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Igbo-Ijaw-Inseparability: “BIAFRA” is ‘Portuguese Bastardization of an Ijaw Name’–Reports

Igbo-Ijaw-Inseparability: “BIAFRA” is ‘Portuguese Bastardization of an Ijaw Name’–Reports New York[RR]Ijaw-Nation–In a piece titled:”Biafra Is Ijaw, not Igbo”, Inseparable, said Leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Front, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo,who through research said that the name “Biafra”, adopted by the then breakaway Eastern Region, is Ijaw. According to him, it was an […]

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Igbo-Ijaw-Inseparability: “BIAFRA” is ‘Portuguese Bastardization of an Ijaw Name’–Reports

New York[RR]Ijaw-Nation–In a piece titled:”Biafra Is Ijaw, not Igbo”, Inseparable, said Leader of the Niger Delta People’s Volunteer Front, NDPVF, Alhaji Mujahid Asari Dokubo,who through research said that the name “Biafra”, adopted by the then breakaway Eastern Region, is Ijaw.

According to him, it was an Ijaw man who suggested the name at a meeting convened by the leader of the defunct Republic of Biafra, Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, to decide on the way forward for the region after the 1966/1967 pogroms.

Dokubo, in a statement on Wednesday, stated that the late Niger Delta activist, Major Isaac Adaka Boro, affirmed that Ijaw is Biafra in chapter six of his autobiography entitled: “Twelve Day Revolution”.

He further said that the ties between the Igbo and the Ijaw ethnic groups were inseparable, adding that it was another Ijaw, Cardinal Rex Jim Lawson, who first played the Biafran national anthem during the proclamation of Biafra Independence on May 30, 1967.

Continuing, he said, “Ignorance can be a terrible disease but it is curable if the sufferer is ready to humble himself to learn and accept the cure for his sickness. Biafra is a Kalabari Ijaw phrase ‘Bia fulo’, meaning not properly cooked.

“The Kalabari of Kula named the estuary of Santa Barbara Bia fulo because of the turbulence of the sea at the estuary. The Portuguese, like they did to many other names, words and phrases which they could not pronounce properly, named the area “Biafra”. Later the coastline from the estuary of River Nun to the coast of Gabon was named the Bight of Biafra.

Biafra is land of the rising sun.

“The doyen of our struggle, Isaac Adaka Boro, clearly affirmed that Ijaw is Biafra in chapter six, page 57 of his autobiography, ‘Twelve Day Revolution’.

“Col. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, before the declaration of secession, convoked an Eastern Nigerian Consultative Assembly to decide on the direction and way forward for the Eastern Region after the 1966/1967 pogroms against Easterners in the North.

“The assembly debated on many names put forward by delegates and chose Biafra which was put forward by Frank Opigo, an Ijaw.”

According to LNC-leader, Okenwa Nwosu, MD, in reaction said, “It is a pity that Nigeria’s central government believed that it could kill “History” or a name with the bullet. Otherwise, whither the wisdom in decreeing that the word “Biafra” must be expunged from the geographical map of Nigeria since January 1970? Why was the subject of history removed from school curriculum in post-civil war Nigeria? Similarly, the mention of the word “Biafra” would earn someone extended imprisonment, if not outright execution, in Nigeria during the decades of autocratic dictatorship of the preceding era. Perhaps, some really believed that if only one could actually shoot “history” and kill it with the bullet, then the phenomenon shall rest in peace for eternity and thus never rear its ugly head ever again to perturb the victors of the Civil War as they relished their war booty forever. But not so fast. Nigeria has since become an ahistorical society where even the most highly qualified and educated know little of their own history, in particular and those of other parts of the world, in general. But “history” and the name Biafra, which are supposed to have been long dead, are currenly stirring and poised to resurrect once more. So, what shall the “victors” do now that history and their nemesis, Biafra, shall soon be in hot pursuit of their arses? Those who make themselves tin gods at the slightest opportunity are destined to be taught the hard lessons of history for as long as they occupy this firmament under the sun. And what of “history” and the name, Biafra? Like Phoenix, both shall surely rise again to endure forever..”, he added.

Credit: Asari Dokunbo, Okenwa Nwosu, MD

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