ekt_bear: DK and Kats:

What you don't seem to understand is that a coup in which
a) the primary actors were Igbo
b) and all of the victims non-Igbo, and
c) in fact all the senior Igbos (Ironsi, Zik, Okpara and Osadebey, etc) emerged unscathed

was a selfless, non-sectarian, patriotic coup for the best interest of Nigeria.

dayokanu:

Exactly a selfless non sectarian act. Just like the invasion of the midwest was to liberate them

Katsumoto:

I agree wholeheartedly that the pogroms were beastly but Awo betrayed no one.

van bonattel:

according to what I heard, awo agreed with zik to go back and declare oduduwa republic, but thought against it and dropped the idea later, instead suggesting the starvation policy when it seems the war was taking tioo long?

van bonattel:

Who led the invasion of the midwest?

ekt_bear: DK and Kats:

What you don't seem to understand is that a coup in which
a) the primary actors were Igbo
b) and all of the victims non-Igbo, and
c) in fact all the senior Igbos (Ironsi, Zik, Okpara and Osadebey, etc) emerged unscathed

was a selfless, non-sectarian, patriotic coup for the best interest of Nigeria.

dayokanu:

Did the Midwest ask to be invaded? I send robbers to your house to beat and steal but its ok if the robbery was led by your nephew? Right?

dayokanu:

I disagree. Infact I support it. If you think you can kill my own people without any recriminations then you must have another think coming.

And once you start the initial act, you cant decide what I should do in return.

When Few Arab bombed the WTC, America went after the whole Afghanistan and Iraq, Why didnt Bush just tell them to bring ONLY the culprits for punishment?

Killing other leaders was an act of war, Just like killing Archduke Ferdinand

Ngodigha1:
Eku bear na wa for you ooh!. Gradually you have become a tribalist.
The coupist were after civilians whom they felt were corrupt, in that case Ironsi wasn't a civilian.
Osadebe, what has he done wrong in a new state created before the coupist struck?. He wasn't marked out for assasination as he wasn't corrupt.
On Zik, could they have killed him in another man's country?.
Okwara, at the time of the coup was with ministers of other countries, or else, they would have arrested him or killed him if he resists arrest just like the not so smart ones did.

van bonattel:

You are avoiding the truth my friend

Ngodigha1:
Eku bear na wa for you ooh!. Gradually you have become a tribalist.
The coupist were after civilians whom they felt were corrupt, in that case Ironsi wasn't a civilian.
Osadebe, what has he done wrong in a new state created before the coupist struck?. He wasn't marked out for assasination as he wasn't corrupt.
On Zik, could they have killed him in another man's country?.
Okwara, at the time of the coup was with ministers of other countries, or else, they would have arrested him or killed him if he resists arrest just like the not so smart ones did.

Katsumoto:

The humane side of states that it was wrong to kill innocent people. However, like you stated, no one can predict how far a crises will go if one person slaps another. So the person throwing the first punch must think it through. Unfortunately, innocent people had to die for the actions of a few.

van bonattel: I am not ready to curse and scream this night, lets get to the bottom of all these in peace and quiet.

Katsumoto:

Well what you heard is wrong. Awo had a meeting Ojukwu to advise against the war. Ojukwu then asked whether they could have a united Southern Nigeria. Awo responded that it would amount to betrayal if he changed the objective of his meeting with Ojukwu since he was representing the Federal government. Awo stated that it wasn't the right atmosphere to discuss such.

There was no starvation policy. That was simply Biafran propaganda. Charities were allowed to fly in food at night until June 1969. After June, Gowon refused night time flights of aid because Biafra was using aid to smuggle in weapons. Ojukwu subsequently refused day time shipments and inspections of shipments. If you were a combatant, would you allow your enemy to smuggle in weapons after you have successfully mounted a blockade? So Biafra didn't receive aid from July 1969 until the end of the war in Jan 1970 (6 months).

van bonattel:

And supposing the person throwing the first punch was a lunatic and very incapable of thinking an action through?, does it justify the killing of 30,000 of his brethrens who knew nothing of the crime?

Would it have been good to gun down the whole of Ondo state for instance, just because MKO committed a treasonable felony against the FG?

dayokanu:

Like I said in real life actions and reaction are never equal

How many people were killed in WTC, Can you count the number of people in Iraq and Afghanistan that have died as a response?

1 Archduke ferdinand was killed by miscreant in Sarajevo, Tell me the number of casualties that followed.

If the initial killing was done then any action that follows is Justified.

van bonattel:

the example of the WTC, cannot work here because the American masses did not invade muslem communities and started to kill and rappe small muslim girls. Remember the defiance of Saddam and Afghan authorities. Those two scenarios has nothing in common with the blood thirsty crowds who has continued to hold this country down, not because of the coups of 50 years ago, but because they are bloody beastly vampires. Can you compare America with Nigeria today. Please, lets not compare apples with oranges here.

dayokanu:

The beginning of all these was the simple fact that Igbo soldiers killed other leaders and spared theirs. Ngodigha has given his own comical explanation of the event and I have responded to him in kind

You can let us know if you also believe Balewa died of ezcema, Bello, Okotie Eboh Akintola who were killed in their bedroom were justifuably killed.

And if its a stupid act, Can you decide what response the agrieved people should take?

dayokanu:

America was hit by Arabs , Northern Nigeria , Midwest and Southwest was hit by Igbos


America responded in a "disproportinate" way, The North, West and Midwest too responded in a "disproportionate" way.


Moral: Proportions is only a Mathematical concept and not applicable in warfare

van bonattel:

Is it a crime for them to be rational and take down the offenders and let the rest of the people be? Oh! I forgot its only humans that can afford the luxury of rationalism and not those................ well WTF!

van bonattel:

What proportions, or you mean criminality?

van bonattel:

And supposing the person throwing the first punch was a lunatic and very incapable of thinking an action through?, does it justify the killing of 30,000 of his brethrens who knew nothing of the crime?

Would it have been good to gun down the whole of Ondo state for instance, just because MKO committed a treasonable felony against the FG?

Ngodigha1:
Before this meeting, Awo had said if the east will go, the west will equally go, but he did't mean it. Biafra never at any time used aids to smuggle in weapons. I hate your posts a lot because it is always filled up with lies. You have has teachers who saw the war from the glasses of the fed govt. Most of us here were in one way or the other involved in the war and every Igbo here lost at least a relative. Who is your own blood that participated in wars. You so much rely on accounts of those who never saw war. I pity you.

Katsumoto:

I wasn't impying that it was justified; merely telling the reality of life. Not everyone is reasonable.

dayokanu:

On being reasonable, You can only preach to yourself to be reasonable.

I can only appeal to myself to be reasonable and not the other person.

If I throw reason to the wind and punch Katsumoto, Should I expect him to be reasonable in his response?

Katsumoto:

I dare you to provide proof of Awo stating that the West would go if the East went.

If Biafra wasn't smuggling in arms, how was it getting arms? Why did Biafra refuse day time shipments and inspections? I have read different accounts of the war from Madiebo to Soyinka to Ntieyong Akpan to St. Jorre. etc.

That my blood relatives did participate makes me a better analyst than someone who lost a relative.

tomakint:

'Whiteman' welcome to Nigeria, we are actually debating an event that opened a new vista in the history of our country, many innocent lives were lost, those who don't deserve to die, a product of that skirmish and general hatred for a particular tribe decided to voice again the 'dark memories of that dark period' in their lives, we are actually celebrating them for their doggedness and strong hearts to still remain in the Union and also critically examine the actors, villains, protagonists, antagonists and all those that fitted well into the roll call of what I called, 'Dramatis Personae' of that war!

I am writing to you because I sensed you have mistaken this place to be another 'playing ground' I thought you will give 'Safarigirl' some thumbs up for that wonderful piece she wrote, unfortunately your response was too bland to be noticed. Please, there are many sections here ranging from jokes, fashion, sports etc choose one you know you can fraternize with well and quit here right away, a topic that calls for sober reflection is what we are discussing here.......please you may take your leave now!

Ngodigha1:
Should people take you serious because of half a dozen books you have read about the civil war than the relatives of the actual people who saw, fought in the war and equally have their own reflective accounts. I have seen it all. I hardly take you serious and for a long time now have not read any of your posts. I don't even know why I am engaging you. Am not saying here that you are a liar, but your accounts are filled with lies.
You might not have read it, Awo said before the hostilities that if the East will go, the west will act like wise. This is from witnesses of the war period. The records are there but for the sake of confidentiality, nothing will be dowloaded here if it is what you are waiting for.

Ngodigha1:
Monkey or is it babbon or whatever idiotic name and tribe you represent here. Shut up your smelly mouth. Your leader, your god drank poison and died yet you don't see to comment about it.Idiott.

Katsumoto:

If we follow your logic, actors in a conflict are more knowledgeable than the historians who analyse every detail even though the actors only have part of the information. Dude, the accounts of historians have been found to be more complete than actual actors.

You can't provide any proof with regards to Awo promising to secede with the East because none exist. Ok, you don't have to download, just mention the book, article, speech, dates, audience, etc.

It is your prerogative whether you read my posts or not just like it is mine to read yours. I am not here to be liked or admired by you. I am simply here to debate those historical events ensuring that familiar lies and myths are crushed.

Yesterday, your brother was going on and on about the 20 pound policy until he was engaged by EktBear and I gave a breakdown which indicated that Awo gave more than was collectively available in Biafra at the end of the war. He took off and refused to return to the thread saying he was coming back. It has been more than 24 hours, we are still awaiting his return. Similarly, he stated that NCNC won the 1951 elections and after I produced the detailed results, he stated that he had to verify with the results in his grandmother's library. Such is the nature of lies, factual inaccuracies, and myths that are passed from generation to generation by Biafrans. If no one engages you, the lies continue.

Am still waiting for your proof; don't disappoint.

lacasa: Ibraheem A. Waziri
NORTHERN NIGERIAN MUSLIMS AND THE NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR: BETWEEN ACHEBE AND OTHER IGBO INTELLECTUALS
By
Ibraheem A. Waziri
iawaziri@yahoo.com

It’s just that ignorance reign in Nigeria or our public intellectuals do not have passion for details and deep philosophical enquiry into the nature and realities of our socio-cultural formation and its history for the best of their opinions. These can be the only open and not so stretched explanations to Chinua Achebe’s blatant, below status and insincere depiction of the Nigerian Civil War of 1967 - 70 in the light of a so called jihadist expansionist goal of Muslims of northern Nigeria. The excerpts of his latest book, There Was a Country, as published by the UK Guardian, Tuesday, 2nd 2012, make bold this meaningless assertion:

“But if the diabolical disregard for human life seen during the war was not due to the northern military elite's jihadist or genocidal obsession, then why were there more small arms used on Biafran soil than during the entire second world war? Why were there 100,000 casualties on the much larger Nigerian side compared with more than 2 million – mainly children – Biafrans killed?”

Needless to mention that Achebe is not alone in this kind of portrayal that is typical of recent Igbo ‘intellectuals’ when it comes to discussing the civil war. The task of re-educating them and the crop of their students is therefore necessary if the dream of a greater Nigeria in fair neighbourliness is to be realized.

Yes, northern Nigerians are mainly and majorly proud and faithful Muslims with unique culture and a record of close interactions with other world civilizations since time. They have for long known and understood that not everybody must look like them or believe in what they believed in, before peace, social cohesion and fair neighbourliness are justifiably established. In fact it can be authoritatively said that northern Nigeria of the 1960s, formed one the most cosmopolitan and accommodating social spaces in the whole world. When the Ghanaian president Kwame Nkrumah wanted to initiate and draft Nigeria’s prime minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and the premier of the northern region Ahmadu Bello into his Pan-Africanism they clearly told him that they were not racists and believed in the universal nature of truth, justice, fairness and equality of humankind regardless of race or ethnicity and that reflected the way they managed northern Nigeria and the country in general.

[b]It was this world-view with its values and norms guiding intra and inter-pinning of human relations that saw a northern Nigeria of the 1960s as a home to many Igbos. In modern history the top one percent of the most literate and influential Igbo personalities once lived in northern Nigeria or spoke Hausa, the dominant language in the North. It was here that Major Chukuma Kaduna Nzeogwu’s parents settled and gave birth to him in 1937. He grew up with all opportunities unhindered and got the award of love, justice and trust of the then premier of the Northern Region, Sir Ahmadu Bello until he finally, easily and safely got access to him, in the night, in his house, in the privacy of his bedroom and killed him in front of his wife with no struggle, no any suspecting guard to check him or even ask him hard questions. It is finished. Brutus killed his Caesar in cold blood of treachery, hatred and breach of trust. Describing a similar situation in the same operation kill, where Major Ifeajuna an Igbo soldier and Major Nzeagwu’s co-kill planner ad partner, shot Brigadier Maimalari, Bernard Odogwu, an Igbo Nigerian Diplomat at the times of the events, in his book, No Place to Hide - Crises and Conflicts inside Biafra, clearly put it, “I am particularly shocked at the news that Major Ifeajuna personally shot and killed his mentor, Brigadier Maimalari. My God! That must have been Caesar and Brutus come alive...”[/b]

What then could have been the fate of other Igbos in many parts of the North who enjoyed the same love, trust and protection of the other northerners who began to see a new streak of arrogance, condescension in the behavior of the Igbo who were illussioned in the new leadership of [b]General Ironsi to the extent that , as told by our parents, they used to mock the northerners, imitating the cries and squeaks of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa before he died in the hands of Major Ifeajuna. Still Igbo intellectuals engage in this mockery as the Nigerian military historian Max Siollun, recently re-told the story of Nzeogwu’s kill which clearly portrayed Ahmadu Bello as a coward and a simpleton who hide behind his wife when he saw that Nzeagwu was certain to get him. These provocations and the details of stories such as captured by David Muffett, a British colonial officer who wrote the account of the 1966 coup in a book titled, Let Truth Be Told, outlining the Igbo elite’s detailed plan to take control of not only the political structures but even the social structures of the North by killing all the then northern emirs in the final.

Some including Achebe are still contesting that the kill was not an Igbo carefully planned affair but rather a coup plotted against all Nigerian leaders of then. Yet all Igbos in prominent positions were missed in the fire and it was said the president, Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe was missed because he was out of the country for a medical checkup. The question is could they have missed Sir Ahmadu Bello or Abubakar Tafawa Balewa if any was on a medical trip or they would have postponed the plans for more appropriate date that would guarantee and ensure an all inclusive kill?[/b]

Yet, the pogroms that followed the events and the civil war were unfortunate (more objective details of which were written by Elechi Amadi in Sunset at Biafra). But the characterization of Northerners as Muslim jihadists who were already prepared and ready to stage a ‘holy jihad’ against Igbo, as a reason for the war is very untrue and intellectually insincere. Just because Igbo intellectuals have to find reasons then it doesn’t mean every reason must be dashed out. Just because they need someone to blame doesn’t mean the 21st century image of fundamentalist Islam must be projected backward into the story of Nigeria to justify a perspective.

No. [size=18pt]The truth of the matter is Igbo betrayed the trust given to them in the then northern Nigeria by the singular act of betrayal of Nzeagwu on Ahmadu Bello and the subsequent poor management of their relationship with their hosts that bred suspicion of complicity in the plans of the kill and a thought of greater conspiracy.[/size]

The way forward is to always tell the truth, accept faults, take responsibilities for errors and constantly preach the gospel of keeping trust, commitments and fair neighbourliness. Let’s make the younger generation and the entire world know that we are one in Nigeria and the top one percent of Igbo most informed political and public intellectuals lived in the North or even spoke Hausa. This ranging from Chinua Achebe himself, Cyprian Ekwensi, Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeagwu, General Emeka Ojukwu or Dr. Nmandi Azikwe. Cyprian Ekwensi even copied and translated the literary work of my uncle, John Tafida Umaru titled, Jiki Magayi, from Hausa to English, titled it African Nights Entertainments, and dubbed it his own without acknowledgement, adding to his literary stock, achievement and fame. The world must know the good contribution their living in the North and speaking its language brought into their skills and perspectives that which won them the accolades they so celebrate and rejoice in, today, a fact which they and their friends always want to hide!