“Having mandated me to proclaim on your behalf, and in your name, that Eastern Nigeria be a sovereign independent Republic, now, therefore I, [the one who was later referred to as Ikemba (strength of the Nation) mentioned his full name], Military Governor of Eastern Nigeria, by virtue of the authority, and pursuant to the principles recited above, do hereby solemnly proclaim that the territory and region known as and called Eastern Nigeria together with her continental shelf and territorial waters, shall henceforth, be an independent sovereign state under the name and title of The Republic of Biafra.”
The statement above was the one Nigeria would not have wished for. Though the Southerners wanted this for years, they were unaware of the troubles to follow. The statement caused hatred, envy, controversy, treason and division amongst the once united and peaceful sovereign state. The Southerners yearned for separation and to stand on their own as a prerogative state, but the Northerners wouldn’t agree. To them, it looked like being separated from the precious baby they cherished so much or from a loved one. Truly, there’s something the Northerners cherished in the South, but it’s never connected to the life of an individual or a group of people. In fact, people’s (southerners’) lives weren’t as valuable to what they seek to have continued access to– The crude oil. Knowing that they’d be at a loss once the Southerners are separated from them, the Northerners devised strategies to forcefully bring the angry and frustrated Southerners back to their senses.
But one would wonder the primary cause of the sudden demand for separation by the Southerners. To many people, the Southerners’ demand for the division was ‘a just course,’ while to some, an outrageous demand.
The statement marked the beginning of woes, hatred, envy and strife in the once united and peaceful sovereign state. That speech led to separation… That speech led to the clash of clans.
