Independent Newspaper
“Niger Delta and Edo States cannot be part of Biafra as that would amount to another form of colonialism with unimaginable implications.”
This was the position of the National President of Niger Delta Advocate, a socio-political pressure group of the Niger Delta people, Dr. Liege-Lord Keston Okoro Mohammed Al-Amin. He, therefore, warned proponents of the republic of Biafra to desist from listing the Niger Delta area particularly Delta State as part of Biafra.
Keston Al-Amin, in a statement today, August 7, said that what the people of the Niger Delta desire most is restructuring and devolution of power to the constituent units instead of separatist agitations.
The leader of the group who is former member of the Delta State House of Assembly decried the continued listing of the Niger Delta states as part of Biafra, particularly by a group that styled itself as the Indigenous Peoples of the Niger Delta, (IPND).
He, however, stressed that the Mid-west region, for instance, is big enough to be a republic of its own instead of being annexed to Biafra.
“These agitations should be well guided not to hurt the sensibilities of others. We in the Niger Delta are not part of Biafra and will never be. Furthermore, separation is not all about war. There are peaceful aspects to separation which can be legally achieved through a referendum.
‘’I chanced on a document recently which disclosed that in 1776, the USA split from the UK, the heavens did not fall; In 1830 Belgium separated from the Netherlands and they are living well as separate nations; In 1965, Singapore split off from Malaysia and the former relationship has no impact on the present; in 2002, East Timor got split off from Indonesia; In 1921, Ireland split off from the United Kingdom, and (possibly in the future) there will be secession of Scotland.
‘’In 1944, Iceland split from Denmark with remarkable ease without resorting to violence and mindless killing of the citizens to drive home their point; In 1905 Norway split from Denmark; In 1905, Norway and Sweden also peacefully split ways. One got the car, the other got the kids etc.
“Other examples abound. I wonder why Nigeria that became one in 1914 cannot part ways if that is what will guarantee peace in Nigeria. But in all the agitations, nobody should force the Niger Delta into any unwanted union.”
Al-Amin noted that in the event of any break-up in Nigeria, we shall have no choice but to make a resolute declaration of the Sovereign State Of the Niger Delta Republic (SSNDR).
‘’On a second thought at least the Midwest region that was established by the overwhelming 100% votes of the Urhobos in 1963 comprising of Delta and Edo States, cannot be part of Biafra as that would amount to another form of colonialism with unimaginable implications’’, he said.
