YNaija Editorial: The impending disaster that is Radio Biafra

For the past few months, social media has been abuzz about a certain Nigerian by the name of Nnamdi Kanu, aka ‘Director’, owner of the broadcasting outfit Radio Biafra based in the United Kingdom.

Nothing would have been special about a Nigerian broadcasting online from outside the country, except that Kanu’s outfit is attention-grabbing—and for all the wrong reasons. In mild terms, he can best be described as a Biafran irredentist, seeking to “reclaim and reoccupy his homeland” (as defined by Wikipedia) as he preaches hate against all Nigerians that are not of Igbo or Niger-Delta extraction, and advocates for the South-East and South-South regions split from Nigeria to form the Republic of Biafra.

Expectedly, his messages have divided Nigerians sharply with many criticising the messages and some supporting his views, and public opinion about it is only bound to increase as Radio Biafra has started broadcasting terrestrially, beaming signals from Port-Harcourt to across the South-East and even as far as Idah in Kogi State and with the recorded tapes spreading like wildfire to even people from those regions outside the area. This development is a danger to the internal security and stability of Nigeria.

It is not that this newspaper does not respect the constitutional right to freedom of expression of Nigerians; rather, it is because we hold the belief that the right to freedom of expression comes with the responsibility to build—not destroy—people, communities and the country. A radio station that calls Nigeria a “zoo nation”, denigrates people based on their ethnicity and encourages people to prepare for secession cannot be said to have been responsible in using its right to the freedom of speech. In fact, the calls for secession by Radio Biafra is a treasonable offence.

We would have loved to ignore Kanu and his seemingly psychopathic rantings, but his calls are remarkably similar to an Islamic cleric in the North-Eastern city of Maiduguri who, close to a decade ago, preached radical sermons that tapped into the discontent of people in the city and encouraged them to revolt against government, democratic institutions and modern education. Boko Haram is the direct result of those sermons by Sheikh Mohammed Yusuf, and they have been responsible for the deaths of almost 20,000 Nigerians, and displaced millions more.

It is important that our intelligence agencies such as the Department of State Security (DSS) keep a watchful eye on Radio Biafra and his growing horde of believers and adherents. It is not about carrying out forceful action that will only lead to violence and vindicate Kanu. It is about proper intelligence gathering in order to nip a potential crisis in the bud.

But even beyond that – the Nigerian government has to act to prove that the South East has not been deliberately abandoned. So far, it has been hard to counter the rhetoric of Radio Biafra with mere words because a lot of what they claim is factual, albeit twisted to poison minds. Indeed, the federal roads in the region are nothing more than death-traps, a much-needed Second Niger Bridge is far from being completed and environmental disasters such as the soil erosion and oil pollution in the South-East and South-South respectively are still a menace.

The only way the Federal Government can counter the messages of Radio Biafra is to place the genuine demands of the people of the two regions, such as the ones listed above, high on their priority list and get to working immediately to solve these problems. When the roads are in excellent condition and a second bridge over the Niger is built, it will be hard for demagogues and ethnocentrists like Kanu to have facts that they can point to justify their lies that their people are hated upon by the rest of the country.

It must also work with states to make sure that residents of states irrespective of ethnicity and religious faiths enjoy the full privileges of Nigerian citizenship and have their lives and properties protected, as crises in parts of the country evokes strong memories of the pogroms in the North that caused a series of events that cascaded into the first attempt of secession by those regions in 1967 and the ensuing Civil War.

The best hope for the progress of Nigeria is that she should remain one indivisible and united nation, but this cannot be achieved if mediums like Radio Biafra engage in activities that threaten this goal.

Comments (4)

  1. The position of Radio Biafra is clear. There is gross inequity in the country called Nigeria. What I

    personally will not agree with is the name calling and the huge insults in it’s broadcasts. But let

    the bitter truth be told and heard. Apart from oil and oil money, there is little or nothing unifying

    the country called Nigeria. More needs to be consciuosly / deliberately done especially by the

    government and policy makers to address the numerous challenges of the various regions of the

    country. Most importantly is the fact that the Diector continuosly points to the ills of all sectors

    and tribes perhaps more of the Easterners, her governors, Ohaneze, Igbo traders, Igbo

    politicians etc. Lastly is the fact that they constantly challenge anyone who cares to a debate for

    superior intelligence or argument. This to me is a window for the government considering how

    MEND, MASSOB and Boko Haram all started. Are you truly happy and contented with Nigeria at

    the moment and as governed? Things could be a lot better if you ask me.

  2. Good bless you John Vote for your wonderful submissions. It is the highest level of hypocrisy to have kept quiet about issues raised when a person from that region was in power, just to now start to make noise because a northerner is now in power. The Igbos are the architect of their problems, because looking back they are the ones who always instigate conflicts, and when they loose out, they turn around to cry wolf! Fani kayode is a good historian with respect to issues leading to the civil war, placing the blame on the Igbos!
    But this time around, we shouldnt be fooled, they are being used by leeches who lost their grip on power. We shall see how far they are willing to go!

  3. I think the late Chief Mbakwe taught the Igbos the art of crying for favour, otherwise how do reconcile the agitations of Radio Biafra and her sympathizers with the present day realities.
    Let me quickly point out here the Igbos should count the URHOBOs of the South South out of their expansionist project. Even if we are not happy with Nigeria as it is today, we will not go with the greedy Igbos. Kanu should limit his propaganda and campaigns to his Igbos.
    The worst federal government in Nigeria (The Goodluck Jonathan administration) was managed by the Ibos,for the Ibos and of the Ibos. They superintended the stealing of every available kobo in this country. They waded absolute powers. If the Ibos are unable to develop their roads during their 5yrs of boom, who will do it for them? Kanu should direct his cries to Anyim, the Ubas, all Ministers from the region who held sway in the juicy ministries. When the Igbo ministers were busy stealing the monies in connivance with their Igbo brothers in the Senate and House of Representatives, the ordinary Igbo man applauded them claiming it was their chance. Wailing will not help the Igbos anymore. They have gotten more than a fair share in this union. The Ibos can go peacefully now.
    The Ibos should speak for the Ibos. South South should never complain. We put forward our 10th eleven and were humiliated out of office. Biafra Republic is open to those who want it but count the URHOBOs OUT.e

  4. This writer,had he been an igbo indigene residing in places like Lagos where the state government policies and actions,and the attitudes/comments of the indigenes of the state and other. South westerners evidently shows the hatred they have for the people of SS & SE especially the igbo man,he would have had a soft spot for the Operator of radio Biafra.A nation where everything about her points to the fact that the people of that region are not equal with the rest,not welcomed in their own country and are forcefully being cajoled to remain Nigerians by the North,the South west and their colonial masters.A nation that views an igbo fellow with disregard like the Arabs view Israelis.

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