S’East Betrayed Ndigbo During Biafran War - MASSOB Leader
A leader of the Movement for the Actualization of Sovereign States of Biafra (MASSOB) Chief Solomon Chukwu, has finally opened up on what actually transpired during the Nigerian Civil war also known as the Biafran war, which was fought between July 6, 1967 – January 15, 1970.
MASSOB Protesters displaying different placards.
Chukwu, who spoke in an interview withVanguard at the weekend, said contrary to the widely held belief in the South East, that the Niger Delta people betrayed Ndigbo during the civil war was not true.
The MASSOB leader said the major betrayers of Biafra were even from the South East than the South South region.
“During the war, people said the Niger Delta denied Biafra. It is not true; the major betrayers of Biafra were even from the South East than the South South bloc. People like Ojukwu’s second in command, Gen. Philip Effiong, fought for Biafra till the end. My father and many strong men of Niger Delta also fought for Biafra. I’m a Biafran from Ikwerre extraction in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State.
“I’m a true son of Niger Delta. Forget about the role of people like Ken Saro Wiwa, but in the mainstream of Biafra, many Niger Deltans stood to be counted. Today, they still support Biafra. Now, Asari Dokubo, Kalada George, Uche Okwukwu, among other great Niger Delta sons are in support of Biafra.
“Before now, everybody was saying Biafra is for Ndigbo and South East, but today the story has changed, the entire people of Niger Delta have realised the need to actualize Biafra. Again, with what Uwazurike has done in shifting the leadership of MASSOB to the Niger Delta, everybody has also seen that Biafra is not the business of the South East alone. People have embraced Biafra and it keeps expanding more than what they knew,”Chukwu said.
The MASSOB leader further revealed that his group had started sensitization visit to all cities in the Biafran territories where it had also opened liaison offices. He thanked the Niger Delta people for their support towards the struggle to actualize an independent state of Biafra.
“Today, people from all over the former Eastern region and Niger Delta now attend MASSOB meetings. Recently, we were in Warri, Delta State where the people received us with a rousing welcome. They were jubilating that this time, there will be no dichotomy again. There will be no divide and rule; that Ikwerre is not Biafra or Niger Delta is not Biafra. The former Eastern region and Niger Delta are working in unison to actualize an independent Biafra,” he said.
MASSOB was once a united family agitating for the sovereign state of Biafra, before Chief Ralph Uwazuruike, was expelled by a faction of the group led by Uchenna Madu, a former national director of information.
Uwazuruike in his relentless effort towards the actualization of Biafra organised the remaining loyal followers among the group and recently formed Biafra Independent Movement (BIM).
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