An activist song written in Zulu and English has surfaced on YouTube, calling on the spirit of Pan-Africanism and for the Biafran freedom.
The song, made public by leading IPOB publicist Chinasa Nworu, is an Afrobeat-meets track infused with Zulu isicathamiya harmonies. Nworu reacted to the release of the song, calling it a beautiful piece and a sign of IPOB’s growing influence in the country.
” It’s a cry for justice, unity, and liberation. From the streets of Lagos to the hills of Durban, from New York to Nairobi, this is a global call to action.” Nworu said.
The song lyrics speak of honouring Nigeria’s diversity and arrangement, but allowing Biafran freedom regardless. The song uploaded on YouTube has already been viewed thousands of times, garnering comments and criticism in equal measures.
The Independent People of Biafra (IPOB) movement, founded by Nnamdi Kanu, is a global movement with members in virtually every country where there is a significant Igbo population.
The separatist group, founded in 2012, supports a referendum for the people of the old eastern region, citing historical grievances and marginalization of eastern Nigeria in Nigeria’s functional makeup.
IPOB seeks self-determination through non-violent campaigns, including rallies, sit-at-home protests, and media advocacy via Radio Biafra.
The movement activities, however, have sparked controversy, with Nigeria designating IPOB a terrorist organization in 2017, citing alleged violence. The designation of Nigeria as a terrorist group was met with stiff resistance by the general public, who largely believe the activities of IPOB are mostly peaceful and non-confrontational.
The arrest of IPOB’s leader, Nnamdi Kanu, in 2021 knocked some momentum off the movement, but protests still exist in the form of sit-ins observed every Monday in the South East region.
Infoeast View
- The Biafran struggle is often mirrored as a Pan-African one, popularised by the book ” In Biafra Africa Died”. The book written by Emefiena Ezeani argued that Biafra’s defeat marked not just the end of the secessionist Republic of Biafra but the death of pan-African aspirations.
- The Zulu song calling for Biafran freedom highlights still-existent Pan-Africanist sentiments for the Biafran struggle. This is not a surprise, given that native South Africans were beneficiaries of Pan-Africanism in ending the apartheid movement.
