Nairaland Forum

I just saw this on a website and i', wondering who this Adekunle guy is. Is he still alive? He has to be punished fpr what he has done.

I want see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no pope, no missionary, and no United Nations Delegation. I want to prevent even one Igbo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the center of Igbo territory, we shoot at everything even a things that don’t move”—Benjamin Adekunle

New York [RR] Igweocha—we bring to you translation of an interview granted by Major Benjamin Adekunle of the Nigerian Army to a German Reporter, Randolph Baumann, of STERN Magazine on August 18 1968 in Igweocha.Republicreport.com wants to confirm that the patent content of this interview is the property of Stern Magazine. The interview speaks for itself. Republicreport publisher is a survival of Major Benjamin Adekunle’s war crimes against humanity. Read on.

”I have to kill the Ibos—sorry”

Stern reporter Randolph Baumann spoke with the General of the Nigerian front troops.

If you want to get to know the devil of Africa, just ask for Adekunle. He is the man who is responsible for the death of 100,000 Ibo people”. The man who provided this tip to Randolph Baumann, the Stern reporter, was Mister Ikpa, the official representative of the Republic of Biafra in Lisbon. Mister Ikpa knew even more: “Adekunle does not like journalists. He had a man from England who disagreed with him shaved bald, do an hour of push-ups, and write one-thousand times: I am a crappy Englishman and don’t have a say in Nigeria”.

Having been thus forewarned, the Stern reporter flew to Port Harcourt, a big Biafra harbor city in the midst of a swamp and in the oil field of the Niger-delta, and requested an interview from the “devil” Benjamin Adekunle.

Major Adekunle, 28-years old, General of the Nigerian troops on the South front sat enthroned behind the General’s desk of the Shell administration, which he had made into his main station when he took the Ibo-city by storm on May 18. Now he stated: “I am convinced you will report objectively and keep to our orders.” We confirmed that.

“Okay,” he beamed, “the Germans just know how war works. Tonight there is a front-party in my headquarters. You will come! An order is an order!”

This interview with the most important man in the Nigerian war took place at night. Whisky and beer were abundant, uniformed go-go girls played DJ, Adekunle danced and petted his mascot, a small mountain goat named “Ojukwu”.

STERN: Your friends in the federal government of Lagos call you the “bloodhound of Nigeria”. You are chasing a whole people. You kill everything.

ADEKUNLE: Europeans are awful. They always generalize. My troops have kept prisoners. You have had a chance to convince yourself of this.

STERN: I only saw one prisoner, a fifteen-year old boy.

ADEKUNLE: There you are! In addition I want to emphasize that we do not murder all people who no longer want to remain members of the Nigeria Federation.

STERN: Does that mean that you do not want the extinction of the Ibos?

ADEKUNLE: The nation which the Ibos founded under the name of Biafra on May 30, 1967 is not a pure Ibo-federation. You Europeans should really know that by now. Seven million Ibos and five million other population groups are living now in the 80% overpopulated Biafra: Ibibios, Ijaws, Kalabaris, Ekios, Efiks, and Annangs. These minority populations in the Ibo nation have always hated the Ibos. Therefore they jubilantly welcome the liberation of their areas through federal troops.

STERN: What are your troops doing when they march into a town around Port Harcourt, an area where most of the farmers are not Ibos?

ADEKUNLE: We aim at everything that moves.

STERN: Small children tend not to stay put for very long.

ADEKUNLE: I know. I have two myself.

STERN: What will your troops do when you get to the Ibo heartland, that is, to the place populated by Ibos only?

ADEKUNLE: There we will aim at everything even if it is not moving.

STERN: Are you racist?

ADEKUNLE: You should know exactly where racists are. There is no such thing as racism in Nigeria.

STERN: But why are you refusing to discuss this war with a European?

ADEKUNLE: Let me tell you something: When the Russians surrounded Stalingrad did you request a land corridor from them so as to better feed your soldiers who were stuck in the pot there? Of course you didn’t and I can tell from your face that you think the thought of a land corridor to bring in food for the captured German soldiers in Stalingrad is a bad joke. Me too. Where and when, …………., was there a war in which the loser was re-nourished one more time before the final loss? Why are you just calling for a land corridor for Biafra? Why aren’t you calling for a land corridor for the Viet Kong? I have to declare: You Europeans are simply not competent!

STERN: What is happening to the European Humanitarian Assistance programs which were authorized through your government?

ADEKUNLE: In the section of the front that I rule—and that is the whole south front from Lagos to the border of Kamerun—I do not want to see the Red Cross, Caritas Aid, World Church delegation, Pope, Missionary, or UN delegation.

STERN: Does that mean that the many thousands of tons of food that are stored in Lagos will never get to the refugee camps in your section of the country?

ADEKUNLE: You are a sharp one, my friend. That’s exactly what I amsaying.

STERN: But you said yourself that most of the refugees in the part you captured are not Ibos.

ADEKUNLE: But there could be Ibos among them. I want to avoid feeding a single Ibo as long as this whole people have not given up yet.

STERN: Do you sometimes feel sympathy for the Ibos?

ADEKUNLE: I have learned a word from the British, which is “sorry”! That’s how I want to respond to your question. I did not want this war but I want to win this war. Therefore I have to kill the Ibos. Sorry! The End.

Benjamin Adekunle was a hate-filled trilobite who should have been tried for war crimes.

If those statements he made during the war had been made today, he would have been sharing residence with other vile, despicable and blood-thirsty plonkers at the Hague.

He captured the whole of Delta state, but got bogged down and had to be relieved by Obasanjo.
The man sounds so wicked.

His actions may be morally wrong, but he was under authority.

Andre Uweh:

His actions may be morally wrong, but he was under authority.

It's about the statements he made and not about whther he was under authority or not. Or was he under authority to sat those things?

chyz:

THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS THREAD.PLEASE TAKE IT DOWN!!

Why should it be taken down.

afam4eva:

It's about the statements he made and not about whther he was under authority or not. Or was he under authority to sat those things?

Why should it be taken down.

For what purpose is it put up?

chyz:

THERE IS NO NEED FOR THIS THREAD.PLEASE TAKE IT DOWN!!

chyz,

I don't think it should be taken down. Maybe it should be moved to Racism and Tribalism section, since Adekunle hated Igbos with genocidal intensity, however, I don't think it should be taken down.

Thank you.

Beaf:

He captured the whole of Delta state, but got bogged down and had to be relieved by Obasanjo.
The man sounds so wicked.

Very true. He didn't take that well, and coupled with his headline statements published around the world, he was forcefully retired in 1974.

I don't think the thread is necessary! It doesn't do any good besides promoting hatred!!

RichyBlacK:

chyz,

I don't think it should be taken down. Maybe it should be moved to Racism and Tribalism section, since Adekunle hated Igbos with genocidal intensity, however, I don't think it should be taken down.

Thank you.

Yes well it should be moved.

The guy lives in Maryland. If I see him, I would spit in his face.

@ poster
where is the link to this story?

He probably killed Adaka Boro as well.

Thanks Richy.

EzeUche22:

He probably killed Adaka Boro as well.

Here's the link http://www.republicreport.com/biafra-adekunles-wartime-interview-with-german-randolph-baumann-of-stern-magazine-august-18-1968-in-igweocha/

mukina2:

Thanks Richy.

Muki, you're welcome!

chyz:

If you ever find his address send it to me in my personal message box!

Trust me, his address would be posted everywhere for every Igbo to see!  

He was a pleb for giving the interview, and will forever be tainted as a genocidal animal.

However, he is no different from any of the war commanders, none of whom kept prisoners.

He forgot that he would have to take his place in Nigeria after the war and unfortunately these statements ensured that he could never be of importance in a national context as he is hated by the Eastern region, including Niger Delta who suspect him of killing Adaka Boro. Wiser ones like Obasanjo probably committed similar crimes but kept quiet about it.

Adekunle was under orders-stated or implied, if not, why did they have to wait till 1974 to fire him?
His only mistake was speaking loud, others like Murtala probably acted worse in terms of humanitarian abuse. He didn't have a public relations officer

Ibime this is something I agree with you on.

I have heard stories this man had Adaka Boro killed.

When he was "freeing" the Niger Delta, he killed many non-Igbos!

Ibime:

He was a pleb for giving the interview, and will forever be tainted as a genocidal animal.

However, he is no different from any of the war commanders, none of whom kept prisoners.

He forgot that he would have to take his place in Nigeria after the war and unfortunately these statements ensured that he could never be of importance in a national context as he is hated by the Eastern region, including Niger Delta who suspect him of killing Adaka Boro. Wiser ones like Obasanjo probably committed similar crimes but kept quiet about it.

Correct!

Murtala Mohammed another beast! 

But we all know how we Biafran sent him running at Abagana!

What he did in Asaba was unforgivable! I am glad assassins sent bullets through his body.

RichyBlacK:

Benjamin Adekunle was a hate-filled trilobite who should have been tried for war crimes.
If those statements he made during the war had been made today, he would have been sharing residence with other vile, despicable and blood-thirsty plonkers at the Hague.

You hit on a salient deficiency in the way we discourse our past, present and future - we see no difference among the three. Of course if he made those statements "today" he would be in chains at the end of the war. The problem is this was another time and another age - the time when soldiers that go to war have little regard for their enemy. I am confident that accounts of atrocities in areas captured by Biafran soldiers during the civil would be equally atrocious.

It is not as if the world has reached complete enlightenment. No! Abu Gharib stares us in the face. Each day Al Qaeda and co. slaughter enemies like animals, Kosovo was not too far in the past. However, Nigeria and many African countries have not learned to advance with time, we argue and behave as if we can change any iota of what happened in the past - and as a consequence we remain in the primitive ages in many areas of life.

For a Nigeria that would move on we would have a government that really makes it up to the Igbos (not necessarily monetarily or some one man presidency, although those would be good, but symbolically and by truely addressing the deficiencies of our nationhood that led to the war, which would be more powerful) and we will have the majority of Igbos realize that whichever way you cut it they share some responsibility in the big picture, and determined to never to let it happen again. But, not in the Nigeria of today.

Perhaps we can start with a responsible disucssion of this topic. It is worth discussing, but only if it truely honors the innocent lives that were lost on all sides of the war.

koruji,

This thread is not about what the Biafrans did. This is about one beast known as Adekunle.

No one in the East will ever forgive the man. Even amongst the Niger Deltans who fought against Biafra. He killed their leader, Adaka Boro.

Adekunle was married to a northerner from adamawa state , that may be the reason for his passion for the war. He was scared he may lost his family, if nigeria break up.


But i would tell you this , not all Yorubas believes in the war, this is why I am trying to prevent another civil war in nigeria. wole soyinka , bola ige and others were all arrested because of Igbo people.

Another member of my family was a member of the third marine commando, he refuse to go to war because he did not believe in the was was shoot dead. So not every yorubaman believe in the war.

You see Adekunle and stern talking about help send to biafra people. It leave lagos for biafra, that was my father ship. which was on a mission to deliver food supply to the people of Biafra. It was a red cross mission, so they went unprotected. assume the biafra would not shoot. The biafra assumed it was full of member of the nigeria army, and they attacked my father ship. On 30 June, Nigeria goverment ban red cross supply.

I was born in June. I would have been an orphan, my father was only risking his life to bringing food supply to the people of biafra. they assume it was a regular navy mission. The biafra army attacked the ship. That why the nigeria government stop food supply. cross check my date of birth.

Even Gani Fawehinmi step mother who by Yoruba tradition was suppose to send my name to my mother delay it. They were using telegram those day. They had to send people to her to go and beg her before she did give me a name.


My father was risking his life for the people of biafra and he is yoruba. So not every yorubaman wanted to kill igbo. This is why I am trying to prevent a civil war where 15,000,000 people would die., many of you would end up orphan.

I notice you people blame awo for the food supply. you can verify my date of birth.

The pride and ambition of Nigeria leaders lead to the dead of over 1,000,000. Jonathan needs to go to the United nation.

^
Yes, your date of birth is "30 June." You forgot to give us the year.

EzeUche22:

koruji,
This thread is not about what the Biafrans did. This is about one beast known as Adekunle.
No one in the East will ever forgive the man. Even amongst the Niger Deltans who fought against Biafra. He killed their leader, Adaka Boro.

It is not. My reply however is part of the discussion as it is directly related to the topic. The way we approach our issues in Nigeria and most of Africa is as if our opponents are devils that were supposed to be angels, while we are angels for sure. These are two impossibilities, and hence unending wars.

I visited the website from which this article came expecting to see the original interview and magazine with references. It turns out that the site was setup by Biafran warlords who themselves preach the same level of hate as Adekunle did during the war. There are always too sides to the scale of justice, and injustice for that matter.

This same man that acted so terribly during the war was also the same one with the story below (this is not to humanize what he said, but to show that we create more problems than we solve depending on how we handle our past relative to our present or as Chimamanda Adichie warned in her "The danger of a single story".

"However, Adekunle came to public attention, when, in August 1966, he led a unit of soldiers of non-eastern origin who were then part of the 1st battalion by train out of Enugu in the east, enroute to Lagos in the south west via Kaduna in the north. This was prompted by a recommendation by the regional conference in Lagos (following the bloody chaos of the July 29 northern counter-coup.)    It suggested that not only were military personnel to be posted to Barracks in their regions of origin, but "for security reasons, the Supreme Commander should take charge of peace and security in Lagos."  The mutinous 2nd and 4th Battalions at Ikeja and Ibadan, respectively, were ordered to move to Kaduna and other northern cities while non-eastern elements of the 1st Battalion in Enugu were deployed to Ikeja in Lagos to replace the notorious 2nd battalion.  However, the trip to Lagos from Enugu was full of high drama.  Adekunle narrowly escaped being killed near Minna when he challenged mutinous troops of northern origin under his command for murdering two officers of Igbo origin who had joined the Train in Kaduna enroute to Lagos with plans to proceed back to the East.  Indeed, Adekunle claims that the scar of a bayonet wound he still carries to this day, was inflicted by then Lt. Shehu Musa Yar'Adua."

EzeUche22:

koruji,
No one in the East will ever forgive the man. Even amongst the Niger Deltans who fought against Biafra. He killed their leader, Adaka Boro.

By the way it would be difficult for anyone that experienced the war to forgive those who visited it on them - nobody is asking for forgiveness for Adekunle for whatever he did or said. He is the only one that can ask for forgiveness. What I hope is that there would be Igbos who, if he sincerely sought forgiveness, would give it - even then not everyone will ever forgive him.