ekt_bear: I take it that you grew up in the US, right? You do realize that reconstruction in the American South was aborted, ended prematurely? And this is something Southerners are to some extent still bitter about?

The USSR stripped Germany of many assets, at first. Factories dismantled and shipped over. They may later have poured resources into East Germany so that it wouldn't be too weak relatively to West Germany, but their intentions there were anything but good.

And yes, Japan received asisstance. But Germany after WW1 did not. How can you only pick and choose examples that suit you, and ignore the fact that reconstruction for the losing side is not the norm in war?

ekt_bear: Did this same military governor not successfully remove all the northern soldiers from the eastern region, or not, prior to the Aburi accords?

So, essentially all of the soldiers in the Eastern region at the time of the Aburi accords were under his command, yes?

If it were me in that position, then I would be in no rush. I would take my sweet time.

van bonattel:

Blaming ojukwu for the war is childish , and its upside down reasoning like this that will continue to hold us back in this cesspit called naijiriya. Until people own up and apologize for blood letting, the gods of justice will continue to turn its face from our unholy union. Let's dream on. A thousand years from now and maybe we shall still be blind to reason because some will love to support the mistakes of their grand fathers.
Achebe has since been vindicated, a people who fails to mend their past are bound to suffer their future.

Ufeolorun:

Nope!it maybe a shared fault but the major part should go to him.the singular problem of the union is greed and nothing will change(not even the apology) if we don't work on it.
We can mark the death of millions of innocent people,it wont harm/cost anyone but 'we are right,they are wrong' approach wont work.

ekt_bear: What is even the connection between them being massacred and the declaration of independence.

Are you saying that those within Biafra were being massacred, and declaring independence saved them?

If you are referring to those outside of Biafra, say still in the north...how on earth does seceding save them? Doesn't that actually increase the jeopardy they'd face?

I think that you guys aren't thinking very clearly or critically about this stuff.

ekt_bear:

Of what relevance is this to me? It isn't as if I am seeking your approval or something. Either rebut the point I made or keep it moving.

ekt_bear: 1a) Certainly the political parts of reconstruction were opposed by southerners. But not the economic parts, which also ended prematurely.
1b) FDR came quite a bit after the civil war..
1c) Yes, the south is subsidized by the coastal states today. But that isn't very relevant to what occurred immediately after the US civil war.

2) There is nothing in the Geneva conventions that says that blockades are not permitted, nor that you must do a Marshall plan for the side you defeat in war. Again, cool that the US did it, but by no means par for the course.

3) Well, agreed, it certainly wasn't kindness. The point is that with a strong European economy, everyone is better off. But my point is, this was a unique thing...it certainly wasn't the standard at that time.

Antivirus92: it takes a man to do what ojukwu did. For your information-stop mistakening ojukwu for a fighter(a soldier who just shoot gun). Do you know what ojukwu was? Ojukwu was the brain box/engine room. A brain box never die in a war or the war is lost. Ojukwu never ran out but was asked to leave by biafrans. Yes ojukwu never fooled his people like awolowo/abiola did,instead he told them what the outcome would be and they asked him to go on. For the hunger stuff, it's a normal thing during a waring period. Ojukwu and igbos knew that such would happen cos nothing comes easy. But we are bent to get our freedom not minding the cost. Do you think that nigeria can wipe out igbos? NO,if they can,they would have done it. Nigeria really fought to the elastic limit. They knew they fought really with men and not boys even with russia/britain/arab league on their side.

re@lchange:


you want me to post a proof?
hate wasting time with dumb lots though

T9ksy:

If ojukwu as a seasoned soldier knew that he and his people were going to be blockaded, why then didn't

he do something to avert the numerous deaths of women, children and old folks in biafra? In fact, ojukwu used that opportunity to solicit for more guns from friendly nations.

It wasn't nigeria but the northerners who ojukwu claimed were prepared to wipe the ibos out. He went as far as inferring

that even when they are in biafra, the northern army will still follow them to their ancestral land and liquidate them.

This definately wasn't true and ojukwu knew that.



So Ojukwu was asked to leave by his people? That's a blatant lie!!! Ojukwu fled in the middle of the night, precisely

3am after hiding in the bush for over 4hours.

ekt_bear: In any case, if someone hates Awolowo, no wahala. I'd probably hate him too if I were Igbo/Biafran.

But, it is pretty dishonest to make the other side appear to be demons and make yourself look like an angel, as Achebe seems to be doing.

ekt_bear: Two quite simple questions.

1. How does seceding preserve the lives of those still remaining in the North or West? After seceding, are their lives more safe or less safe?
2. For those in the East prior to secession, were they in any danger of being massacred? If not, then again, how does seceding preserve their lives?

re@lchange:


1. How does seceding preserve the lives of those still remaining in the North or West? After seceding, are their lives more safe or less safe?

secession came after, not before easterners left the north and west

2. For those in the East prior to secession, were they in any danger of being massacred? If not, then again, how does seceding preserve their lives?

they were in danger of being wiped out
take it or leave it
if you doubt, pick up a book and read

ekt_bear:
So secession certainly could not have been for the purpose of saving lives in the north and west, you seem to agree.


By whom? The non-existent northern troops in the Eastern region? You do know that the only soldiers at that time in the East were controlled by Ojukwu, yes?

So:
a) Who was going to massacre these folk in the East?
b) How does seceding prevent that from happening?

ACM10:

Now answer me! Did Achebe level any false accusation against Awolowo? If yes, can you pinpoint it from the excerpt of his memoir?

ekt_bear: Two quite simple questions.

1. How does seceding preserve the lives of those still remaining in the North or West? After seceding, are their lives more safe or less safe?

2. For those in the East prior to secession, were they in any danger of being massacred? If not, then again, how does seceding preserve their lives?

ACM10:
Can you give us an estimate of Ndigbo population in the north after the massacre? Can you name any Igbo resident in the north after the massacre?

This shows that you are ignorant on this topic. Gowon has already launched war at Gakem and advancing on the east from the north and south. They were committing genocide already in many border towns of the east.
"Were they in the danger of being massacred?" sounds dumb to me. They've committed massacre twice and were committing genocides at the border towns. Then you are asking whether they are in the danger of being massacred. SMH

ekt_bear:
Are you claiming that the # in both the north and west was zero?


So prior to the declaration of independence by Biafra, you are claiming that Gowon had already commited genocide near the east

Are you very sure that you know what you are talking about?

ekt_bear:
So secession certainly could not have been for the purpose of saving lives in the north and west, you seem to agree.

By whom? The non-existent northern troops in the Eastern region? You do know that the only soldiers at that time in the East were controlled by Ojukwu, yes?

So:
a) Who was going to massacre these folk in the East?
b) How does seceding prevent that from happening?

oshyno: Y has dis not made d front page mod ? Bcuz of d tribal war or home dry truth frm Achebe ?

Antivirus92: this is one of the reasons why nobody took yorrobbers serious in nigeria. So according to you, you see the war as a power tussle between ojukwu and gowon? May God grant biafra independent! We can't continue living with people who are back-stabbers,liars,saboteures,hypocrites. People who sees the truth but will decide to call black green. What do ojukwu have to do with creation of states? Though he may not like it but he knew that it's beyond his power. And for the last time, ojukwu never singly declared biafra. We igbos asked him to do so after trailers of dead igbo people killed by muslims in the north landed in onitsha. There was mourning all over igboland. Ojukwu told us what the outcome of the war would be but the igbos asked him to go on since the government led by gowon -a northerner,is not ready to do anything significant. If ojukwu or probabbly igbos had wanted war,they would have taken time to plan and prepare. But everything in that war was impromptu on the igbo side. And again there was never a time killing stopped in the north. I heard you say it. They only pause when they are drafting another strategy.

nku5: Sup supa troll!! You are one multi-talented hack. You can keep your head far up tinubu's ass blowing sycophantic air and type at the same time.

Where in the article was tribalistic

re@lchange:
the safest truth about nigeria is that the country is not one, cannot be one and will never be one

Truckpusher: Ojukwu was a warmonger and Awolowo committed war crimes and crimes against humanity,both them are EVILMEN.