THE TRAVAILS OF AN IGBO MAN IN NIGERIA

The Travails Of An Igbo Man In Nigeria

By Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi
For Family Writers Press International.

None of us were given the opportunity to choose exactly which tribe or race he or she would like to be born into. However, I was born an Igbo man and I have no regret or apology to render to anyone over my identity.

Nevertheless, being Igbo in Nigeria has never been full of roses. As an Igbo man, you are confronted with many challenges, huddles, intimidation and suppression. Everyday, they want you as an Igbo man to apologise for being Igbo.

Igbos have been accused of many things. They say Igbo people are arrogant, loves money and never love themselves.

The Igbo have been relegated, subjugated and marginalized, yet they want the people to thank and subject themselves to those marginalising them. They attack you and turn around to say you are playing the victim card.

The fact that they have brainwashed lots of Ndị Igbo into believing what outsiders say about them shows that the mindset of Ndị Igbo is constantly under attack by the Nigeria establishment. When an Igbo man wins award in America, they report the individual as a Nigerian. But when a crime is committed, they report such individual as of Igbo origin, sometimes without proper verification or investigation. For the compromised Nigeria media, It becomes Igbos only when crime is involved.

More than 80% of people of Igbo descent born and brought up in Lagos have been brainwashed and set against their larger brothers both home and abroad. This is a process carried out through the nursery and primary school system of Lagos state. They are misinformed that their grandparents caused the Biafra-Nigeria civil war. They were told it was Igbo coup. And they were told that their brothers at home are so wicked that they refuse to sell lands to Yoruba people and Hausa people in Aba, Onitsha, Owerri and Nnewi. The Lagos pastors drives all these home by employing fear. In their numerous preaching and prophesies, they tell them that their problems is from their village. That any day they touch home they will surely die. Exactly why many of them shouting I am a proud Lagosian, are above 30 years of age, yet have never set foot on their home land. They don't know anything about their people and ancestry and their people know them not. They are the same people that will tell you that Igbo language is nothing. They are quick to speak Yoruba language in the village. That is for the little that goes home. Is it not funny that Ndị Igbo in America, Japan and England can speak Igbo fluently, but someone in Lagos can not. 'Please speak English to them, they don't understand Igbo', is what you hear from their irresponsible parents.

How a coup carried out by many tribes in Nigeria became an Igbo coup is what some of them that discovered themselves after many decades of brain distortion are asking themselves.

What Nigeria wants is for every Igbo to forget that their fathers were killed in millions, starved and massacred like ants for the sake of 'One Nigeria'. Those that pretended to have forgotten have been loved by the oppressors and positioned to betray those that refused to forget.

How do you expect me to forget what my parents suffered some 50 years ago? Something I still pay dearly for till today.

As far as I am concerned, no tribe loved themselves like the Igbo. You only need to stop listening to the Yoruba media lies and study the Igbo ways of life. Only then will you understand what made the Igbo exceptional. Many Igbo intellectuals like Akanu Ibiam were trained by the entire community. For the Igbo, 'nwa bụ nwa ọha niile'. 'A child belongs to the entire community.' Our ancestors contributed to send bright students abroad. As natural republicans, we have our community town union system of governance which ensure that things like hospitals, schools and bore holes are constructed and running in many communities. It is all individual-community effort. Ndi Igbo have many programs that have elevated the poor masses amongst us. Programs like Ịgba Odibo. A program where rich Igbo men takes an Igbo boy from a poor family, train and settle him. That is the apprenticeship spirit of the Igbo.

I have seen many Yoruba people in Lagos stereotype the Igbo by saying the Igbo go to the village to use their mothers for ritual money.
They forget that the Igbo boy served for 5-8 years. Endured, disciplined himself and avoided partying. Some even made their shop their home for many years. Now they saved money passionately with vision, become rich and buy houses. Now they are called ritualists by those who have innate culture of partying and lavishing resources.

You can keep attributing love to tribes that have killed hundreds and thousands. Tribes that can wear bombs and bomb their entire family members. Tribes that love marginalising others so much that they keep all, including sea ports to themselves.
They can be your symbol of love; but what I can never do is to apologise for being an Igbo man.

Elochukwu Ohagi, Philosopher, Teacher & Activist.


Edited By Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers Press International.

ONE NIGERIA; WHERE BOMBERS AND KILLERS ARE BEARERS OF LOVE

One Nigeria; Where Bombers And Killers Are Bearers Of Love

The truth is that no people without love for each other would have been were Ndi Igbo are today after the genocidal war fought in their land some 48years ago. Believe me, 'Ndi Igbo don't love themselves' is one statement I have struggled to understand but couldn't come to terms with.

During the Biafra war, Egyptian Bombers bombed both schools, farmlands, hospitals, markets and churches in Biafra land. They practically destroyed everything we have as a people. Yet our courageous fathers fought vigorously like team warriors. Together, they fought and died fighting. A man that fought the war told me about the love that every Biafran soldier showed to one another. The song they sang demonstrated the love the fighting soldiers have not just for themselves but for brothers/sisters at home and the generation to come. "If I die, take my boot, my gun and my cloth and fight on for the mother land", the fighting soldiers passionately told themselves.

After the war, Ndi Igbo was left with nothing. The first sons and grown-ups trooped out in search of something to survive with. With nothing they went out and with something they came back. Their wisdom and ingenuity led them through. They didn't comeback to answer Alhaji and made their people to queue in line begging them for food. They simply took the sons of poor people with them. They taught them their trade, settled them and they became great business men. Today, 95% of every Igbo businessman has an Oga to point at. An Oga that made him what he is today. This is not hate or wickedness, but abundance of love.

Ndi Igbo never waited for government to develop their communities. They formed age grade, town Unions, and town branches. Many community primary and secondary schools in Igbo communities were built, not by the government, but by the people. Rich Igbo sons and daughters have single handedly erected a befitting churches for their people. Some tarred roads for their people. Many have scholarship scheme that helps children of the poor.

In the 40s and 50s and even up till now, Ndi Igbo sponsor their best brain abroad for the good of all. They sees it as community project.

We don't engage in community war. We don't wear bomb to market or Church to bomb people. We don't go into a village and wipe out villages, neither do we form terrorists groups to wipe out people and grind Nigeria soldiers.

But inside One Nigeria, those doing all these things are said to love themselves, but Ndi Igbo with their actions of love are seen as those that hate themselves. Irony of One Nigeria.

Shame on every Igbo man still saying that Ndi Igbo hate themselves.

Elochukwu Ohagi, 2018.

BIAFRA IS THE KEY TO THE LIBERATION OF AFRICA By Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi

UNTIL BIAFRA IS RESTORED, NIGERIA AND AFRICA WILL REMAIN A BREEDING GROUND FOR CORRUPTION

By Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi
For Family Writers Press

Have you ever wondered why many nations that always shout that Nigeria is corrupt will always be the first nation to do business with Nigeria?

Worry no more because am about to expose the reasons behind such demeanor here.

Nigeria and her continuous existence is a blessing to many countries especially Britain. The corruption ravaging Nigeria from time immemorial till date favors them more. Have you ever imagined why David Cameron, the former British Prime Minister whose resignation gave rise to the emergence of Theresa May as the new British Prime Minister, said that Nigeria is "fantastically corrupt" knowing that the continued existence of Nigeria lies in the unflinching and tactical support of the British due to their economic benefits in a united Nigeria through internal colonization via HausaFulani hegemony?
David Cameron before his resignation was caught on camera telling the British Queen Elizabeth, that Nigerian leaders are "fantastically corrupt". This is pure truth and nothing to reduce from that.

The British companies and many other companies criminally drilling oil in Nigeria are soaked with corruption. That was why they fronted Abacha in the murder of the Ogoni Nine and their leader Ken Saro Wiwa, who were seen as traitors for being environmental and political activists, giving voice to their people. 

The Nigerian state through their oil drilling scavengers has continued to pollute both the air, water and land, in the coastal region, thereby making the inhabitants thereof to be dying of air polluted diseases.  There are little or no land to farm in which causes hunger and the aquatic life are seriously endangered as they die due to contaminated water. Life has become uninteresting and unworthy for those inhabiting the coastal region where Nigerian oil is domicile, hence they now see themselves as endangered species in their own motherland without reparation or compensation from both the government and the foreigners.

However, any mega corruption taking place in Nigeria benefits the west most. The under-development of Nigeria, waters the business and economic of Britain and many other countries. Britain's support of a united Nigeria is not for the benefit, progress and development of the entity called Nigeria. They have continuously used the North to keep milking Nigeria dry. It is not a coincidence that the North have ruled Nigeria for more than 45years in her 58years self rule. From the time of Tafawa Balewa till date. All Northern elements that made it to the highest political office in Nigeria have been there to help their British paymasters to gain more profit at the detriment of the country and her citizens.

As far as Britain is concerned, corruption will never depart from Nigeria. It was Britain that instituted corruption in Nigeria through giving a false and misleading census results after the ill-fated independence, favouring the North against the Southern Nigeria, hence handed Nigeria over to the North. A region that have continuously cried over not being ready to govern themselves, they gave the entire Nigeria to govern. They planted the North so as to manipulate them to gain access to the  resources in Nigeria. Britain also rigged the first election ever conducted in Nigeria so as to plant a myopic mediocre Northerner. They brought favoritism into Nigerian political sphere.

This is exactly why Britain never allowed Biafra to live or survive after declaration. That was why Britain during the Biafra war, went against nature and humanity to assist Nigeria in levying an aggressive war against Biafra. They actively joined in the killing of more than 3million Biafrans both men, women and children.  Morality and respect to the sanctity of human life, became nothing to them. They placed their economic  interest above humanity. They also used every means available to shade and cover the atrocities they committed in Biafra to the extent that, there were high magnitude of media blackout during and after Biafra war. Biafra nation to them, stands against their business empire and economic benefits.

Invariably, when Gowon was saying "to keep Nigeria one is a task that must be done", he was just making known the wishes and interests of the government of Britain.

The only hope for Nigeria and Africa in general will be the emergence of the Republic of Biafra as a sovereign nation. Biafra will restore hope and much needed patriotism to Biafrans and also to Nigeria. Biafra will rebirth the ingenuity of 1966/70 to the people and with it, places other new emerging nations to  healthy competition with Biafra. Above all, the restoration of a Biafra Republic, will reduce corruption to it's bearest minimum and there will be drastic reduction in migration of Africans to the West.

Britain should as a matter of fact restore their dignity and integrity by supporting Biafra referendum as against the impunity they supported in 1966/70 and even till date.

Edited by Ebere Okolie
For Family Writers Press

How Knight Of St John Member Coveted Land That Belongs To A Widow (Copied from Biafra Reporters

Since BR started exposing the demonic act of Chief Innocent Ibebuogu against a widow in Obodoukwu In Ideato of IMO state, BR has received countless messages asking that we release his mobile number.

BR will surely do that, but not before exposing some wicked people that aided  Inno federal as popularly called for taking away land that belonged to a widow.

Picture of Mr Amih

Why is BR taking this case personal?

Because it concerns injustice. Innocent Ibebuogu is very powerful that all the Ezes and their cabinets lacks the will power to call him to order, and stop him from taking over what doesn't belong to him.

BR, through a thorough investigation will  expose all the EVIL people that are behind the WICKED and HEARTLESS Innocent Ibebuogu of OBODOIKWU.

The man on our radar today is Sir #Mike #Amih (KSJ) aka ONONENYI. Yes he is a knight of the #Catholic Church . They will always go and hide inside the church and be committing evil and atrocities.

It was this particular man of Knight of Saint John that was first seen on that widow's land with a surveyor on 11th May 2019. A week after he took a bulldozer, surrounded with Soldiers, heartlessly destroyed a widow's cash crops and other economic trees.

Ezejesu kindred being controlled by this rich man banned the widow from their meetings for refusing to allow Innocent Ibebuogu take her land.

On 7th and 8th October 2019 Umuada Obodoukwu invaded the wdow's compound where they intimidatingly celebrated the mock burial ceremony of the widow and her children.

BR thank the few Umuada Obodoukwu that refused to partake in this evil. They are the real Ụmụ Ada.

You cannot take people's land and tell them they should be happy development is coming to Obodoukwu.

BR therefore advise the widow and her children not to execute any business with this wicked and occultic man because nothing good will come out of it.

Innocent Ibebuogu is therefore  advised to quietly surrender the land to the widow and her family after he must have paid for the damages he caused to the family.

Ndị Ụka aruru ala.

What Fear Can Do By Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi

Fear is a propellant to slavery. In the three hundred or more years of slavery in Africa, the slave dealers of about one or two white men can take slaves across many African communities without any interference from the people. Anyone that sees them coming will run away. No confrontation from a people that have already been swallowed by fear.

Fear have destroyed lots of people. Fear is a dangerous disease who gradually eats up the entire body.

Fear is the reason things are the way it is today in Nigeria. The people have been inflicted with fear, that they can't confront the system that is enslaving them. Yes, slavery is still on in Nigeria. 

An online dictionary defined fear as 'a strong, uncontrollable, unpleasant emotion caused by actual or perceived danger or threat.'

The Nigeria government have already established this threat using the Army, police and DSS. They are agents of the government that inflict pain on the people. They have been proven to be above the law and can kill at will. The people knew this and every body now lives in fear.

The fear has reached every doorstep. The influential people have been cowed. The poor have their tails already in between their legs. The pastors have chosen to talk about un-existent peace at a time hundreds are dying in Kaduna. They are ready to embrace the President and congratulate him over a massively rigged election that is still in Court.

Fear is very dangerous. The influential who fears the government have also taken advantage of the unpleasant emotion to inflict pain on the people. Those of them that have companies have turned fellow Nigerians to slaves. They are paid very low with a pitiable working conditions. The workers takes whatever comes their way simply because they are afraid of losing the job.

I have worked in a place the owner of the school always remind the workers that he has hundreds of CVs on his desk. That if you are tired of teaching, you leave. Very arrogant principal. But when I resigned, it actually took them 1year to get a replacement.

There is nothing fear can't do.

Fear is the reason Nigerians are humiliated every day by the military and police. You are blamed if by resisting intimidation and you are killed by the police or soldier. 'Is he the only person it has been done to?' 'Why not swim the dirty gutter and remain alive?' Nigerians would say.

With fear they have created the largest prison yard in Nigeria. This is exactly the reason lecturers are lords in our universities. Lecturers sleeps with students for mark. Some intentionally fails a girl they want to sleep with and force her into their rotten beds. The students will be afraid to confront the lecturers. And if anyone does confronts, the defeated Nigerians will blame the student. They will ask if she is the only one lecturers have slept with. Why not quietly sleep with the lecturer and move on. There is nothing fear can't do.

For now, it's only IPOB members that have conquered fear. Until others rise above fear, there will be no change!

Elochukwu Ohagi.

BIAFRA: TOWARDS EDUCATING OURSELVES By Elochukwu Ohagi

BIAFRA: TOWARDS EDUCATING OURSELVES

By Elochukwu Nicholas Ohagi

We are so engrossed with referendum that we don't entertain thoughts of failure at all. We always think that many of those things will settle themselves when Biafra is actualized. This is such a beautiful escapist lie we have embraced that we have chosen to deny, avoid or forget reality.

If we don't study South Sudan and the events that made South Sudan become what she is today, we will end up becoming worse than what South Sudan is today.

Freedom is good, but how we get this freedom makes it a more better, beautiful and handsome freedom. Have you had any thought of losing this referendum? Is it possible to lose a referendum in South East and South South? Is it not going to be a referendum of the entire Biafrans to vacate Nigeria? What if the no carries the day? Impossible right?

What is the position of an average Niger Delta man about the Biafra we preach? What do he feel about this Biafra with Igbo people? I mean those that beats their chest every now and then and say 'I am a Niger Deltan' but excludes Imo and Abia state in his Niger Delta? What is the attitude of Igbo people found outside South East? What attitude do they show you?

Until we find answers to these questions and address them, we are in for a long thing.

The Nigeria government while creating South East had one intention in mind. They wanted to carve out those perceived to have oil out, call them South South and other part South East. That's why you have some parts of Egbema in Imo state and another in Rivers state. They wanted it to appear that whenever Igbo people in South East seeks for ordinary unity from their brothers in South South, suspicions of them wanting their oil will immediately and quickly arise. Every move made by South East and some South South Indigenes who are already in the know about Nigeria and its evil to unite is termed desperate move by larger Niger Deltans to own the South South oil.

This worked perfectly. Forget about those that talk of dominance, it's not about dominance so to say. This is about oil. The Nigeria government played it well.

Average Niger Delta person believes Biafra is all about oil. Their oyel. This view is our major problem. This is what is likely to hurt our referendum.
Even with a UN backed referendum for Biafra, do you really think Nigeria government will succumb without a fight. Nigeria government have unleashed Python dance on IPOB, their leader kidnapped and probably killed, yet IPOB is still stronger. Nigeria government by now might have known that this is something ammunitions and military might cannot defeat. But don't underestimate them.

Nigeria government will revert to their old method. HausaFulani in other to keep the South down have given more to Yoruba nation for their silence and support. The seaports and other things Lagos enjoy today is a gift from the North to Yoruba for the subjugation of the entire Southern Nigeria. This method will be extended to South South towards the preparation for Referendum. South South will be offered many mouth watering offers that many of them will start singing One Nigeria to the surprise of everybody. They will be given a little of what belongs to them and many of them might turn their back on Biafra. Even some today's hardcores might activate silence or speak against Biafra, due to the massive support their people will give to Nigeria.

But we can avoid this. We can avoid it by quitting self denial and embrace reality. Yes .....That's the best way to go. Many typical NIGER Delta persons are swimming in Ignorance. They so much love this slave name given to them by the slave masters, and they pride over it so much. Thinking you alone is Niger Delta is a misnomer. The name south South is also a misnomer. Where is River Niger? How come a man from Bayelsa claim Niger Delta more than the man in Onitsha? Why, if not because of of it's divisive tendencies. They call you South South. Take a look at Nigeria's map. See where they called South East at the center and places they called South South bordering the same South East both from the East and West?

You see, we should stop messaging the egos of these ignorant singers of tools of division among us. We should stop this lies that Biafra will settle everything and move into massive education of our people.

I am a believer in Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. I strongly believe in a heterogeneous Biafra. That's the beauty of our nation, but am not a blind man. Stop telling me that what matters is Biafra. Stop and start educating our people.

Tell them Biafra is not about oil. Tell them even if it's about oil, that same oil is everywhere, that no one will depend on your own oil. Imo, Abia and Anambra got it too ........and believe me if one quarter of the money Nigeria government spent in oil search in Chad Basin is expended in Ebonyi or Enugu state, you will marvel at what will be discovered. Tell them oil is fading away. Tell them what counts now is human resources. Teach an average Niger Deltan that no one can just offer them what belongs to them. Your car is your car, I can't offer you your own car. It's not done. Start now and stop saying it doesn't matter.


Elochukwu Ohagi, 2018.

Religious Recklessness And Ignorance In The Face Of COVID-19 By ELOCHUKWU OHAGI

Religious Recklessness And Ignorance In The Face Of COVID-19

Seeing some people going to church today, I felt like flogging them. But I am totally against that and can never support such. Going to a worship center to flog people will as well spread the Covid-19 through scampering of people.

Those saying that Covid-19 is for rich people should have a rethink. Yes, non of your generation might be in abroad, but you never can tell whom you met in that bus, Keke and market.

There are a million ways this virus can get to the poorest of the poor. Saying it isn't for the poor is a feel good statement that doesn't hold water.

You don't know who will be sitting next to you in a church programme, market or bar. Where he came frome or who he or she visited is what you can't tell.

A poor student might have flew into Abuja to meet a sugar daddy who just returned from London. You never can tell.

This is exactly why social distancing is the key.

Stay away from your circle for at least two weeks. Remember that Nigeria has limited testing equipment due to the failure of Nigeria politicians. Without prompt testing, we are doomed. So it is better we take social distancing seriously, as to avoid spreading this virus.

The evacuation of Americans and European citizens from Nigeria shows that they are foreseeing what is coming. Danger looms.

Only us can save ourselves. Not the government, but us.

Advice people around you properly. Anyone still going to church is an idiot. The pastor or priest administering to them is a fool.

I recommend him for arrest and quarantining.

Elochukwu Ohagi, 2020.