Akwacross Declaration by Biafra Nations Youth League
Today, the 12th April 2016, we the Biafra Nations Youth League drawn from across the various ethnics, regions and Social groups of Biafra extraction and origin met in the ancient City of Ikom to discuss on the future of our Nation and the advancement for all inhabitants of the Bight of Biafra. "Biafra Nations Youth Resolution" The National Congress Observations are as follows:
1. That on the 30th July 1849, Britain under the authority of British consuls in the neighbouring Bight of Benin established a protectorate over the Bight of Biafra which became a united British protectorate and was later named oil Rivers protectorate in 1885.
2. That it was for economic interest that part of the Bight of Biafra was merged with part of the Bight of Benin to form Southern Protectorate of Nigeria and later Protectorate of Northern Nigeria was incorporated to form the artificial Country called Nigeria.
3. That some inhabitants of the Bight of Biafra lost their natural identity while some where forced to relinquish their Biafra indigenous identity after which they were forcefully merged with non Biafrans to form artificial nation.
4. That Nigeria Government in collaboration with the British Government opted for economic blockade of Biafra by negotiating with Cameroon over Bakassi Peninsula, in the process, Bakassi was ceded to Cameroon in other that the blockade would be effective.
5. That it was after the Biafra-Nigeria war that the Bight of Biafra was renamed to "Bight of Bonny" by Nigerian Government with the sole aim of whipping the name from historical record. 6. WHEREAS a resolution was passed by the People of Former Eastern Nigeria on the 30 of May 1967, to restore full Independence and Sovereignty to Biafra;
WE therefore assume the responsibility of laying the foundations of the Biafra Nations Youth League. We hereby make known our Resolution with regards to the first and second Congress held in Uyo on 20th February 2016, with delegates from former British Southern Cameroons and Ikom respectively to be known and called Akwacross Declaration.
Today the inhabitants of the Oil rich Bight of Biafra are administered by foreign powers so-called Nigeria and Cameroon, this as a consequence of the Treated by colonial powers where the Biafran People where never consulted about their rule.
The first treaty was the Berlin Conference Treaty of 1885 and the second the treaty of 1913 between Germany and Britain. These European countries sat together and shared Africa like personal property. African Nations, States and Tribes were torn apart, close kin found themselves under different administrations.
Incompatible tribes became forced to live under one new artificial country or administrative entity. In this colonial drama, some tribes were split between the present Cross River state of Nigeria and the South West and North West Province of Cameroon. There are other examples of African tribes who were cut into parts between various neighbouring countries.
In the 1960s as the colonial masters began to grant independence to their former colonies, some Africans raised the issue of reverting the colonial order and redesigning the African continent and its countries to respect the rights of the people, their tribes and heritage. The acceptance of this proposal would have enabled the African continent to reject all colonial treaties and boundaries since these treaties neglected fundamental elements of African life and heritage.
These treaties were like robbery. These treaties did not consider the rights of the people to decide for themselves. A reversal of these treaties and artificial boundaries would have enabled the African continent and countries to stand on her real foundation, namely thetribes. This reversal would have led to the creation of a new Africa, built on the will of the people and not on colonial treaties, a new Africa built on the real Identity of the People rather than on artificial and unjust European Colonial boundaries.
This opportunity of the entire African continent rising up and questioning colonialism, its treaties, boundaries and legacies were painfully lost when the incompetent and make believe Nigerian government pressed on the Organisation of African Unity to declare at the wake of the Biafran crisis that all colonial treaties and boundaries must (ought to) be respected.
By this declaration the OAU and the failed Nigerian government officially gave legitimacy to the Criminal Act of Colonisation, its effects and features. Though this declaration gave the Nigerian government a temporary victory by undercutting Biafra's quest for Independence, unknowingly however, it shot itself on the leg by being part of that OAU declaration.
By ratifying the OAU declaration, the artificial state of Nigeria has lost the moral right to question the 1913 Anglo-German treaty. Certainly, the 1913 treaty is one of those colonial treaties and its boundary delineation is one of those colonial boundaries that ought to be respected. The artificial state of Nigeria managed to frustrate the Biafran independence, with dubious support by some unscrupulous politicians and financial interest in England. Momentarily, Biafran independence was halted.
Its Government and People were humiliated. Millions of innocent Biafrans died. Nigeria rejoiced. Biafra wept! However, the end of the day is not the end of the story. While the 1913 treaty was an agreement between colonial countries on the administration of their territories, the acceptance by Nigeria and the OAU that all colonial treaties and boundaries should remain sacrosanct was in view of defeating Biafra.
The 1971 and 1975 accords with Cameroon had the defeat of Biafra as its main inspiration. Taking these two positions into consideration, it becomes difficult therefore, to overlook the issue of the ghost of Biafra in the discussions concerning the loss of Bakassi Peninsula.
The People of Biafra claim for their right to self governance, and all Biafran of birth knows this. It is time that the artificial Nigerian State make provisions and let the People and the Biafra Nation to implement its long awaited Sovereignty as we have resolved to remain loyal and submissive to Biafra. The Statement of policy. The Biafra Nations Youth League is the symbol and embodiment of Biafra will, to present a united national front against all forms of oppression.
In response to the demands of the times, Biafra Nations Youth League is: LAYING ITS SERVICES AT THE DISPOSAL OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION MOVEMENT, THE YOUTH LEAGUE, IN THE FIRM BELIEF, KNOWLEDGE AND CONVICTION THAT THE CAUSE OF BIAFRA MUST AND WILL TRIUMPH The formation of the Youth League is an answer and assurance to the critics of the national movement that Biafra Youth will not allow the struggles and sacrifices of their fathers to have been in vain. Our fathers fought so that we, better equipped when our time came, should start and continue from where they stopped. The formation of this League is an attempt on the part of Youth to impart to Biafra a truly national character.
It is also a protest against the lack of discipline and the absence of a clearly – defined goal in the movement as a whole. The Youth League must be the brains-trust and power-station of the spirit of Biafran Nationalism; the Spirit of Africa self-determination; the spirit that is so discernible in the thinking of our Youth.
The Youth League will continue to pilot the affairs of Biafra National Youth in the interest of all Biafrans, At this power-station the league will be a coordinating agency for all youthful forces employed in rousing popular political consciousness and fighting oppression and reaction.
It will educate the people politically by concentrating its energies on the Biafra home front to make all sections of our people Congress minded and nation- conscious. Circumstances call upon Biafra Nations Youth to make the League specialize in championing the cause of Biafra; and to serve this end best, the League will sponsor a political bloc, within the national movement.
This will be the wing of the Youth League entrusted with the duty of organizing Youth. Our Creed We believe in the divine destiny of nations. believe that the national liberation of Africans will be achieved by Africans themselves. We reject foreign Intervention in Africa, and specially that from Saudi Arabia, Iran, Qatar, Yemen, Oman, UAE, Sudan, Pakistan, Indonesia, Afghanistan, Turkey and all Arab and all Countries under the detriment of Islamic Rule, we also reject dictatorial regimes and communist ideas and thus we reject any interference from Russia, Communist Cuba, North Korea.
We may borrow useful ideologies from foreign ideologies, but we reject the wholesale importation of foreign ideologies into Africa such as Communism and Totalitarianism. We believe that leadership must be the personification and symbol of popular aspirations and ideals. We believe in the scientific approach to all African problems.
We combat moral disintegration among Biafrans by maintaining and upholding high ethical standards ourselves. We express strong solidarity and sympathize with our people the internally displaced Bakassi natives whose land, Bakassi Peninsula was ceded to La Republic du Cameroun by Nigeria Government without plebiscites, with the purpose of frustrating independence of Biafra.
We extend hand of friendship and cooperation to the people of former British Southern Cameroon administered alongside Eastern Nigeria under the National Council for Nigeria and Cameroon whose land was annexed and subjugated by La Republic du Cameroun. We further more appeal to those Biafran politicians who are in the mist of the Nigerian Administration play not with the National Interests of Biafra and its Natural Aspirations.
But help and assist as a good Biafran Patriot would, support at each and every corner the interests and the aspirations of the Biafran Nation and the Biafran Citizens. The Akwacross Resolution was made known by Prince Chimezie Obuka Leader of Biafra Nations Youth League --
Biafra Nations Youth League
Best regards,
Rt Hon Chinua Keshi Clerk of the Executive Council
*Webpage* www.biafra.org Biafra Nations Youth League