Ijaw people will never be part of Biafra - Egbesu leader

Leader of the Supreme Egbesu Assembly, Sergeant Werinipre Noel Digifa has ruled out the possibility of the Ijaws becoming part of the anticipated Biafra Republic. Digifa said in a telephone interview on Monday that the Ijaws couldn't have considered joining Biafra, considering the experience they had in the hands of the Igbos during and after the civil war.

The Ijaws occupy some states of Rivers, Bayelsa, Edo, Delta, Akwa Ibom and Ondo states. The map of Biafra as currently contemplated places Bayelsa as a part of their Biafra enclave.

But Digifa said the Biafra proponents would be deceiving themselves to think that the Ijaw people would be part of them. He said even the Ijaw ancestors would be angry if that happens.

According to him, “Ijaws and Biafra have no link. Even before my death, I will put it in writing before I have to die...We the Ijaws were marginalised by Biafra more than the British colonial masters and more than even the other two major tribes of Nigeria, the Hausa and the Yorubas.

“The Igbos took the Ijaws and treated them like animals during the civil war and it is still very fresh in our memory.

“Even at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka, the late Isaac Adaka Boro was pushed to the ground and prevented from winning an election because he was from the minority tribe. Isaac Boro was condemned by the Aguiyi Ironsi government.

“It was the Biafra propaganda machinery that came on air to proclaim the death of Isaac Boro who was the arrow head of the Ijaw struggle. We are not their enemies and we will never be. We see them as friends but Ijaw can never be part of Biafra.

“There is no negotiation, no discussion about that issue. It is a clear issue, supported by our ancestors. Even our ancestors will not accept Biafra. The Igbo people took over Port Harcourt. For you to build a house in Port Harcourt, you must travel to Enugu, the then eastern region headquarters, to take a permit to build a house in Port Harcourt.

“The firewood carrying association, the Igbos were not carrying firewood. But the association was headed by an Igbo man. Ikwerre people were the only people carrying firewood. Then the faeces carrying association. The Igbo man was not carrying (shit) faeces, but an Igbo man was chairman of the association. If you go to the Nembe waterside, the fish sellers union chairman was an Igbo man. But the Igbos were not going into the river to catch fish.”

The Egbesu leader said the Ijaws would not relent in their clamour for a republic. He said it was unfortunate that those who were canvassing for a Biafra republic could not think of what was happening to the psyche of those they dealt with many years ago. 

“See all the streets in Port Harcourt, they are named after Igbo communities. What the Igbos did in our villages during the civil war was terrible. Our women were raped, they treated our people like animals.

“They came to my village and stole all the fowls and goats. I know that some of our illustrious sons, their parents have roots in Igbo land. But that doesn't mean that they are going to drag us into Biafra.

“It is not possible. If anybody wants to be Biafra, they can relocate. Any Ijaw man who says he will join Biafra is on his own. I am talking on behalf of the Ijaw people. We can never be annexed to Biafra. We will continue to fight for our own independence.

“If you look at this present Biafra, you will see where they are placing Bayelsa. The marginalisation has already started. They are even divided themselves.

“If God says we should break out from Nigeria, we will not join Biafra. From Ondo to Akwa Ibom, Ibeno, our people are there from Ondo to Delta to Edo, our people are in the coasts.

Majority of Ijaw people will not go with Biafra. I don't know if their struggle will succeed. The people are not honest to themselves. Their protests are not coordinated. Their struggle is not coordinated. No consultations.”

Source: Tnn.