The arrest of Nnamdi Kalu for operating Radio Biafra was a catastrophic blunder
By Chima Ubochi
It is not the business of government to make men virtuous or religious, or to preserve the fool from the consequences of his own folly. Government should be repressive no further than is necessary to secure liberty by protecting the equal rights of each from aggression on the part of others, and the moment governmental prohibitions extend beyond this line they are in danger of defeating the very ends they are intended to serve (Henry George)
Rather than tackling the myriad problems besetting Nigeria, President Buhari goes about looking for whom to arrest and detain. Buhari has not jettisoned his dictatorial tendencies, as he wants to gag the press and abolish freedom of speech and association. He still thinks that he is a military ruler. The arrest of Nnamdi Kalu for operating Radio Biafra was a catastrophic blunder by this administration. Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Biafra Television and the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), after he had flown from the UK, to Lagos. We learnt he is being held in an underground cell, and, in the midst of other hardened criminals, and, that he is not eating the food they are offering to him, fearing that he might be poisoned. It is remarkable how Nnamdi Kanu has been making Buhari tremulous all along! According to Vanguard, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a separatist movement that call for the independence of Nigeria’s former Eastern Region – proclaimed the Republic of Biafra in 1967 and re-annexed to Nigeria three years later, following a civil war that claimed between one and three million lives.
Mr. Kanu has been granted bail, but has not been released, every of his bail conditions has been met, he has also been denied access to his lawyer. His arrest has led to pro-Biafra rallies and demonstrations in Port Harcourt, Asaba, Onitsha, Enugu, Aba, Owerri, Umuahia and all over Igbo land. Unfortunately, those rallies and demonstrations have led to the killing and maiming of some of the pro-Biafra demonstrators. The federal government that Buhari is leading has ordered police to shoot unarmed people protesting the detention of Nnamdi Kanu. Buhari went to the United Nations some weeks ago to preach freedom for the Palestine people, and their right to have their own nation, while here in Nigeria, he is doing something else, and has ordered the arrested of a young man who is only using his Radio Station to bring hope, enlightenment and knowledge to his people. How can Buhari make a speech at the United Nations supporting freedom, and self determination for other peoples, but, in his own country, peaceful demonstrators against the unlawful detention of Nnamdi Kanu, who is asking for the freedom and the self determination of his people, are being shot, maimed or arrested? The whole thing smacks of self-deception.
Buhari has turned Nnamdi Kanu into an instant hero; even the Member of the British Parliament representing Nnamdi Kanu’s constituency has joined the fray among other world leaders. We just read where the Member of Parliament representing Camberbell and Peckham in the British House of Commons, Ms. Harriet Harman, has petitioned the House of Common for the illegal detention her constituent member is exposed to in Nigeria. The British MP had in the petition requested that the Nigerian government to immediately release Nnamdi Kanu or charge him to court for offences committed.
President Buhari, as the fugleman or leader, should beware of his actions and utterances. Nothing lasts forever. He might heed the warning of Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall”(New Living Translation), and, George Ayittey (1945) wrote that “Dictators cause the world’s worst problems: all the collapsed states, and all the devastated economies…leaving in their wake trails of wanton destruction, horrendous carnage and human debris”. Buhari should know that all those people protesting in the former Eastern Region are not only doing that because of Nnamdi Kanu, but, are also using the opportunity to vent out their disappointment, frustration, anger and hatred for the ruling class.
For those who were fooled initially by the messiah-like portrayal of Buhari, and who now remain concerned over the direction of Nigeria under a man, whose leadership resembles that of an imperialistic president, what more could be expected from one elected to Aso Rock, whose perceived self image is paramount, and who had never before even managed anything well? One thing is that history tells us that narcissistic pride (love) of self and false aura of superiority, such as surrounds and abides in President Buhari, is bound to be pierced in time. In the midst of turmoil and unrest Buhari is creating, the people of Biafra have not given up hope, as some believe that the “bone shall rise again”. Only time will tell!
By Chima Ubochi
It is not the business of government to make men virtuous or religious, or to preserve the fool from the consequences of his own folly. Government should be repressive no further than is necessary to secure liberty by protecting the equal rights of each from aggression on the part of others, and the moment governmental prohibitions extend beyond this line they are in danger of defeating the very ends they are intended to serve (Henry George)
Rather than tackling the myriad problems besetting Nigeria, President Buhari goes about looking for whom to arrest and detain. Buhari has not jettisoned his dictatorial tendencies, as he wants to gag the press and abolish freedom of speech and association. He still thinks that he is a military ruler. The arrest of Nnamdi Kalu for operating Radio Biafra was a catastrophic blunder by this administration. Nnamdi Kanu, the Director of Biafra Television and the Leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), was arrested by the Department of State Services (DSS), after he had flown from the UK, to Lagos. We learnt he is being held in an underground cell, and, in the midst of other hardened criminals, and, that he is not eating the food they are offering to him, fearing that he might be poisoned. It is remarkable how Nnamdi Kanu has been making Buhari tremulous all along! According to Vanguard, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) is a separatist movement that call for the independence of Nigeria’s former Eastern Region – proclaimed the Republic of Biafra in 1967 and re-annexed to Nigeria three years later, following a civil war that claimed between one and three million lives.
Mr. Kanu has been granted bail, but has not been released, every of his bail conditions has been met, he has also been denied access to his lawyer. His arrest has led to pro-Biafra rallies and demonstrations in Port Harcourt, Asaba, Onitsha, Enugu, Aba, Owerri, Umuahia and all over Igbo land. Unfortunately, those rallies and demonstrations have led to the killing and maiming of some of the pro-Biafra demonstrators. The federal government that Buhari is leading has ordered police to shoot unarmed people protesting the detention of Nnamdi Kanu. Buhari went to the United Nations some weeks ago to preach freedom for the Palestine people, and their right to have their own nation, while here in Nigeria, he is doing something else, and has ordered the arrested of a young man who is only using his Radio Station to bring hope, enlightenment and knowledge to his people. How can Buhari make a speech at the United Nations supporting freedom, and self determination for other peoples, but, in his own country, peaceful demonstrators against the unlawful detention of Nnamdi Kanu, who is asking for the freedom and the self determination of his people, are being shot, maimed or arrested? The whole thing smacks of self-deception.
Buhari has turned Nnamdi Kanu into an instant hero; even the Member of the British Parliament representing Nnamdi Kanu’s constituency has joined the fray among other world leaders. We just read where the Member of Parliament representing Camberbell and Peckham in the British House of Commons, Ms. Harriet Harman, has petitioned the House of Common for the illegal detention her constituent member is exposed to in Nigeria. The British MP had in the petition requested that the Nigerian government to immediately release Nnamdi Kanu or charge him to court for offences committed.
President Buhari, as the fugleman or leader, should beware of his actions and utterances. Nothing lasts forever. He might heed the warning of Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goes before destruction, and haughtiness before a fall”(New Living Translation), and, George Ayittey (1945) wrote that “Dictators cause the world’s worst problems: all the collapsed states, and all the devastated economies…leaving in their wake trails of wanton destruction, horrendous carnage and human debris”. Buhari should know that all those people protesting in the former Eastern Region are not only doing that because of Nnamdi Kanu, but, are also using the opportunity to vent out their disappointment, frustration, anger and hatred for the ruling class.
For those who were fooled initially by the messiah-like portrayal of Buhari, and who now remain concerned over the direction of Nigeria under a man, whose leadership resembles that of an imperialistic president, what more could be expected from one elected to Aso Rock, whose perceived self image is paramount, and who had never before even managed anything well? One thing is that history tells us that narcissistic pride (love) of self and false aura of superiority, such as surrounds and abides in President Buhari, is bound to be pierced in time. In the midst of turmoil and unrest Buhari is creating, the people of Biafra have not given up hope, as some believe that the “bone shall rise again”. Only time will tell!
Since the advent of radio Biafra, I don't listen to any other radio. And when I discovered Biafran herald and Biafran times, I stopped reading any otherjournal from Nigeria. As what comes out from the stable of other media are nothing but gossips, idle talks and blatant lies.
ReplyDeleteThe editors of these media - radio Biafra, Biafra herald, Biafra times and Biafra television owe us a duty and responsibility to stick to the truth and education for which they are known for. Any article, piece of news, information etc that is not well researched must not find its way into these mentioned media.
I have heard via radio Biafra, I have also read from Biafra herald that the stringent bail conditions imposed on Kanu has been met. And that the DSS and Buhari are still detaining him extra judiciously, despite the fact that the court had granted him bail..
So, where does this writer get his own piece of information on this subject from?
Edit your articles very very well,and beware of devilish writers who are trying to sabotage the effort for the actualization of sovereign state of Biafra .
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