The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has firmly rejected attempts to rename Biafra Heroes Day as 'Igbo Day', describing such efforts as dishonoring the memories of millions who died during the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970).

In a statement issued on Sunday, IPOB spokesperson Emma Powerful announced that the group will observe its traditional sit-at-home on May 30, 2025, across Biafran territories and globally. The day will feature prayers, lectures, and candlelight vigils to commemorate those who lost their lives in the war.

"May 30 is forever known as Biafra Heroes Day, a sacred day of honoring all the lives lost in the Nigerian Civil War, regardless of ethnic origin," Powerful stated. "Biafra is larger than any single ethnic group. 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."

The separatist group condemned the proposed renaming to "Igbo Day," describing it as a historical distortion and an insult to the diverse ethnic groups who fought and died for Biafra. IPOB attributed the attempt to "politically motivated opportunists" and "historical ignorance."

Referencing ancient maps and the 1967 declaration of Biafra, the group asserted that the name "Biafra" is "non-negotiable" and predates the colonial creation of Nigeria. "It is a sacred trust etched in the blood of over three million souls," the statement read. "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."

IPOB likened Heroes Day to Europe's annual VE-Day commemorations, describing it as a "solemn covenant of remembrance." The group warned those seeking to politicize or dilute its meaning to "restrict themselves to the corridors of Nigerian politics where sycophancy is the currency of transaction."

Issuing what it termed a "final warning," IPOB declared it would not engage in further rebuttals with those attempting to redefine the memorial. "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," the statement added.

The statement concluded with a pointed declaration: "In the end, history remembers the steadfast, not the sycophant."