Afam:

I will assume correctly that you don't know anything about the military going by your comments.

Orders must not be taken, you can refuse an order.

Coup planning is a dangerous thing. You get informed and the options are clear - join or die.

Only intelligent people would understand this so don't worry if you still don't get it, it is not a must you do.

You have as usual dismissed the fact that the coup was foiled by Igbo soldiers and one had to die in the process. Of course, such facts make nonsense of your conspiracy theories so they will never be respected.

Yes, you can refuse orders. Lt. Col Ayo Ariyo resigned his post under Adekunle rather than fight Biafra. Banjo fought for Biafra and was executed by Ojukwu. Soyinka spent 26 months in prison for Biafra. There were Igbo sons who fought against Biafra; should it be a big deal if Adekunle fought against Biafra?

This is the part I don't get about certain people. Dede1 who made the initial comment is aware of all these, yet he made an unnecessary comment about a Yoruba son fighting against Biafra ignoring the actions of other Yoruba sons as well as the actions of Igbo sons and other Easterners who fought against Biafra. We should always give a balanced argument when debating. Hightlighting one part of history so as to strenghten one's argument while ignoring other relevant parts of history is not a fair way to have a debate.

Katsumoto:

Yes, you can refuse orders. Lt. Col Ayo Ariyo resigned his post under Adekunle rather than fight Biafra. Banjo fought for Biafra and was executed by Ojukwu. Soyinka spent 26 months in prison for Biafra. There were Igbo sons who fought against Biafra; should it be a big deal if Adekunle fought against Biafra?

This is the part I don't get about certain people. Dede1 who made the initial comment is aware of all these, yet he made an unnecessary comment about a Yoruba son fighting against Biafra ignoring the actions of other Yoruba sons as well as the actions of Igbo sons and other Easterners who fought against Biafra. We should always give a balanced argument when debating. Hightlighting one part of history so as to strenghten one's argument while ignoring other relevant parts of history is not a fair way to have a debate.

Seems you just ate one sweet humble pie.

I have never insulted any tribe here neither do I believe in blaming a tribe or ethnic group based on the actions of a few.

I had pointed out severally that some Yorubas fought for Biafra while some others even sacrificed their careers for the same reason hence my position that it it very wrong to blame a people for the actions of a few.

However, for people like you it becomes pure hypocrisy when you constantly allude that the Igbos planned the coup even when the make up was not purely Igbo but whenever a Yoruba soldier's name is mentioned you are quick to talk about Nigerian soldier not Yoruba soldier.

Do you now see the hypocrisy and double standards in your posts? That is why I insist that you are insincere in your discussions and whether you admit it or not you see things through a tribal prism.

Afam:

Seems you just ate one sweet humble pie.

I have never insulted any tribe here neither do I believe in blaming a tribe or ethnic group based on the actions of a few.

I had pointed out severally that some Yorubas fought for Biafra while some others even sacrificed their careers for the same reason hence my position that it it very wrong to blame a people for the actions of a few.

However, for people like you it becomes pure hypocrisy when you constantly allude that the Igbos planned the coup even when the make up was not purely Igbo but whenever a Yoruba soldier's name is mentioned you are quick to talk about Nigerian soldier not Yoruba soldier.

Do you now see the hypocrisy and double standards in your posts? That is why I insist that you are insincere in your discussions and whether you admit it or not you see things through a tribal prism.

What planet are you from? Where is the humble pie? Stop this petty talk. No one is aware of what goes on, on each thread; why not stick to the discussions on this thread? Your unnecessary name-calling and attempts at discrediting me are pathetic. You don't see me insulting you; why not just stick to the point we are addressing. There is no prize for any winner here.

Katsumoto:

What planet are you from? Where is the humble pie? Stop this petty talk. No one is aware of what goes on, on each thread; why not stick to the discussions on this thread? Your unnecessary name-calling and attempts at discrediting me are pathetic. You don't see me insulting you; why not just stick to the point we are addressing. There is no prize for any winner here.

Who is avoiding the issues here?

I have pointed out the hypocrisy in you when it comes to tribes of soldiers with real comments by you and all you do is beat around the bush and reduce the thread into - Afam is attacking you. Why would I attack you when I have enough information to prove your hypocrisy and double standards?

Someone that talks about Igbo soldiers planning a coup has no moral right to complain about a Yoruba soldier doing anything unless the person is an unrepentant hypocrite.

This is the crux of my comment, deal with is and stop chasing shadows.

Katsumoto:

Yes, you can refuse orders. Lt. Col Ayo Ariyo resigned his post under Adekunle rather than fight Biafra. Banjo fought for Biafra and was executed by Ojukwu. Soyinka spent 26 months in prison for Biafra. There were Igbo sons who fought against Biafra; should it be a big deal if Adekunle fought against Biafra?

This is the part I don't get about certain people. Dede1 who made the initial comment is aware of all these, yet he made an unnecessary comment about a Yoruba son fighting against Biafra ignoring the actions of other Yoruba sons as well as the actions of Igbo sons and other Easterners who fought against Biafra. We should always give a balanced argument when debating. Hightlighting one part of history so as to strenghten one's argument while ignoring other relevant parts of history is not a fair way to have a debate.

I raised the issue of the Yoruba son because you have argued that invasion of Yoruba land by Biafran Expeditionary Force was a blunder based on the fact that Yoruba was neutral to the saga. By the way, Lagos Garrison Organization had 90 percent of Yoruba in the rank and file when it was moved to Escravos, Mid-western region. The Adekunle’s issue became a big deal because you made it so by positing that western region of Nigeria was a novice bystander to the saga of Nigeria-Biafra war.

Granted that well-meaning and articulate sons of Yoruba saw the dangerous implication of joining force with feudalistic northern region of Nigeria to precipitate war on Biafra should not bestow the element of neutrality to the region.

Dede1:


I raised the issue of the Yoruba son because you have argued that invasion of Yoruba land by Biafran Expeditionary Force was a blunder based on the fact that Yoruba was neutral to the saga. By the way, Lagos Garrison Organization had 90 percent of Yoruba in the rank and file when it was moved to Escravos, Mid-western region. The Adekunle’s issue became a big deal because you made it so by positing that western region of Nigeria was a novice bystander to the saga of Nigeria-Biafra war.

Granted that well-meaning and articulate sons of Yoruba saw the dangerous implication of joining force with feudalistic northern region of Nigeria to precipitate war on Biafra should not bestow the element of neutrality to the region.

That could not have been true when even Ojukwu demanded the removal of Northern troops from Lagos. I don't think Ojukwu would have been concerned if 90% of the forces in the Lagos Garrison Organisation were of Yoruba origin. See below

Nonetheless on May 4th the National reconciliation committee sent a delegation led by Chief Awolowo to Enugu to find ways to defuse the situation. Among terms given to the committee (by Ojukwu) for the participation of the East in peace talks were that there should be 'an agreed agenda', 'an acceptable venue', a defined 'time limit', as well as the termination of economic sanctions against the east and withdrawal of northern troops from Lagos. When Chief Awolowo asked Ojukwu about the attitude of Eastern Leaders to the North and the question of secession, Ojukwu's response was "on the specific question of whether there is a possibility of contact with the North, the answer is at the battlefield."

http://www.kwenu.com/biafra/nowa_may30.htm

Afam:

Who is avoiding the issues here?

I have pointed out the hypocrisy in you when it comes to tribes of soldiers with real comments by you and all you do is beat around the bush and reduce the thread into - Afam is attacking you. Why would I attack you when I have enough information to prove your hypocrisy and double standards?

Someone that talks about Igbo soldiers planning a coup has no moral right to complain about a Yoruba soldier doing anything unless the person is an unrepentant hypocrite.

This is the crux of my comment, deal with is and stop chasing shadows.

LOL, you don't know that guy.
I've come to the same conclusion about him loooooooooong time ago when he wouldn't even condemn inflammatory statements from his tribesmen here.

He says his people are not cowards, and I believe him. I always condemn a fellow Igbo guy here who is way out of line. Why won't he? There is what is called "courage of convictions". If you are convinced of something, you are willing to take the risk of defending it. If you can't take that risk, you may appear weak, or worse -duplicitous.

Onlytruth:

LOL, you don't know that guy.
I've come to the same conclusion about him loooooooooong time ago when he wouldn't even condemn inflammatory statements from his tribesmen here.

He says his people are not cowards, and I believe him. I always condemn a fellow Igbo guy here who is way out of line. Why won't he? There is what is called "courage of convictions". If you are convinced of something, you are willing to take the risk of defending it. If you can't take that risk, you may appear weak, or worse -duplicitous.

sharaaap, if you have nothing to say. Ogbanje, onye ocha, olodo.

Onlytruth:

LOL, you don't know that guy.
I've come to the same conclusion about him loooooooooong time ago when he wouldn't even condemn inflammatory statements from his tribesmen here.

He says his people are not cowards, and I believe him. I always condemn a fellow Igbo guy here who is way out of line. Why won't he? There is what is called "courage of convictions". If you are convinced of something, you are willing to take the risk of defending it. If you can't take that risk, you may appear weak, or worse -duplicitous.

Everyone here is an individual and has the right to speak for themselves. I have in the past asked people to tone down incendiary comments; you will deny it only if you want to be disingenuous. I am not here to please you or make friends neither am I here to convince anyone. I state my arguments and let everyone reach there own conclusions.

Why can't you just let the quality of your arguments speak for itself? Why is it that certain individuals keep trying to attack others just because they have a contrary opinion? People who have weak arguments resort to insults, innuendos, and pathetic characterisation of other tribes based on the opinion of one person.

@Maxsiollum. What is the point of posting a hotly debated topic and yet you will not contribute a word?.
Max, come out of your dungeon and provide some clarity to this thread of yours here.

Andre Uweh:

@Maxsiollum. What is the point of posting a hotly debated topic and yet you will not contribute a word?.
Max, come out of your dungeon and provide some clarity to this thread of yours here.

I agree with this.

ndu_chucks:

sharaaap, if you have nothing to say. Ogbanje, onye ocha, olodo.

LOL! ndu_chucks reacts more katsumoto. 

Wonder what he's up to now 

Bros Andre, Max doesn't need to say anything. He provides information and leaves the scene, that's his style. I don't think his aim is to debate issues.

Some one on the previous page wanted to know why the saying "No Victor No Vanguished".

Would the poster of the above joke prefer it if Gowon had said:
"Chei we whooped Igbo azz"?

You guys make me laugh.

OK, Igbo won the war and has not been marginalised since the defeat
(sorry, since Igbo won).

Tippy Top:

Some one on the previous page wanted to know why the saying "No Victor No Vanguished".

Would the poster of the above joke prefer it if Gowon had said:
"Chei we whooped Igbo azz"?

You guys make me laugh.

OK, Igbo won the war and has not been marginalised since the defeat
(sorry, since Igbo won).

I'm advising all my Igbo brothers (especially Ezeuche) to ignore this m0r0n. He will go away if ignored for a f00l he is.
He is desperately trying to defeat popular agitation by Nigerians for disintegration. This is what he said in the poll thread:

Talk is cheap, I mean talk is very cheap.

Opinions are like arseholes, everyone has an arsehole and every one has an opinion.
How come those who talk "war war" are niggaz living abroad?
If you want war come home and fight, this mess existed before you cued at the embassy begging for visa, guess what the mess is likely to remain.

Talk is cheap, I mean talk is very cheap.

As if everyone is an arsehole like him.

Onlytruth:


He is desperately trying to defeat popular agitation by Nigerians for disintegration.

Disintegration is all well and proper if you live overseas, why didn't you help this disintegration when you were in Nigeria? Talk is cheap.

As if everyone is an arsehole like him.

I bet your azz hasn't got a hole in it hence the shiit from your other orifice.
What a tard, my friend address the issue I raised.

Majority of those agitating for a violent separation of Nigeria, are Nigerians living abroad.
Most Nigerians don't have the stomach for another war, period.

PEACE OUT!!!

hmm Interesting revelation

Now the slogan "no victor-no vanquished" is starting to make sense to me. They say the truth is like a pregnancy that can never be concealed

I've alays wondered why the "rebellious" biafrans stopped fighting? In most african wars, most "rebels" never stop fighting without extracting some kind of concession from the enemy,,,,for if they can't even win, they always resort to the more deadly gorilla warfare, where all is fair and anything goes.

I think the nigerian-biafran war is one in which the so called "rebels" never extracted something tangible from the enemy before laying down their arms. Now, looking back 2020 hindsight, I'd have love my valiant brothers and leaders to had resorted to gorilla warfare. This would have brought the war closer to all territories in the dungeon called nigeria. I have made it a point of duty to never stop searching for the truth, so as to safely navigate my way in the nigerian dungeon.

After analyzing and dissecting through this great revelation by the great one himself,,,the biafran "hannibal" Joe Achuzia, I can now see why he was kept in the 'cooler' for that long, because he knew just too much.

Finally, I salute my brothers, leaders and biafran soldiers. May all your effort(s) to realise a nation where your children and grand children will prosper and live in pecae never be in vain. We shall never forget. I can feel the sun starting to rise again in thet land of the east . From visionary leaders like Ojukwu, Effiong, Kurubo, Sir Louis Mbanefo, Achuzia, Madiebo, Okonkon Edem et.al, I salute your courage against all odds, I am forever greatful and proud to be an easterner of Igbo extraction

Many clowns have always made fun of Ndigbo not having an empire,,,not having a king,,,,not conquering territories , but you my leaders have proven that having an empire is meaningless if it can't be defended. While all these so called "village empires" capitulated at the mere sight of "dane-gun-wielding" white men, Ndigbo remained the only group in the nigerian dungeon to have saw and fought in a 20th century warfare in which modern military wares like rockets, machine and sub-machine guns, tanks, military aircrafts, war/naval ship, et.al were deployed

A BIG THANK YOU TO THE "HANNIBAL" HIMSELF, COL. JOE ACHUZIA FOR THIS GREAT REVELATION

Onlytruth

I have also come to understand why Achuzia was kept in detention for 7 years after the war. He knew too much about what
happened!

@Onlytruth

Now you understand my conversation with you longtime ago about the War on 'Applause' etc where I reminded you that he was the last man to be released from detention and also I made No Comment.
Now you realise that I know a thing or two that's not in the public domain .
History for National cohesion is not what the ruling elite are about. Deliberate ignorance and chaos is profitable. Pls remember the huge sum of money Danjuma made out of oil blocks in the Niger Delta that he shamelessly declared that he does not know how or what to do with it . Have you ever wondered why the former retired head of NNPC was given a Rolls Royce as a gift by so called anonymous friends? Don't forget that NNPC is a government department/ civil service technically yet the conspicuous consumption of some  the hierarchy will shock you ,  The battle for Nigeria is beyond simple "democracy" slogans etc.

Portrait painting of Nigerian President Goodluck Jonathan by Ayeola Ayodeji.



Other Artworks by Ayeola Ayodeji.

maxsiollun:
  Danjuma instigated the killing of Ironsi, Fajuyi –Joe Achuzia
Sunday, 07 March 2010 00:00 Nigerian Compass
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Beyond being one of the major actors in the Nigerian Civil War, Colonel Joe Achuzia (rtd.) is a very popular figure. In this revealing interview with EMMANUEL AGOZINO, Achuzia, popularly known as the Biafran Hannibal, talks about some of the other actors in the Civil War, including Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu; former President Nnamdi Azikiwe; former military Head of State, General Aguiyi Ironsi; and former Minister of Defence, General Theophilus Danjuma. Excerpts:


You were said to be a man that fought the civil war without rules. While some see that as barbaric others take to you be a hero. Who is Colonel Joe Achuzia?
Well, I don’t know about being great. All I know is that in history, every society passes through one phase or the other. It is only those phases that leave indelible marks on society that make for remembrance. And within the issues of remembrance, people now realise the activities that led to it. As part of these activities, certain persons are usually identified with that cause. It is in the process of this identification that certain names takes prominence, not because they are the best, but because within their activities, they left mark as a signpost for the remembrance of the activities that took place at that time. Fortunately, I seem to be identified in one of these activities. Anybody familiar with Nigeria’s history from independence will easily identify the landmarks, the memorable incidents that stand out in the history of this country. One of those is the three and half years civil war out of which at the end of it, names were bandied about and mine is one of those names. But luckily, I am still alive not only to help correct all the misinterpretation that some people assigned to me, but also let today’s generation know the roles that I played and also refute any false information. For me, these were the things that singled me out. But otherwise, there is nothing that I did. Regarding the allegations that I fought the civil war without rules, others have done even worse.


What will you say about the recent statement credited to General T.Y. Danjuma that late General Aguiyi Ironsi, who was killed as a military Head of State, was a useless man. What is your reaction?
You see, when I read Danjuma’s statement, I felt very sad about it. First, go and do your research and you will realise that what I am going to tell you is the truth. In the 2 Division, [b]it was this Danjuma, then a Captain in the then Nigeria Army, who was responsible for organising the security of General Ironsi. It was his job. So, if Danjuma turns today and tells the world  that he did not know about how Ironsi and Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi were killed in Ibadan, it will be a very big lie. If you want me to put it straight, it was because of the opposition of the unitary system declared by Ironsi that Danjuma organised his elimination along with Colonel Fajuyi in Ibadan. So, Danjuma cannot in all honesty deny that he was not the chief instigator of the killing. [/b]We were all living witness. I was in Lagos when the incident happened. So, I am not telling you a myth or what I did not know. It is this same group who killed Ironsi and Fajuyi in Ibadan that up till today are benefiting from the unitary system that Ironsi set up. Can you imagine. It is out of this same cabal too that the so-called Kaduna Mafia sprang up. I am not saying that it is all Northerners that wanted the total elimination of the Igbo during civil war period. But when we talk in terms of what Danjuma did, I know what I am saying. That is his character. It was just the way he killed Ironsi and Fajuyi that he betrayed the late General I.D. Bisala. He denied Bisala when Bisala needed him the most during the coup that killed  Genral Murtala Mohammed. If he is a soldier, he should have stood his ground as the GOC of the 3 Division. But instead, he did not. Let me say that when we talk in terms of military courage and bravery, rank does not bestow courage on people. I  like Danjuma. But he cannot deny the fact that he was the chief instigator of the murder of Ironsi and Fajuyi. History will continue to hold him responsible for that. When the war ended, he was the go between me and Bisala, especially in Enugu, when I was handing over Biafra to the federal side.

[b]
Are you saying you were the one that handed over Biafra to the federal side?
Yes.
But many believe that General Philip Effiong handed over Biafra to General Olusegun Obasanjo. Is that not correct?
No, it is a mistake that many people are not aware of up till today. I was the one who handed over Biafra to Obasanjo and Bisala. Effiong’s  role was going to Lagos to meet General Yakubu Gowon with some of our Biafran officers. And also reading the script which I prepared. I planned it that they should start from 9a.m. announcing that we had sent emissaries to the war fronts to meet Nigerian commanders so that everybody should lay down their weapons. That speech that we prepared was given to Effiong to read because if I should do that, the Nigerian side  will misinterpret it that possibly there was a coup in Biafra. So, to avoid that misinterpretation, we had to ask Effiong to read it. Because when Odumegwu-Ojukwu was leaving, he specifically told Effiong to represent him, while my job was to take care of the Army. I was the person in charge of the Biafran Armed Forces. So, I was  the one that actually handed over Biafra and not Effiong. Again, when the war ended, I was very visible. For instance, all the documents that Danjuma said that Gowon requested that I should sign, I signed them all. These included when Danjuma said that Gown asked that I should prepare a document of what I would like to do.[/b] I did all that and part of that document was what later led to the establishment of PRODA in Enugu. I also reported at the Board of Inquiry headed by the then General Adeyinka Adebayo. There I was told that one of the reasons why I was being detained was for the  protection of my life. But I asked them, ‘Protection against who?’ Well, they said that so many people were against me, especially the way I ended the war. So, for tempers to cool, according to them, I was kept in detention for seven years. But for me, I have always said that I don’t have any regrets over the war. Beside, I owe it as a moral duty to those whom I led through the war, especially with their situation today. They have not been compensated.

That is why we have today the Civil War Veteran, East West Command Association. The purpose is to look after the welfare of those comrades who survived the civil war. But as I am talking to you, up till today, none of them is less than 56 years and nothing has been done to help them. We are taking steps to bring their problem to the attention of the present government. I have written to President Umaru Yar’Adua. I have also written to the Ministry of Defence and to the President of the Senate, David Mark, that on the basis of “no winner no vanquished,” Nigeria owes it a duty to rehabilitate those veterans across the country as done in other parts of the world. The situation can be dangerous in the future if the government continues to exhibit lack of concern. Many people today may not know that those militants in the Niger Delta are all children of the war veterans. The members of the Movement for the Actualisation of the Sovereign State of Biafra (MASSOB) are children of the veterans. We don’t want a divided Nigeria again. We as veterans of the war gave a lot for the Nigeria  we have today. All we are asking is that the government should look into the welfare of these veterans. If you look at the present military command in the country, none of them saw the civil war. War is not good. And that is why we have been calling on the government to also take a census of the war veterans on both sides of the war and create a programme in the interest of reconciliation as the Army that fought the war is the Nigerian Army divided against itself based on the side one was standing at the time of the political logjam.


Now, 43 years after, do you think that the issues that caused that war have been resolved?
You see, it sounds naive when one talks about solving the issues that led to that war. There were multitudes of problems and issues that led to the civil war. While some are of the view that the January 1966 coup, led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and Major Emmanuel Ifeajuna and the others, were the issues that led to the war. others tell you that the way Ironsi handled the issue of the coup by declaring a unitary system as opposed to the federating system in existence then led to the war. There are others who hold that it is the unbridled and the so-called ambition of appointing military administrators to take the place of political leaders. Also, there are those who say that the mismanagement by Gowon after the second coup, which brought Gowon into power  and led to the balkanization of Nigeria from the regional arrangement into states, caused the war. But whatever the cause, the war has been fought. To me, the greatest problem was the balkanization of Nigeria by Gowon without thinking of the future consequences. He did that to weaken the Igbo. But it turned out to be the root of whatever crisis that Nigeria is facing till today. By trying to take the so-called minorities away from the Igbo, when they  claimed that the Igbo were dominating, he  eventually opened their eyes like Oliver Twist. Whoever gave Gowon that advice gave him a wrong one because from then on the spiral effect brought Nigeria to the 36 states which we now have. The cumulation of all these, I will say, are parts and parcel of what in retrospect led to the  civil war. If Gowon did not create the 12 states, I do not think that the Eastern Region would have declared secession because there is nothing like dialogue. And that was exactly what happened. Gowon should have continuously kept seeking for dailogue.

But instead, he was advised to settle the situation the way he did by balkanizing the country. And once you do that, the people’s temper will rise. So, today, Nigeria cannot be at peace because the issues that led to the civil war have not been addressed. What do we have? We say we are practicing democracy, but here in Nigeria today what we have is a democracy of the cabals. It is these few cabals that are ruling the country. They have been doing so since the end of the war. And until the country wakes up to say enough is enough, the situation will continue. Hence, corruption will abound. It is only under the system of cabal leadership that certain people are favoured. And these few who are favoured will continue supporting the existence of the cabal government at the expense of the majority. If you look very well, you will see that many people do not understand what Wole Soyinka is trying to do. Knowing the deception that we call Nigerian democracy today, Soyinka has been doing his best trying to tell Nigerians that they should not allow themselves to be cowed into slavery. Because he is not a back seat General. That is why he comes to the front to tell Nigerians to say no to bad leadership that is going on in this country since after independence. For about two months now, all of us are seeing that what is happening with the leadership of this country.


There has been this controversy over the role Nzeogwu played during the first coup. While Odumegwu-Ojukwu keeps saying that it was Ifeajuna that was the leader of the coup, others say it was Nzeogwu. As one who saw it all, who actually was the leader of that coup?
You see, Nigerians have a way of mismanaging information. One person alone does not carry out a coup in the Army. A coup is a concerted arrangement by a few persons of like minds and ready to participate in overthrowing a system. So, the coup of January 1966 was carried out by a group of Army Majors. You cannot put it on one person. Otherwise, you are simply giving a dog a bad name to hang it. To say Nzeogwu, it means Nzeogwu and his group. Ifeajuna and his group. To be honest to your question, Ifeajuna and Nzeogwu were actually together in the plan and execution of the coup. Consequently, if the coup had succeeded, Nzeogwu or Ifeajuna could not have led the country or even [b]Victor Banjo who was a part of that group. [/b]So, all that is important is that the coup took place and that these names were the leaders of the coup.  Any other person from the side that didn’t  participate at that crucial time is not a part of the coup. Any other information is an after thought. Unfortunately, those that led the 1966 coup and participated, you only have the junior ones left. They were not the primary leaders. As a result, I would advice that the January event should be consigned to its proper place and perspective, that this an aberration that took place at a point in time in Nigerian history. It is not a situation to continue apportioning blames or encomium.


What do you mean by consigning it to its proper place?

I say this because as long as we continue to apportion blame or look at it as an Igbo coup, we will not come out of the morass of the problem posed by the coup. You know that after the coup, it had a wide ripple effect. Because the North felt that it was an Igbo affair and consequently in their usual characteristics way, they descended on the Igbo without first trying to find out exactly what happened. They reacted as a mob without thinking. That mob action  has since then placed Nigeria in jeopardy. The result was finally a coup in which Danjuma and Gowon emerged. Gowon then became the Head of State. But the funny thing about it was that they did not carry out the coup for enhancing the interest of Nigeria. They did it on the basis that they wanted to secede from Nigeria. Hence the word Araba (Let’s divide). It was very clear that even Gowon in his first speech he delivered made it clear that there was no basis for unity. But unfortunately, he took the advice of the  civil service dominated then by the Southerners to advice him that it is not in the interest of the North to pull out of the federation. It was this same people that advised Gowon that the best way to bring the Eastern Region to its knee was to balkanise it. But before he did that, information was also leaking to the Eastern Region Government. And the reaction of the East was no, we are one. If you say you do not want us, we will go on our own by any name. If you look at the situation critically, you will see that the Eastern Region was pushed out. They were being pushed out for purposes of total elimination. That was the beginning of the genocide. Otherwise, there wouldn’t have been the need to cut them off from the sea, air and land or get them landlocked. It was for this purpose that Bakasi was given out to Cameroun so that they will not give space for Biafra to retreat into Cameroun.

You mentioned Banjo. Where do you stand on the trial and execution of Banjo and his group during the war?

Banjo and his group  were tried under military procedure in line with the Biafran laws. I don’t think that it should be a thing for apportioning blames to anybody. They violated the war rules and laws at that time. And they were tried accordingly. Anybody could have fallen into that line. So, it was the laws at that time. And it was approved based on the orders of a military tribunal. So it is not a thing to blame anybody. 


Many people have blamed Odumegwu-Ojukwu for the way Biafra was defeated. Secretary General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Ralph Uweche, recently said that Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s way of leadership was responsible for the collapse of Biafra. Do you agree with this?


Biafra was never defeated nor collapsed. It is not true that Biafra was defeated. That is what many do not know.
Are you saying that Biafra was not defeated by Nigeria?
Yes.


What explanation do you offer for this?
Yes, I will do. Let me tell you the truth. You journalists must always do your research properly to educate the public. You should also look into the choice of words. You see, I repeat it again: Biafra was not defeated. It was not the Biafran Army that was responsible for the war efforts during the conflict. The efforts were handled by civilian populace. The soldiers were recruited to defend the civilians. The arms were provided by the civilians. In the executive council of Biafra, there were only two military personnel: Odumegwu-Ojukwu as the Head of State and Effiong as the Officer-in-Charge of Defence. The rest were all civilians. Those civilians were the ones who, when Odumegwu-Ojukwu left to attend the crucial meeting in Liberia, came to me and requested that I should stop the war. Today, there are living witnesses to what I am telling you. These include former Enugu State Chief Judge, Justice P.K. Nwokedi. He was one of those who came with Sir Louis Mbanefo and others to request that I take steps to stop the fighting. Initially, I was against it. But then I was reminded and made to understand that it is not my personal war. So, as a soldier, I have to obey the orders and demands of the Biafran Executive Council to stop the war. Another living witness is Obasanjo.

He is still alive. When I sent for him from Owerri, it was to my house he arrived. General Alani Akinrinade was the one I signalled to tell Obasanjo to come to Uga in Orlu Division. He and then Lt. Col. Sam Tumoye were at our headquarters when we discussed how to bring the war to an end. It was from my house that I took Obasanjo to meet Effiong at Igboukwu, which used to be the headquarters of the Biafran Directorate of Military intelligence. General Akinrinade is still alive and can testify to what I am saying. Nobody defeated Biafra. Commonsense will have tell you the truth. If they defeated Biafra, the federal side would have demanded our weapons. In my own case, I asked all my soldiers to go home with their weapons. Those that don’t want it should dump them by the roadside. Some handed them over to us. The truth is this. For a long time because of the laws in the archives of the military, what I am telling you today was kept under cover and secret. The essence is to give Nigeria a chance to formulate a new society where all can live in peace. But unfortunately, what I see now is that the issues that led to that armed struggle is yet to be addressed. And instead of addressing this issue so that Nigeria can have a good future, our leaders are still pursuing selfish interest. It is such that even in their presence, the Niger Delta struggle is rising every day.


[i]How true is it that when people say that former President Nnamdi Azikiwe was against Biafra?
[/i]Going down memory lane, Zik was never a tribal person. He is not an Igbo leader. He only looked at the country from a global point of view. That was why he stepped aside for Dr. Michael Okpara. His presence in Biafra was more accidental than of necessity. We knew what we did and to what length we bent backward for him to stay in Biafra. The only opportunity we allowed him to step out of  Biafra merely brought Biafra into a civil war within itself. This, we had to quickly, on Odumegwu-Ojukwu’s advice, militarily run around with the various administrators of the various local governments to avoid a war between the Zikist and the non-Zikist.

Interesting.