“We have decided to carve out our own NATION STATE out of Nigeria. THE OODUA NATION. We have reached the limit of our endurance with We are tired of being slaves in our own land. Our people do not deserve to be poor. They don’t deserve to live in poverty. Their choice is never to live squalor.
We did not at any time sign any contract with any group of persons, Nations or countries that we are giving up our rights to self determination. Our promise to ourselves and our people is “Life abundant” as eloquently articulated by Obafemi Awolowo in his philosophy of social contract with the people, called AWOISM” – said pioneer advocate for the proposed independent nation of the south western states, Remi Oyeyemi.
The six Yoruba tribe dominated states of Nigeria; Oyo, Osun, Lagos, Ekiti, Ondo and Ogun inclusive of the Yoruba speaking regions of Edo, Delta, Kogi and Ilorin has started a movement to break free in a fight to protect their heritage and exist as a sovereign state.
Having declared that their membership as Nigerians has worked out as slavery and robbed them of the orderly political and social environment in which to employ God-given capabilities to pursue development and progress.
The decision, they claimed they arrived at in utmost humility to the opinions of mankind and with hope in the approval and support of the Creator and Ruler of all nations, is that it is time to have a separate, independent and sovereign country of their own in the world. Hence the birth of OÒDUÀ NATION.
In the same vein, half a century ago Nigeria was on the verge of an evolution due to the attempted depart of the Biafran states from the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The secessionist State, Biafra include the states of the former Eastern region and was principally constituted by the Igbo tribe of Nigeria, currently inclusive of Cross River, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Bayelsa, Rivers, Abia, and Akwa Ibom.
Biafra ceased to exist as an independent state in January 1970, after 3years of being from May 30, 1967, the head of the Eastern Region, Lieutenant Colonel (later General) Odumegwu Ojukwu, with the authorization of a consultative assembly, declared the region a sovereign and independent republic under the name of BIAFRA.
In the mid-1960s economic and political instability and tribal incompatibility was the order of the day . The northerners, the Hausa tribe of Nigeria went against the supposed more prosperous, educated Igbo minority which resulted into an aggravated uncontrollable massacre of, some 10,000 to 30,000 Igbo people in September 1966 in the Northern Region, over a million fled as refugees to the Igbo-dominated eastern Nigeria. Non-Igbos were then expelled from the Eastern Region.
Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), a group that has long been agitating for an independent state of Biafra broke out and gained publicity and followers of its movement almost immediately for more than five years now after decades of history went down.
IPOB and other pro-Biafra groups started organizing peaceful protests across the country and demanding self-determination.
“Led by Nnamdi Kanu, a British Nigerian activist, IPOB blames the central government for leaving the region marginalized and is seeking a peaceful referendum to break away from Nigeria and create a separate state.
That doesn’t sit well with the fragile central government, which has frequently used force to try to crush the movement” says a popular online newspaper.
Nigeria is celebrating sixty years of being an independent state today, October 1, 2020. It might not be a total celebration afterall as, a movement pro Oodua Nation has declared they are headed for protest today.
African Action Congress (AAC), led by Mr Omoyele Sowore, a 2019 presidential aspirant, as the national chairman has made bold this announcement in a zoom meeting widely attended by state organs and leaders of the party on Wednesday, saying extensive deliberations were made on possible ways to strengthen activities ahead of the national protest.
To sensitise and mobilise the Nigerian people against the hike in fuel price, electricity tariff, insecurity, human rights abuses, among other issues were the reasons of this movement, a tired country that needs to give under the weight of too much pressure is a fuel of this protest.
These movements, in favour of Oodua Nation and Biafra are tagged a revolution campaign, seeing the country in a state that cannot work for all until it breaks, noticeably supported by a huge number of Nigerians both at home and in diaspora.
“Go all out and don’t be afraid. Having spent five months in detention, I came out and I am still here. Our comrades in Lagos, Osun, Kano and other parts of the country were detained and they have become more courageous than ever. They saw the system for what it is: rotten.” Sowore encouraged.
Nigeria our country? If yes, where do we go from here ?
