Samuel Ugbor, Abakaliki

A socio-politico group in the South-East geopolitical region, the Alaigbo Development Foundation, has said the spate of marginalisation, dehumanisation, amongst others, meted towards Ndigbo, will in no small measure necessitate the full restoration of the Biafra nation, last quarter of 2020.

Aside the alleged marginalisation of Nigerians of the South-East extraction, the group, equally claimed that the serial killing of the people by the Fulani herdsmen and exclusion of the people from federal appointments, were the root causes of the heightened poise for Biafra restoration, by Biafra agitators.

The Igbo socio-politico group stated this in a statement signed by its Chairman, Publicity Bureau, Mr Abia Onyike, a copy of which was made available to dfcnews, on Tuesday, in Abakaliki.

According to the group, “Following the persistence of curious predictions about the impending  restoration of the state of Biafra by some pro-Biafran organizations, the Alaigbo Development Foundation has  reviewed such predictions  and  wishes to  state as follows;

“That these predictions about the restoration of Biafra have become strident recently, to the extent that the overall timeline has been put at the last quarter of this year, 2020.

ADF believes that the root causes of these curious predictions are the marginalisation/dehumanisation of Ndigbo, the serial killings/systematic programme of occupation of Alaigbo and their total exclusion from the political equation in Nigeria (ranging from the Executive to the Legislature, Judiciary, Bureaucracy, Parastatals to all spheres of political and economic life of the State).

“Given this type of most unusual state of affairs, the longing for Igbo Redemption becomes more and more acute and a most welcome idea to all strata of the Igbo society. Thus, the dreams of Igbo Emancipation, Independence and Freedom are bound to be arresting to the youths and pauperized population of Alaigbo.

“To be told that our freedom would come on any particular date is the most seminal news anybody can give to the marginalized Igbos. Within the ranks of these Igbos, there is palpable anxiety and expectation and a longing for the day of freedom.

“ADF, like all strata of the Igbo nation and their equally emasculated neighbors, prays that this prediction be true some day. By the nature of the struggle it is mechanical to set any date to it as if the struggle is a game of mathematics.

“Incidentally, if this epochal prediction of a date fails to materialise, it will surely turn out to be a most damaging and frustrating piece of sheer propaganda as well as a great fraud in Igbo history.

The impact of such empty propaganda on the psyche or our people is bound to be excruciating.

“The masses of Ndigbo are bound to regard whoever falsely raises their hopes as a great con-man in Igbo history. The Alaigbo Development Foundation believes that the ultimate liberation of our people will surely come some day, but not through sheer Egbe-Onu. It will surely come some day through dedicated struggle and faith in the justness of our Cause and in our God.”

Picture:  The  Biafra flag