ARBITRATORS who negotiate Peace and Conflict Issues were often apt to adopt a global parlance which claims that: “WITHOUT WAR, THERE COULD BE NO
PEACE”, as part of their Rules of Engagement, when pacifying gladiators to embrace that well-rehearsed traditional belief and world-view!
*Who would originate that kind of fallacy which is the complete opposite of the divine message:
“For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher
than your ways, and my thoughts higher than your thoughts. For ye shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace; the mountains and the hills shall break
forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands.” [Isaiah. 55:7,8,12].
*Men who are led by the Spirit of God will recall that the events of CREATION in Genesis, Chapters One and Two, were carried out under peaceful, tranquil and
serene atmosphere which the LORD pronounced as, VERY GOOD!
*God did not create the wars and conflicts of the human race and that is why the only logical conclusion of ending all wars and conflicts would always be at
ROUND-TABLE CONFERENCES OR PEACE DIALOGUES!
*Beginning from World War I, 1914-1918 and to date, peace was never achieved at the war fronts or the trenches! The United Nations (UN) and North Atlantic
Treaty Organisation (NATO) are products of Peace Initiatives!
*FORTY-FIVE years ago in Addis Ababa, the Horn of Africa’s capital city of Ethiopia, a peace initiative was brokered by the Organisation of Africa Unity (OAU),
now African Union (AU), to end the 30-month-long Biafran war of secession against Nigeria and presently in 2014, in Saudi Arabia, negotiations are on-going to
end a-five-year-old insurgency spearheaded by Boko Haram, the Muslim terrorist group, against the corporate State of Nigeria!
*The “still born” nation of Biafra was located in the South Eastern Region of Nigeria occupied by the Igbo Tribe from independence in 1960; while the
insurgents had brazenly occupied a portion of the North Eastern State of Bornu consisting of three local governments which they christened, an “Islamic
Caliphate!”
*We thank God that both claims are now “dead and buried” as Nigeria remains one united and indivisible great nation under the watchful supervision of the
SOVEREIGN GOD HIMSELF!
*The 30-month-old Biafran or Nigerian Civil War, began on 6th July 1967 and ended on 15th January, 1970, under the Commands of General Yakubu Gowon,
(who turned 80 years on 19th October, 2014) and late Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu, with the unifying declaration of “NO VICTOR NO VANQUISHED”, by General
Gowon. (Retired).
*The immediate and remote causes of the Civil War included Ethnic, Economic, Cultural, Religious, Political bias, Attempted Secession and most importantly,
the mass killings of Nigerian citizens of Eastern extraction during the period between the Second ‘coup de tat’ of July 29, 1966(master-minded by Northern
soldiers in retaliation to the first, carried out by Igbo soldiers of the South East, on January 15, 1966 and the start of the secession war in July 1967!
*At the end of the war, “BIAFRA”, was re-united and re-absorbed into Nigeria, following series of both local and international arbitration in Africa, Europe and
the United States but not before about 1.5million lives (military and civilians), have perished in an AVOIDABLE WAR!
*Both the Biafran and Boko Haram Wars have one thing in common and that is, the OPTION FOR DIALOGUE; but outside of this premise, there are a lot of
dissimilarities, which MUST be pragmatically approached to bring the very unstable CEASE-FIRE agreement with the insurgents to permanent PEACE and an end
to the prolonged conflict!
*The Biafran War, was conventional because both sides recognised their enemies or adversaries while battle lines and war fronts could be identified.
*Caution was exhibited on the part of the Federal Government which was very reluctant to wage war against its citizens but as it became inevitable: time,
space, opportunities, human and material resources, were devoted to several peace accords, before, during and even up to the end of the war!
*TWO very prominent Peace Accords include those of ABURI in Ghana and Addis Ababa in Ethiopia. At the Aburi peace negotiations, Ojukwu was reported to
have insisted on settling for a CONFEDERATION instead of an outright SECESSION, which was initially contemplated; while at Addis Ababa, the Federal
Government implored Ojukwu to surrender to save the Igbos from the continuous pains and agonies of war by opting for a UNITED NIGERIA!
*GENERAL YAKUBU GOWON (RTD), was divinely appointed as the Head of State saddled with the task to convince Ojukwu that Confederation was synonymous to
Secession and that a united Nigeria was the preferable solution!
*We of this Editorial Board doff our hats to this Octogenarian, who is still alive to Go On With One Nigeria and is still able to bend his knees to God in
consistent supplications and prayers, to keep this nation united especially when our detractors have negative intentions!
*The Editor of this article was privileged to be part of General Gowon’s entourage which travelled to participate in the OAU’s Peace Initiatives of
September 7th-9th, 1969, and as Head of the Nigerian Delegation to this last effort which brought the war to a happy ending on 15th January, 1970, the General
delivered a very powerful and soul-searching treatise which captivated the hearts of all parties involved to the extent that on the eve of the last day of the
conference, some DELIGHTED BIAFRAN DELEGATES DANCED TO SOUL MUSIC AT A NIGHT CLUB IN ADDIS ABABA IN CELEBRATION! To God, be the glory. Amen
*Our delegation also met, the late Emperor Haille Selassie of Ethiopia, Presidents Milton Obote of Uganda and late Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya, separately, in the
course of the peace conference, in Addis Ababa.
*On our return journey to Nigeria, our entourage made stopovers at ENTTEBE AND KAMPALA IN UGANDA; AND NAIROBI IN KENYA; all in East Africa for General
Gowon to show gratitude and cement the good relationship and support of the Presidents of those countries during all peace initiatives!
*The 1970 PEACE that was won through blood and sweat has been on trial in the past Five Years because of the Boko Haram terrorism, which is a complete
departure from the Civil War, both in scope and dimension!
*The insurgency is a war of attrition laced with guerrilla warfare tactics in which terrorists attack government infrastructures, power and police stations,
Christian targets – bombing church gatherings at Christmas, New Year, on Sundays and motor parks, bus stations, food stuff markets and killing at random
Muslim Clerics opposed to their extremist ideologies and disappearing among their communities whom they deployed as human shields!
*Whereas the Igbos neither attacked fellow Igbos nor invaded other regions to vent their anger on innocent citizens, the Boko Haram have consistently gunned
down, slaughtered, killed, maimed, used Improvised Explosive Devices(IED’s) and have destroyed their kith and kin in all Northern States and the Federal
Capital Territory (FCT); also other tribes without discrimination to tribe, tongue, religion caste or colour!
*And whereas the Biafran secession lasted for 2years, 6 months, one week and two days, Boko Haram terrorism which began in 2009 is still ongoing; 5 years in
spite of CEASEFIRE AGREEMENT!
*Whereas Biafran Leaders responded to all peace initiatives, the terrorists initially refused to all entreaties for peace for the following reasons:
(1) Government did not allow them freedom to practice their own kind of Islamic faith of extremism and fundamentalism, but hounded and intimidated them
with security agents since 2001.
(2) Were prevented from establishing a “pure” Islamic State ruled by Sharia Law in order to put a stop to what it deemed “Westernization”. [Boko Haram means
Western education is harmful!].
(3) The extra-judicial killing of their founding leader, Mohammed Yussuf, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Mobile Force in 2009, without any form of redress
to the group!
*Now that they have at last agreed to dialogue, whichever of their THREE CELLS is being engaged in the Saudi Arabia Peace Initiative, should be encouraged to
persuade the others to cooperate and bring this brutality to a speedy end!
*The terrorists promise to release the CHIBOK GIRLS in batches should also be facilitated according to the terms of agreement which has been a behind-the –
scene global norm of HOSTAGE EXCHANGE, even among the SUPER POWERS!
*Up to a million innocent Nigerians have been murdered in cold blood while an equal number are displaced and have become REFUGEES in their own country
since this senseless war began in 2009! ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!
*2015 General Elections is at the DOOR! This is the most appropriate time to fish out the righteous men and women from among us and vote them to lead us
into a new era of peace and tranquillity, according to the Word of God:
“And the work of righteousness shall be peace; and the effect of righteousness quietness and assurance forever and ever.
“And my people shall dwell in a peaceable habitation, and in sure dwellings and in quiet resting places.”[Isaiah.32:17-18].
And the Lord Jesus Christ has equally assured peace to all Nigerians; saying: “Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you, not as the world giveth, give I
unto you. Let not your be troubled, neither let it be afraid![John. 14:27]. Amen. I am, Yours sincerely,Dr. David B.A. Olufon. Editor.08130669886, 08098194390.g-mail- dvdolufon@gmail. com)

ok i hear