Why Igbos Lost the Biafra War- Chief Ralp Uwazuruike
Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, leader of the Biafra Independent Movement (BIM), and Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, publisher of Champion Newspapers, have disclosed for the first time, why they think Biafra lost the 1967 civil war.
The duo have attributed the defeat to lack of interest of Igbo elites as well as the creation of Rivers and Cross River states by General Yakubu Gowon in 1968.
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Uwazuruike made this disclosure while addressing members of BIM at the Dim Chukwuemeka Ojukwu conference centre in Owerri.
At the conference which held on Tuesday, December 15, yesterday, he introduced new leaders of MASSOB which according to him is now the youth wing of BIM.
According to This Day, the Biafra leader said he believed that Biafra could still be sovereign considering the level of idealist tendency that would drive her economy.
He stated that “Biafra has an ideal government that tends to eschew corruption”.
According to him, "we lost the civil war because Gen Gowon created Rivers and Cross River states from the mainstream of Biafra enclave".
He however, noted that Biafra of today is being championed by all Igbo speaking states of the federation, making it a wide spread movement.
On whether Igbo leaders support the movement of Biafra, Uwazuruike recalled that even the present governor of Imo state, Chief Rochas Okorocha was nominated by MASSOB in his (Uwazuruike Okwe residence).
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“MASSOB has come of age. The present Governor of Imo State received his ticket to run for governor in my house. The present Ohanaeze president was chosen in my house and he won, though the governors said they would not recognize him, but he is the leader of Ohanaeze today.
“MASSOB has played her role in Igboland and we are still playing that role. They know we will play major role when we have Biafra. So anybody that does not recognize us is either sleeping or dreaming”, Uwazuruike said.
Iwuanyanwu on his own part, said that Igbo are today marginalized in the country because they don’t have anybody to speak or talk for them unlike in the past when everything were based in merit.
He made this known while speaking at the 2015 special media forum of the correspondents’ chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Owerri, Imo state.
Reacting to the issue of census figures in the country and the need to diversify the nation’s economy, the frontline politician said that as of the present day, he does not believe in Biafra.
He recalled that during the war he was among the Igbos who stood their ground for emancipation of the southeasterners.
Iwuanyanwu said his stands on the freedom of Igbos, led to his detention immediately after the war.
The elder statesman expressed worry over the behaviours of some Igbo leaders as their actions have contributed in backwardness in development of the zone.
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According to him, the people of the southeast have enough potentials and land to produce food for themselves, but have failed to develop it for the interest of the people.
He said: "Igbo have not actually come up with realities, have everything but the effort is not there”.
The renowned publisher opined that the southeast would remain disadvantaged if the census exercise is done in consideration of delineation of areas, cultural considerations among others.
As the agitation for the actualization of Biafra continues to take twists and turns, Uwazuruike has urged pro-Biafra agitators to shun violence.
The BIM leader, cautioned members of the IPOB to apply non-violent methods in their quest for that actualization of Biafra state and for the release of its founder, Kanu and other members of the groups who are currently being detained by Nigeria’s security agencies.
Source: Legit.ng
