Boycott is not a new concept in NonViolent Resistance (NVR). It is in fact known the world over as one basic principle of noncooperation that absolutely gives back power to the people. The word "boycott" shares a lot of similarities with the word "abstain". They in fact literarily mean the same thing and have in some context been used interchangeably. But from a much more literary perspective, the word "boycott" have been used to depict the grandiosity of the scale from which the said action is to be undertaken. Equally imperative to note herein is that while abstainance might be largely voluntary, boycotts have always remained an act of protestation.
Of all the act of boycotts, unarguably the most famous one is the Montgomery City Bus Boycott of 1956 by Civil Rights Groups in America in a formal solemn objection to the policy of racial segregation on public transit system of Montgomery in Alabama State.
In the Montgomery Public Transit System, 1) Blacks are never to be employed as city bus driver, 2) Blacks are required to board the bus from the rear door; the front door was exclusively for the white folks, 3) Blacks are required to always sit at the back when commuting with the city bus system, 4) Blacks must surrender their seat to the white folks who may not be able to locate an empty seat, 5) Blacks are required to speak in hush tones or keep quiet throughout the duration of the journey for loud chatting will inconvenient the white folks, 6) Blacks are to endure without saying a word in protestation against mistreatment on city buses from often rude and abusive white drivers who will always shortchange them and leave them stranded after paying their fares.
Rosa Park's refusal to surrender her seat to the white folk and her subsequent arrest was a fine example of "the last straw that broke the Carmel's back". Civil Right Groups rallied the black community into a boycott of the city transit system in protest against these devilish policies. Many important figures in the Civil Rights Movement took part in the boycott, including Reverend Martin Luther King Jr. and Ralph Abernathy.
The economic effect of this action was instantaneous. United States Supreme Court decision even declared the Alabama and Montgomery laws requiring segregated buses to be unconstitutional. And this was victory for justice and equity everywhere. The black folks who makes up 75% of the bus system riders decided that "enough is enough" and the took a firm stand against the system. By boycotting, they proved to the watching world without having to result to violence that absolute power is the absolute property of the people.
The Nigerian civil war ended in 1970 "in a victory for common sense" according to the Head of the Federal Military Government (FMG) General Yakubu Jack Gowon. Typical to a state of anarchy, blood were spilled on both sides, economic sabotage as well as moral recklessness were all freely employed by both sides. After holding each other at a stalemate until the senselessness of the war became obvious to both sides, they both throw in the towel and began initiating peace moves which culminated in the seizure of violence and the "No Victor, No Vanquished" declaration that marked the end of hostilities. The 3rs were initiated, and no and on it goes.
The question here is 47 years after the civil war, why is the same part of the country that attempted secession in the past attempting it again? Have the factors that lead to hostility in the past been duly addressed? Why are Anambrians unshaken in their conviction that an election boycott is the ideal way to go?
Election according to my mobile dictionary "is the legitimate process of choosing" by "way of popular vote". Election by way of this definition is expected to tell the will and aspirations of the majority. Its legitimacy is based on the fact that the people upholds it and its result is expected to be binding on all.
Anambra which is an anglicized version of the original 'Oma Mbala', the native name of the Anambra River was created on August 27, 1991. The anambra people are by nature very resourceful and enterprising, this is made evident by their lowest poverty rate in the entire federation. Anambra state have the largest cluster of billionaires and multimillionaires than any single state in the whole of West Africa. The state have more than her fair share of academicians, legal luminaries, political heavyweights, industrial icons, world famous artists and what have you... Anambra is so richly blessed. She do not even need me to sing her praises which is evidently clear for all to see.
In spite of all these endowment, the anambra people have be made to endure many years of political sellouts. Policies aimed at the perpetual subjugation of anambrians are being imposed on the people on authority of the Fulani Oligarchs. Those who we elect to speak for us have become like the biblical Esau who sold his birthright for a piece of porridge. These elements will make endless promises of how they will restore our battered dignity if elected, only to turn around to steal our Commonwealth when elected. They will order their security agents to shoot at us on sight when ever we gather to make our grievances known. Instead of marching for the people and with the people, they choose to march against the people just for selfish political gains.
Even when we have the biggest market in black Africa, our people have been made to import their goods only through Lagos and transport it through many kilometers of portholes ridden and extortionists infected roads down to our shops in Onitsha, Nnewi, Awka, Ekwulobia, etc.
In spite of the fact that the bulk of international travelers are anambrians or do business in Anambra, we still have to either transport ourselves to Lagos or to Abuja in order to board an international flight. Our federal roads are in the worst of conditions. Security is not guaranteed. Our fathers, mothers, uncles are being kidnapped with careless abandon. Nowhere is safe any more. Our street have been taken over by soldiers who does nothing other than to harass and intimidate innocent citizens going about their business peacefully. The intimidating presence of these soldiers only helps to validate the impression that we are a conquered people and under total occupation by the conqueror.
A referendum is the only solution potent enough to instill the much needed transparency, fairness, justice and equity in an otherwise dead system. The people are only asking to be allowed to determine their future through a process that will be internationally conducted and devoid of federal manipulations. We want to by ourselves agree whether or not to be a party to the current makeup. I Daniel Obi as well as any other progressive Nigerian do not think this is too much to ask for.
IPOB under the supreme leadership of Mazi Nnamdi Kanu have given to the anambra people that which they have lacked for quite sometime; which is a common platform, a united front upon which to take-on this evil system and say 'Enough is Enough!'. The anambra people do not really care whether the election holds or not, all we are saying is that we will not give legitimacy by means of our votes to a system that will not in anyway express the wishes and aspirations of the people.
#No Referendum, No Elections!!!
God Bless IPOB (Worldwide)
Long Live Biafra.
