[dropcap]A[/dropcap]nyone that sees the struggle for self-determination of Biafra and the demonstrations to free Nnamdi Kanu, and still think that this struggle is a joke; that person needs to wake up and smell some coffee.
Something is stirring up in the air. The quest for freedom and self-determination is a universally accepted right. We are currently at a fork in the road, the path we chose would determine our future.
In this modern era, liberation struggle is different from that of our fathers and fore-fathers. Those that think that nothing has changed since 1970 obviously did not see the ground shift right under their feet. Things have changed!
The new generation of “Biafrans” do not have the inhibition or the technological handicap of their forebears. They witness the oppression first hand. Many youths are unemployed and under-employed. There is a palpable anger and frustration in the land and the subjugation, oppression and injustice is felt by all and sundry. The new generation do not even need to know the history of what happened, they live it everyday. The modern day struggle is not really about sophisticated weapons, it is about how potent the ideal is, how determined the subjects are towards achieving it and the means of achieving it.
The triangle is there:
1. The Will
2. The Means
3. The Opportunity
Those indices are there for everyone to see. These young men are not deterred, they are highly determined. They have the modern technology to bring to the fore, what is going on.
In the age of Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, text messaging etc, the world is a global village. Gone are the days when the government tell lies in their NTA and the world buys it. Instant messaging has taken over!
Organizing for civil action is much easier. There is a legitimate grievance before the United Nations. The world is watching!
The Nigerian government would neither know any peace nor progress unless this Biafran question is deal with, once and for all. Sweeping it under the carpet, dismissing the agitators as disgruntled people or noise-makers/rouble rousers or playing the ostrich would not work any more.
They must swallow their pride and chart a course for the future. The old guard that took Nigeria to senseless war because of oil and oil blocks, must know that time is running out on their lies and their deceits. Every lie has an expiring date.
The new generation of the oppressed people are not having this tissue of lies.
Chukwudi Nwokoye is a lawyer (LL.M.). He is on Facebook and can be emailed at HERE.
The opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author.
