Struggle for Biafra must not be built on lies, bloodshed — Ifeanyi Ejiofor

Human rights lawyer and lead counsel for the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Sir Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has urged the Igbo community to refrain from succumbing to raw emotions, empty slogans, and destructive rhetoric.

He called on them to reject any narratives that promote bloodshed, division, and unnecessary sacrifice.

Ejiofor pointed out that, unfortunately, some individuals continue to spread misinformation among the Igbo regarding the struggle for Biafra’s independence. He warned that such falsehoods have inflicted significant harm on the community.

Ejiofor in a statement to newsmen in Awka, Anambra state capital on Monday titled “Monday Musings: The Deadliest Weapon of war was not the gun—It was Propaganda: From Okokon Ndem to the Digital Age: Why Ndigbo Must Never Again Become Victims of Manufactured Narratives,” said the most devastating consequence of propaganda is not merely the distortion of facts but the gradual destruction of independent judgment.

According to him, Ndigbo should wholeheartedly embrace a peaceful, disciplined, and people-centred approach anchored on the prevailing human-faced vision of the self-determination project.

Ejiofor, the Dunu–Ezeugosinachi of his community, stated that the future of the Igbo people would not be secured through the celebration of conflict but through wisdom, strategic leadership, truth, and an unwavering commitment to the preservation of human life and dignity.

He said that: “No cause, however noble or divinely inspired, can succeed if it is built upon manipulation and misinformation. Truth is not an obstacle to any genuine struggle; it is its strongest foundation.”

He said that once a people lose the ability to distinguish truth from carefully manufactured falsehoods, they surrender the very instrument required for their progress.

He further noted that history remains an uncompromising teacher and that whenever truth is sacrificed on the altar of propaganda, generations inevitably pay the price.

“The greatest tragedy is not merely that history repeats itself”, but that mankind often refuses to learn from its most painful lessons,” he said.

Ejiofor recalled that for every Igbo family that witnessed or inherited the painful memories of the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), one name remains inseparable from the history of that conflict—Okokon Ndem, the unforgettable voice of Radio Biafra.

According to him, Okokon Ndem was gifted with remarkable eloquence and extraordinary oratory, and his broadcasts became the heartbeat of Biafra’s wartime information campaign. Through emotionally charged commentaries and psychological messaging, he inspired millions and projected unwavering confidence in the Biafran cause.

“Yet, like virtually every wartime broadcaster in history, his broadcasts also demonstrated the immense power of propaganda and disinformation in shaping public perception during armed conflict,” he said.

He stressed that wars are fought not only with bullets but also with narratives, adding that temporary emotional victories achieved through propaganda can never substitute for objective reality.

“History repeatedly reminds us that when comforting falsehoods replace uncomfortable truths, the human cost is often devastating,” he stated.

Drawing parallels with the present, Ejiofor said that decades after the guns of the Civil War fell silent, disturbing similarities have emerged in some aspects of today’s self-determination discourse.

He observed that while social media has given everyone a microphone, it has also given falsehood an unprecedented audience.

According to him, individuals with little knowledge of strategy or leadership now routinely manufacture sensational claims, imaginary victories, and unverifiable narratives, while vulnerable people consume such information without critical examination.

“The tragedy is not simply that lies are told; it is that they are believed,” he noted.

He lamented that thousands of lives have been lost, communities traumatised, businesses destroyed, and economic activities crippled because many people chose emotion over reason and propaganda over truth.

“Yet, despite these undeniable realities, there are still professional propagandists and their loyal apologists who continue to market deception as patriotism,” he said.

Ejiofor, however, described the recent developments as encouraging, bringing about a change in the status quo and a renewed direction under the leadership of the Directorate of State (DOS), headed by Mazi Chika Edoziem.

He said the current leadership has departed completely from what he described as the previous pattern of misinformation, propaganda, and deception.

According to him, the leadership has placed greater emphasis on discipline, strategic coordination, responsible leadership, and the pursuit of non-violent mechanisms of agitation, thereby restoring confidence in a cause that must always be anchored on truth rather than manipulation.

He maintained that if the aspiration for self-determination is genuinely rooted in justice, equity, and the collective welfare of the people, then transparency, honesty, and accountability must remain non-negotiable guiding principles.

“This is particularly so because the right to self-determination is an inalienable and sacrosanct right, firmly recognised and protected under applicable international law as well as the extant domestic legal framework,” he said.

Ejiofor further urged Ndigbo to ensure that history does not become a cycle they are condemned to relive, noting that the painful lessons of the Civil War should inspire wisdom rather than repetition.

“Our future will never be secured by the loudest voices on social media, but by leaders and followers who possess the courage to confront reality, the humility to learn from history, and the integrity to speak the truth, even when it is inconvenient.

“Only then can we honour the sacrifices of yesterday while safeguarding the destiny of tomorrow,” he added.