The Convener of South East Elders Forum, SEEF, and former President General of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife has revealed how they are pursuing the actualization of Biafra legally.
Ikedife, who is also the deputy chairman of the Supreme Council of Elders of Indigenous People of Biafra, SCEIPOB, said the group is in court with the Federal Government through Billie Human Right Initiative over Biafra self-determination.
The former Ohaneze President said SCEIPOB is seeking self determination for the Igbos politically, diplomatically, and through discussions within the framework of the law.
He told Sun, “Well, the matter is still in Federal High Court, Owerri Imo State. And it is left for the court to determine our right to self-determination.
“From the United Nations pronouncement which is adopted by the African Union (AU) and by extension Nigeria, it is declared that any ethnic group who so wishes has the right to self-determination. That right cannot be terminated arbitrarily.
“The issue there is, how do you go about it without infringing on the law. Billie Human Right Initiative took the Federal Government of Nigeria to court seeking to know whether the people in Biafra land have the right or not to seek self-determination.
“The SCEIPOB is pursuing it legally, politically, diplomatically and through discussions within the framework of the law of the land. And you can see that other parts of the world are doing it.
“You will recall the size of the Soviet Union, from there, about eleven countries have come out. Yugoslavia broke away, Czechoslovakia broke away and some others. Britain has left the European Union after being a strong member.
“Scotland sought to be on her own from the United Kingdom, and so on. It is the universally accepted right of any group to seek to be on its own. There was a case like that in Spain and many other countries.
“We have outgrown the era of enslavement and colonization, the era of Berlin Conference when Africa was shared and dominated by the European countries. Not anymore.
“People should be allowed self-determination. It is a fundamental right. Time is changing. We should realize that the time of domination and enslavement whether you like it or not is gone.
“Don’t forget that democracy is all about if you are allowed to rule me. If I don’t want you to rule me, it can’t be by force.
“I will voluntarily allow you to rule me, not that you conquered me. That should be the position. That time of gunboat diplomacy is gone for good. Let people realize it, that you have no right to be ruling me if I don’t want it.”
