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| Biafrans at the White House during the 2015 Biafra Heroes Memorial Day: Panic Mode: Radio Biafra wrecking havoc on Yoruba psyche |
The Yorubas are in panic mode. Apparently the untold truth about Nigeria being revealed daily by the Radio Biafra is placing the Yorubas in a very uncomfortable position. Naij.com yesterday published two syndicated articles attacking Radio Biafra. The first writer who wrote with an Igbo name fired the first salvo by trying to claim that Radio Biafra followership is abysmal as many Biafrans are against Radio Biafra. The second written by a Yoruba going by the name Yomi Kazeem and titled "Radio Biafra’s Hate, Secession Propaganda Dangerous" tried to liken Radio Biafra to the Radio-Television Libre des Mille Collines (RTLMC) that was used to incite the Rwandan Genocide.
According to Kazeem, "One of the main causes of the violence which led to the death of hundreds of thousands was the establishment of Radio Télévision Libre des Mille Collines [RTLMC; French for “One Thousand Hills Free Radio and Television,” as Rwanda is often described as “the land of a thousand hills”] in 1993. Projecting hate speech and propaganda against the Tutsis, the radio station played a critical role in contributing to the tensions and incited a significant amount of hostility. In 2003, the executives of RTLMC were sentenced to prison by a UN tribunal for their role in the genocide.
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| Panic Mode: Radio Biafra wrecking havoc on Yoruba psyche |
"All of the above highlights just how devastating the effects of hate speech (and media) can be, and, with the recent emergence of Radio Biafra on social media, it seems critical for Nigerians to revisit that sad part of Rwanda’s history. Radio Biafra is led by a group of people who seemingly think that despite the events of the Civil War, calling for secession of the South-East is still an achievable target. Their calls, however, are laced with hate speech and exhortations for ‘war’."
However, Radio Biafra is markedly different from RTLMC. It is university where people are given real eductaion. The history of Nigeria which were deliberately hidden from the youths are constantly being revealed on Radio Biafra. The roles played by Hausa/Fulani and Yorubas in the untried Biafran genocide are laid bare. The extortion of Biafrans by fraudulent Yoruba Pentecostal pastors are excoriated. And the big fraud called Nigeria has been exposed.
Whereas RTLMC called for genocide, Radio Biafra is calling for freedom of the oppressed. The only set of individual who Radio Biafra broadcasts bother should be the oppressors scared that they are about loosing their slaves. Another set set are selfish and greedy individuals who are benefiting from the fraudulent structure of Nigeria. Of course "The Guilty are Afraid!!!"
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According to Kazeem, many Biafrans are denouncing Radio Biafra, "Predictably, it has come become a raging subject on social media platforms, with many South-Easterners, whom Radio Biafra claims to represent, denouncing the station and its messages." He added some commnets many of which were written by Yorubas as evidence.
This is of course an obvious lie and very far from the truth as Radio Biafra Group on Facebook commands about the largest number of followers any Facebook Group has got. Oppressed Biafrans are sick and tired of Nigeria and are more than eager leave the sinking ship. Anyone in doubt should ask Nigerian Government to organise a referendum for self determination.
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| Yomi Kazeem |
Immediately contradicting himself, Kazeem noted "However, and unsurprisingly, there are some who have endorsed the messages of Biafra Radio – and therein lies the danger.
The media has always played a powerful role in influencing thoughts and actions, and with the emergence of social media as a tool of mass engagement, hate speech can catch on much quicker. That makes media like Biafra Radio even more dangerous. In a country like Nigeria, which has a turbulent history of ethnic-driven violence as well as riots, and still struggles with tribal sentiments even within homogeneous groups, the prospect of a tool that generates more tension is menacing."
If many Biafrans were denouncing Radio Biafra as Kazeem earlier claimed, there wouldn't be need for the worry. Yorubas are obviously worried not because of genocide but because Biafra restoration is becoming a reality and without Biafra Yoruba and the rest of Nigeria will collapse like a pack of cards.
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| Millions came out in Aba where the 2015 Biafran Memorial Ceremony was held |
Yorubas are scared that Biafrans will retaliate on the many atrocities they have committed against them. This Kazeem reluctantly admitted when he noted that: "It must also be said though that the emergence of the Biafra Radio is perhaps the result of the suppression of sentiments by those affected by the Civil War. Nigeria has never gone through a serious or recognized process of reconciliation in the aftermath of the war, and there is no official account of the events between 1967 and 1970 either. Almost as if it never happened, the Civil War is hardly discussed and the subject of history – which would ideally help young Nigerians understand it – has been expunged from school curriculum. It is the vagueness of issues surrounding the war that seemingly empowers various people to push different narratives.
Well, it will be timely to reassure them that Biafrans are only out for their freedom. God will pay them back in his own way in due time.
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