IGWEOCHA WOMEN LAUNCHES CAMPAIGN FOR BIAFRA RESTORATION, HAILS NNAMDI KANU
By Paul Ihechi Alagba
For Family Writers
As the unstoppable wave of Biafra restoration continues to spiral across the country, thousands of people are joining IPOB on a daily basis while many others have declared willingness to be part of a history the world would be proud of. It is in this light of events that Igweocha (present day Port-Harcourt) women, which comprises of women of Ikwere, Itsekiri, Akwa-Ibom, Ogoni, Idoma ,Igbo and other women and mothers of valour from other tribes in Biafra land who are residing in the city, during their General Meeting, have decried the unworkable unity of the Nigeria state and the numerous rights abuses, extrajudicial killings and marginalisation their husbands, sons and daughters are being subjected to, simply because of their Biafran origin and clamour for the restoration of Biafra independence.
The meeting which has in its attendance some notable IPOB officials and Family Writers who were specially invited, was organised by the Igweocha women in their bid to launch an intensified grassroots campaign for Biafra restoration across all villages, tribes, market places and religious worship centres in Biafra land. The women also voiced out their unreserved support for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu's leadership whom they described as their "son, brother, father, leader and Messiah of Biafra restoration", even as they urged President Muhammadu Buhari to release him with immediate effect.
The first speaker, who introduced herself as Ngozi Chukwuka Mbakwe and Assistant Coordinator of the women, noted their unshakeable resolve for the restoration of Biafra, as according to her- "the role of women in this struggle can never be underestimated because women are the backbone of every struggle for freedom." She also reiterated their support for Nnamdi Kanu and condemned the massacre of Biafrans on May 30 by Nigerian security agencies, even as she warned that Biafra is not solely an Igbo affair as there are other tribes who have sacrificed and are willing to do more to ensure that Biafra is restored. Her address reads-
"I am Ngozi Chukwuka Mbakwe, Assistant Cordinator Igweocha women of Biafra. We are here to show our total support for the restoration of Biafra because Biafra stands for truth, Biafra stands for justice, and Biafra stands for freedom. "The role of women in this struggle can never be underestimated because women are the backbone of every struggle for freedom. Our work as women in this struggle is very important- we are helping in assisting the wounded Biafrans in the hospital, and we are also helping those that do not have work and people that have lost their loved ones during most of the protests that have been going on for this restoration of Biafra and Nnamdi Kanu's release. Women have been coming to assist financially and spiritually. So we are calling on other Biafran women, they should come out, other tribes like the Kalabari, Itsekiri, the Idoma, Akwa-Ibom and others, they should come out and support because women are the backbone of this restoration. When women are active in any independence movement, I bet you, such a movement must come to pass.
"We are strongly behind this struggle for restoration of Biafra because it is our legitimate right. We are strongly behind our son and leader Nnamdi Kanu to restore Biafra which is our nation.
"On the 30th of May, during our annual Heroes' Remembrance Day at Nkpor in Onitsha, the murderous Army people and soldiers and all forces of the zoo, they came and killed our youths, our women, our children and husband. They were all killed, and this is very appalling because they were only there to celebrate our heroes, they were not there to fight, and they were armless, they were not with any weapon, they were only there to celebrate and remember those who fought gallantly for Biafra. This killing is unacceptable by the women, so I will like the United Nations and others to come and assist us and stop this injustice, what we are going through is unfair!" she exclaimed, this time with mixed emotion. She continued-
"This Biafra is not an Igbo thing, Biafra is made up of Itsekiri, Bayelsa, Idoma, Ibibio, Igbanke, Ijaw and others- it is made up of many tribes. It is not only Igbo, and as you can see, the people that have died for this struggle and on May 30 are not only Igbo. So it is not acceptable when some people or groups try to make Biafra an Igbo affair. So we Igweocha women are not in support of any group that wants to make Biafra an Igbo thing, because Igbo is one of the many tribes in Biafra Land.
"For our leader Nnamdi Kanu, what we are asking Buhari and his cohorts, the murderous Army people is to release our leader and son because he is a Prisoner of Conscience. He did not do anything, he is just asking for his own right, he should be released for Christ's sake." the Assistant Coordinator concluded.
The second speaker rose and also addressed the audience in support of the Assistant Coordinator. She stated that the divide and rule antics used to intimidate and marginalise Biafrans have been destroyed, hence the need for all to come together for the divine task of Biafra restoration. She noted that despite the evil plans of the Nigerian government led by President Muhammadu Buhari to exterminate Biafrans, they as women shall resist it with all their might-
"IPOB I greet you, i'm among the women of Igweocha, the women and I want to use this medium to encourage our mothers. If you know that actually you are a mother and in your tradition you are tying two piece of wrappers, this word is for you- hiding will do you no good, keeping quiet or sitting in your home will do you no good. No matter your language, even if you are Igbo, you are from Igala, Isoko, Ijaw or Akwa-Ibom, we are all one. We've had enough of this divide and rule, as this time around we are awake. I encourage you to come out and support your husband, support your children and support your nation. For how long are you people going to sit down and watch the zoo government to continue killing our children? How long will it end? We must fight for our nation and Biafra must come, that is sure, we don't have double mind on it.
"The dead of the 1960s and now will come up and fight and Biafra must be restored. Buhari has not seen anything yet because this struggle is not of us, it is of Yahweh and Elohim. He has risen to bring Biafra for us and definitely Biafra must come under our watch.
"I use this medium also to pray for Mazi Nnamdi Kanu that Elohim will continue to be with him, strengthen him, encourage him and nourish him the more. Let him become more stronger and stronger and untouchable. Ofcourse he is an anointed one, nothing will happen to him and hence the women are here praying for him. We are the mothers of Biafra nation, even if they kill all Biafrans here, mothers will still reproduce Biafrans. Biafra can never die, and will never die. So we are praying for him (Nnamdi Kanu). No weapon fashioned against him will ever prosper, not even from the zoo or Britain will ever prosper in our lives, because sooner or later , they will all fall and the great Biafra will arise in Yahshua name we pray!" the second speaker concluded as all shouted "ISEE!"(Amen) in unison.
Afterwards, another woman from Ikwere who gave her identity as Mrs Ohunda rose. She spoke mainly in Ikwere dialect. She greeted everybody in their different languages and stated that being a part of Biafra restoration is not in any way an illegal thing, and also admonished for all hands to be on desk to achieve the task, stating that Biafra restoration project is a fight for the women not the men.
"I am a part of Biafra restoration movement. It is not an illegal movement, it is our right like Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, our Director has been saying. This is the time to come out because women build the home. We should come out and join our son, our brother, our father Nnamdi Kanu, whom Chukwu-Okike Abiama, Tamuno, Oghene, Obari, Awaji has used and brought out to be our Joshua of this generation and time. You as a mother should come and join the women of Igweocha Biafra Restoration movement. We need you, whether you are Ikwere, Akwa-Ibom, Idoma or Igbo, we are one indivisible family. "This struggle for Biafra restoration is for women, not even the men. So I call on our mothers from Igweocha, Ugwuta, Ameshi, Igbanke, Ijaw and others. You are all needed in this struggle that we may achieve the Restoration of Biafra to the glory of Chukwu-Okike Abiama.
THE ASTONISHING REVELATION
Just as the meeting ended, a woman who was not opportuned to speak during the course of the meeting, requested to speak to Family Writers. She expressed her dismay at the hypocrisy of those who thinks that Nigeria's unity is not negotiable. She also disclosed the revelation she had a decade ago concerning the Restoration of Biafra and why she has been overwhelmed with joy ever since the emergence of Nnamdi Kanu. She also narrated the experience of her son during May 30 massacre.
"I am one of the women in Igweocha, we just finished our meeting. We are in this struggle for Biafra restoration because we are really tired of Nigeria. This people come closer to us and we admit them, but we cannot go to them and they admit us. When they collect what belongs to us, they will kill our children and our husband. They don't want us to be one, but they pretend that we are one.
"Why I am in this struggle is that the Lord gave me a revelation over ten years ago, that time is coming, this country will be divided. While He was speaking to me, He said that failure to divide this country, He is going to destroy all because His spirit is above, the sins are much and the blood of Biafrans is crying.
"Then when I came to hear Nnamdi's voice, Oh! It was like they removed a very big load on my head. I said- Oh! Thank God, so there is somebody who will wake up and ask who is killing this people. When I went back to ask my almighty father, he made me to understand that Prince Nnamdi Kanu is like Yahshua, mesaiah and saviour. Its him that sent Nnamdi Kanu for this journey. That he must come out with victory. Thats the revelation I get. I stand now to rebuke any power that says that this struggle for Biafra restoration will not come to pass, because it is the word of God. Now we the Igweocha women are hurt because we are the people loosing our husbands and children.
"I remember at Nkpor, my son was one of them, he called me and said- Mummy I am in the bush, Mummy we are running, Obiano has bribed all the people around, they don't want us to run into their house. He was telling me that some people, they will tie them on their hilux and start dragging them to destroy and blood is all over. I was crying, calling Chukwu-Okike Abiama to come and see us through. We keep on calling God because thats the only person our Director Nnamdi Kanu directed us to. We did not give any of our children gun or anything to destroy our enemy, but we know that Yahweh will avenge for us. Now we the women have come out, we know that Yahweh will answer us, being the Jesus Christ that Britain and others directed us to. So we know that we are going to make it in the name of Yahshua we pray- Isee!"