Individuals sacrificed their lives preventing for you, many wasted their lively years within the bush solely to be deserted on the finish of the Civil Struggle. The consequences are right here now, MASSOB, IPOB, energy drunk 419ers, there shall be no peace till we keep in mind those that died defending Ndigbo.
My message is obvious. Till the Igbo, as a nation, put aside a day to mourn and eulogise 1000’s who had been extinguished throughout the Pogrom and the hundreds of thousands that had been killed within the Biafra Genocide, will probably be from one calamity to a different. The lifeless don’t remain dumb, spiritually, particularly those that died for a trigger.
I used to be a Biafran Boy throughout the Civil Struggle. As we speak, as an Outdated Man and Comparative Historian, my mentality has modified. Basic Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu was proper to take that daring step of preventing the darkish forces that wished to annihilate the Jap Area. And that was till 1968.
Sure, Basic Yakubu Gowon reneged on the Aburi Accord. That single act plunged Nigeria into disaster. Settlement na Agreementi ooo. By 1968, it was clear that Biafra couldn’t win the battle. Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe noticed it clearly. A few of Ojukwu’s contemporaries felt it as effectively. What was wanted was diplomacy and Zik had secured the assist of a few of his International Buddies.
Ojukwu and lots of Biafrans dismissed Zik’s knowledge. Biafra grew to become Emeka, Ojukwu, Mojekwu and Firm. That mentality has not left lots of those that are shouting Biafra now. Ndigbo should advise themselves and study from Historical past.
The January 1966 coup, I repeat, was a silly coup. Chukwuma Nzeogwu, with all his Army Intelligence, didn’t know that he was a pawn. The mind behind that plot was Wale Ademoyega, a wise London College skilled Historian, who joined the Military in 1962 as District Officer (DO).
Azikiwe, an Igbo man, was President. One other Igbo man, Nwafor Orizu was Senate President. The Basic Officer Commanding (GOC), Nigeria Military, Basic Johnson Aguiyi Ironsi belonged to the Igbo group. These younger majors knew this and went forward to plunge the nation into unprecedented disaster.
Certain, the concept was to free Chief Obafemi Awolowo from jail. Nothing flawed with that, in the event that they meant effectively. Nonetheless, hell was let unfastened when Nzeogwu went past killing Alhaji Ahmadu Bello. His spouse, Hafsatu, who selected to die with the Premier of the Northern Area, was gunned down. That was imply, she ought to have been spared.
Tim Onwuatuegwu didn’t solely homicide Brig. Sam Ademulegun, the 1 Brigade Commander’s spouse Feyisitan, who was eight months pregnant, suffered the identical destiny. Col. Raphael Shodeinde’s spouse was additionally shot however survived. That was in Kaduna. Chris Anuforo, assassinated Lt. Col Arthur Unegbe within the presence of his spouse, Enuma, in Lagos.
The coup plotters had been preventing Awolowo’s enemies. Who sen them? By killing Ladoke Akintola, Premier of the West in Ibadan and Lt. Col Abogo Largema at Ikoyi Resort, Lagos, they anticipated the Yoruba to be comfortable. When two brothers are preventing, outsiders ought to keep away.
The Yoruba aren’t celebrating that January 15, 1966 coup. When battle broke out, Awolowo and hundreds of thousands of Yoruba didn’t assist Biafra. Prof. Wole Soyinka, Dr. Tai Solarin and some circumstantial officers like Victor Banjo, Ganiyu Adeleke and Folu Oyewole, stood out.
Earlier than anybody shouts Biafra, the actual hero of the Struggle, Gen. Philip Effiong, needs to be worshiped. He was an Ibibio and by no means deserted the struggle. The humiliation of surrendering to his junior Olusegun Obasanjo in Biafra and later Gowon in Lagos, saved many.
When Felix Houphouet-Boigny died, what number of neo – Biafrans remembered to honour him in Yamoussoukro? Did they fly to Lusaka to salute Kenneth Kaunda’s physique? Do they even keep in mind Mwalimu Julius Nyerere? Revolutionaries learn books, observe Historical past and plan forward.
Air Vice Marshal Osita Obierika died within the air, sure, he additionally lived within the air. What number of Biafrans take into consideration this nice man ? As a serving Nigerian Air Power officer, he went public, urging the Federal Authorities to faucet from the ingenuity of Biafrans.
Obierika was at Dunbar Creek, St. Simon’s Island in Georgia, United States to have fun the Igbo Touchdown of 1803. Actual Igbo males, not faux opportunists, like we see them in every single place now, selected dying to slavery and walked again into the ocean.
Sylvester Nwakuche is the Controller Basic of the Nigerian Correctional Service. His elevation was made doable by a Yoruba man, Olubunmi Tunji – Ojo, Minister of Inside. The Oguta man was due for this job in 2021 however the Sahara Mafia pushed him apart. No Igbo Large Man took the case up and even mentioned ‘ndo’ (sorry).
There are such a lot of empty barrels throughout the Niger. Dr. Chike Akunyili, a person who fought for Biafra, was gunned down in public, we had been busy watching the video. Dr. Emma Nnama, a tricky Biafran Lieutenant who later grew to become the primary boss of the Nigerian Communications Fee (NCC) was shot by criminals, nothing occurred.
When Labour Social gathering floored the All Progressives Congress in Lagos State, throughout the 2023 presidential elections, it was noise in every single place. Many failed to understand that it was not simply due to Igbo votes. Many Yoruba voted for Peter Obi. And when ‘Kasala’ burst, nobody went after the Yoruba, the Igbo are struggling it, similar to they suffered as a result of an Izon man, Rex Lawson, sang ‘Ewu na ebe akwa’, in 1966.
Within the Second Republic, politics favoured Ndigbo. 4 of the 5 political events selected Igbo Presidential Operating mates after the Nigerian Peoples Social gathering settled for Zik, as flag bearer. Vice President Alex Ekwueme would have develop into President in 1987 however Gen. Muhammadu Buhari’s Sahara Mafia stopped him.
Sufficient of noise. Ndigbo, look homewards. The South – East is Heaven on Earth, God is able to make it occur. The identical individuals who constructed refineries, airports and armaments throughout the Struggle, can do even higher in peace time. Some Igbo leaders are doing observe – observe. Sam Mbakwe by no means did that. Zik and Dr. Michael Okpara had been males. Ndigbo, males dey.
The submit Biafra: Stop the noise! By Emeka Obasi appeared first on Vanguard News.
