PRESS RELEASE: Uwazuruike and his Biafran Presidency

The attention of the officials of the Niger Delta Congress - USA has been drawn to a declaration attributed to Mr. Ralph Uwazuruike of MASSOB (Movement for the Survival of State of Biafra) as contained in the African Abroad Newspaper, New York: Vol. 2, No. 7 (Page 3, 11) of May 17, 2001, captioned "Biafra to have Embassy in Washington" in which he said in response to a question that "he had signed a Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the Frontline States such as Rivers, Delta, Akwa Ibom, Cross River, and Bayelsa, to ensure that their collective interests are taken care of." The said article continued: "In the event that a State of Biafra is realized, Mr. Uwazurike suggested that the President should come from Frontline States in order to reassure them of their security"

We wish to put it on record on behalf of our collective peoples both at home and abroad, that in view of the recent recalcitrant provocative acts by MASSOB thugs and hoodlums in Oyigbo, Port Harcourt; it is evident that history is about to be rewritten. It is pertinent to remind Mr. Uwazuruike and his ilk’s that the people of the Niger Delta were the first to canvass for COR State before Biafra, and that Prof. Eyo Ita was the first Leader of Government business in the Eastern Region.

We do not intend to share the dream state of Biafra with our neighbors- the Ibos, in whatever shape or form. We thought Dr. Graham Douglas the eminent jurist, had made that abundantly clear. Therefore, we find the childish offer of Presidency of Biafra by MASSOB a ludicrous affront, tantamount to gobbledygook and at worst an exercise in youthful exuberance.

We consider it apropos to state here categorically that the word "BIAFRA" in any shape or form is a painful reminder of betrayal of trust, greed, oppression, pillage, dubious intelligence, arrogance, callousness and grotesque morass of ethnocentrism. We would only need to recall the Midwest invasion by the rebel forces in 1967 to buttress our point.

The people of the South-South States do not intend to be subjected to the whims and caprices of MASSOB, or any other mushroom organization. We are resolved in realizing the nexus of our mission as contained in the Declaration of Niger Delta Bill of Rights filed with the United Nations. Our determination remain resolute to manage our affairs through self determination with 100% control of our resources. We are a people fighting for Freedom and Justice.

We seize this opportunity to also warn the inept Vice President of the Unitary Republic of Nigeria, Alhaji Atiku, that with the 87% allocation of oil wealth to the center unaccounted for, he should stop denigrating and insulting the South–South Governors fighting for Resource Control.

A Declaration of Niger Delta Republic, culminating from Nigeria's political implosion is a reality that shall come to pass. MASSOB is advised to secure land at ODI, our future capital, for their Biafran Embassy.

Signed: Chief Mpaka Princewill

CHAIRMAN, NIGER DELTA CONGRESS, USA