Opinion
Simon Ekpa: Journey From Track Athlete To Prime Minister Of The Biafra Republic Government In Exile
Service to one’s country knows no bounds, and anyone willing to serve their people is welcome. This is the journey of Mazi Simon Ekpa, a former athlete and political activist who is now leading a movement to have his people exercise their human right to self-determination.
Born on March 21, 1985, Simon Njoku Ekpa hails from Ohaukwu, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. He is from the Igbo people, who reside mostly in Southern and Southeastern Nigeria. This region is part of what was formerly the Republic of Biafra, a state that was briefly independent and partially recognized from 1967-1970, a period known as the Nigerian Civil War. This conflict resulted in the deaths of millions of Biafrans due to famine caused by a military blockade of the region.
Nigeria is an amalgamation of British colonial territories in West Africa which became independent in 1960. It is a collection of vastly different cultures, with the Northern regions being mostly Muslim, while the Southern regions being a mix of Christians and adherents of traditional religions. As with many other instances in Africa, the former colonial powers’ lumping of different peoples and cultures under arbitrary country borders has resulted in long-running ethnic, religious, and cultural conflict, which has often erupted into violence.
Since the end of the Civil War, the Biafran people have been working to regain their independence, which is enshrined in the United Nations’ principles under the right to self-determination. A large number of the Biafran people reside overseas, fleeing violence and the lack of economic opportunities plaguing the region since the end of the war.
In his youth, Simon was an outstanding athlete, gaining recognition in his community for his athletic prowess, especially in the disciplines of sprinting, long jump, and triple jump. His performance caught the eye of sports authorities, and he was called on to represent Nigeria internationally multiple times. In the 2003 African Junior Athletics Championships, held in Cameroon, Simon won the silver medal in the Triple Jump.
Everything seemed to be going well, but Simon suffered a major knee injury, sidelining him from competition. According to Simon, many Nigerian athletes are left to their own devices when injured, which is why many athletes change nationalities. As for himself, he moved to Finland in 2007 to seek treatment and surgery for his knee. There, Simon found a new life and career, entering the law profession and starting his own family.
Settling down in the city of Lahti, Simon learned the Finnish language, gained Finnish citizenship, and completed his military service duties. He studied Law at Aberystwyth University, before joining the National Coalition Party of Finland and running for office in the 2022 Finnish county elections. He is currently a member and the committee chair of the transportation board at Lahden Kaupunki in Lahti. Simon has also served as the Chairman of the Playground Board, in the City Lahti, a position he held between 2017-2021. Overall, he has been active in Finnish politics since 2012.
Simon is also the founder and CEO of Ekpa & Co Oy, a law firm specializing in immigration law.
Despite moving to a new country, Simon never forgot about the land he came from and the struggles of his people. He remained active in Biafran circles, both in Finland and elsewhere, and continued supporting the independence movement. In 2021, Simon began rising in prominence, becoming a major figure in the independence movement. In April 2023, Simon was eventually elected Prime Minister of the Biafra Republic Government In-Exile, BRGIE. The BRGIE has more than 200 Cabinet ministers located across the world and liaison offices in countries across multiple continents.
The BRGIE is also in contact with de facto self-governing territories in Biafra, and is working to ensure the safety of Biafran people and protect them from violence. As Prime Minister, Simon is at the forefront of the movement, addressing the UN and other world leaders, building relationships, and opening diplomatic channels, to secure independence for his people.
“My people have been experiencing a lot of hardship, first under the colonial government and now under a government we did not consent to,” Simon says. “Our struggle has been ongoing for many decades, and I am honored with the trust and huge responsibility placed on me by the Biafran people to serve them and give them a voice in the international community.”
Starting in 2021, the Biafran people are engaged in civil disobedience activities, including large-scale sit-ins, which remain ongoing. A self-referendum, addressing the question of Biafran independence from Nigeria, was also started on February 1, 2024, and seeks to gain the consent of the people to move the process forward.
Heineken Lokpobiri, minister of state for petroleum resources, says the federal government plans to commence implementing the drill-or-drop provisions of the Petroleum Industry Act (PIA).
Section 94 of the PIA gives operators a period of three years to begin oil production or relinquish the assets to the federal government.
Speaking during the Cross Industry Group (CIG) meeting held on Tuesday in Florence, Italy, Lokpobiri said it is in the best interest of the country that all inactive wells go to work.
He said the federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Tinubu, has provided every necessary incentive to ensure international oil companies (IOCs) in Nigeria run smoothly and profitably.
“Now, it is imperative for these industry players to match the government’s efforts with increased investment by announcing final investment decisions (FIDs),” he said.
Furthermore, Lokpobiri discussed “the challenges, expectations, and measures to enhance the sector’s contributions towards domestic energy needs and regional expansion across Sub-Saharan Africa”.
He emphasised that while IOCs have highlighted engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) contractors as a challenge, “EPCs will not come unless they see strong commitments from industry players”.
“The government has done its part to provide the requisite and investment-friendly fiscals, the ball is now in the court of the IOCs and other operators to make strategic investment decisions that will drive increased production and sustainability in the sector,” he said.
“We must also recognise that domestic crude supply is essential to national energy security. The best solution to this challenge lies in increasing production, which will ensure a balance between domestic supply obligations and external commitments.”
The minister further urged industry players to explore collaborative measures, such as shared resources for contiguous assets and the release of underutilised assets to operators ready to invest in production.
The Progressive Students Movement (PSM), a leading Pan-African student body, has commended the leadership of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in Ogun State under Commissioner of Police (CP) Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, for its commitment to security and community engagement.
In a statement released on Thursday, the President of PSM Nigeria, Comrade Ambassador Okereafor Bestman, highlighted the CP’s efforts in strengthening collaboration between the police, stakeholders, and other security agencies to maintain peace and stability in the state.
“It is worthy of note that CP Lanre Ogunlowo, PhD, has further fostered a harmonious working synergy between the police, stakeholders, and other security agents aimed at ensuring peace and tranquility in Ogun State,” Okereafor said.
The student leader expressed confidence in CP Ogunlowo’s leadership, stating that Ogun State is on track to becoming one of the most peaceful states in Nigeria under his administration.
He also praised the professionalism and dedication of the Ogun State Police Command in tackling crime, regardless of its scale.
Additionally, PSM acknowledged the Ogun State government’s continued support for security agencies, particularly in providing mobility and logistics to enhance their operational efficiency.
The commendation comes at a time when security remains a top priority for residents and authorities in the state, with ongoing efforts to curb crime and ensure public safety.
BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF
On assumption of duty in January, 2025 , the new Universal Basic Education Commission, UBEC, Boss and well grounded World Bank expert , Aisha Garba envisaged the need to reposition the Basic Education through interfacing with the critical stakeholders.
Amongst them is the office of the National Security Adviser , NSA, led by Malam Nuhu Ribadu whose achievements in the last few years in the area of security has become distinct and outstanding.
Therefore, seeking to cooperate and collaborate with the office became germane and needful particularly the protection of lives and properties of actors in the promotion of Basic Education ranging from the pupils , teachers , workers and facilitators to enable it drive the new wave to curb Out of School Children OOSC in the country.
Aside providing the basic security arrangements for schools , the need to engage the security apparatus at the level of National Security Adviser NSA became needful, so as to address the sophistry of security problems in the country, to nip in the bud any unforseen circumstances.
With the high rates of kidnappings, abduction , banditry, cattle rustling, ritual tendencies among many other vices, the idea of bringing on board , the security architecture of the country in all ramifications will assist the commission to consolidate the implementation of Basic Education policies and programs, also introduce new ones .
Since pupils at the Primary, Junior Secondary and Secondary Schools are prone to such ugly development and security issues , the need to be proactive on the part of the commission became timely and desiring.
This led to the success story of the bilateral interface between the management of the commission and NSA, to streamline, perfect and chart a new course on the issue of security of actors in the Basic Education.
The visit described as timely and long overdue, discussed fruitfully the way forward and the immediate and long term intervention of both agencies in the area of collaboration.
According to the Executive Secretary, Universal Basic Education Commission UBEC, Dr Aisha Garba she stated by discussing” strategic initiatives aimed at enhancing educational access and security in Nigeria. ”
She further said” the engagement focused on strategies to address challenges such as the safety of schools, particularly in vulnerable regions, and the promotion of equitable education for all children.”
“the meeting highlighted the critical intersection between education and national security and the need for collaboration between UBEC and Office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA), on improving access to basic education and safety of safety schools across the nation. ”
“This collaboration underscores the government’s commitment to fostering a secure and inclusive learning environment as part of its broader agenda to strengthen the nation’s educational framework,” it added.
“UBEC boss had pledged to engage critical stakeholders to break down barriers to education and create inclusive learning opportunities for children across the six geopolitical regions of the country.”
“She said: “My goal is to deliver on this mandate which includes strengthening collaboration, partnerships and institutional learning for effective service delivery. ”
“Together, we will work to increase access, improve quality, provide conducive and safe learning environments, supply adequate teaching and learning materials, and adopt the concept of ‘best fit’ in addressing specific basic education challenges, state by state and region by region”.
Highlights of the program which included the engagement of both bodies with a commitment to ensure the introduction of security architecture in schools in Nigeria is achievable.
Written BY ABUBAKAR YUSUF on yus.abubakar3@gmail.com.