Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra, MASSOB, gave a voluntary stay-at-home order to all Ibos in Nigeria on August 26, 2004 in furtherance of its desire to create the state of Biafra. However, the Igbo Community in Cross River State refused to be part of such directive. They went about their normal businesses in Calabar and else where in the state. Sunday Vanguard sought the views of some leaders of the community on why the order failed in the state, even though part of some South East states indicated that the order was successful.
Agabtus Oneze, a top businessman in Calabar, said that the directive was obeyed, but in the minds of all Igbo in Calabar. “I don’t see anything wrong about the order, but if it was done in a destructive manner, then I would have washed my hands off, in fact every Igbo would wash their hands off it. It has been celebrated at heart, just like we have always taken the marginalization at heart. We are aware that half of the resources in the country are sourced within Igbo nation and its neighbours. We should get our right but that is not the case.
We did not celebrate it in Calabar because we did not want to offend our hosts, that is, the government and people. But I believed that every Igbo man, trader, worker and so on, wanted it. We were happy here (Calabar) when we made calls early in the day and were told that the day was observed in other states, particularly Igbo states. So, I must tell you that the agitation was worthwhile, we observed it in heart whether we closed shops or not”.
Also speaking, the Secretary of Ohaneze Youth in Cross River State, Mr. Judex Okoro, a journalist, said: “We did not get any official letter to that effect either from MASSOB or the national body of Ohanaeze Youths Council. If we had we would comply with it. At the same time, we do not believe that the stay-at-home-order is what Igbos need in this century. What Igbos are clamouring for is general acceptance into the Nigerian body polity 34 years after the civil war.
That is why we did not comply. Also, some of us will want to argue that MASSOB as it is now does not have the endorsement of the entire leadership of the Igbo race, especially by the national leadership of Ohaneze the umbrella body that speaks for the Igbo race. If they had the official stamp of Ohaneze I don’t see why every Igbo man will not obey such an order.
Again, the governors and elected officers of the Igbos at the state and national levels have not really come out to say this is exactly what Igbos want. That appears to be the conflict we have. Plenty of divergent opinions and interest. While MASSOB is busy fighting a guerilla war for the Igbo race, the entire leadership is not in support of MASSOB, that is why some of us are a little bit lukewarm about the leadership of MASSOB”.
