"Ghost Town" Protest Is IPOB's New Order Of Civil Disobedience

 "Ghost Town" Protest Is IPOB's New Order Of Civil Disobedience The Directorate of State (DOS) of the Indigenous People of Bia...

 "Ghost Town" Protest Is IPOB's New Order Of Civil Disobedience

The Directorate of State (DOS) of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), on Wednesday 28th July 2021, had announced another civil disobedience operation to particularly press for the release of the IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, a British citizen that was abducted in Kenya through the collaboration of the Kenyan and Nigerian governments, thereby committing an international crime of extraordinary rendition.

The decision for this civil disobedience was contained in a statement made available to newsmen by the Head of DOS, Mazi Chika Edoziem. He said that the “weekly total lockdown” in the South-East region which would start  from Monday 9th August 2021, should the Federal Government of Nigeria fails to release it's leader, Nnamdi Kanu, unconditionally before Sunday 8th of August 2021, is compulsory for everybody in Biafraland as well as all the lovers of Biafrans all over the world. You will recall that it was one of the most potent civil disobediences used by Western Cameroon to cripple the government of President Paul Biya and Cameroon.

The controversies surrounding President Biya’s 31st December 2016 speech, the 2016 ultimatum given to the Biya government for the 7th of January 2017 by the Social Democratic Front (SDF), under the chairmanship of Fru Ndi and the 2nd of January peaceful walk that recorded a huge success, greatly boosted the enthusiasm of West Cameroonians to the course of freedom.

Recall that in the Press Release issued by members of the Cameroon Anglophone Civil Society Consortium on the 4th of January 2017, a Ghost Town Operation was declared in West Cameroon to commence on Monday 9th January 2017. The declaration was arrived at based on government’s sloppy attitude towards pertinent issues raised by West Cameroonian lawyers and teachers which reflected their existence.

It is obvious that the ghost town declaration caused turbulence within the government as they searched for various tactics by which they would make it a total failure. The government responded by sending officials to Western Cameroon and yet, undermined the people’s plight by persuading stakeholders of the North and South West Regions to influence the start of school without appropriately taking measures to solve the problems. 

Chiefs, members of the Consortium and principals of schools all over West Cameroon, were targeted by government ministers. As usual, bribes were given to urge these leaders to undermine the struggle. However, their efforts were abortive as most of the meetings ended in deadlock with a majority standing strong with the people through their refusal to sell their consciences and their people for money, food and drinks. This definitely would be in surplus production and supplies when eventually the Western Cameroonian state  gets restored.

Furthermore, many Western Cameroonians on and off social media had cried and called on the Church to include their voices in the struggle. The church heeded the call and stood with the people. The Catholic Education Authorities of the Diocese of Buea took the lead by postponing school resumption until further notice. The Presbyterian denomination amongst others, followed suit. These developments sent strong signals about the resistance to the entire Western Cameroon and the government of La Republique.

This is a hundred percent success and it goes down the memory lane, as a legacy in history that Western Cameroonians pushed for a complete restoration of their statehood. Aljazeera network immediately picked the story. It was broadcasted internationally with images of effective ghost town operations. Amongst the villages and cities of the South West and North West regions, Buea, Bamenda and Kumba were completely ghost cities. Ironically, it was confirmed that even government officials who initially called for an end to the strike could not open their offices. Sources confirmed that all streets were entirely deserted. One could only see military officers ready for combat but could not find anyone to target. In Buea, the situation escalated when some policemen invaded homes in mile 16 neighborhood and arrested people.

To the people of Biafra, it is yet another golden opportunity for all to show the whole world our immense solidarity with our beloved leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu and to tell the international community of our seriousness to the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra. We have been doing it. I strongly believe that we are going to do it again and even more as we use to. And as we do this, God being the God of truth, justice and peace, will see us through our struggles, Amen!

Written by Chidiebere Obulose

Edited by Chukwuemeka Okechukwu

For Family Writers Press International