shymexx:

He won the war for the Nigerian side and Biafra was "incorporated" back into Nigeria... He had to do what he did at that time to serve his people from Biafra invasion... We definitely couldn't afford to live under servitude by a lesser tribe in all ramifications(no pun intended)... Whether it's the right choice today, or not - that's debatable.... However, it was the right choice at that time....

And he never aligned himself with the imperial power - he did what he had to do to save his people from Biafran invasion... You definitely can't leave your abode and region - and take your war to the next man's region, that's unacceptable... I would have done the same thing... When the North and East were in bed together enjoying their rosy friendship, how come Igbos never remembered the Yorubas? You did everything possible to destroy the same people you're whining about today with your Northern "frenemies" - and locked up the same man you've continued to blame for your woes for no reason whatsoever...

Awolowo was fair on Igbos, to be honest...

Whatever suits you bro,as long as you don't place awo's name alongside those gladiators who won real freedom for their people,against imperial powers,i am cool. But if you try to do that,i would always point out the difference to you.

No great leader fights for the unity of a mere geographical location.

Btw,he won the war for britain.

Ok, let's switch the roles... I bet if Igbos were the ones in the same position the Yorubas found themselves in 1967 - they would've seized Lagos and the best parts of Yorubaland and made them Igboland...

pazienza:

He won the war for who? Who was the invisible hand behind nigeria during the war? To whose purpose was it that nigeria remained one? Had one nigeria been more beneficial to yoruba race than an independent odualand would have been.

The truth is bitter,but it must be told. Awo was a shortsighted leader, he fought for the unity of a country he later found out was a mere geographical expression,if this isn't shortsightedness,then what would we call it?

He aligned himself with the interest of an imperial power ie britain and her ally USSR. That's not what great leaders do,great leaders are freedom fighters and their interest often are in conflict with that of imperialists. Awo delivered odualand into the hand of imperialists,when he had the chance to fight for their freedom.

Do you guys engage your brains before making ludicrous statements?

First, Awo made that statement in 1947; long before Independence and before Ndigbo aligned with the North to form the first government.

Second, anyone who calls the USSR an ally of Britain during the height of the cold war,clearly hasn't done much reading.

Third, Are Yoruba folks joined at the waste with Ndigbo? Why must Yoruba folks fight secession just because thats what Ndigbo wanted? Did Ojukwu not applaud and embrace the unitarism implemented by Ironsi, only to declare a return to confederationism after Igbos lost out in the power game?

The problem with some of you is that you think you are smarter than others when in fact you are no smarter than a 9 year old.

tomakint:
I never knew you are a lecturer in the 'Almajiri School of Dayokanu' the moment a Fellow Yorubaman see things differently from your warped views you immediately label him an 'outcast' I tot u were intelligent but I was wrong 'processor of corruption'

Stop patronizing me efulefu. You claimed to be Yoruba until your lies were exposed. You have created so many ids perpetrating same nonsense. Why can't you stick to a user id, make your point and defend it with robustness of logic and facts? Why do you need to spew nonsense of a thing " I am a Yoruba" before you take a position that's tenable both in logic and facts? A Yoruba does not even need to announce his yorubaness, he demonstrates it.

Tomafool aka tomafraud, what do I derive from being called an intelligent fellow by a moronic fool as yourself on an anonymous forum? I ignore an obvious fool.

pazienza:
Whatever suits you bro,as long as you don't place awo's name alongside those gladiators who won real freedom for their people,against imperial powers,i am cool. But if you try to do that,i would always point out the difference to you.

No great leader fights for the unity of a mere geographical location.

Btw,he won the war for britain.

Great leaders implement futuristic policies that'll place their people in an advantageous position in the grand scheme of things... Awolowo did that with free education...
"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X

Great leaders put their people's interests first before thinking about personal interests... Awolowo also did that as well...

shymexx:

Great leaders implement futuristic policies that'll place their people in an advantageous position in the grand scheme of things... Awolowo did that with free education...
"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X

Great leaders put their people's interests first before thinking about personal interests... Awolowo also did that as well...

Leaders are judged by those whom they lead. It doesn't matter what Syrians, Martians, or Americans think about Awo. Awo is reverred till today by those he led because of the legacies he left them. Stop trying to convince Pazienza.

The Biafran episode was purely a 'Genocidal War of Attrition' Ojukwu remains vindicated! Pa Awo in as much as I respect his political sagacity, shouldn't have partook in Gowon's war cabinet but based on the 'conditional clause of a Promised Presidency' Papa fell for the bait! I maintained that we (Southern Nigeria) have a common enemy, 'the northern oligarchy' FG only won the battles but lost the war completely (the aim of the war was to achieve a united Nigeria) but Nigeria is not UNITED

shymexx:

Great leaders implement futuristic policies that'll place their people in an advantageous position in the grand scheme of things... Awolowo did that with free education...
"Education is our passport to the future, for tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today." - Malcolm X

Great leaders put their people's interests first before thinking about personal interests... Awolowo also did that as well...

Are yorubas ahead of igbos in education today? There is a thread on 'nigeria's academia in diaspora' look for it,and see who is leading in that aspect of human endevour,and we have jamb enrolement statistics to support our claim of dominance on that sector. Yorubas are not ahead of ndiigbo in education today. Awo's free education failed.

Katsumoto:

Leaders are judged by those whom they lead. It doesn't matter what Syrians, Martians, or Americans think about Awo. Awo is reverred till today by those he led because of the legacies he left them. Stop trying to convince Pazienza.

I'm not even trying to convince him, I'm just having fun with him because I'm bored...

shymexx:

I'm not even trying to convince him, I'm just having fun with him because I'm bored...

tomakint: The Biafran episode was purely a 'Genocidal War of Attrition' Ojukwu remains vindicated! Pa Awo in as much as I respect his political sagacity, shouldn't have partook in Gowon's war cabinet but based on the 'conditional clause of a Promised Presidency' Papa fell for the bait! I maintained that we (Southern Nigeria) have a common enemy, 'the northern oligarchy' FG only won the battles but lost the war completely (the aim of the war was to achieve a united Nigeria) but Nigeria is not UNITED

oloshi oloriibu masanfani eranko lasan ikeji aja!

pazienza:
Are yorubas ahead of igbos in education today? There is a thread on 'nigeria's academia in diaspora' look for it,and see who is leading in that aspect of human endevour,and we have jamb enrolement statistics to support our claim of dominance on that sector. Yorubas are not ahead of ndiigbo in education today. Awo's free education failed.

Lmao @ the bolded part...

Emegwali the father of internet said wagwan, just got off the phone from chatting to him...

Katsumoto:

Do you guys engage your brains before making ludicrous statements?

First, Awo made that statement in 1947; long before Independence and before Ndigbo aligned with the North to form the first government.

Second, anyone who calls the USSR an ally of Britain during the height of the cold war,clearly hasn't done much reading.

Third, Are Yoruba folks joined at the waste with Ndigbo? Why must Yoruba folks fight secession just because thats what Ndigbo wanted? Did Ojukwu not applaud and embrace the unitarism implemented by Ironsi, only to declare a return to confederationism after Igbos lost out in the power game?

The problem with some of you is that you think you are smarter than others when in fact you are no smarter than a 9 year old.

Allies change,only interests remain constant. On biafra war,USSR and britain were on nigeria's side. A black resistance to a colonial set up had to be crushed,so the old enemies closed ranks,and USA looked the other way.

As for other junks you wrote there,there is no need to reply them.

Everybody in this site knows that you are a pseudo intellectual,who specializes in history revisionism,an mgbati who is only good at cutting and pasting junk articles from propaganda sites. Nonsense!

Desola:

oloshi oloriibu masanfani eranko lasan ikeji aja!

Ewure ara e kan fi ese jan le ni, ko si n kan to ma fi olowo e se! O je di opo Jesu mu ki o to ya were omo eran, digbolugi!

pazienza:

Are yorubas ahead of igbos in education today? There is a thread on 'nigeria's academia in diaspora' look for it,and see who is leading in that aspect of human endevour,and we have jamb enrolement statistics to support our claim of dominance on that sector. Yorubas are not ahead of ndiigbo in education today. Awo's free education failed.

Ok...so now that you know that your co.ck is bigger, what are you gonna do with it?

Moraforker!

Shymexx will you stop this tete-a-tete with this dic.kie and save us the further hogwash.

shymexx:

Lmao @ the bolded part...

Emegwali the father of internet said wagwan, just got off the phone from chatting to him...

He is the blackman with the highest recorded I.Q score,quit hating on him bro,he is your senior,you've got nothing on him.

Btw, have you heard of master ohuabunwa,the latest igbo wonder kid on the block? We are always ahead.

tomakint:
Ewure ara e kan fi ese jan le ni, ko si n kan to ma fi olowo e se! O je di opo Jesu mu ki o to ya were omo eran, digbolugi!

oponu ayirada, aye n wo e lawo sunkun, o n wora e lawo rerin.

Ara orun!

Desola:

oponu ayirada, aye n wo e lawo sunkun, o n wora e lawo rerin.

Ara orun!

Thank God for JESUS! The power in His Blood still delivers. DESOLA YOU NEED DELIVERANCE, I HEREBY COMMIT YOU INTO THE HANDS OF JESUS FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERANCE FROM THE SPIRIT OF WITCHCRAFT!

Desola:

Ok...so now that you know that your co.ck is bigger, what are you gonna do with it?

Moraforker!

Shymexx will you stop this tete-a-tete with this dic.kie and save us the further hogwash.

Woman,pack one side. It's not my fault that awo's only legacy failed to yield any fruitful result. He planted a sub standard free education and it yielded touts and almajiris.

Sorry,no good thing comes free,awuf dey run belle. Hehe!

tomakint:
Thank God for JESUS! The power in His Blood still delivers. DESOLA YOU NEED DELIVERANCE, I HEREBY COMMIT YOU INTO THE HANDS OF JESUS FOR IMMEDIATE DELIVERANCE FROM THE SPIRIT OF WITCHCRAFT!

Witchcraft nikan ni, airforce one ni. Na me and your mama for okoroland dey lead the cult. Eleriibu omo jomijoke!

Katsumoto:

Do you guys engage your brains before making ludicrous statements?

First, Awo made that statement in 1947; long before Independence and before Ndigbo aligned with the North to form the first government.

Second, anyone who calls the USSR an ally of Britain during the height of the cold war,clearly hasn't done much reading.

Third, Are Yoruba folks joined at the waste with Ndigbo? Why must Yoruba folks fight secession just because thats what Ndigbo wanted? Did Ojukwu not applaud and embrace the unitarism implemented by Ironsi, only to declare a return to confederationism after Igbos lost out in the power game?

The problem with some of you is that you think you are smarter than others when in fact you are no smarter than a 9 year old.

I guess Cheetah can not hide its spots. You were one of those ill-informed Yoruba chaps who frowned at Zik’s choice of words and phrases in praising CKC, Onicha after trouncing St Gregory, Lagos during 1944 win the war soccer match played in Lagos.

I reminded you that Zik wrote in the context of protectorate because Nigeria was not a sovereign nation or independent country. It is laughable you suddenly realized Awo’s comment in 1947 was in a context when acreage known as Nigeria was not yet an independent country.

Brilliant! The article I must say is very objective, balanced and well written. Three people can experience or see the same thing but have different interpretations or perceptions. Telling Achebe not to write something the way he perceives/sees it is like muffling his voice. Anyone that disagrees with her view or Achebe's story should go and write their own. It will be interesting to read other's stories too. In fact, we all need to write our stories. Maybe when everyone starts airing their views by telling their stories instead of internalizing the pain, a form of healing can then begin.

RESPECT!!!

The funny thing is that after the igbos surrendered, Nigeria integrated the east seamlessly and peacefully.
we forgave the biafrans and were happy to have them back in Nigeria!! Most other countries would have executed the leaders for treason.we didn't. Heck, we recently threw a party for Ojukwu on his burial

Can these neurotic Igbos explain to me why this is? It does not resemble genocide by any stretch of the imagination.
and I bet most of them are typing from their bedroom in Lagos too. Even the igbos who recently fled from Kano are returning back to the north. Clearly anyplace is safer than SE. so why all the complaints?

c.fours:
The funny thing is that after the igbos surrendered, Nigeria integrated the east seamlessly and peacefully.
we forgave the biafrans and were happy to have them back in Nigeria!! Most other countries would have executed the leaders for treason.we didn't. Heck, we recently threw a party for Ojukwu on his burial

That's one of the reasons why GEJ is a clueless president. Ojukwu deserved nothing but condemnation for precipitating an avoidable fratricidal war that essentially derailed the developmental strides of Nigeria. No serious country or nation would have contemplated sparing such a fellow not to talk of paying him pensions. So many stuffs are wrong with Nigeria, mediocrity is everywhere. Can you imagine Nigeria offering Achebe-a master propagandist, an architect of Okoro must fight till death- an award? Achebe should have been tried in absentia and sentenced to like 80 years imprisonment. That's what is done to war criminals the world over.

In massing their own egos, they sacrificed Igbo masses. They preserved their own families but wasted that of others. Achebe was riding an official car during war when the likes of Christopher Okigbo fought vigorously at the war front. A roving ambassador junketing the world over preaching the best of army South of Sahara nonsense. They fed fat but denied their people the very basic necessity of life. The same folks are now blaming the victors who landed a severe blow on their moronic faces. I don't blame Achebe, I blame Awolowo and Gowon for being magnanimous in victory, for showing excessive mercy when logic demanded a trial for treason, for not enacting a law excluding the east from being part of Nigerian army for 30years, for not imposing a war tax on the East. Awo and Gowon were too compassionate leaders for choosing to reward each of the spoils of war with 20pounds policy not minding the fact that Nigerian expended a lot of fortune prosecuting the war and Biafra looted millions of pounds from Central Bank in Enugu, PH and Benin city. They even started 3Rs of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction and freely dashed the region an unmerited accruals saved for the rebelling region. So much for ungrateful spoils of war.

pazienza:

Are yorubas ahead of igbos in education today? There is a thread on 'nigeria's academia in diaspora' look for it,and see who is leading in that aspect of human endevour,and we have jamb enrolement statistics to support our claim of dominance on that sector. Yorubas are not ahead of ndiigbo in education today. Awo's free education failed.

Oga, I'll take you up based on facts and not mere conjectures.
1. Name one Western state and the total number of Eastern states in the Educationally Less Developed States list of JAMB?
2. What is the total number of Universities in the east and what is the total number in the west?
2. State just one achievement each of Zik and Ojukwu which was able to benefit the next generation.
I'm listening, over to you...

Warri _Pikin: I had always wanted to avoid this civil war debate largely going on between Igbos and Yoruba.
But Chimamanda mentioned something i had always had in my mind.Which is that Nigeria always knew it would defeat Biafra because it had more weapons,soldiers and the entire international community, so why then do you need to starve Igbos on top of it? I don't know who advised that policy,but it was a wicked over kill.
It is even more painful that in the end, Biafrans were defeated purely by military capture of all their towns and their airports. So why were those children starved to death?

Exacta mundo. I've always wonder. Another question that I've always wondered, if you Nigeria has more weapon that the Biafran soldiers, you know automatically you have the advantage. Why go after the civilians and shoot at the civilians as oppose to the military in an effort to subdue the military. You already had more power over them so why try to reduce their power by taking a stupid, unnecessary, evil, route? There is a difference between a war and being flat out evil.

Anyway I enjoyed this piece. What a neutral, nice piece. Adichie is a brilliant writer, one of the brilliant mind ever to come out of Africa. I pray more like her in the near future.

kingoflag: They quote the British that regret falling for Ojukwu's propaganda, you call them liars. They quote Australians that witnessed Ojukwu's plane flying off with a Mercedes-Benz (while crushing two innocent girls to death on the runway) on his way to Abidjan, you say we shouldn't trust them. They quote the Washington Post that calls the declaration of war by Ojukwu "an avoidable mistake", you say Americans can't be trusted. You've even been shown videos of Jim Nwobodo calling Ojukwu "a coward" and " fugitive #1"..... None of this is ok for you to say to yourself "Hmmmn, maybe we Igbos aren't as innocent in the course of these whole events as our parents keep telling us", yet you want us to believe the man in charge of Biafran propaganda?

I know you're not that st.upid....

Even you cannot understand the reason why he asked if the guy was slow. It is common sense. During Biafra, the British, Americans, Australians, Egyptians, etc were accused by their indigenous of supporting a war that killed millions of African children (i.e: The Biafrans). Also this same set were supporter of Nigerian, providing them arms during the war. The freaking statement was even made in the Youtube video you all have been posting on NL. The Igbos residing in the mentioned nations protested on daily basis against the government. Of course, if you accused of genocide by your own people as well as those accusing you of genocide, you'll deny the genocide especially if it was during election year, which yet again was mentioned in the youtube video you all post on NL. The same thing is happening right now as we speak in Iraq and Afghanistan war. The Indigenous of USA, etc are accusing the USA government of war crimes against the people of Iraq, Afghan, etc and on daily basis, the US government have denied ever committing war crimes. We all know they are committing war crimes in middle east during this war. Some soldiers were arrested for war crimes.