Opinion: My sit-at-home observation as a Rivers State Indigene

By Tony Osborg

There are three observations I made between the day before and yesterday concerning the Biafra sit-at-home and Biafra in general.

First, the Biafran renaissance is real and there is an alternative unconstituted authority in the South-East. The constituted authority is no longer in charge nor have control over popular opinion. With the success of the sit-at-home directive in the entire South-East, state governors and lawmakers who do not identify with Biafra will have their political future ruined.

The young Biafran leaders have taken over and there is unity of purpose among them. The success of the directive is a threat to the existing order. In the past, the federal government would have corrupted the event by using some Igbo politicians and groups to threaten and distabilize the event.  I am sure they did so as usual but again, the outcome shows that there is now a unity of purpose and the politicians have lost relevance.

My second observation is that here in Port Harcourt, the Igbos (not Biafrans) who constitute less 25% of the indigenous Rivers State population virtually controls every sector of the economy. Yesterday, mechanic village was shut down. Computer village was shut down. Electronics village was shut down. Several other markets were shut down. The only reason why people like us who do not have a private car could get to work is because the Igbos do not yet control the transport business!

Earlier today in the office, I asked my boss why we don't find Ogonis, Ijaws or Kalabari people dominating a single business segment like the Igbos in Rivers state. He simply responded by saying that Igbos are industrious and that perhaps the other tribes are unable to match them in the art. True.

My third observation is from my conversation with Nnamdi Kanu's former lawyer who called me two nights ago.

This lawyer sounded worried about
the growing influence of Biafra in Enugu State and is alarmed that the federalism campaign is not growing to match the Biafran campaign in Enugu State. He has told me several times that he wants to lead the 'Restructure Nigeria' campaign in Enugu state and I have not done enough to push the campaign forward. I promised to visit Enugu next month to resolve the issues. He is a Biafran who does not believe in secession but restructuring. This is the same lawyer that got Nnamdi Kanu his first unconditional which Buhari refused to execute.

There are Biafrans who are secessionists and there are Biafrans who are Federalists.

Biafra is more of an identity that has come to stay. We should learn to deal with it as such.

Like Albert Einstein would say 'peace cannot be kept by force, it can only be achieved through understanding'