Col. J.O.G. Achuzia (rtd) is a for­mer officer of the Biafran Army. Now an elder statesman, he told PAUL OSUYI, in this interview in Asaba that it is time the Federal Gov­ernment recognised that there was once a nation called Biafra.

Excerpts:
Looking back, what do you think has changed between the time you along with others fought the civil war and now?

I am formerly of the Biafran Army and like all those that participated in the struggle, af­ter the pogrom that took place in Nigeria in the late sixties, we thank God that that gru­eling war was over, and today we are trying to fashion a new Nigeria which unfortunately does not seem to click. And I believe that the problem is not a problem of knowledge of how to package the country but greed which is the common human disease that has infest­ed the totality of Nigerian government, that is the problem we are facing at the moment.

You were on the side of Biafra during the civil war, what was the agitation like at the time?
In my days, there were no agitations, events were just happening. First, the issue was not that of the civilian public, it was merely a military problem. The politicians were busy politicking, out of the civilian politicking, the problem of the Western House started which led to a lot of blood letting by civilians in the West, that was around 1963/64. We consid­ered the matter a Western regional political issue as at then. Before that could end, the military who had been to abroad for opera­tion in the Congo came back and before you could say Jack Robinson, a coup took place. The mis-interpretation of the coup because of the Nigerian attitude which continues to persist till today, that Nigerian attitude is eth­nicity. It is because of the ethnicity that has always been at the background that made our Northern brothers to ascribe the coup as an Igbo coup. Mis-management on the part of the military because of inexperience led to another counter-coup that cost the life of the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces who in his zeal brought about the end of the coup, and those young officers that carried out the coup were quickly gathered up and incarcerated. All these were the background of events in my days when I was just in my early thirties, in fact, I was just stepping into my thirties.

Can you compare what is hap­pening today, with respect to the agitation, to what happened in your days?

I will say there is a vast difference. Take for instance what happened a few days ago throughout the whole of the South-Eastern region. When I say South-Eastern region, it affected all the states in the South-East, all the states in the South-South. So, it is not a question of Biafra being a South-East problem or a South-South problem. It is the South-Eastern region of Nigeria because Ni­geria was originally on a tripod of South-East region, South-West region and the Northern region. So, you can see that what took place, took us back to what Nigeria was during the first republic. It also has a different col­oration because in the lower part of Benue and Adamawa, the areas in the north bor­dering the South participated, but this has a different coloration. Why I say that it has different coloration is that those who carried out the demonstration which was of course their right because the Constitution says so that every Nigerian has the right to freedom, of association and freedom to demonstrate so long as the demonstration is orderly are Nigerians. The people who demonstrated were from the ages of 40 downwards. The war ended over 40 years ago, that gives you, without much thinking the type of people we are talking about. These were children, half of them were born in Biafra at the time, and their birth certificates say they were Biafran citizens. When the war ended, Nigeria did not address this issue, reasons being that our counterparts who took it upon themselves to manage the affairs of reconstruction, reha­bilitation and so on, made a terrible mistake.

That mistake was that they did not look into the situation that existed because most of those born during the three and half years the war was going on were babies with Biafran birth certificates and exited the country as Bi­afrans. Now they are adults, and as far as they are concerned, where is Biafra?

The Eastern region of the territory called Nigeria. They visited, saw the hostility and things not going right. Based on their perceived knowledge and intelligence, they felt the best thing is to reclaim our territory, maybe we will make it a model for the rest of Nigeria to follow, hence the agitation.


From your analysis, is the agita­tion or protest justified?

The justification of a situation depends on perception, one’s perception. Why I say
Continue reading>>>>>>>>>>>>
http://www./2015/11/why-igbo-elite-are-scared-to-back.html?m=1

See him face like Biafra

sameer1212:
See him face like Biafra

That is the face of a brave man,you can confirm from buhari

Lemme reason from this perspective and reality.

They know its Implications and disadvantages.
Reasonable ones i think........

sameer1212:
See him face like Biafra

As you have no respect for the Old, May you never grow old.

This whole Biafran debate: just look at the proponents: an internet Yahoo guy, who opened a website and opened some free cloud account to run a radio station where he spewed trash for some dead brain folks, and frustrated gala and pure water sellers. Maybe Uwanzurike the leader of MASSOB, the same PDP tout who collected millions from GEJ, and campaigned for him might be funding all these rubbish....Not even one enlightened soul is behind this madness. SMH: the entire rubbish is dead on arrival.

Biafrans locked it down with Yorubas in the politial section of nairaland where yoruba 'propagandists' and other biafra head hunters prepare and dish out all manner of lies and falsehood against the biafra struggle and emancipation. That is why nairalanders no longer see the e-war of calumny against biafra on front page of nairaland.

'Lies and falsehood may have travelled thousands of miles but it takes one giant leap of truth to out run it' ...lordofjustice 2015


Viva Biafra

Note: NL mods are bigots

Brave man

I like your thinking


It's very true

lionness:
This whole Biafran debate: just look at the proponents: an internet Yahoo guy, who opened a website and opened some free cloud account to run a radio station where he spewed trash for some dead brain folks, and frustrated gala and pure water sellers. Maybe Uwanzurike the leader of MASSOB, the same PDP tout who collected millions from GEJ, and campaigned for him might be funding all these rubbish....Not even one enlightened soul is behind this madness. SMH: the entire rubbish is dead on arrival.

The hannibal of biafra!

Wetin this man do murtala mohammed in Abagana and Adekunle in owerri, they will never forget it even in their graves.

brave colonel

brave soldier

Bobbystanley:


As you have no respect for the Old, May you never grow old.

This is too deep. I apologies on behalf of the ill informed man but no one has rights to lay curses on any one for whatever reason. Familiar spirits are everywhere; keying into our utterances to devour.

I apologies on his behalf.

Air raid Achuzia!! The man disgraced murtala mohammed at Abagana to secure Biafra's biggest win during the civil war

Post the whole thing Jo. Let's read whether he thinks it is justified

Strong man

Great man! Children of Biafra will forever read of your bravery & exploits during the civil war. You single handedly led the biggest & most catastrophic ambush at Abagana sector that wiped out a whole battalion of better equipped soldiers!!! You made people like murtala mohammed & Obasanjo look like boys scouts when compared to your discipline, dexterity, exploits & suicidal instincts in the face of overwhelming & disproportionate attacks!! We love you sir.

my uncles besty...they were both in the biafra AIRFORCE then....think they call him "air raid" or somtin.....strong men,.still have their pix together...rugged pilots..

one day i will design a game line "COD" including these men and their bravery with the scene......it will be mad!

Kestolovee95:
Wetin this man do murtala mohammed in Abagana and Adekunle in owerri, they will never forget it even in their graves.

Twisting of facts is all you people know how to do best! Why is it that you people keep saying funny things about Adekunle even after his death if your so called hero have been able to match him on the battle field?

If I may ask, why is it that his so called war exploits weren't published when Murtala and Adekunle the black scorpion who even fought in several civil wars outside Nigeria were alive?

One thing comes to mind; A wannabe! I believe Murtala & Adekunle will be turning in their graves saying, O boy hear lies! Their ain't no fact that these people woni twist just to console themselves.

Kestolovee95:
Wetin this man do murtala mohammed in Abagana and Adekunle in owerri, they will never forget it even in their graves.

Twisting of facts is all you people know how to do best! Why is it that you people keep saying funny things about Adekunle even after his death if your so called hero have been able to match him on the battle field?

If I may ask, why is it that his so called war exploits weren't published when Murtala and Adekunle the black scorpion who even fought in several civil wars outside Nigeria were alive?

One thing comes to mind; A wannabe! I believe Murtala & Adekunle will be turning in their graves saying, O boy hear lies! Their ain't no fact that these people wont twist just to console themselves.

sameer1212:
See him face like Biafra

post the pictures of your useless father let's compare

sameer1212:
See him face like Biafra

Say what u wanna say.. I've heard of this man.. He's one of the bravest biafran soldiers then.. I watched old civil war film reels.. He was so prominent in the fight against the Nigerian forces... A brave man..

Sir, I wish you long life.

May you witness the day, the green white green shall be lowered in Biafra, to rise no more.

Gen. Achuzia, the hannibal of Biafra. He dealt with Nigerian troops; that when they hear of Gen. Achuzia troops...they leave their gun and run into the hands of the enemy. What he did to Muritala Mohammed and his troops...Hahaha. I hail you...General Achuzia; the hannibal of Biafra!

This is the kind of leader that IPOB listens to and are strongly behind this struggle evident to the large IPOB growth in Asaba.

Bobbystanley:


As you have no respect for the Old, May you never grow old.

haba oga....thats way too much... scolding him another way would have made lot of scense. U neva know if his growing old or not has a connection with ur own destiny or generation. Lets be mindful of our spontaneous reactions and wat we say.

Bobbystanley:


As you have no respect for the Old, May you never grow old.

My brother, please this curse is very deep. Could you please take your words back. I'm pleding on his behalf.

Bobbystanley:


As you have no respect for the Old, May you never grow old.

You are an Id*iot Your stu*pid prayer means nothing

kingofdemons:


post the pictures of your useless father let's compare

Who is this bastard Son of flat-head drunkard Nonsense!