IPOB Uproar and Remediation By David Etika

David Etika 

There have been serious unrest in the South East of Nigeria caused by the agitation  of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB.  The issue of Boko Haram has not been tackled hitherto, and another mayhem has erupted.

Antecedent chronicled that, the Biafrans agitation started many decades back. A situation that fuelled civil war which lasted for a lingered duration. The IPOB Perceived that they were being marginalized by the Nigerian government, owing to this assertion, they initiated the ideology of self determination championed by late Odemagu Ojukwu the former military officer.

Many years after the civil war, the People of Biafra have reawaken advocacy targeting towards actualizing the ideology of self-determination or independence. This time the campaign is led by Nnamdi KANU who felt they can achieve the long anticipating dream of IPOB.

Agitation is peculiar, agitation is sacrosanct,and is the only way you can tailor your grevience. But the question is; do you project your agitation in the best form possible? Is your actions in consonant With the prescribed doctrine? The society have  stringent precepts that tutelage human operation.

This piece of work is aimed at enlightening  the public as well as inform the deformed citizens and oblige them the opportunity of being abreast of happenings within their environ. I am not writing to buttress or criticised  the government, neither am I  scribing to support IPOB or condemned their agitation, and also am not writing to crucify or applaud Nigeria Army of their coercive action.

The launching of operation Python dance II in the South East of Nigeria by the Nigerian army has raised public concern as majority of the public have condemned the sudden deployment of troops. Many described the development as undemocratic, infringement of civil rights, and such decision is antiquated.

While some reacted to the name tagged to the squad deployed to cordoned the uproar "OPERATION PYTHON DANCE II" as Python is something dangerous, when you see a Python roaming or rambling, no one goes close to  it because is dreaded and poisonous. Whoever dares it will die. This means that, people of the South East particularly the vulnerable spots should be mindful of their actions as any trivial attempt contrary may result to mortality because operation Python dance II is  out for zero tolerance.

Restraints has been unleashed in Aba, following the recent doldrum that led to the burning of police station in Aba. People are advised to comport themselves and respect military instructions  and shun any act capable of violating orders. Some of the regulations are; they should stay at home for the period of the operation Python dance II will carry out the excercise in the area, weddings and other ceremonies should not be fixed within this period, and women should be moving in pairs, no late movement etc.

Though, these stiff rules have affected the law abiding citizens as many who have already fixed their marriages within this period are left in the stage of dilemma.

A young man is said to have come home to familiarize himself with his people through marriage ceremony which happened to be fixed this month and having been outside the country for many years, he is seriously  confused and is contemplating whether to proceed with the marriage rituals to face the impending consequences that will emanate for breaching operation Python dance II order.

MESSAGE TO NNAMDI KANU

Clamouring for agitation is spiffy for any cluster that feel marginalized or suppressed. But there are prescribed methods to adopt when agitating for succession, self-determination or desolusion without indulging in lawlessness, recklessness or any act capable of inciting choas, squabbles and padamonium amidst law abiding citizens.

These act fuelled by IPOB leader last Sunday which sparked the military to engaged in a battle with the aggrieved agitators led to the killings of many people and created tension  in the South East. MAZI should have followed the lawful medium in his quest for emancipation.

Rather than employing volatile gimmicks, no one succeed self-determination without dialogue or negotiation.

Reacting to KANU action, former governor of Abia  State Orji Uzor Kalu asserted that "if KANU had abided his bail conditions the current tension resulting from actions of the IPOB leader could have been avoided. He further reiterated that, if the court gives an order, you are bound to abide by it whether good or bad and if he feels he is not okay with the Court order, he should challenge the court order using legitimate channels. He admonished the people of South East to embrace peace and shun divisive tendencies.

In a related development, the South East governor's forum had condemned the IPOB actions describing the situation as effortless mission. The chairman of the forum Engr. Dave Umah Governor of Ebonyi state said that IPOB has lost its mandates following the action that heightened tension and caused killings. He explained that , injustice or marginalisation should not be a reason to talk about succession, but dialogue is key in resolving squabbles.

Many others reacted that the organization is challenging the sovereignty of Nigeria. They stressed the need to eschew wrong tendencies and ulterior motive, including indulging in drugs, crime and offering themselves to be used as cannon fodder.

ON THE PART OF THE MILITARY

The action of the Nigerian army has been holistically criticised by the public for killing IPOB members in Aba Abia state Umuhia  and for tagging them" Terrorist guild" one of the  public analyst described that as operational description and not constructive description because, their assertion is baseless and does not have concrete facts. They tagged them Terrorist cluster just by their actions which is considered as wrong because IPOB are just clamouring for liberation.

Others considered the action of the military as unprofessional and is capable of depicting her in a nasty light before the international communities and amongst comity of Nations.

Ohaneze Ndigbo, an apex group in Enugu has called for peace and stood for a united Nigeria system of government that guarantees justice and fairness.they However, condemned the military operation in the zone and urged the Army to terminate the excercise forthwith.

TO MR.PRESIDENT

Dialogue is perceived to be an apparatus that enhanced peace. It is a veritable component that fast-track unity, it is the surest path  and a lubricant that greased relationship, harmony as well as serene lifestyle amongst the people.

The deployment of soldiers by the president to the South East to cordoned the mayhem unleashed by the agitators is viewed by numerous individuals to be barbaric, laughable, dastard , undemocratic and a calculated attempts to barricades IPOB dream.

On Friday, former president Olusegun Obasanjo asked president Mohammedu Buhari to meet KANU to resolve the Crisis,while former president Jonathan called for a council of state meeting to discuss the South East development.

Nigeria is a nation that is blessed with arable and  prolific land, profuse natural resources and many others but to say a few. The Federal government should consider 2014 confab recommendations which stressed on restructuring. For us to soar, we needs something different.is about 17 years of uninterrupted democracy and nothing seems to change. We are still backward, let us try something new if we must achieve modernization. Development is when the People are in total control of their economy and is improvement in the welfare of the people.

When will a bumper percents of Nigeria  live above one dollar per day as against the rated percentage of an average Nigerian lives less than one dollar per day.? Let us atone for good;  we need to demonstrate maturity, doggedness, dexterity, oneness, vigor, resilience and Esprit's de core.