Nigeria's Secessionist And The Northern Youth Forum Declaration
The news of the likelihood of Nigeria to divide has been hovering over the Internet and cyberspace for some years now. The indigenous people of Biafra (IPOB) led by its leader Nnamdi Kanu recently held a "sit at home " protest on the 30th of May of this year. To mourn their past heroes who were killed during the Nigerian-Biafra civil war of 1967, to remind the government of their continued marginalization and their right to seek self-determination as a country.
Following this event, 19 northern youth groups of the Arewa faction, came together to make a declaration and giving an ultimatum to the easterners living in the north to leave in three months time or otherwise be liable to whatever happens to them. In the same, vain it called on northerners living in the southeast to come back home signally a form of war.
This is all happening following where the southeast representatives in the lower house of assembly were clamoring for a southeast development commission to curb the continued negligence by the FG.
The declaration by Arewa Youth is a new twist to the tale. If you have lived in the north of Nigeria, this statement is a call for great concern as the North are not as learned as the rest of Nigeria. In fact, it was why Boko Haram became a stronghold in that region before it was defeated. The illiteracy level is so high that a radio program in their native language which is mostly said Hausa could trigger a chain reaction from the masses to the south-easterners living in that region. It has happened countless of times in the past, and it wouldn't be a new thing anymore if it happens, as almost every Northerner has a radio.
The authorities in Kaduna where this declaration was made should sit up, as this statement is not only inciting a crisis but also trying to deny a section of people their fundamental right to free movement and living in any part of the country. This declaration makes Kanu's declaration for a sit at home for any south easterner in the country on May 30th look like a child's play. The people that made this speech should be arrested for trying to disintegrate Nigeria. We have enough on our hands than to let miscreants turn this thing into a street fight.
The fact that Nigeria is a multi-cultural country with almost 250 ethnic groups shouldn't give any major ethnic group the right to drive a particular tribe of the country from their region. Why then do we complain when South-Africans do that to Nigerians? For all, it is worth the IPOB group had never incited anyone to violence, even when their leader was in jail. So why would a youth wing of a reputable organization like Arewa have utter such?
IPOB are only seeking self-determination, and that on its own is not a crime.
The main body of Arewa have come out to say that the youth do not speak for the north, that alone is enough to make me shiver because the message is out there whether they refute it or not, it should never have been spoken!
Following this event, 19 northern youth groups of the Arewa faction, came together to make a declaration and giving an ultimatum to the easterners living in the north to leave in three months time or otherwise be liable to whatever happens to them. In the same, vain it called on northerners living in the southeast to come back home signally a form of war.
This is all happening following where the southeast representatives in the lower house of assembly were clamoring for a southeast development commission to curb the continued negligence by the FG.
The declaration by Arewa Youth is a new twist to the tale. If you have lived in the north of Nigeria, this statement is a call for great concern as the North are not as learned as the rest of Nigeria. In fact, it was why Boko Haram became a stronghold in that region before it was defeated. The illiteracy level is so high that a radio program in their native language which is mostly said Hausa could trigger a chain reaction from the masses to the south-easterners living in that region. It has happened countless of times in the past, and it wouldn't be a new thing anymore if it happens, as almost every Northerner has a radio.
The authorities in Kaduna where this declaration was made should sit up, as this statement is not only inciting a crisis but also trying to deny a section of people their fundamental right to free movement and living in any part of the country. This declaration makes Kanu's declaration for a sit at home for any south easterner in the country on May 30th look like a child's play. The people that made this speech should be arrested for trying to disintegrate Nigeria. We have enough on our hands than to let miscreants turn this thing into a street fight.
The fact that Nigeria is a multi-cultural country with almost 250 ethnic groups shouldn't give any major ethnic group the right to drive a particular tribe of the country from their region. Why then do we complain when South-Africans do that to Nigerians? For all, it is worth the IPOB group had never incited anyone to violence, even when their leader was in jail. So why would a youth wing of a reputable organization like Arewa have utter such?
IPOB are only seeking self-determination, and that on its own is not a crime.
The main body of Arewa have come out to say that the youth do not speak for the north, that alone is enough to make me shiver because the message is out there whether they refute it or not, it should never have been spoken!
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