BRGIE Appoints Mazi George Chima as Foreign Affairs Minister
BRGIE ACTING PRIME MINISTER OGE NKERE
Written By Nnamdi Iheukwumere
In a move that underscores the persistent undercurrents of Biafran aspirations, the Biafra Republic Government in Exile (BRGIE) has appointed Mazi George Chima as its new Minister of Foreign Affairs. This announcement, made public on August 28, 2025, via an official statement dated August 21, 2025, from Acting Prime Minister Hon. Ogechukwu Nkere, marks a strategic shift in the group's international outreach efforts. Chima, a resident of New Jersey, USA, assumes this critical role amid escalating tensions between BRGIE and the Nigerian government, succeeding Bryson Okeoma, who was dismissed for alleged involvement in a 2025 coup plot against the exile administration.
BRGIE's Role in the Modern Biafran Struggle
The BRGIE, led by Prime Minister Simon Ekpa from his base in Finland, positions itself as the legitimate representative of Biafran independence seekers. Formed in 2023 as the governing body of the Indigenous People of Biafra movement, BRGIE has conducted self-referendums and lobbied international bodies, including the African Union and U.S. Congress, to garner support for secession. Ekpa, a former IPOB broadcaster, has declared 40 "United States of Biafra" and overseed voluntary sit-at-home protests in Biafraland, which proponents claim are acts of civil disobedience.
This appointment comes at a pivotal time. In November 2024, Finnish authorities arrested Ekpa on suspicion of publicly inciting crimes, though he was later released pending trial. Yet, BRGIE persists, holding town halls in the U.S. and via platforms like X.
The historical echoes are unmistakable. The original Biafran secession in 1967 led to a brutal civil war, claiming up to 2 million lives, primarily through starvation. Today's movement, fueled by perceptions of Igbo marginalization, has seen a 15% rise in Nigerian forces-related violence in southeastern Nigeria from 2023 to 2025, according to the Armed Conflict Location & Event Data Project (ACLED).
Who is Mazi George Chima?
Chima, also known as O'George Chima or "Ogee," hails from New Jersey and has prior involvement in BRGIE's U.S. operations. He was appointed to the Biafra Liaison in New Jersey in August 2024, indicating a rapid rise within the organization. The official statement praises his collaboration with lobbyist Elias Gerasoulis of Moran Global Strategies, suggesting a focus on diplomatic lobbying. George Chima's background emphasizes grassroots activism and international networking.
This choice signals BRGIE's intent to bolster its foreign relations arm, potentially targeting U.S. policymakers amid endorsements for redesignating Nigeria as a Country of Particular Concern (CPC) for religious freedom violations.
Legitimacy, Grievances, and the Path Forward
BRGIE's appointment of Chima is a bold assertion of autonomy. It reflects genuine grievances: decades of ethnic tensions, economic neglect, and political exclusion in Nigeria's southeast. The Nigerian government's response, focused on suppression and extradition requests, has arguably fueled the fire rather than addressing root causes like equitable resource distribution and federal restructuring.
Politically incorrect as it may be to say, separatist movements like BRGIE thrive because Nigeria's unitary structure stifles regional aspirations—a fact substantiated by ongoing violence data and historical precedents like the war's international complicity.
For lasting peace, dialogue is imperative. The Nigerian government should engage with the Biafran stakeholders beyond crackdowns, while BRGIE must eschew tactics that harm civilians.
Chima's appointment could be a step toward constructive diplomacy ; only time will tell. In the interim, it serves as a reminder that unresolved fractures continue to haunt Africa's most populous region.