An open letter addressed to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo regarding the Biafra question.
BY IJ ONUIGBO
Dear Professor Osinbajo,
I, alongside many others, have written publicly to you and President Muhammadu Buhari regarding allowing due process to take place concerning the quest for Biafra, yet no effort has been made by Nigerian leadership to call for discussion on the situation.
President Buhari rather took an antagonistic approach to the calls by saying that the agitators were trouble-makers! I do not need to mention that it was a failure of leadership to handle the situation in such an off-handed manner. In light of the letter written by the Arewa group urging you to call for a referendum, I feel the need to let you know that it is a good call that should not be opposed. I do not understand the reason why your generation is vehemently opposed to any mention of dividing Nigeria.
I can guess that the reason why is because, at your age (and that of the collective leadership of Nigeria), you feel too old for change. Or, the collective leadership does not want anything that will block its avenues of milking the collective wealth of the land.
You are a very educated man, so I want you to consider this and really think about it seriously: Nigeria has been on a downward spiral for half a century now.
There is no real progress to be proud of. Think about the possibility that a referendum and/or division could be the change that is needed to turn things around for good in all the regions that make up Nigeria.
The people agitating are young people to whom the future belongs, and they have the right to create that future in a way that works best for them. Blocking them is tantamount to sabotaging their future.
Doesn’t it bother you that nothing really works in Nigeria?
The country lacks the elementary requirements for human survival like clean water, safe roads, hospitals, power supply, infrastructure, real urban/city/country planning and employment for people to name a few.
Think about it, Nigeria may be too big to manage and breaking it up can be the solution to a more accurate accounting of public servants as well as better implementation of leadership that will serve the people.
Professor, I would like to also remind you that, contrary to the talks of war in Nigeria the agitators might inspire, this call for a referendum does not have to result in war.
Everyone needs to understand that it is a call for civil discussion to find common and peaceful ground for existence. Many other nations have done it without war, so why can Nigeria not do the same? Civilized people can resolve issues without war but uncivilized people cannot.
Do Nigerians want to be civilized or uncivilized? Everyone concerned should understand that this can be done in such a way that would allow the new countries remain at peace with each other and do business with each other if secession is achieved; after all, they would all be neighboring countries. Citizens who own businesses and properties in other countries would be allowed to maintain their interests by paying property taxes and business taxes just like it is done in civilized societies.
It is time that African countries started catching up to the progressing world. And finally, but not all I have to say, Professor, I strongly believe that God may have put you in the position to peacefully moderate this impending history.
How would you like your part to be written in it? Then make it so. Remember that the future of the youths depends on these decisions. Nigeria, as it is, has done them a great disservice and damage. It is time to undo that damage and you are in the position to rewrite it for a better future of the youths that have long been sabotaged by past and present leaders. Thank you for your attention!
Sincerely,
A very concerned citizen,
Ij Onuigboi
