The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has reiterated its unwavering stance on the observance of May 30 as Biafra Heroes Day, rejecting attempts to rebrand it as “Igbo Day.”
In a statement released on Sunday, IPOB’s spokesperson, Comrade Emma Powerful, firmly declared that the date holds profound historical significance and cannot be altered or diluted.
“May 30 remains sacrosanct as Biafra Heroes Day,” said Powerful, emphasizing that the occasion honors all individuals who lost their lives during the Nigerian Civil War (1967–1970), regardless of their ethnic group.
“Biafra is larger than any single ethnic group,” he added.
“Our martyrs hailed from Annang, Ibibio, Efik, Oron, Ijaw, Igbo and other nationalities that stood shoulder-to-shoulder when the world turned its back on us.”
IPOB took issue with what it described as efforts by “politically compromised charlatans” to rename the day, labeling such moves as disrespectful to the memory of millions who died under the Biafran cause. The group stated that calling it “Igbo Day” represents “the height of historical illiteracy.”
Drawing on historical references, IPOB argued that the name “Biafra” predates the existence of modern Nigeria and is rooted in both geography and sacrifice.
“It is a sacred trust etched in the blood of over three million souls,” the group stated.
“No arm-chair mouthpiece hiding behind the tattered cloak of ‘Ohanaeze faction communiqués’ possesses either the mandate or the moral stature to tinker with it.”
The separatist movement likened Biafra Heroes Day to solemn commemorations such as Europe’s VE-Day and criticized attempts to politicize the day.
“Those seeking to politicise or dilute its meaning should restrict themselves to the corridors of Nigerian politics where sycophancy is the currency of transaction,” IPOB warned.
Reaffirming its commitment, IPOB announced a full sit-at-home on May 30, 2025, throughout what it refers to as Biafran territories and among the diaspora.
Planned activities include prayers, lectures, and candlelight vigils to mark the day.
The group concluded its statement with a stern message:
“Those who subsist on government stipends would do well to redirect their energies to the praise-singing that pays their rent and cease desecrating the blood-soaked legacy of our Heroes,” adding, “In the end, history remembers the steadfast, not the sycophant.”
