Decoding The Threat: Nigeria's Message Through Governor Fashola To The Igbo

"Nevertheless, he [Governor Fashola] warned that while his government respects the rights and freedoms guaranteed in the constitution [of Nigeria], none of them is absolute in the way that some "experts" want the public to believe."

This is quoted from: "Governor Fashola Dismisses Story His Government Deported 70 Anambrarians" by Sahara Reporters Posted: August 2, 2013 - 22:34 (http://saharareporters.com/news-page/governor-fashola-dismisses-story-his-government-deported-70-anambrarians)

Essentially, Governor Fashola was responding in arrogant self-founded "righteous indignation" warning the Igboman, Governor Obi, that if he, Obi, took this matter of deportation of Igbo people up to the Federal Government of Nigeria level for handling, thinking that the constitution of Nigeria protects the Igbo and prevents him, Fashola, from dealing with the Igbo any how he sees fit, that Obi was mistaken.

It is unimaginable that anyone would exhibit this level of insensitivity, with such impunity, as has Governor Fashola, unless that one is playing out the pernicious script which Nigeria has written for the Igbo since 1966. But, of course, that is in fact the reality. Every single day now, events around Nigeria and within Igboland bring out this underlying anti-Igbo

policy of Nigeria, an ongoing anti-Biafra war which Nigeria has never stopped waging. Let's go through this particular inhuman action by Governor Fashola again.

Governor Fashola is really upset, huffing and puffing, because according to him, this is a '"very simple and routine humanitarian gesture" for which his government ought to be commended."' He feels strongly that rounding up the Igbo whom he says "...roam our streets without food, or shelter and a number who have medical ailments, usually in the nature of mental ailments", transporting and dumping them at the Igbo end of the Niger Bridge, is a "humanitarian gesture."

Oh, by the way, only "14 (fourteen) not 70 (seventy) or 72 (seventy-two) destitutes" were deported-Governor Fashola is truly pissed about this: how dare they?. He claims these "destitutes" were treated of their mental elements (sure, in Nigeria, right?); one would have to ask, having "...treated, detoxified and restored..." these mental cases, why deport them if they were "restored"?

Governor Fashola fumes because he claims that Anambra State representatives

would not respond to his "communication" about '"integration' not "deportation"' in this issue. 'Get it? Governor Fashola of Lagos wanted Anambra State to enter into communication with him to come and identify and pick up Anambra "destitutes" from Lagos and take them back to Anambra for "integration" with their own people of / in Anambra. In his state of mind,

Governor Fashola could not see that this was deportation; and could not understand why any State would enter into communications with him on such terms of his-"integration" when the matter is actually "deportation".

Furthermore, Governor Fashola now believes that responding and reacting to his "routine humanitarian gesture" as he characterized the action of deporting Igbo people from Lagos "...has been raised in a politically-colored atmosphere to incite the Igbo against their host

communities..." He does not see what he has done wrong; it's all other people's fault. If the Igbo people in Lagos were to react, he will be the first to use force against them, and accuse them of starting this problem.

Recall his earlier threats to Igbo people who had wanted to travel back to Igboland from Lagos during the last fraudulent Nigeria's Census? When it was profitable to force the Igbo to stay in Lagos and use them as such, he did just that; when it is not profitable, in his thinking, he deports them-now was the time they should go home and be integrated with their own people. Imagine that! And, no one can do or even say anything about that in

challenge. Welcome to Igbo nightmare in Nigeria!
Governor Fashola is a mere human being. His only authority to humiliate the entire Igbo people with such impunity can only derive from Nigeria's policy, commitment and oath to debase and destroy the Igbo. Supporters of his inhumane action in Nigeria are of course happy about it and are not perturbed to declare such.

This is not surprising. What is surprising is that people who are so hateful of another, enough not to see the gross injustice being meted out to the latter (or enough to participate and even to celebrate it), would insist on being together in one country when they

should in fact be separated. That is the height of cruelty and cynicism.

This was also demonstrated recently when the case of Genocide committed by Nigeria and Nigerians against Biafra and the Igbo was brought up to the surface again, dredged from the grave where Nigeria thought it had left the issue for dead and buried. Here again, the Genocide was clear; those Nigerians and their friends who participated in it did not deny it, but rather, reveled in it, while their supporters tried to justify it or simply blamed Igbo and other Biafrans for the war. Why anyone would like to commit genocide against a group and, unrepentant and celebratory, still want to force the victim to be in the same country, is extremely impossible to understand.

Yes, Governor Fashola is reminding the Igbo that anything can be done to the Igbo in Nigeria by Nigerians, and there is no protection for them by Nigeria, not even by Nigeria's constitution. In Boko Haram's cruel rampage, we all witnessed that. When Boko Haram started, they focused on eliminating anything of value and interest to the Igbo living in the North-Igbo lives, Igbo Christian Churches and services, and Igbo businesses and property.

The Nigerian government never tried to stop them or to protect the Igbo. It was only when Boko Haram tired of easily slaughtering and destroying the Igbo at will and like sheep without any challenge that they went after other targets and eventually the Nigerian government responded.

As long as the Igbo were the target, it didn't matter to the Nigerian government and to Nigerians. For that matter, all that Nigerians were concerned about was the civil and

human rights of Boko Haram, not the rights of their Igbo victims. Ask the Nigerian government how many Igbo lost their lives at the hands of Boko Haram, or how many were injured: it does not know. To Nigeria, it is not worth knowing.

As long as the Igbo want to stay or are willing to let themselves be forced to remain in Nigeria, that's all they, the Igbo, are going to get. No protection by Nigeria. No protection by the Nigerian government. No protection by the Nigerian constitution. No protection from Nigerians, like Governor Fashola.

It is up to the Igbo to actualize their right to Self Determination, allowing them to own their own destiny and exercise their own sovereignty; thus to protect their own people, their property, and their way of life. This protection will extend not only within the self-determined nation itself, but will be projected as an umbrella over Igbo people and their investments all over the world, even within remnant Nigeria, anchored on tested and true relevant existing international laws, covenants, agreements and protocols.

In other words, the only way the Igbo can be protected-the only way that the Igbo can protect themselves adequately and effectively anywhere in the world, including at home and in Nigeria-is by being their own country.

Governor Fashola's insensitive and arrogant deportation of the Igbo and his bragging and warning that the constitution of Nigeria will not be applicable when it comes to challenging his action and protecting the rights of the Igbo in Lagos, is only the latest in an ongoing exercise of "destroy-the-Igbo,-Nigeria." It is up to the Igbo to have the final say in this.

Oguchi Nkwocha, MD
Nwa Biafra
A Biafran Citizen
[email protected]