BBC Pidgin of Saturday, 29 May 2021
Source: BBC
Biafra Day: Group declare sit at home for Igbo pipo plus oda tins you need to know about May 20
Lt. Col Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu na him announce di separation of Biafra from Nigeria in 1967
For May 30, 1967 one young Lt Colonel, Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu announce di separation of Biafra from Nigeria, dat time Biafra na di old eastern region.
Dis declaration na im lead to di Civil war of (1967-1970). Di bloody war cause di death of many pipo for di old eastern region.
Over 500,000 pipo die for di war wey cause famine and starvation for di pipo of di region with women and children as di biggest casualties.
Since den, May 30 na historic day for Nigeria, especially for citizens of South eastern Nigeria. Na day wey define di pipo of dat region.
South easterners bin no dey too pay attention to May 30, but di call for separation by secessionist groups don come make di day dey prominent for di region.
Every year, some of di secessionist groups dey declare sit-at-home for all citizens of south-east - dis na dia way to remember di events wey lead to May 30 declaration.
Who be 'Emeka' Odumegwu Ojukwu?
Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu na im be di leader of Biafra sake of say im lead di eastern region go war against Nigeria.
Though dem born am for Zungeru for Northern Nigeria (under di British colony) for 1933. Ojukwu come from Nnewi for Anambra state, south-eastern Nigeria.
Ojukwu na man wey dey exposed, as im parents send am go better school reach Oxford University for London, United Kingdom after which im join di Nigerian army.
For 1966, Ojukwu become di military govnor of Eastern region after di coup - even though im no get hand for di coup.
Im refuse to accept Yakubu Gowon as im president as im accuse President Gowon of suppressing Igbo pipo. Na dat time im declare independent state of Biafra wey lead to di war wey last three years.
After di war for 1970, Ojukwu carry waka enter Ivory Coast wia dem give am political asylum and by 1982, di federal goment of Nigeria grant am pardon.
For 1983, goment arrest Ojukwu again after one coup wey happun and dem later release am for 1984, since den, all im attempt to join active politics no dey successful till im die for 2011.
Biafra separation groups afta di war
Since after di civil war for January 1970, many tins happen.
After Biafra leader Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu go asylum for Ivory Coast, Nigeria goment take steps to reunite di pipo.
Di goment of President Yakubu Gowon put out measure to compensate Igbos and reassure dem sey dem get stake for Nigeria.
But that one no sweet some Igbos wey still feel say dem no belong to Nigeria and say dem suppose dey on dia own.
Some of di groups wey don come out since after di Biafra war na:
Beside all these groups we mention, na only two wey dey prominent pass; Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign state of Biafra (MASSOB) wey Chief Ralph Uwazuruike dey lead.
And di Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB) wey Nnamdi Kanu dey lead - di Federal goment of Nigeria don prescribe IPOB sake of di violent nature of dia agitation.
Wetin Igbo leaders dey tok
On May 22, 2021 leader of Massob Ralph Uwazuruike light candle for Faulks road Aba, Abia State to reignite di Biafra agitation.
"Dat day dey very significant. Sake of di bloody violence wey follow Ojukwu declaration for 1967. I think say e no go dey good for us to continue violent agitation. Dat na why I declare May 22 as di new Biafra day," Uwazuruike tell BBC Pidgin.
Im tok say plenty pipo die for di war and e no go good make South eastern Nigeria still dey lose pipo especially as dem still dey recover from di war.
Uwazuruike argue say di independence of Biafra must happen weda Nigeria like am or not.
According di Biafra leader, "Wetin we want na sovereignty. We wan get our own passport, our own kontri and we wan do tins our sef because we no believe say we follow for Nigeria. Nigeria no like easterners and to remain together na waste of time.
"Even though Massob no want make Nigeria destroy we want our own sovereignty. We no follow for pipo wey dey use violence. Our own na non violent struggle and we no go stop." E tok.
But one elder statesman Chief Chukwuemeka Ezeife no gree say make Biafra separate from Nigeria.
Chief Ezeife, former govnor of Anambra state and pan Nigerian advocate say Nigeria goment dey treat South easterners as "second class citizens" but e no dey enough to wan separate from di kontri.
"All di agitation against federal goment over wetin dem dey do Igbo pipo na justifiable action because goment no dey treat our pipo well but I believe say na sometin wey we fit negotiate.
"I no wan tok about restructuring sake of say e mean plenty tins. Wetin we want na for Nigeria to go back to regional system of goment wey allow all di regions to compete against dem sef in terms of development. Dat style bin work for us before and I believe say e fit still work again," Chief Ezeife tok.
May 30 and Nigeria today
For May 30, 2016, Biafra remembrance day turn violent as protesters for South eastern Nigeria clash wit goment forces, dis lead to di wunjure and arrest of many young pipo.
Between December 2020 and May 2021 all di South eastern states don suffer attacks from one group wey everybody don know as 'Unknown Gunmen'.
Di unknown gunmen dey mostly target goment structures and agencies especially di Nigeria police - dem don attack different police stations for Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Imo and Ebonyi and dem dey kill security pipo for all of di attacks.
For April, di gunmen carry dia attack go di personal house of Imo state govnor Hope Uzodinma, dat na after dem attack di Police headquarters and federal prison for di state capital, Owerri.
Anoda May 30 don come and di groups wey dey call for separation don tell dia supporters to sidon for house, e never clear wetin go happun next but goment plus police don tell pipo make dem no fear anything as security agencies go protect dem as long as dem dey obey di law.
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