Soyinka asks Buhari to dialogue with Biafra agitators as Massob and Ipob suspend protests

NOBEL laureate Professor Wole Soyinka has urged the federal government to employ more diplomacy in handling the agitation for the Republic of Biafra that is currently gaining ground across southeast Nigeria.

 

Over the last month, Igbo youths have taken to the streets demanding the recreation of the defunct republic of Biafra that existed briefly between July 1967 and January 1970. Incensed by the arrest of Radio Biafra director Nnamdi Kanu, the protesters are demanding his immediate release but the poor infrastructure and the perception of marginalisation in the region has fuelled demands for secession.

 

Responding to the crisis yesterday, Professor Soyinka asked President Muhammadu Buhari to approach the agitation in a more diplomatic way, pointing out that it cannot be defeated by force. He added that statements like “Nigeria is indivisible”, “This won’t happen under my watch,” and “Nigeria’s unity is non-negotiable” is not helping matters.

 

Professor Soyinka said: "Once an idea has taken off, you may defeat those behind it in a war but that does not mean the end of the idea. What can we do to make the Igbo feel part of the country, what can we do to make them to feel that they belong and not alienated?"

 

In response, the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign State of Biafra (Massob) and the Indigenous People of Biafra (Ipob) announced that they would halt the protests to give the federal government room for dialogue. In a joint resolution signed by Ugwuoke Ibem, the Massob national secretary and Emma Powerful of Ipob, the two bodies said they will suspend their demonstrations in cities across Igboland.

 

“We have decided to halt our demonstrations to pave way for the much-published dialogue on Nnamdi Kanu’s release. Our withdrawal from the major cities of Biafraland is not out of cowardice but to prove maturity, professionalism as a decent self-determined group.

 

“We hereby issue an ultimatum to the federal government to prove their seriousness and sincerity on the much published dialogue on the release of Nnamdi Kanu. We shall continue with our non-violence self-determination on Biafra as Massob and Ipob will never relent or backside on the agitation for Biafra actualisation," they added.

 

Both organisations also condemned the recent statement by Ralph Uwazuruike, a chairman of one of Massob's factions blaming Ipob and Massob for introducing violence in the Biafran struggle. They added that Chief Uwazuruike has lost his grip on Biafra issues because of his deviation, compromise and open romance with the Nigerian government which has grossly affected his personality.