Uche Mefor
Uche Mefor (born Alphonsus Uche Okafor-Mefor on April 10, 1972) is a British-Nigerian pro-Biafra activist and former deputy leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) led by Mazi Nnamdi Kanu.[1] Mefor is presently the convenor and the founder of the [Igbo-Biafra Nationalist Movement[2] and the Indigenous People of Igbo Nation for Self-Determination (IPINS).[3]
Contents
Early life and education
Mefor was born in Abatete in Idemili North, L.G.A of Anambra State, Nigeria.[4] He holds Bachelor of Arts degree in Linguistics from Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Anambra state, Nigeria (1994-1998).[4]
Between 2010 and 2024, Mefor earned a postgraduate diploma in refugee care from the University of Essex and a Postgraduate diploma in International law and Criminal justice from the University of East London as well as Masters of Arts in Terrorism, International Crime and Global Security from Coventry University.[4]
Career
Pro-Biafra Activism
Mefor has been a pro-Biafra activist for years.[5] [6] Before joining IPOB, Mefor was a devoted member of Movement for the Actualization of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) and the Biafra Actualization Forum, (Biafra Foundation), which are associated with Igbo nationalism and support the recreation of an independent state of Biafra.[7] He was a former deputy leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).[8]
In 2007, Mefor was detained at Tinsley House Immigration Removal Centre, an immigration detention base in Lowfield Heath, England having claimed asylum in 2005.[9] After being granted refugee status in 2007 in the United Kingdom, Mefor continued with his Biafra activism, after acting as the Director of Communications of the then Biafra Liberation League in the United Kingdom between 2006 and 2007.[9]
In 2009, Mefor was one of the team members of Radio Biafra when it was sponsored by Chief Ralph Uwazuruike (the leader of MASSOB) for six months as a short-wave radio.[10] When Radio Biafra seized to function later in the year owing to the withdrawal of sponsorship by Chief Ralph Uwazurike, Mefor set up the internet radio technology of Radio Biafra which resumed broadcasting in 2012.[11]
After resigning his position as IPOB Deputy Leader in November 2020, Mefor floated his own radio station which he called the Biafra Human Rights and Freedom Radio (BHFR).[12] He has since acted as the Head of Information and Communication of the Biafra De Factor Customary Government.[13][14] He also founded the Igbo-Biafra Nationalist Movement[15] and the Indigenous People of Igbo Nation for Self-Determination (IPINS).[16]
Controversy
Around mid-2020, it was claimed Mefor openly confronted his boss, Nnamdi Kanu, on religious bigotry, incitement to violence, and policy issues surrounding the running of IPOB as an organisation.[17] Since then, it was reported that Nnamdi kanu started plotting against Uche Mefor by using the media propaganda structure and finances of IPOB to carry out a campaign of calumny, including false accusation/innuendoes of handing over radio Biafra to the 'zoo' (which they refer to as Nigeria), false allegations by IPOB members of Uche Mefor being an MI6 agent, and paid by the Nigerian government through Professor Charles Soludo, including that Mefor was said to have written the British Home Office intending to ruin and nullify every asylum chances of IPOB asylum seekers in the United Kingdom (UK).[18]
Upon investigation, it was found out that Mefor only wrote to the Home Office for them to always scrutinise and make sure that those who claim asylum using the name of IPOB are actually members of IPOB as it was reported that there were people who were abusing the name of the organisation without following the established guidelines in place. The letter, according to a memo by the Head of Directorate of IPOB, Chika Edoziem, falsely claim as verified from sources that Mefor's letter made it impossible for IPOB members in UK to receive favourable hearing at the tribunals.[19]
The development is coming nine months after Kanu had said Mefor cautioned him on his claim that President Muhammadu Buhari was dead and had since been replaced by Jubril Al-Sudanni from Sudan. "I keep saying this every time my deputy, Uche Mefor, will always say, "don't say it, don't say that Buhari is dead", Kanu had said during one of his broadcasts on Radio Biafra in February 2020. Mefor, apart from this, had called for a change of approach and attitude among lPOB members, but his appeals were met with verbal assaults from members of his group inspired by Kanu. It was also reported that the British authorities summoned Kanu and Mefor over reported incidences of Kanu's use of IPOB and Radio Biafra to incite violence that led to burning and destroying police stations and political institutions like the INEC offices. The estranged IPOB deputy leader is said to be having a feud with Nnamdi Kanu, which culminated in a very serious war of words between the two IPOB leaders.[20]
Mefor has accused the Supreme Court of Nigeria of solidifying the culture of injustice by affirming President Bola Tinubu as the winner of the disputed 2023 Nigerian presidential election.[21]
License & certifications
The Following is the list of Mefor's certifications.
- edX Verified Certificate for Asylum and Refugee Law
- edX Verified Certificate for Human Rights, Human Wrongs: Challenging Poverty, Vulnerability and Social Exclusion
- edX Verified Certificate for Media Freedom and Freedom of Expression in Africa
- International Standards on Freedom of Expression
- Refugees in the 21st Century
- edX Verified Certificate for Activism and Citizen Journalism through Media
- edX Verified Certificate for Human Rights: The Rights of Refugees
See also
References
- ↑ "The Quest for Igbo-Biafra Self-Determination: A Historical Imperative". magazinelivenews.com. https://magazinelivenews.com/the-quest-for-igbo-biafra-self-determination-a-historical-imperative/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Chinonso Alozie,"South East with 5 states, a case of marginalization, says Igbo-Biafra nationalists". vanguardngr.com. 12 March 2024. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2024/03/south-east-with-5-states-a-case-of-marginalization-says-igbo-biafra-nationalists/amp/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Stanley Uzoaru,"Igbo maginalisation : pro – Biafra group,IPINS opt for restructuring". sunnewsonline.com. 1 March 2024. https://sunnewsonline.com/igbo-maginalisation-pro-biafra-groupipins-opt-for-restructuring/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 "Giving Rise to a More Objective System With Alphonsus Uche Okafor-Mefor". usatimemagazine.com. 2 April 2024. https://usatimemagazine.com/giving-rise-to-a-more-objective-system-with-alphonsus-uche-okafor-mefor/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Civil war heroes deserve to be celebrated – Igbo movement". punchng.com. 13 May 2024. https://punchng.com/civil-war-heroes-deserve-to-be-celebrated-igbo-movement/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Matthew Atungwu,"Alleged marginalization: Igbo group seeks Nigeria’s recolonisation". dailypost.ng. 16 March 2024. https://dailypost.ng/2024/05/16/alleged-marginalization-igbo-group-seeks-nigerias-recolonisation/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Alphonsus Uche Okafor-Mefor: The Dual Identity of a Pro-Biafra Activist". fundlylive.com. https://fundlylive.com/alphonsus-uche-okafor-mefor-the-dual-identity-of-a-pro-biafra-activist/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Chiagozie Nwonwu,"Biafra quest fuels Nigeria conflict: Too scared to marry and bury bodies". bbc.com. 9 January 2023. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-africa-64110852. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 "Alphonsus Uche Okafor-Mefor saved from deportation: now stop his detention!". workersliberty.org. 2 March 2007. https://www.workersliberty.org/story/2017-07-26/alphonsus-uche-okafor-mefor-saved-deportation-now-stop-his-detention. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Chinonso Alozie,"We warned IPOB against Violence in Igboland – Mefor". vanguardngr.com. 31 January 2022. https://www.vanguardngr.com/2022/01/we-warned-ipob-against-violence-in-igboland-mefor/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Khadijah Thabit,"How Radio Biafra was established and what FG must know - Mefor". legit.ng. 24 September 2017. https://www.legit.ng/1126847-how-radio-biafra-established-fg-mefor.html. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Uche Mefor: "Agaghị m Dubai ka ọ fọdụzie ịda n'ala nke ibu m gawa ụlọọgwụ"". bbc.com. 4 September 2021. https://www.bbc.com/igbo/afirika-58443219. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ ""Nobody can blockade us", Asari Dokubo declares Biafra government". pmnewsnigeria.com. 15 March 2021. https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2021/03/15/nobody-can-blockade-us-asari-dokubo-declares-biafra-government/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Uche Mefor: Mpaghara Ipob nke m nọ na ya so hibe 'Biafra De facto Customary Government'". bbc.com. 17 March 2021. https://www.bbc.com/igbo/afirika-56426232. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Alphonsus Uche Okafor-Mefor and the Biafra Movement: Advocating for Igbo Self-Determination". spacecoastdaily.co.uk. 3 May 2024. https://spacecoastdaily.co.uk/2024/05/03/alphonsus-uche-okafor-mefor-and-the-biafra-movement-advocating-for-igbo-self-determination/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Alleged Marginalisation: Igbo group calls for recolonisation of Nigeria". theadvocate.ng. 16 March 2024. https://www.theadvocate.ng/alleged-marginalisation-igbo-group-calls-for-recolonisation-of-nigeria/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Ihesiulo Grace,"Nnamdi Kanu deceitful, a blackmailer – Uche Mefor". dailytimesng.com. 22 July 2021. https://dailytimesng.com/nnamdi-kanu-deceitful-a-blackmailer-uche-mefor/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "IPOB: Why Nnamdi Kanu, Uche Mefor are at war". pmnewsnigeria.com. 24 November 2020. https://pmnewsnigeria.com/2020/11/24/ipob-why-nnamdi-kanu-uche-mefor-are-at-war/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "Ex-IPOB Deputy Leader, Mefor Says Nnamdi Kanu, Separatist Group Behind Killings In South-East". saharareporters.com. 19 April 2022. https://saharareporters.com/2022/04/19/ex-ipob-deputy-leader-mefor-says-nnamdi-kanu-separatist-group-behind-killings-south-east. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ "‘Why I won’t stop attacking Kanu, IPOB’ —Former Deputy, Uche Mefor". ripplesnigeria.com. 16 March 2022. https://www.ripplesnigeria.com/why-i-wont-stop-attacking-kanu-ipob-former-deputy-uche-mefor/. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
- ↑ Kalu Idika,"Supreme Court just legalised illegality by affirming Tinubu’s victory — Uche-Mefor". news.band. 23 October 2023. https://news.band/supreme-court-just-legalised-illegality-by-affirming-tinubus-victory-uche-mefor/#google_vignette. Retrieved 24 May 2024.
