The National President of Igbo Youths Movement, IYM, Evangelist Elliot Uko has given reasons MASSOB and IPOB would not give up the fight for the actualisation of Biafra Republic. Elliot said that the over six million MASSOB members were protesting what he described as the “shameful bootlicking and crumb picking culture of a large section of Igbo elite,” which they believed was largely responsible for the pitiable condition of Igbo land.
He further said that Ndigbo had been aggrieved against Nigeria for over 45 years now due to marginalisation in all spheres of life, pointing out that MASSOB and IPOB leaders were afraid of bringing up children that would be treated as slaves in their own country. He spoke in an interview with newsmen in Enugu over the weekend.
He further stated that,
The code of silence over the usually undiscussed reality of the Nigerian political equation is not helping matters. Nigeria thrives at the exclusion of one zone; others pretend that is fine and all right as long as the youths of that zone have not taken up arms. Everybody knows that the delineation of federal constituencies was specifically designed to favour and disfavour certain zones.
The creation of states and local governments were also designed to cage and hold down Ndigbo because they lost a war. Discerning people always knew that a generation will rise someday to question that injustice, may be that day has come. These young people are clearly saying that the present structure of Nigeria is unacceptable to them. The present government also chose to rub it in to Ndigbo that they are lost and finished.
Every commentator mocks them to no end that they put all their eggs in one basket and therefore, they are in trouble. One Junaid Muhammed advised them to go to war again if they are still bitter. Mr. President himself announced to the world in far-away America that he has a formula of governance known as 5/97 per cent. Everybody painted gloom and hopelessness to the Igbo, laughing at them.
The youngsters now believe that they have no stake in Nigeria, that they would rather fight and die for freedom than remain eternal slaves. These are self-evidence truths that Nigerians shy away from, assuaging aggrieved Ndigbo through affirmative action.
Instead of initiating genuine attempt to restructure Nigeria along the line of true federalism, Nigerians of all ages and status choose only to mock and remind them: that your zone is landlocked; you have investments all over the country; you are not sure southern minorities will flow with you; and we will fight you and conquer you again.
Nigerians justify the injustice against Ndigbo for two main reasons: They believe secession is difficult to attain, therefore, the injustice against Ndigbo should continue. The fierce envy towards the Igbo man because of his God- given talent makes it difficult for others to empower him politically. Therefore, everybody seems comfortable with the oppression of Igbo man, as everybody conveniently pretends that they are not aware that the Igbo man has been denied his rightful place in Nigeria since 1970.
These are the roots of the birth of an army of five to six million young men who say they want to be out of Nigeria. Everybody knows the solution to this insanity, it’s just that some people believe Nigeria is their property.