Onwuka and his ‘Biafran cabinet’
Illegal agitation for a pipedream ‘Biafra Republic’ assumed a new dimension last week when one Mr. Benjamin Onwuka declared ‘Biafra’ as “an independent Republic” with himself as President. Onwuka, leader of a separatist group called Biafra Zionist Federation [BZF], also announced the formation of an “interim government” to run the affairs of his “Republic.” He […]
Illegal agitation for a pipedream ‘Biafra Republic’ assumed a new dimension last week when one Mr. Benjamin Onwuka declared ‘Biafra’ as “an independent Republic” with himself as President. Onwuka, leader of a separatist group called Biafra Zionist Federation [BZF], also announced the formation of an “interim government” to run the affairs of his “Republic.” He said “the interim government will take off on August 1 and lass till August 31, 2017.”
Speaking in Enugu, Onwuka named members of his so-called cabinet and their portfolios to include Prof Pat Utomi, Foreign Affairs; Prof Chukwuma Soludo, Governor of the ‘Central Bank of Biafra’ and Mrs. Arunmah Oteh, Finance Minister. Other ministers in Onwuka’s so-called cabinet include Prof Jerry Gana, Transport; Labaran Maku, Aviation; Prof Barth Nnaji, Energy; Philip Effiong Jnr, Health; Gabriel Oluwole Osagie, Education and Amarachi Ubani, Information. Benny Lar was named Secretary to the Government of the Republic while the President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo Chief John Nnia Nwodo was named Ambassador to the United States.
Onwuka also said Israelis would hold the positions of Ministers of Defense, Agriculture, Internal Affairs, Inspector-General of Police and Chief of Air Staff in his pipedream cabinet. He said, “Israelis will be key players in this government because there is so much corruption in Nigeria, so they are coming to help us clean the system. They will come with agro-revolution and also abolish corruption easily.” He added, “Same goes for America; their companies will be in control of our oil industry.”
The more mutinous part of Onwuka’s call was when he said “all our security personnel in the army, police, air force, navy and others are hereby called upon to withdraw from Nigeria and join the Biafran Government.” He expanded his dangerous call and muddled it further when he said “I am calling on the avengers, the militants, to come out from the creeks and join us to defend and protect Biafra. I am beckoning on Asari Dokubo, Tompolo and Ateke Tom to come out and join us. I’m not afraid. The US is with us.” It would be recalled that Onwuka was arrested on June 5, 2014 and charged with treason after leading some members of BZF to invade the studios of the Enugu State Broadcasting Service in a failed bid to announce the secession of Biafra from Nigeria. He was released from prison after about two years.
Most of those announced as ‘cabinet members’ of the purported ‘Republic of Biafra’ have failed to dissociate themselves from Onwuka. So far only Labaran Maku has said he knew nothing about the pro-Biafra group. He added that “I remain a patriot who is committed to the unity of Nigeria.” The others persons are all important personalities who have served Nigeria in various capacities. Their refusal to distance themselves from a secessionist group conjures up many theories. We therefore urge security agencies to invite them one by one for questioning.
If it is true as reported that Onwuka made his secessionist declaration at the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists [NUJ] in Enugu, then NUJ has a question to answer unless it also renames itself Biafra Union of Journalists, BUJ. There cannot be an NUJ if there is no Nigeria, so media houses and journalists must tread carefully lest they are seen to be in cahoots with secessionists. Onwuka did his treasonable act because Nnamdi Kanu, his co-traveler in secessionism, was still being dignified by security agencies even after violating his bail conditions. Given the pattern of waywardness displayed by defiant citizens after their conditional release from detention as separately exemplified by Onwuka and Kanu, it is only proper that government asserts itself as constituted authority. Mr. Onwuka should first undergo psychiatric test to determine his mental state. If he passes it, then he should stand trial for treason.