By Anthony Obi Ogbo – Publisher’s Analysis (International Guardian, Houston, TX)
Psychological factors of political activism have never been scorned by history; in fact, the implications of political movement and social action have provided positive apparatus for societal reforms. Political motivation starts from the mind because it is often triggered by emotional reactions over prevalent public issues. Hence, these psychological factors remain significant in the attitude that drive change, individual participation, and outcome of political movements or protest events.
So, when the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and its leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu sprang up initially to advocate what it called “original inhabitants and owners of the lands and communities of Biafra and Biafraland”, they were received as individuals exercising their rights to challenge the authorities into negotiating their civic interests. But matters unfolded sequentially to confirm that this was just another unwaged group hiding under the great values of the Rising Sun to seek the attention of the regime for selfish monetary bargains.
Most disappointedly, Kanu exposed a totally ignorance and confusion about his own mission; unable to articulate the legislative process of self-determination; could not distinguish between a referendum and statutory deconstruction of self-reliance, but would infiltrate the Internet with amateurish videos of threats and tommyrots to enflame chaos in a vulnerable society currently going through economic and political crunch.
This tactics is not new in Nigeria – a West African nation where in recent times, swindlers, guttersnipes, armed robbers and other breed of dishonest vandals crashed into political and social activism, and turned that institution into a bloody gambling career.
For instance, the world saw how the Niger Delta Militants terrorized their region with deadly ammunitions, kidnapping humans, looting and blowing oil installations. Of course, they claimed to be fighting for their land, until one after the other, rebellious group leaders gradually bargained their agitations into personal wealth.
Today, those militants swim in riches and have since softened their lines of action. Yet, the Delta remains the Delta – quite underdeveloped with local chiefs and political leaders confused about viable strategies to manage their valuable resources.
He would brag about procuring arms and burning down Nigeria – which he describes as the zoo; while some suckers who followed and cheered him would turn around to defend him as nonviolent. When it became clear that Kanu does not even understand his own agenda, he lied to his followers that his missions were now mysterious and were being directed by some divine powers. What nonsense!
IGBO as an ethnic group is no exception to such menace of unscrupulous activists. For example, when Dr. Goodluck Jonathan assumed office in 2010, most Igbos assumed that his regime was the right time to release Ralph Uwazuruike, the then jailed leader of the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB). But from all indications, Uwazuruike, was not so keen on coming out of jail. He was more interested in remaining in jail – to intensify his campaign and gather more attention to raise money. Uwazuruike now flourishes in wealth and has totally abandoned his so called agitation to actualize the sovereign state of Biafra.
It became obvious why there are hundreds of Pro-Biafran groups; why those leaders would always want to be arrested, and why every lazy dude wants his own Biafra. It also became obvious why Kanu and Uwazurike – supposedly leaders of two major pro-Biafran groups have been engaged in bitter rivalry, exposing themselves and their underhanded “self-determination “motives. So intense that Uwazurike accused Kanu of using his call to boycott elections in Anambra State to stage chaos and mass murder; to motivate and uplift his campaign to generate international attention. He was right.
Furthermore, Kanu must be remembered for using gullible Igbo youth Igbos and their innocent blood as weapons of war, to attain notoriety. IPOB and Kanu had strategically set innocent supporters up for death by pushing them forward as a shield against Nigeria’s merciless army. They had videoed them in the process and used those VIDEOS to seek international attention and raise money. This is criminally a terroristic exploit. HAMAS adopted it – now IPOB is using it.
Without doubt, Kanu and IPOB have over the past months demonstrated the most deplorable path to political activism. A look at their rhetoric and the cause they claim they agitate shows a bunch of angry followers rallying around an ill-informed opportunist who struggled in London romanticizing a pitiful state of pennilessness. Kanu saw an opportunity through using the social media to deceitfully incite angry unemployed Igbo youth into believing that Biafra could be resurrected by spewing vulgarity on U-tube, marching the streets, vandalizing neighborhoods, and throwing rocks at the police.
Most disappointedly, Kanu exposed total ignorance and confusion about his own mission; unable to articulate the legislative process of self-determination; could not distinguish between a referendum and statutory deconstruction of self-reliance, but would infiltrate the Internet with amateurish videos of threats and tommyrots to enflame chaos in a vulnerable society currently going through economic and political crunch.
He would brag about procuring arms and burning down Nigeria – which he describes as the zoo; while some suckers who followed and cheered him would turn around to defend him as nonviolent. When it became clear that Kanu did not even understand his own agenda, he lied to his followers that his missions were now mysterious and were being directed by some divine powers. What nonsense!
Analysts may be divided over the dangerous implications of Kanu and his street followers to the progress of the Igbo ethnic group, but it must be acknowledged also; that it would take Igbos a long time to recover from the lingering wounds inflicted in the structure of its political progress by Kanu’s intoxication for power, money, and ego.
Furthermore, Kanu must be remembered for using gullible Igbo youth and their innocent blood as weapons of war, to attain notoriety. IPOB and Kanu had strategically set innocent supporters up for death by pushing them forward as a shield against Nigeria’s merciless army. They had videoed them in the process and used those VIDEOS to seek international attention and raise money. This is criminally a terroristic exploit. HAMAS adopted it – now IPOB is using it.
The truth may be hard to swallow, but must be told. As of today, Biafra is not a country but a well-fought mission every Igbo is proud of. Resurrecting such mission is possible with pulsating strategies and reasonable legislative support. Definitely not with the current breed of lying activists stalking the streets without clear objectives.
Propaganda does not yield political fruits. A quest for reconstruction of Nigeria is inevitable and accomplishing that is a matter of time. One opportunity slipped off during President Jonathan’s regime. The current regime of President Muhammadu Buhari does not believe in such reformation process, so Nigerians passionate about reconstruction or structural transformation of their governmental process may create a 2019 opportunity to bargain those interests with aspiring contestants.
Structural reformation in a democratic process can only be achieved though constitutional means. We must also understand that one million calls to the United Nation’s office or even to Donald Trump, who by the way could not properly hold his own executive position, cannot influence any decision-making action in Nigeria’s current regime. Flying IPOB flag on London streets or Houston’s downtown can only yield photos for the social media page and might bear no positive implications to supporting leaders that would represent any political interests as Nigerians.
