RESPONSE: Letter to a Nigerian Militant
July 27, 2008 by 
Guest Writer
A concerned Citizen ( Ben Wuloo Ikari ) ’s Response to: Letter to a Nigerian Militant
Dear Mr “Guest Writer”, with no real name, If America and Britain, others of European extraction were/are happy to be called “hardman,” men and ” a criminal,” criminals for raping, raping and exploiting Niger Delta, and Africa in general, and also fighting an unjust war in Iraq and other regions killing innoncent children, men and women in the name of oil and so-called democracy, then MEND (if this is the group you meant) should be happy for fighting a just cause……for self determination. Not rants from people such as you would stop the revolution. Europe and America already had theirs; they weren’t called “terrorists,” but freedom fighters.
And, I hope you’re not disillusioned by what the West called “democracy” while they wish democrazy for others. America or Britain has no democracy based on equality that is key element to the vague idealogy. A government controlled by the people as supposed to be democracy is nowhere in America where live, not to mention Britain-the rogue nation that stole African treasures and left the mother continent impoverished, and clashes due to its deliberate and devilish forcing of people together for the expansion and growth of its empire.
Take America for instance, out of hundred Senators, there is only one “black man” so-called, and that man is Sen. Barack Obama. In about two hundred and fifty years “blacks” have only been allowed to produce less than six Senators. What about the gross inequalitycrimination, sexism, and palpable RACISM ect?
Is it not shameful that lots of Niger Deltans and other Nigerian/Africans are in America and other Western nations languishing in the name of brighter future or greener pasture while we’re rich in oil and gas , uranium, gold, diamond, etc. at home, but siphoned by these same rapers of Africa and takers of all in collaboration with most disfunctional African rulers/leaders?
Did you ever bother to tell those who fought for American independence from colonial Britain and others who led Western/European nations struggle for survival what you’ve told the Niger Delta freedom fighters? Or can’t see how lopsided you are in your judgment?
I abhor violence and seriously against the rampant hostage taking and extortion in the region, however, the struggle the Movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) for resource and environmental control is just, and not in any manner different from the struggle of America independence and those of others-though, we aren’t demanding a separate country but a fair share of our wealth.
The so-called West knows this. The British imperialists and the slave machinary of America are aware of their impact on Africa. Therefore their claim of glorified ignorance is mischievous and hypocritical. Remember, Nigerian irresponsible government, $hell and the West collaboratively killed Abiola who won overwhelming Nigeria’s presidential election on June 12, 1993, and Ken Saro-Wiwa and 8 others etc. (who demanded equity from oil production and environmental conservation, preservation or protection), for peacefully and nonviolently standing in front of shipment of oil to the West and America in particular. What education or family what are you talking about? I hope you haven’t lost your mind writing behind a ghost name.
Notwithstanding the facts above the West have more of a better government for their people but wish hell for others. Any president who wouldn’t act as stooge would be worked against, overthrown by American CIA and others or killed, like Abiola. Mr. “guest writer,” are you one of them?
Don’t get me wrong, there are numerous “whites” around the world that are wonderful with beautiful spirits, though most are racists and would remain so.
Ben Wuloo Ikari, is a Human and Environmental Rights Activist, Writer, Poet and Author of Ken Saro-Wiwa and MOSOP-The Story And Revelation.
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RESPONSE TO BEN WULOO IKARA’S COMMENT ON LETTER TO A NIGERIA MILITANT
By Kenneth uwadi
Ben wuloo Ikara in responds to an article I posted: letter to a Nigerian Militant, stated that the article has no real name of the author which is not true as my name and address were clearly written down. one tends to wonder where he got the idea of “no real name”. That someone does not know a person does not mean that the person does not exist.
In Nigeria’s Niger delta region, where large oil and gas resources are located, there are various armed groups threatening stability. These groups range from youth gangs to more organized militias While these armed groups have been involved in kidnapping expatriate energy workers, in recent months some of these groups have begun to target children—both Nigerian and foreigners—in kidnap-for-ransom schemes.There are so many cases of kidnap for ramsom. As a result, a new and alarming dimension has been introduced to the siege on the Niger Delta. Can Mr Ben wuloo tell us how this amount to freedom fighting.
Sometime in june four armed men, wielding AK-47 assault rifles and explosives, traveling in a gold-colored Mazda 626 vehicle with no registration plate number, invaded Tantua International Group of Schools—a high profile private school located in Port Harcourt, the turbulent capital of Rivers State. The gunmen seized Master Michael Steward, the three-year-old son of Linda Steward, a member of the Rivers State House of Assembly. According to multiple sources, the captors released Michael in return for 25 million naira in ransom .Maybe this is freedom fighting ,the type my wuloo love to participate.What about the kidnappers of 2 school children that were caught by okada riders that Governor Amechi of Rivers state had to reward the Captors with money and gifts.
same in June a three-year-old Briton, Margaret Hill, was taken at gunpoint along Location Road, Mgbuoba in Port Harcourt. She was convoyed in an Isuzu jeep to Edu Care International School, located on Woji Road in the city. Hill was taken to an unknown destination .On July 8, she was abandoned unhurt near Port Harcourt. The State Security Services denied that any ransom was paid, although local analysts suspect that money exchanged hands.
In another incident in the early hours of July 12, four gunmen kidnapped the three-year-old son of Chief Francis Amadi, the ruler of Iriebe Community in the Oyibo Local Government Area of Rivers State. Armed elements used a brown Volvo to intercept the vehicle transporting Samual Amadi. His captors took him from the vehicle and escaped through Choba Road along the University of Port Harcourt. The kidnappers later contacted Samuel’s father, Chief Amadi, on his cell phone demanding a ransom of N50 million .They demanded that he deposit the ransom into an account number at First Inland Bank .
In the case of Briton Margaret Hill and Nigerian Samuel Amadi, the kidnappers were apparently from Ogbakiri, a rural area in Rivers State. The Ogbakiri enclave is administratively located in the Emuoha Local Government Area. The community is the headquarters of the Deebam cult group, and it is riddled with communal and cult violence. The area harbors kidnappers and has also hosted several hostages kidnapped by gangsters inhabiting the area. In March, for example, a 100-strong team of soldiers and other members of the security services raided the village looking for criminals behind a spate of kidnappings .The Deebam cultists in Ogbakiri have been accused as the masterminds behind the kidnapping of Hill . It is not only Deebam, however, that is involved in the kidnap-for-ransom business; there are other secret armed gangs involved such as the Icelanders, Deewell, Greenlanders , the Niger Delta Strike Force and even MEND.
Kidnap-for-ransom has become a widespread business, involving both gang members and government officials. When an individual is kidnapped, the kidnappers either send out emails or make phone calls to local newspaper houses, security officials and politicians; the aim is to let them know that they are holding a hostage and that ransom must be paid. Numerous politicians and security officials have abetted kidnappings because of the profits involved. When the government releases a certain amount of money earmarked for ransom payments, for example, the hostage negotiators keep a portion of the profit for themselves. In most cases, the kidnappers also give the negotiators some of the reward since this helps to entrench the practice.
Overall, the new tactic of kidnapping children—and also family members of high-profile Nigerians—is symptomatic of the corrupt nature in which the government and security services deal with kidnapping gangs. During kidnap-for-ransom schemes, both members of the government and the kidnapping gangs receive a chunk of money, further encouraging the criminal activity. Yet Mr Wuloo deems it fit to call perpetrators of these act “freedom fighters”
It is true that Oil Companies have ravage the Niger Delta extracting oils for the global north while leaving a legacy of pollution, dispossession of land .Many Oil Companies have become very rich as a result of there exploitation of oil in Nigeria and yet the Nigerian people remain poverty stricken, ill and abused as a result of the oil activities. The introduction of Democracy in Nigeria has so far not brought an end to the abuse of the Nigerian people or their land by Oil Companies.
But we know we will achieve little if we chose to fight for our right through violence. The pen is mightier than the sword.We must lay down guns and embrace dialogue as a means of solving issues.This is the message every right thinking Nigerian should preach.
-Kenneth uwadi is the publisher/Editor in Chief of Famous people news magazine
[...] Wuloo Ikara in Response to an article I posted: letter to a Nigerian Militant, stated that the article has no real name of [...]
Mr. Kenneth Uwadi,
Thanks for your response. I’m sorry for whatever inconvenience my response may have caused you. To be honest with you I didn’t see your name, but “guest writer.” I will from now on address you by your name.
Secondly, I’m aware one don’t have to be known personally to be acknowledged, this is common knowledge. And, I don’t support violence as a means to resolving conflict, my thoughts or positions were informed by the fcat that you didn’t specify the group you’d referred or were addressing. You generally qualified them as “hardman” and ” a criminal.”
I’m seriously against the kidnapping of children or adults; I’m as well against the criminal activities of the different gangs that emerged from government sponsored election tugs, but strongly sees the movement for the Emancipation of Niger Delta (MEND) as freedom fighters. It was this group that I don’t even know but had mentioned in my book: Ken Saro-Wiwa and MOSOP-The Story and Revelation, that I can’t guarantee the next point of action members would take because they are sufficiently angered by the insensitivity of the federal government and the oil companies especially Shell. This was before the group finally emerged as MEND in 2006, about two months after my book was published.
No other group, pressure group the world has recorded will by more freedom fighters than MEND. From the American revolt against Britain, as a colony of the latter to the French revolution, etc., the beared semblance is without equivocation, as the underlying subject is freedom, respect and equality-that is where MEND stands. Therefore, let it be known that I don’t support the criminality in the nooks and crannies of Niger Delta, but sees MEND’s emergence as timely and its struggle for resource and environmental control, respect for the Niger Delta child just.
It’s my hope that we’ve reached some understanding here. I respect and value your thoughts, however the non specificity of the groups you meant influenced my original response. Remember, that both the Nigerian gGovernment, British and American have called MEND “terrorist” and it’s activities criminal, instead of viewing it as a legitimate pressure/freedom fighting group asking for equity, as of right. One can understand the reason these oppressors wouldn’t acknowledge the legitimacy of MEND, their interests reaping from where they didn’t sow while Deltans and other Nigerian/Africans immigrate to the West in search of a brigter future (suffering beyond words), whereas we’re rich in oil and gas, uranium, gold, silver diamond, to mention but few. They are all neoconservatives and believe in “The end justifies the means,” that is making humans the means and not ends in themselves. This, must stop!
NB: I request that the operators of this blog reset it so that one can go back and make corrections if need arise. This isn’t so; once you finish a line you can’t go back for review. I might be wrong, but please check it out.