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| What happens to Biafran investments when Nigeria breaks up? |
It’s no doubt that Igbo-speaking Biafrans' properties are scattered throughout the landscape of Nigeria. In a number of cases such as in Abuja and Lagos, the value of Igbo-speaking Biafrans' properties is said to be more than those of other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. Some conservative estimates have put Igbo/Biafrans’ properties outside the homeland values at several hundreds of billions of dollars. We must not pretend that such size of wealth should be ignored or abandoned at the toss of a coin.
We also must not forget what happened during the 1967 Nigeria-Biafra civil war. After the war, most of the investments of Igbo-speaking Biafrans outside their homeland were seized by the Nigerian government, while some of their properties were also stolen from them by emirs, governors and citizens of Nigeria.
In fact after the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, Igbo-Biafrans were only given just £20 to start a new life despite that many of them have millions in their account. It didn't matter whether Biafrans had millions and billions worth of investments in Nigeria, they were still given only £20 after the war to cover what they lost. More than 50 years have gone by and with just £20, Igbo-Biafrans are still the most dominant, powerful and most successful tribe in Nigeria but the killing of Biafrans still persist and now we all are back to where we were before the 1967 Nigeria-Biafra war. Biafrans still want independence from Nigeria thus asking for freedom to exercise their rights to self-determination and for a sovereign state of Biafra.
In fact after the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, Igbo-Biafrans were only given just £20 to start a new life despite that many of them have millions in their account. It didn't matter whether Biafrans had millions and billions worth of investments in Nigeria, they were still given only £20 after the war to cover what they lost. More than 50 years have gone by and with just £20, Igbo-Biafrans are still the most dominant, powerful and most successful tribe in Nigeria but the killing of Biafrans still persist and now we all are back to where we were before the 1967 Nigeria-Biafra war. Biafrans still want independence from Nigeria thus asking for freedom to exercise their rights to self-determination and for a sovereign state of Biafra.
What this tells us is that no matter how big the investments, properties and wealth of Igbo-Biafrans outside their homeland, it has never clouded them from thinking and working for a permanent solution, in separation, to the incessant Islamic killings, kidnapping by Hausa-Fulani herdsmen and also looting by the federal government of Nigeria. There is need for a sovereign nation to end all these calamities befalling Biafrans in Nigeria. But one of the questions that keeps rising is this- What happens to the investments of Biafrans if Nigeria split?
It should also be remembered that other Nigerians equally have properties and investments within Igbo/Biafra homeland. No matter the size, no one wants to lose what he has toiled to acquire. If a peaceful secession were to be conducted between Nigeria and Biafra, everyone gets to retain his\her investment in whatever part it’s located. It’s doesn't matter if you a Biafran, Yoruba, Hausa, everyone gets to keep hold of their vested interests and belongings.
Also The Organization of Emerging African States (OEAS), an international governmental organization that promotes self-determination and the end to colonial era boundaries in Africa noted that if there is a secession, all “Property of the federal government within the borders of Biafra will become property of Biafra. The Nigerian government however will retain all national debts. Biafra will then release the Nigerian government from any obligation to pay reparations for crimes committed during the war of independence 1967-1970.”
Also you can designate to remain as a Nigerian citizen or plump to become a Biafran citizen once the parting is completed.
Also The Organization of Emerging African States (OEAS), an international governmental organization that promotes self-determination and the end to colonial era boundaries in Africa noted that if there is a secession, all “Property of the federal government within the borders of Biafra will become property of Biafra. The Nigerian government however will retain all national debts. Biafra will then release the Nigerian government from any obligation to pay reparations for crimes committed during the war of independence 1967-1970.”
Also you can designate to remain as a Nigerian citizen or plump to become a Biafran citizen once the parting is completed.
We should also bear in mind that international boundaries do not prevent a foreign citizen from owning properties in places other than their native homeland. Now that we all know that everyone gets to hang onto their precious assets, I have this question to ask Biafrans, "which is more important, this slavery and indignity of unending genocides of One-Nigeria or freedom in a separate progressive, secure and prosperous independent sovereign nation of Biafra?
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For Family Writers (Biafran Herald)
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