Emeka Emekesiri
The Founder of the Movement of Biafrans in Nigeria (MOBIN), Barr. Emeka Emekesiri has said that they are Biafrans living in Nigeria and are proud of their identity. In this interview with Emma Nweze of The News Tarmac, Emekesiri, who was the Founder of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), disclosed that since IPOB was hijacked and outlawed by the Federal Government of Nigeria, they decided to form MOBIN to continue the civil agitation for Biafran sovereignty. According to him, MOBIN is already in court with the Federal Government and has presented the Biafra case to the National Assembly. Excerpts:
Q: May we know you, sir?
My name is Emeka Chigozie Emekesiri. I am a Barrister & Solicitor, Estate Surveyor & Valuer, and Minister of God. I am the Chairman of MOBIN and the Customary government of Biafrans in Nigeria. I am the Founder and Vision Bearer of the body of persons known as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) before it was hijacked and destroyed. The basis, origin, and reasons for the name of “Indigenous People of Biafra” are contained in my book, “Biafra or Nigerian Presidency- What the Ibos Want” which I published in 2012 in London.
Q: What exactly does MOBIN stand for and who are the members?
MOBIN has two meanings: the ontological name and operational name. The Ontological meaning is MANAGING OPPORTUNITIES BY INTELLIGENT NETWORKING, while the Operational meaning is MOVEMENT OF BIAFRANS IN NIGERIA, MOBIN. It is established with the vision to restore the peace and dignity of Igboland by harnessing and harvesting the problems of insecurity and hardships in Igboland as opportunities that can be managed by intelligent networking with other organisations and agencies for the general good and well-being of Igboland. What many people see as problems in Igboland are seen by MOBIN as opportunities that can be managed by intelligent networking with other organisations and agencies for the greater good of the Igbo Nation and Nigeria at large. We are established to restore the peace and dignity of the Igbo Nation. The members are Biafrans. It is an Association and Movement of the remnants of Biafrans living in Nigeria. They are those who survived the war between Biafra and Nigeria. We operate under the Customary Law and Statute law as recognised by the Nigerian Constitution. As the IPOB was hijacked and destroyed, I created another Movement for the Biafrans who believe in the use of legal methodology and political diplomacy to achieve self-determination. We are currently in the Court of Appeal in the case between Biafra and Nigeria. We also submitted our Memorandum to the National Assembly to restructure Nigeria by devolution of power to the regions so that every region would govern itself and develop at its own pace as it is done in the United Kingdom. We want to emphasise that MOBIN is an association of those who maintain their identity as Biafrans by indigenous identity but Nigerians by citizenship, just as there are the Oduduwa people in the West and Arewa people in the North of Nigeria maintaining their indigenous identities.
Q: Why should people be persecuted for being Biafrans or Igbo?
Members of MOBIN do not hide our identity as Biafrans. We put on our Biafran emblems on our bodies, but do not hang Biafran flags on the Nigerian Territory because we do not have a defined territory yet. We are a people or a non-sovereign nation within a sovereign nation. We respect the country in which we live as we struggle for self-determination by due process of law and political diplomacy. This is like the political arrangement in the United Kingdom of Great Britain, which has the four autonomous nations maintaining their indigenous identities as Scottish people in Scotland, English people in England, Irish people in Ireland, and the Welsh people in Wales. Any group that wants outright independence in the future will conduct a referendum just as Scotland is doing now.
Q: Have you reached out to other Biafran agitators with a view to speaking with one voice?
Yes, I as the current Chairman of the Customary Government of Biafrans in Nigeria, I can confirm that the outreach started in 2014 when my predecessors in the Customary Government headed by His Royal Majesty, the Hon Justice Eze Ozobu as the Chairman and Dr Dozie Ikedife as the Deputy Chairman, convened coalition meetings of all Biafran agitators to be under the management and guidance of the Elders. Since that time, we have been calling for Unity Meetings, but some Biafran agitators do not want it.
Q: What’s your opinion on the arrest and detention of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, the leader of IPOB?
I have decided not to make any comments on the case of Nnamdi Kanu because it would be subjudice as the matter is in Court. I made many statements against his method of freedom fighting many years ago when he was ostracised and excommunicated by the Council of Elders of Indigenous People of Biafra. What I said in those days is in the public domain and remains my stand. There is nothing else to add as we await the outcome of his case with the Nigerian Government.
Q: Some people believe that to actualize Biafra, there must be war, call it violence, do you think differently?
Yes, I think differently. My stand is very clear. I do not believe in the use of war or violence to achieve self-determination. Scotland is seeking independence from Britain. The Scottish people did not take up arms to destroy anybody who disobeyed them or lock down the streets of London with sit-at-home orders enforced by unknown gunmen. That is the reason we adopted the use of law, politics, and diplomacy.
Q: Do you think that Ndigbo, who have come to be known as Biafrans, are being marginalized in Nigeria?
Yes, I think that the Igbo people are not only marginalised but persecuted in Nigeria for being Igbo and Biafran. The truth is that the name of Igbo or Biafra is offensive to some Nigerians. Right now, some people in the Igbo Nation, especially in the South-South Region or Middle Belt, do not accept being called “Biafrans” or “Igbo” because of the fear of persecution. They have changed their Igbo names to escape persecution, but unfortunately, the Igbo blood in their vein smells “Igbo”, and they cannot escape the hatred and persecution.
Q: What do you think will be done to stamp out insurgency in Nigeria?
Insurgency in Nigeria has a root cause. The Leaders and Managers of the country called “NIGERIA” know the origin of the insurgency in Nigeria. The truth is that human beings have a limit of tolerance to wickedness, injustice, and unfairness. Our politicians are very wicked and heartless, amassing wealth for themselves and their family members. Insurgency is not only in the South but also in the North. The Boko Haram insurgents want their own territory to be called the Sharia Territory. The North has created a Sharia Government enforced by the Sharia Police called HISBA. The West has the Odua Peoples Congress. They have created a Regional Security by law made by the States’ Houses of Assembly called the AMOTEKUN. It is legal and legitimate, provided it is established by the Law of the state. Insurgency is different from insecurity. While insurgency is an agitation for political or economic freedom, insecurity is criminal, and the reason is criminal. The criminals use sophisticated guns and ammunition, which only the Government can procure. How do they obtain their guns? The Government should answer this question. Since insurgency refers to agitation for freedom, whether economic freedom or political freedom, if Nigeria is restructured by devolution of power to the regions to create regional autonomy so that every region would govern itself and develop at its own pace, insurgency will end permanently. There will no longer be a reason for insurgency. The regions will govern themselves, develop at their own pace, control their own resources, and contribute an agreed percentage of taxes to the Central Government to maintain federal institutions.
