Nigeria’s deputy senate President, Senator Ovie Omo-Agege, has said that it is an insult for the proponent of the Biafra Republic to add Urhobo people of Delta state to the map drawn by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
The proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra led by wanted Nnamdi Kanu has been agitating for the independence of the Ibos in Nigeria. He has called the country different names. His followers have drawn map of the Biafra Republic, staging all the South South states except Edo into the map.
In the map of Biafra, there are four cities in Delta which are represented in the map. The cities are Asaba, Agbor, Ughelli and Warri. These are believed to be representatives of the various ethnic nationalities in the state. The names used are believed to states or provinces at the eventual emergence of the Republic
It is believed that Asaba represents Oshimili and Aniocha, Agbor represents Ika and Ndokwa, Ughelli represents the entire Urhobos while Warri represents the Ijaw, Itsekiri and Isokos of Delta South. The map is believed to have been drawn to include the oil producing areas of the state for the sake of the oil and gas reserves in the Niger Delta.
But Omo-Agege is angry that the secessionist Biafra carved Urhobo land into Biafra country without consulting the people whether they are ready to be part of them or not.
In an interview seen online, Omo-Agege said: “We started seeing maps drawn by IPOB that include Urhobo nation as part of Biafra Republic.
“Let me say this upfront everyon had a right to agitate for their people. Nobody will sit down and say the Ibis do not have right to agitate for themselves. The Nigeria project is not a perfect union. Everybody should strive to correct those imperfections.
“I respect their right to self determination. But what we cannot countenance is for them, without consulting the Urhobo people, to add Urhobo as part of the Republic of Biafra.
“What made it more insulting to us as Urhobo people is that unlike maybe the Anioma that has some linkage with them, we the Urhobos have no linkage with the Biafra Republic. We do not plan to be part of Biafra and we have never been part of Biafra.
“We are not fighting the Ibos, they have right to agitate and frankly speaking this country has not been fair to them. But not just them alone, it has not been fair to us too
“Note Nigeria began with three regions: the North, the East and West. Later Midwest was created. It’s only Midwest region which became Bendel and later Edo and Delta that was created constitutionally. Others were created by fiat from the colonialists. Midwest was created by referendum by the people in a constitutional manner.”
