By Uzoma Isiakpu 
The Lt. Col. (later General) Yakubu Gowon-led federal military government issued two policy statements at the end of the Nigeria-Biafra civil war, which claimed the lives of over 3,000,000 Biafrans. The first was “No Victor, No Vanquished,” and the second was “Reconciliation, Reconstruction, and Rehabilitation,” also known as the three R’s.
The “no Victor, no vanquished declaration” was intended to reassure the people of the Eastern region that they had not been defeated in the war. On the other hand, the 3Rs were intended to reintegrate secessionist Biafra into the Nigerian federation as well as rebuild damaged and destroyed infrastructure in the war-torn region. As admirable as these policies were, they ultimately amounted to paperwork and lip service. For example, immediately after the war, the administration of General Yakubu Gowon, which initiated the policies, ensured that no more than twenty pounds were withdrawn by any Igboman, regardless of the amount of money in their bank account before the outbreak of the civil war.
In effect, successive federal administrations, both military and civilian, have failed miserably to carry out the policies enacted after the war’s conclusion. Thus, 54 years after the hostilities, it is clear that the policies failed miserably in addressing and resolving the issues that sparked the Nigerian civil war. Marginalisation, injustice, skewed federalism, alienation, imbalance, and lopsided appointment continue to pervade the country’s politics.
The Eastern region is the only one of the country’s six geopolitical zones to contain five states. The remaining geopolitical zones have six or seven states. In terms of infrastructure, the trunk A Federal Roads in the South-East have been neglected and are the worst in the country. Sons and daughters of the region are rarely assigned to plumb portfolios. All of this suggests that the policy interventions intended to appease the aggrieved Easterners failed to achieve their goals.
Undoubtedly, the policy shift appears to be central to the current state of insecurity and agitation in the South-East region. The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and other similar groups in South Eastern states are raising awareness about the zone’s marginalisation and neglect. President Ahmed Bola Tinubu has thankfully responded to that cry by signing the bill establishing the South-East Development Commission into law. The bill sponsored by the Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, RT. Hon. Benjamin Okezie Kalu and all of the South-East Representatives in the 10th National Assembly is charged with the following responsibilities:
To receive and manage funds from the federation account for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of roads, houses, and other infrastructure damage sustained by the region as a result of the civil war after 54 years. The commission will also address ecological issues and other related environmental or development challenges in the Southeast states of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu, and Imo.
President Bola Tinubu’s patriotic act has made the 3Rs, which were announced at the end of the Nigeria-Biafra war, fully operational. The commission’s establishment will be remembered as one of the most significant achievements of Senator Bola Tinubu’s administration. He has demonstrated that he is a statesman and nationalist who deserves the admiration of all Nigerians, not just Easterners. This is especially true given that the 9th House of Representatives passed the bill, but the immediate past President, General Muhammadu Buhari, did not sign it.
Mr. President Sir, the entire Igbo race expresses heartfelt gratitude for approving the establishment of the Southeast Development Commission, effectively ending the Nigeria civil war in 2024, with the stroke of your pen. “There is no victor, no vanquished.”
It would also be greatly appreciated if President Bola Tinubu would heed the plea of Ndi Igbo and other well-meaning Nigerians and unconditionally authorise the release of Maxi Nnamdi Kanu.
*Mr. Isiakpu is a Media Consultant based in Umuahia
