The Indigenous People of Niger Delta (IPND) has over the past 18
months watched the unfolding identity crisis befalling Nigeria as it affects
the basis of continuous coexistence and the call for restoration of Biafra
Republic. We have watched closely with keen interest and have made far reaching
consultations with our leaders, youths and women on state of the Nigerian union
and the way forward:
Firstly we must state here that the indigenous people of Niger
Delta worked so hard in the founding of Nigeria but the Nigeria we have today
is definitely not the dream Nigeria of our forefathers. This is not the Nigeria
of dream of our most visionary and highly idealistic monarch of blessed memory;
H.R.M. Esezi II, The Orodje of Okpe; who was amongst delegates
of Kings that attended the 1957 Lyttelton Conference held in London in order to
seek the Nigerian independence from the indirect government of the colonial
master. The Nigeria we have today is not the Nigeria of dream of Late Pa.
Anthony Anahoro who was the first to move for the independence of Nigeria which
was eventually granted in 1960 after several political setbacks and defeats in
parliament. As IPND we are proud of the fact that our Late Father, Pa Anthony
Enahoro has been regarded by academics and many Nigerians as the "Father
of Nigeria State". However, we recall in history that his motion for
Nigeria's Independence suffered setbacks in parliament on several occasions with
the northern members of parliament staging a walkout as a consequence of the
motion. Instead of nationalizing through continuous dialogue and agreement
between the different indigenous people in Nigeria, what we have today is a
state based on unity by force.
For the avoidance of doubt, we have to clearly state here that
the indigenous people of Niger Delta (IPND) hold and share solid cultural
affinity, ideology and religious beliefs with our Igbo brothers (Ndi-Igbo) of
south easterner Nigeria. As a fact, we have Igbos from Delta, Imo, Abia and
Rivers State who are from the Niger Delta Region, hence we cannot sit down and
fold our hands with our mouths closed as the Nigerian Government continue to
use the military to massacre our armless brothers who are only calling for
restoration of Biafra Republic which form part of their fundamental human
rights. We must state here that the Indigenous People of Niger Delta have good
knowledge about the history of Biafra and also the impact of the Biafran War in
Niger Delta Region. Therefore for the avoidance of repeating the mistakes of
the past we hereby call on the Government of Nigeria in strong terms to
unconditionally and forthwith set free the current icon of the Biafra struggle,
Namdi Kanu as he is only agitating for self-determination as stipulated in the
United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples of 2007. It is
our strong belief that Nigeria Government cannot achieve peaceful coexistence
between the different indigenous people and nations that make up the Nigerian
State by force as there is no such a thing as unity by force. Thus, we hereby
call on the Government of the Federal Republic Nigeria and the United Nations
to as a matter of National and Global emergency convoke a Sovereign National
Conference for the different ethnic nationalities in Nigeria to discuss
modalities of continues coexistence.
Finnally; we commend IPOB for the peaceful manner they have been
going about the agitation for the restoration of Biafra Republic and we hereby
urge them to continue to explore the non-violence approach in the pursue of
their course until the Government of Nigeria and the UN shall convoke a
Sovereign National Conference for the different ethnic nationalities in Nigeria
to discuss modalities of contineous coexistence.
Office of the Publicity Secretary, IPND.
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