Biafra Agitation: Activists Reject Umahi’s Authority Over Igbo Opinions

Minister of Works Dave Umahi has been criticized by a group of pan-Igbo self-determination campaigners for his recent assertion that the Biafra struggle is no longer required.

Speaking during a tour of ongoing government projects in the South-East, Umahi stated that since President Bola Tinubu has brought the region into Nigeria’s mainstream, the struggle for Biafra is no longer essential.

The minister does not have the authority to speak for Ndigbo, according to a joint statement released on Saturday by the American Veterans of Igbo Descent (AVID), Ambassadors for Self-Determination (ASD), and Rising Sun Foundation (RSF).

Maxwell Dede of the Rising Sun Foundation, Ben Nwankwo of Ambassadors for Self Determination, and Sylvester Onyia of AVID signed the statement headlined “David Umahi lacks the powers to speak for Ndigbo.”

In response to Umahi’s remarks, pan-Igbo rights organizations cautioned the minister against giving himself authority that he does not possess.

Senator David Umahi made an unguarded statement that caught our attention: “Ndigbo should forget Biafra agitation because the Federal Government had addressed all of their challenges.” Therefore, we would want to remind him that he is not authorized to represent Ndigbo. He shouldn’t give himself the authority he doesn’t possess. Biafrans do not believe in traitors like him because he stated that he does not believe in Biafra. He is not being forced to join the fight, but he is unable to stop the movement or speak for the people.

“After being exploited and abandoned by their slave masters, we have witnessed serial betrayers like him who are now living in remorse. Ndi Igbo are not represented by Dave Umahi. He does not represent Alaigbo. He doesn’t represent Biafraland. He doesn’t even speak for everyone in Ebonyi State; he only represents himself.

According to the activists, Umahi’s assertion that Ndigbo are no longer marginalized is an insult to their sensibilities.

What has Tinubu’s government or the federal government accomplished for Alaigbo?
What has Alaigbo gained since Tinubu was elected president? While the Lagos-Kano and Katsina-Niger Republic tracks are operational, why is the Umuahia-Enugu railway still inoperable? Why does one state in the South-West have four ministers but the South-East still has just five, including two junior ministers?

“Is Umahi unaware that despite our people being the nation’s top importers, the South-East lacks a seaport? Is there a cargo airport that operates on Igbo land? Are there any significant federal maritime or industry projects? These items are found in other areas. The statement said, “Alaigbo does not.”

The pan-Igbo activists further denounced the minister’s remarks, saying, “So when someone like Umahi tries to speak for Ndigbo, we must ask: what exactly is he defending?” Why is Mazi Nnamdi Kanu incarcerated for life but the actual terrorists and mass mothers are allowed to roam freely and receive lighthearted treatment?

Kanu was imprisoned, according to the campaigners, with the help of the British government “and a few Nigerian politicians like Umahi” who prioritized their own comfort over justice.

People are upset because of this. People feel deceived as a result. Anyone who supports Mazi Nnamdi Kanu’s incarceration is acting against the Igbo people. Saboteurs will always be on the wrong side of history, and Umahi should understand this.

According to the statement, some Jews in Europe hid being Jewish in order to defend themselves amid persecution, but this did not end the suffering, “and it did not stop the creation of Israel in 1948.”

Therefore, Umahi’s denial of Biafra today is not new. Locals have betrayed others in the past. History has not been halted by it. Umahi is not as large as Biafra.
Umahi is not the focus of the Biafra struggle. Appointments are not the issue. The goal is not to appease Abuja. It is about self-respect, justice, and dignity. Some would attempt to undermine it. The activists emphasized that they will fail.

In a similar spirit, the Rising Sun Foundation, American Veterans of Igbo Descent, and Ambassadors for Self-Determination reiterated their call for Nnamdi Kanu’s immediate release.

Additionally, they called for Umahi to be held responsible for the violence in the Southeast.

“Umahi shouldn’t give us cause to believe he is among those who are impeding the release of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu. He was one of the creators of Ebube Agu, which caused chaos for our people. The statement continued, “Those who founded Ebube Agu should be held responsible for the atrocities in Igbo land that are sometimes mistakenly attributed to IPOB and ESN.