Biafra Day: MASSOB-BIM to hold peaceful rally on May 22

The factional leadership of the Movement for the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) under the command of Chief Ralph Uwazuruike says the group in conjunction with Biafra Independent Movement (BIM) would be holding a peaceful rally in Southeast and other parts of the country on May 22.

Okporie U. Nkama, Abia South MASSOB-BIM (Biafra Independent Movement) zonal leader who spoke to newsmen in Aba Friday on behalf of their leader, Chief Uwazuruike said that the essence of the rally which would have in attendance its members from the 17 local government areas of the state was to commemorate 2017 “Biafra Day”, 17 years after its leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike hoisted Biafra flag to signal the group’s loss of interest to be part of Nigeria again.

Nkama, though couldn’t disclose where the group would be converging said that they would march round major streets of Aba including Azikiwe road, Asa road, Okigwe road, Aba-Owerri Expressway amongst other roads and streets they intend to cover.

The Abia South leader of MASSOB-BIM further stated that the event would be wrapped up with a novelty match on May 30 in Aba warned that they would not fold their arms to watch unscrupulous elements hijack the exercise to cause breach of peace in Aba and its environs, stressing that the peaceful and non-violent disposition of the group in its approach to the struggle have made them to remain focused and undaunted.

On the planned May 30 sit-at-home protest by the leadership of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nkama urged the residents of Aba and the state in general to disregard such information but to go about their lawful business activities and to find time to come and watch the inter-state novelty match that would be played at a venue that would soon be announced.

“MASSOB-BIM wants to celebrate Biafra on May 22. It is our day, a day that Uwazuruike, our leader hoisted Biafran flag on May 22, 2000 and we want to celebrate it. It is the day we have mapped out every year to thank God for keeping us alive in the last 17 years when the renewed struggled for the emancipation of Biafra was started by our leader, Chief Ralph Uwazuruike.

It is important that we celebrate this day because it provides avenue for us remember the efforts of the founding fathers of Biafra and also to reawaken our spirit and to instill in us the consciousness about the actualization of a sovereign state of Biafra which they (our founding fathers) all fought and died for.

“It is a day of reminding ourselves that like the people of Israelites who were being persecuted by Pharaoh in Egypt, that we will one day leave Egypt for that promise land which flows with milk and honey. Biafrans want to be free from Nigeria where there is so much pain and hardship like we are witnessing today. It is a day of reminding ourselves on the need for us to leave Nigeria.

“It is going to be a peaceful one because MASSOB is a non-violent organization. After the Aba rally, our members will go back to their regions and replicate same with their zonal leaders from other zones.”

Speaking further, Nkama said that no amount of intimidation by the federal government of Nigeria or its agents would make them bow to the pressure of abandoning their struggle, stressing that “we will get what we want in a peaceful way.”

He further pledged their loyalty to Ralph Uwazuruike. Other members of the public who doesn’t carry arms are free to join us during the rally but if you bear arms, we will not allow you to join the rally because the world know us as a non-violent group and we want to maintain it.