Welcome, Guest: Register On Nairaland / LOGIN! / Trending / Recent / New
Stats: 3,156,374 members, 7,829,969 topics. Date: Thursday, 16 May 2024 at 02:18 PM

Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon - Politics - Nairaland

Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon (1328 Views)

Shi’ites/soldiers Clash: We’ve No Apology – Army / Did Gowon Make Mistake In Declearing Nig. Biafra War No Victor No Vanquish? / Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon (2) (3) (4)

(1) (Reply) (Go Down)

Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by onomeasike: 2:04am On Oct 15, 2012
[b]

Civil War: We’ve no cause to regret what we did – Gowon


On October 12, 2012 · In News, Top Stories

6:55 pm
..
Tweet


…Says Awolowo and I are innocent

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

Nigerian Head of State, who prosecuted the civil war, General Yakubu Gowon, has absolved his regime and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo of accusations by Professor Chinua Achebe, in his new book, “There was a country,” that they pursued sub-human policies that killed Biafrans especially children during the war, which has been described as pogrom and genocide against the Igbo.

Speaking from his London home in a telephone chat with Vanguard, Gowon said he prayerfully took the decisions he took during the war and had no cause to regret his actions because “If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.” Excerpts:

What is your comment on Professor Achebe’s latest book?
Let me read it first. I’m not in the country now.

In the book, he said you and Chief Obafemi Awolowo implemented some policies aimed at killing the Igbos such as starvation and preventing food from getting to Biafran children during the war. What is your take on that?

Let him check himself and of course on our part, we know that, that was not what we were. That was how we were portrayed but, on our part, we know that was not what we were in our actions and all that.

But would you please go and ask historians about the beginning of the war rather than for you to ask me to comment about whether Awolowo and I actually had hands in what he is talking about? Go and find out from historians?

One would think that, as the then Head of states, you have direct and undiluted truth about the issue?
The historians will tell you the correct story. I am not in Nigeria presently and honestly this is a question that I have had to answer several times. You would have asked them if there was a controversy or whoever did what. Let them do their own interpretation of what happened.

But you are a key factor in getting to the root of the newly generated controversy…
(Cuts in) If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war. Awolowo was not the cause of the secession. Why then are they bringing him into this controversy?

If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria. That is the answer that I would give to you about this.

What is your take on the opinion that your ‘no victor no vanquished’ resolution and failure to try the secessionists for treason account for some of the brewing controversies?

You can be rest assured that as far as we are concerned, we did everything that was possible. And we have no cause to regret what we did.

So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time?
[/b]
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Callotti: 2:45am On Oct 15, 2012
You had no choice really. If Ojukwu had succeeded in that secession plan, Igbo people would have taken Africa to the Dark Ages. See what they are doing within Nigeria without secession? They would just cross over and commit ra-pe, murder, and rituals within Nigeria and run back unchecked. WAR would have been inevitable. . .and at a higher price.

“If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.”

Ojukwu was stewpid. . . really.

But you are a key factor in getting to the root of the newly generated controversy…
(Cuts in) If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war. Awolowo was not the cause of the secession. Why then are they bringing him into this controversy?

I tire o!

So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time?

Exactly!
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by ektbear: 4:31am On Oct 15, 2012
hmm
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 5:56am On Oct 15, 2012
Load of bullshit. Let him hide his head in the sands of London, soon there will be no Plateau state.
This man has tried hard to sweep his war crimes under the carpet. But the Truth keeps knocking.

If he is so legit, let him write his own memoirs and leave Achebe alone. Achebe is a prof who has a right
To write as he deems fit.
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Callotti: 6:06am On Oct 15, 2012
See crawfish with ben-ben leg logic!
Mtchewwwwwwwwwwwwww.
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 6:12am On Oct 15, 2012
Address the issue and stop evading the point.

not that it matters much what nonsense Gowon says: Nigeria is a failed
Entity waiting to disintegrate: too bad for the Bakassi people, what goes around comes around.

Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Osiris211: 6:28am On Oct 15, 2012
Reasonable people are coming out to absolve Awolowo against what that bittered bigoted senile crippled toad-like leprechaun wrote.
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 6:33am On Oct 15, 2012
gowon:
“If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.”

This Gowon man needs training in elementary logic. Secession has never justified genocide anywhere.
In fact, warr crimes and genocide are very hard to justify. These reasons hold no water in the international court

* "I was obeying orders"
* "it was my war duty"
* "there was a secession"
* "I was defending myself"

Gowon is responsible for the loss of Bakassi, he should at least take responsibility for once
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by dBard: 7:29am On Oct 15, 2012
I don't see y ppl wnt let sleeping dogs lie in peace. there's no excuse f genocide, but war is not s game of soccer,it isn't n has never bin fair n u try t win as best as u can.not justifying nothin tho. this controversy ,like d war, is ill timed esp not now deyr advocating f an Igbo presidency. it really won't help d chances of dat happening..
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 7:35am On Oct 15, 2012
dBard: I don't see y ppl wnt let sleeping dogs lie in peace. there's no excuse f genocide, but war is not s game of soccer,it isn't n has never bin fair n u try t win as best as u can.not justifying nothin tho. this controversy ,like d war, is ill timed esp not now deyr advocating f an Igbo presidency. it really won't help d chances of dat happening..
No serious minded Igbo man will want to be president of a punk-a$$ country that does not know its left from its right
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by dBard: 8:02am On Oct 15, 2012
quid:
No serious minded Igbo man will want to be president of a punk-a$$ country that does not know its left from its right

so I guess any Igbo man stepping out for the presidency shld not b taken seriously
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 8:07am On Oct 15, 2012
dBard:

so I guess any Igbo man stepping out for the presidency shld not b taken seriously
'Presidency' presumes that there is a country to 'preside' over.
In a matter of months, Nigeria will be balkanized into REAL countries.
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by MadCow1: 8:09am On Oct 15, 2012
onomeasike:

Civil War: We’ve no cause to regret what we did – Gowon


On October 12, 2012 · In News, Top Stories

6:55 pm
..
Tweet


…Says Awolowo and I are innocent

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

Nigerian Head of State, who prosecuted the civil war, General Yakubu Gowon, has absolved his regime and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo of accusations by Professor Chinua Achebe, in his new book, “There was a country,” that they pursued sub-human policies that killed Biafrans especially children during the war, which has been described as pogrom and genocide against the Igbo.

Speaking from his London home in a telephone chat with Vanguard, Gowon said he prayerfully took the decisions he took during the war and had no cause to regret his actions because “If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.” Excerpts:

What is your comment on Professor Achebe’s latest book?
Let me read it first. I’m not in the country now.

In the book, he said you and Chief Obafemi Awolowo implemented some policies aimed at killing the Igbos such as starvation and preventing food from getting to Biafran children during the war. What is your take on that?

Let him check himself and of course on our part, we know that, that was not what we were. That was how we were portrayed but, on our part, we know that was not what we were in our actions and all that.

But would you please go and ask historians about the beginning of the war rather than for you to ask me to comment about whether Awolowo and I actually had hands in what he is talking about? Go and find out from historians?

One would think that, as the then Head of states, you have direct and undiluted truth about the issue?
The historians will tell you the correct story. I am not in Nigeria presently and honestly this is a question that I have had to answer several times. You would have asked them if there was a controversy or whoever did what. Let them do their own interpretation of what happened.

But you are a key factor in getting to the root of the newly generated controversy…
(Cuts in) If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war. Awolowo was not the cause of the secession. Why then are they bringing him into this controversy?

If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria. That is the answer that I would give to you about this.

What is your take on the opinion that your ‘no victor no vanquished’ resolution and failure to try the secessionists for treason account for some of the brewing controversies?

You can be rest assured that as far as we are concerned, we did everything that was possible. And we have no cause to regret what we did.

So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time?


As much as I know that Awolowo is a Pig and Gowon an A`sshole, I cant help but agree with the one statement he kept repeating..

If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war

All is fair in war..
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Demdem(m): 8:50am On Oct 15, 2012
Mad Cow:



If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war

All is fair in war..

case closed cool cool
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 8:56am On Oct 15, 2012
Secession does not justify genocide.

Make this claim in the International Court, and your a$$ will be thrown in jail for LIFE.
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Callotti: 9:06am On Oct 15, 2012
This looza don come again? cheesy
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 9:14am On Oct 15, 2012
^^^ Engage the truth and stop the name calling.
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Callotti: 9:18am On Oct 15, 2012
quid: ^^^ Engage the truth and stop the name calling.

Which truth?
A loza of arguments is not an insult. . . but a statement of FACT! kiss
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 1:53pm On Oct 15, 2012
Just like the fulani herdsmen are NOT REGRETTING the many deaths they are bringing upon Gowon's extended family in the Jos Plateau
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by abbeygbenga(m): 2:21pm On Oct 15, 2012
I have read with disdain and shame the spat of ethnic accusation and counter accusations that followed the release of Professor Chinua Achebe's memoirs.
I am concerned, not at the content of the much talked about book but at the hatred and distrust that ensued between the major ethnic groups in Nigeria as a result of the memo. How can comments from a war that ended some forty years ago be welcomed with such unprecedented anger, hatred and argument except such bitterness had being secretly nurtured over the years.
I believe in Nigeria but to see Nigeria thorn into 3 parts based on events that happened four decades ago is making me think twice. How can a country progress if love is lost between its component parts? I am not a boy of few words but the accusations and criticisms that followed the release of the Prof Achebe's book have made me gasp for words.
My plea to all Nigerians is that we not only bury our hatchets but for every man/woman, be him/she Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba to please forgive his/her fellow Nigerians of their sins and seek to build a united nation.
Perhaps we were forcefully amalgamated but we can make sense of this nonsense, if only we will come together as one. Until (if) Nigeria is divided we cannot afford to think like Yorubas, Igbos or Hausas but as Nigerians. Our approach must be cleared of ethnic sentiments.

Long live The Federal Republic of Nigeria
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by PointB: 2:23pm On Oct 15, 2012
dBard: I don't see y ppl wnt let sleeping dogs lie in peace. there's no excuse f genocide, but war is not s game of soccer,it isn't n has never bin fair n u try t win as best as u can.not justifying nothin tho. this controversy ,like d war, is ill timed esp not now deyr advocating f an Igbo presidency. it really won't help d chances of dat happening..

Igbos are not desperate for the presidency to such extent that we cannot speak the truth or express our grouse. If Nigeria presidency belongs to liars, hypocrites and cold bloody murderers, we want no part in it.

There should be no time set aside for confronting the truth! Achebe's Memoir is perfectly timed.

@topic
I hope Gowon have no regret to what his one Nigeria has turned his homeland. I hope he has no regret with the tit for tat butchery of innocent people between Berom and fulani. He stood aside when soldiers and civilians commit mass murders against Igbos, today he hides in some far corner of the world as similar thing goes on in his backyard. Nigeria will go up in a puff sooner or later. But this time Igbos will not fire any shot to save any region that descends into chaos!

NE are tearing themselves apart, NW is bracing for its turn. Gowon has no regret!
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Osiris211: 3:29pm On Oct 15, 2012
Yeah, but we still have 3 million ibos living in Kano alone.

By the way is south east any better than those regions you mentioned ? The region with the highest number of kidnapping and drug dealers. Keep deceiving your self.



PointB:

Igbos are not desperate for the presidency to such extent that we cannot speak the truth or express our grouse. If Nigeria presidency belongs to liars, hypocrites and cold bloody murderers, we want no part in it.

There should be no time set aside for confronting the truth! Achebe's Memoir is perfectly timed.

@topic
I hope Gowon have no regret to what his one Nigeria has turned his homeland. I hope he has no regret with the tit for tat butchery of innocent people between Berom and fulani. He stood aside when soldiers and civilians commit mass murders against Igbos, today he hides in some far corner of the world as similar thing goes on in his backyard. Nigeria will go up in a puff sooner or later. But this time Igbos will not fire any shot to save any region that descends into chaos!

NE are tearing themselves apart, NW is bracing for its turn. Gowon has no regret!
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by joeyfire(m): 3:42pm On Oct 15, 2012
Gowon, the head of state that prosecuted the war, is telling people to go and ask the historians. Smh
Re: Civil War: We’ve No Cause To Regret What We Did – Gowon by Nobody: 4:45am On Nov 13, 2012
joeyfire: Gowon, the head of state that prosecuted the war, is telling people to go and ask the historians. Smh
Don't worry, historians will also gist us how Fulani people wiped out the natives of Plateau state.

(1) (Reply)

Why India's Identity Scheme Is Groundbreaking --- Should Nigeria Emulate This ? / A Wicked Rumour! Governor Sullivan Chime Is Not Dead ! / Mimiko To Amaechi: Don't Hide Under Religion, Prove That I Voted With Your Video

(Go Up)

Sections: politics (1) business autos (1) jobs (1) career education (1) romance computers phones travel sports fashion health
religion celebs tv-movies music-radio literature webmasters programming techmarket

Links: (1) (2) (3) (4) (5) (6) (7) (8) (9) (10)

Nairaland - Copyright © 2005 - 2024 Oluwaseun Osewa. All rights reserved. See How To Advertise. 47
Disclaimer: Every Nairaland member is solely responsible for anything that he/she posts or uploads on Nairaland.