Fun And Laughter As New Biafra Group Declares Secession, Names Utomi, Soludo Others As Ministers
The Oasis Reporters
August 03, 2017
It was hilarity galore as Benjamin Onwuka, leader of a new Biafra Group, the Biafra Zionist Federation (BZF), declared an independent “Republic of Biafra” and named himself President while announcing some ministers that Include Prof Jerry Gana, and Labaran Maku, two former federal Ministers, as Ministers of transportation and aviation in the new republic.
Curiously, the two named former ministers are not from the South east of Nigeria which is the homeland of the agitators of the envisaged Biafran Republic.
Pat Utomi, a former Presidential candidate, was announced as the Foreign Minister while Nnia Nwodo, President-General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, was named Ambassador of the Biafran Republic to the USA.
Onwuka also named a former Central Bank of Nigeria governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo as Governor of the Central Bank of Biafra, as well as Barth Nnaji, a former Power Minister, as Energy Minister.
Arunma Oteh, a former Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), was named the Biafran Minister of Finance while Beni Lar, a member of the House of Representatives from Plateau, would be Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
Ace broadcaster, Amarachi Ubani was named Minister for Information and Mary Okafor was named Minister for Trade and Industry. Also named were Gabriel Oluwole Osagie as Minister of Education and Philip Effiong as Health Minister.
The announcement was read in Enugu, former seat of the Eastern region in the first Republic by Onwuka, eliciting laughter from journalists present at the declaration which prompted him to declare that “This is not a laughing matter.”
“We have formed an interim government that will be in place till the next 30 days. The interim government will take off on August 1 and last till August 31, 2017,” he said.
“America is behind the Biafra people because former President Barrack Obama already endorsed Biafra before he left office and President Donald Trump will not go against it considering that it has formed part of America’s foreign policy.
“I am calling on the avengers, the militants to come out from the creeks and join us to defend and protect Biafra. I’m beckoning on Asari Dokubo, Tompolo, Ateke Tom to come out and join us.
“I am calling on all our boys in Biafra land to come out. I’m not afraid, the US is with us.”
Onwuka’s interim government has no one named as Vice President for the republic and he made no indication to show that the named ministers were consulted before their appointments.
