Leave Ijaw-land out of Biafra - IYC warns IPOB, MASSOB
- The Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide stated that the Ijaw people were a distinct nation even before the 1914 amalgamation of Nigeria, with distinct dreams and aspirations
- The group noted that the late Ijaw leader, Major Isaac Boro, had declared a Niger Delta Republic even before the world got to hear about the term Biafra
- According to the group, the late Ojukwu had fought against the establishment of the proposed Niger Delta state
- The IYC also warned against further insults on respected Ijaw leaders like Ankio Briggs by overzealous members of IPOB, stating that such would not be tolerated
Pro-Biafra groups including the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and the Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) have been warned to stop including Ijaw land into their Biafra territories, by the Ijaw Youth Council Worldwide, New Telegraph reports.
The IYC made its comments via a statement released by its spokesman, Daniel Dasimaka, on Monday, August 15.
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Legit.ng notes that the IYC stated that the Ijaw people have never been Biafrans, neither did they ever give their consent to becoming Biafrans.
The statement read in part: “The Ijaw are a distinct ethnic nation, even before the 1914 amalgamation, that has its own dreams, wishes and aspirations that should not be submerged as footnotes in any other peoples’ struggles.
“We, the Ijaw people, are not Biafrans.
“Therefore, if or when any Ijaw person or group feels a sense of allegiance to Biafra and speak in its favor, let it be known that such statements are the personal opinions of such persons.
“They do not reflect the thoughts, views and wishes of the entire Ijaw nation and the Niger Delta people.”
The group further stated: “It is a known historical fact that a year before the world got to hear of the term Biafra Republic, the Ijaw led by the late Major Isaac Boro of blessed memory had declared a Niger Delta Republic in pursuit of the emancipation of the Niger Delta people which the progenitor of Biafra, late Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu, of blessed memory fought against as the then Governor of the old Eastern Region when the going was good with him in the Nigerian state.
“It is also on record that a year before MASSOB was founded, the IYC, through the Kaiama Declaration, had affirmed ‘our commitment to joint struggle with the other ethnic nationalities in the region for self-determination.’
“We express our solidarity with all the peoples, organizations and ethnic nationalities in Nigeria and elsewhere who are struggling for self-determination and justice.”
The IYC also warned against further insults on respected Ijaw leaders like Ankio Briggs, by “overzealous members of IPOB”.
They stressed that further insults would not be tolerated, as these Ijaw leaders have committed so much to the Niger Delta region.
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Recall that Legit.ng previously reported that the Ijaw Youth Council (IYC) worldwide lashed out at the Movement for the Actualization of a Sovereign State Of Biafra (MASSOB) for including the Niger Delta region in its Biafra map.
MASSOB and other pro-Biafra groups have been agitating for an independent Biafra state, insisting that the Niger Delta region is part of its territory.
Watch this Legit.ng TV video of Ojukwu's bunker during the Biafra War:
Source: Legit.ng
