No overture by Nigeria govt. will end Biafra agitation -Uwazuruike

Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, founder of the Movement the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and leader of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) on Wednesday in Owerri says no amount of overture by Nigeria government will end agitations by pro-Biafra groups.

Uwazuruike who made his position known in a media briefing to end the week-long 50th anniversary of declaration of Biafra independence by Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu and the 18th anniversary of the formation of MASSOB said that pro-Biafra agitators have one agenda.

“There is nothing else that we are agitating for, except for the Biafra independence and until that is achieved, we will not chicken out of the struggle for Biafra freedom.

“Yesterday (May 30), the football matches we had earlier scheduled to play was put on hold for all pro-Biafran groups to join in the sit-at-home order observed within and outside Nigeria.

“The struggle more than ever is gathering momentum and I am happy because the sufferings and marginalization of Biafran people rather than reduce is on the increase and the world is beginning to see why we are in the struggle,’’ he said.

Uwazuruike who equally founded the Biafra Independence Movement (BIM) told journalists that his aim of championing the course of Biafra was not to become the president of Biafra Republic.

“I did not start Biafra to be the president nor to end the struggle which I began. Nobody should think along such line because the materialization of Biafra depends entirely on God,’’ he said.

Uwazuruike urged all the pro-Biafran groups to focus on the actualization of the independence of Biafra rather than what the position they will occupy, adding “the person to become the Biafra president may not have been born.’’

He called on all pro-Biafra groups to adopt the non-violent approach of MASSOB and BIM, adding that violent cannot fetch any success to the people of the defunct Eastern Region .

The MASSOB leader recalled the excruciating suffering the Biafran people faced during the Nigeria/Biafra civil war, observed that with the rebuilding of all the areas, the 50th anniversary of Biafra called for a big celebration and thanksgiving to God.

“We are happy that local and international organisations including Nigeria government joined in the 50th anniversary celebration of Biafra, and we are equally glad that the week-long event climaxed with the sit-at-home.

“While we use this medium to call on the international organisations, especially the United Nations, to do the needful, we still stressed that Biafra adventures must be anchored on non-violence principles,’’ he said.

He stressed the need for governors of the South-East to rescind their position of dissuading the Biafran agitators, saying “The independence of Biafra is bigger and better to our people than any other thing we are getting in Nigeria.’’

Uwazuruike who described the sit at home order as a huge success saying that no freedom fighter (group) can achieve Biafra indépendante without collaboration with each other.