By Uche Amunike
The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has banned the recitation of the Nigerian National Anthem and the slaughtering of Fulani Cows in the South East.
This was revealed in the new year message released by the IPOB Director of State, Chika Edoziem.
According to the statement, the only anthem to be taught in schools in the Southeast will henceforth be the Biafran Anthem and no longer the Nigerian National Anthem.
Ipob spokesperson also stated that the secessionist group has formed a new department where Igbo history will be taught in primary and secondary schools in the South East.
The new year message partly reads: ‘the Director of State will be creating a new department in IPOB to add to those already existing under the Directorate of State. The department will be designated as IPOB Education Department, whose primary responsibility is to teach our history, language tradition and culture to our children. We have about three books that will be published this new year in furtherance of this. After the head of this department is made public, Biafran writers will be called upon to bring forward books and educational materials to be published for our children in primary and secondary schools.’
‘Beginning from tonight, no more Nigerian National Anthems in all schools in Biafraland. Our children must no longer be reminded daily that they’re under oppression by singing the national anthem of the oppressor. School authorities and proprietors have a responsibility to teach our children our national anthem. The Biafran National Anthem’, it added.
The group further said that only native cows will henceforth be permitted for consumption in Biafraland and that the ban placed on Fulani cows will become effective in April 2022. They also stressed that beginning from this month of January, Fulani cows will no longer be used for any social or ceremonial events and festivals in biafraland, except native cows which will now be used for these events. They also asked town unions, the clergy and custodians of our culture to ensure that this message reaches every nook and cranny of the south east.
‘We cannot continue to eat and bring curse and damnation upon our land and upon ourselves by consuming cows that were used for bestiality’, the statement concluded.
Recall that on September 25 2021, the IPOB banned the Nigerian flag in the South East and declared that all Nigerian flags mounted anywhere in Biafraland must be brought down except for the ones mounted in banks, adding that their leadership would communicate to banks directly and explain to them why they must peacefully bring down the Nigerian flag on their banking premises or else they would do it themselves in their own way.
They also declared a total shutdown of the country on October 1, as a sign of their rejection of what they called ‘the evil construct called Nigeria’ as they declared no movement on that day, according to a statement made by their Media and Publicity Secretary, Emma powerful.
