adamant to these calls. His selfish interest may elude him and switch Africa to a disaster.
Already, the average citizen has a high negative account of the country since Buhari took over office from Goodluck Ebele Azikiwe Jonathan. Inflation and hunger took a major part of living in Nigeria over 14 months now, visibly no one is happy.
At this point, IPOB has sustained pains of their dead members and have no plan to reverse the stand on a referendum to restore their nation Biafra. Seeking for a referendum is not an ugly demand. Is peaceful channel to address such public outcry. There are no other ways to subdue this pressure, not even by military force ( less the International Body on Human Rights are docile).
Swift look at SELF-DETERMINATION on Dictionary, Wikipedia and UN
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- The ability or right to make one's own decisions without interference from others
- (politics) The political independence of a people
[WIKIPEDIA]
The right of people to self-determination is a cardinal principle in modern international law (commonly regarded as a jus cogens rule), binding, as such, on the United Nations as an authoritative interpretation of the Charter’s norms. It states that a people, based on respect for the principle of equal rights and fair equality of opportunity, have the right to freely choose their sovereignty and international political status with no interference.
The concept was first expressed in the 1860s and spread rapidly thereafter.
During and after World War I, the principle was encouraged by both Vladimir Lenin and Woodrow Wilson.
[UN]
The right to self-determination was an integral element of basic human rights and fundamental freedoms, the Third Committee (Social, Humanitarian, and Cultural) heard today as it concluded its general discussion on that subject, and on the elimination of racism, racial discrimination, xenophobia, and related intolerance.
Look up for more here: https://www.un.org/press/en/2013/gashc4085.doc.htm
Practical position of Buhari on SELF-DETERMINATION in recent time
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During his last address in United Nations' Assembly speech, Buhari said: “Mr. President, as we engage in these annual debates, we need to remind ourselves of the principles that led to the founding of the United Nations. Among those are peaceful coexistence and self-determination of peoples. In this context, Mr. President, the unresolved question of self-determination for the Palestinian people and those of Western Sahara, both nations having been adjudged by the United Nations as qualifying for this inalienable right must now be assured and fulfilled without any further delay or obstacle.
“The international community has come to pin its hopes on resolving the Palestinian issue through the two – states solution which recognises the legitimate right of each state to exist in peace and security. The world has no more excuses or reasons to delay the implementation of the long list of Security Council resolutions on this question. Neither do we have the moral right to deny any people their freedom or condemn them indefinitely to occupation and blockade.”
Look up for more here: https://www.naij.com/638717-separatism-buharis-position-self-determination-indigenous-minorities.html
By this stance above, is ethical and constitutional to call Mr. Mohammedu Buhari to give attention to call of Indigenous People of Biafra to referendum, pressing and pushing them to war is another way to exterminate. If anything happens further than this and purge to war, it will look different and you may not be able to throw the dice.
FOR UMUCHIUKWU WRITERS
By the time there try to entarfar our referendum then we Will all go for war
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