Enough! The Nigeria state occupation of Igboland must now stop

By Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe

BACKGROUND

Since 13 January 1970, Nigeria has implemented the most dehumanising raft of socioeconomic package of deprivation in occupied Igboland not seen anywhere else in Africa. This further scourge on the Igbo closely followed the Igbo genocide when Nigeria murdered 3.1 m...illion Igbo people between 29 May 1966 and 12 January 1970. Since then, Nigeria has locked down all of Igboland in a labyrinthical network of checkpoints to control the movement of people, goods and services. Two outcomes, each that inexorably feeds into the other, are sought in this brigandage: (a) Nigeria chokes off any rational and sustained economic activity in the land of the famed, enterprising Igbo and (b) the checkpoint is the site that the occupation military/police/other vicious personnel carryout their extortion of the population. For instance, there are 60 occupation police checkpoints between Abakaleke and Nsukka – a distance of 80 miles. In contrast, no checkpoint exists between Obolo-Afo (Igboland) and Lokoja (Nigeria), a distance of 250 miles.

Given the paltry state of its finances, Nigeria cannot afford its continuing occupation of Igboland without its simultaneous ravaging of the legendary wealth of Igboland. In essence, and perhaps most perversely cast, the Igbo nation subsidises its very own occupation – an indirect taxation thereof, amounting to millions and millions of US dollars of savings annually for the near-bankrupt Nigeria treasury. The Igbo therefore carry the burden of this occupation with all its tragic ramifications. There are no comparable occupations elsewhere in the contemporary world with the same viciousness and severity.

WAY FORWARD

1. A general, indefinite strike across the Igbo country should be called forthwith, demanding the unconditional dismantling of Nigeria’s barriers of extortion and expropriation and the evacuation of its military/police bases from their land.

2. The Igbo should today, now, stop paying the millions and millions of US dollars worth of expropriation tax that sustains the Nigeria occupation and subjugation. One must never, ever, be a participant in their incarceration, their deindividuation.

3. An extensive and continuing-evolving organisation is required on the ground as this march of freedom transforms. All strata of the 50 million Igbo population, at home and abroad, must be mobilised – particularly women organisations, farmers, youth/students’ bodies, the redoubtable umuada and umunna circuits, market/allied trade guilds, custodians and overseers of Igbo traditional spiritual/religious places of worship, the clergy and the rest of the intellectuals.

4. The Igbo clergy, for instance, has its work cut out. The role of the church in national freedom movements has been invaluable as the world has seen in places like Poland, the United States (the African American church, for example), several countries in Latin America and, of course, back home during the genocide as occurred 45 years ago – surely in the next sermon in the churches and cathedrals of Igboland, the congregation will be interested to learn of the legacies of the venerable Akanu Ibiam, Godfery Okoye, Benjamin Nwankiti…

5. The Igbo expect their intellectuals, many of who are part of the world’s best and brightest, to play a critical role in responding to this existential threat to their nation. Already, there exists a rich legacy of the outstandingly selfless role played by Igbo intellectuals to Igboland at the onset of the genocide in May 1966 to build upon.

6. Igboland must be Free. Now. If each and every one of us plays their individual role, however “small” or limited it is deemed, the mountain will surely move and decisively so.

7. Beginning now, no longer cooperate with the occupation; don’t be a party to your own subjugation – make this your personal pledge.

8. Igboland will be free so that we can embark on the construction of an advanced civilisation for the memory of the 3.1 million who were murdered and those who survived to tell the tale.

9. We will free Igboland.

10. Welcome aboard the Igbo freedom train. Forward this exaltation to at least 10 friends and family and ask each of them to send to at least another batch of 10… and 10… and 10…

11. Remain focused and steadfast. We will free Igboland.