The elderstateman has made a valid point.without bn ethnocentric and egocentric. The. Take home is dt all d tribes ve there strength and weakness and for a positive change the Ibo man should use his courage and fearlessness which make them industrious for development of d pple rather bn self centered ,A Yoruba should use its diplomacy and peaceful nature to foster unity and progress rather than timidity and sycophancy an hausa man should uase there political clout to improve the country rather seeking religious unrest knowing that a tree cannot make a forest.

^^^ u mean a Yoruba will use envy and back-stabbing . . . .......

@ ADEMOSU . spot on

brothers, it is Ok. Whether yoruba or igbo, we are brothers. Please lets try as much as possible to always foster unity among ourselves not trying to create division as it serves us no good.

I hope those supporting Achebe would see reason for our outburst and think critically rather than supporting him blindly.

@ all harem

Ur peaceful statement is welcome but also u guys should learn to accept the truth . achebe also critised igbos too n igbos already know our weaknes and affirmed that he had told igbos the truth also.

alj harem: brothers, it is Ok. Whether yoruba or igbo, we are brothers. Please lets try as much as possible to always foster unity among ourselves not trying to create division as it serves us no good.

I hope those supporting Achebe would see reason for our outburst and think critically rather than supporting him blindly.

stop pretending my friend. you are a tribalist. A big one.

BTW. i am actually surprised you are from Lagos. i always thot U were from d north.

[quote author=dabossman]There is one thing I know as a fact. In the last 12 years, Yoruba men have governed yoruba states, Igbomen have governed Igbo states and the Hausaman has governed Hausa states, yet not much has changed.

By all means, let's keep blaming the Hausa man, let's blame the civil war, blame Awo, blame Ojukwu, heck, let's blame the British colonialists. But remember, it is our kinsmen who are governors, senators, house of reps members etc right now, and they are bleeding us dry while they feed fat.

God bless u for this post! All my people keep talking about is history, genocide, marginalisation etc. They forget that their kinsmen are currently ruling them now and they are not living any better than they were back in achebe's days. If ibos think they can do without anybody, I will believe them only if they go back to their regions and develop it, making their regional economy better than that of the USA and China. Otherwise, any other pride-stricken post is just a useless fart!!!

icon aus: @ all harem

Ur peaceful statement is welcome but also u guys should learn to accept the truth . achebe also critised igbos too n igbos already know our weaknes and affirmed that he had told igbos the truth also.

no wahala my brother

Noiseless2: Yet not as hateful as Yorubas like you who are rejoicing for their roll in murdering over 3million Igbos/Biafrans. By the way what are the so called Yoruba pastors & evangelists preaching to you lots? Perhaps not very different from their imams & sheikh counterparts.

Firstly, its "Role" and *News flash* i had no role in the murder of over 3million Igbo/Biafrans.....I wasn't even alive then.

I very much appreciate the correction for the wrong spelling of "role", though you might not be "alive" or born by then, however whether or not born by then but go ahead to refuse to condemn the evil by attacking and mocking the victims or their relatives,what then does it tell about you?

ba7man: Firstly, its "Role" and *News flash* i had no role in the murder of over 3million Igbo/Biafrans.....I wasn't even alive then.

We are not competing with you Yorubas in the UK or anywhere. You are right, 99% of nigerians in the UK are Yorubas because 9 in every 10 nigerians you see in the UK are Yorubas and I hope you agree with me that 99.9% of crimes being commited by the so called nigerians are also Yorubas,both visitors and residents.

bittyend: Phuck Igbos!!

Till Ibos tell me why Yorubas continue to dominate them in the UK by owning 99% of Nigerian business and Churches, your rise to fame will always be chest-beating.

You can't compete, and your saving grace is Nigeria. Ibos feed off other people's energy and trust me, they will crumble when Nigeria divides.

I don't care about Nigerian stats, I don't live in that God forsaken country. Tell me why you can't compete in the UK and why Yorubas own every damn thing out here.

Who is the most foolish man among these 3 men? Please pick just one.

1. A Hausa man who watered his farm garden in d rain.

2. An Igbo man who saw a ripe mango, climbed d tree to confirm then came down and used stone to pluck it..

3. A Yoruba man saw something that looked like shit, he touched it with his finger and tasted it and said: "mmmh! Na shit wooo! Thank God i no match am

gaby: Who is the most foolish man among these 3 men? Please pick just one.

1. A Hausa man who watered his farm garden in d rain.

2. An Igbo man who saw a ripe mango, climbed d tree to confirm then came down and used stone to pluck it..

3. A Yoruba man saw something that looked like shit, he touched it with his finger and tasted it and said: "mmmh! Na shit wooo! Thank God i no match am

if u demand an answer

LOOOOOOOL the answer is number 3.

If Mr Achebe thinks he can sit in the comfort of his cozy home in continental United States to set aflame the controversial, combustible stuffs of yesteryears, then he hasn't got it. He isn't aware of many bright young westerners, growing up and sharing positive friendships with the Igbo people, while unconscious of the sad tales of the Civil war and hasn't read his literature. He should plant trees instead.

^^^^ i really dnt understand what people like u are driving at?

i can only hope people come up with disproof or just shut upppppppppppppppppppppp!!

if this great country from god has to rise then we must start to embrace the truth; wether u stand for boko haram, teacher, igbo hater; son of a looter, tinubu azzlicker; farmer; painter etc we must always embrace the truth

and if u cant then u are wishing Nigeria bad

unfortunately there are many here like eko fool;alj boko; etc many many

the moment we start then a tree has been planted

start embracing the truth then u have a tree

matrixme: If Mr Achebe thinks he can sit in the comfort of his cozy home in continental United States to set aflame the controversial, combustible stuffs of yesteryears, then he hasn't got it. He isn't aware of many bright young westerners, growing up and sharing positive friendships with the Igbo people, while unconscious of the sad tales of the Civil war and hasn't read his literature. He should plant trees instead.

mr achebe is going senile...
as a respected elder-statesman, he should be using his influence to preach peace and foster the togetherness of the major tribes in nigeria and yet he keeps spewing rubbish known to brainless people.

what would his tribalism achieve for the igbo people? every tribe in nigeria would roll out excuses they have been marginalised including the hausa/fulanis. the issue here is not marginalization - the people in power are marginalising everyone.....

this battle is nigerian politicians versus the nigerian citizens.....nothing to do with yoruba vs igbo or hausa vs igbo! chinua achebe should know better and act accordingly. it's unfortunate that this great man is shredding his own legacy at every turn!

Noiseless2: I very much appreciate the correction for the wrong spelling of "role", though you might not be "alive" or born by then, however whether or not born by then but go ahead to refuse to condemn the evil by attacking and mocking the victims or their relatives,what then does it tell about you?

In the thread about Gowon defending himself, I wrote that he should have appologized instead of defending the actions. I'm aware that the Igbos have always been angry. You can't loose 3million people and allow the information to be swept under the carpet. The leaders are in a better position to apologize for the effect of their actions....to calm the tension and soothe nerves.

The man knows what He is saying.

Frankly, these threads might have catchy titles but I'm tired of all this negative energy. I'm surprised how some people can keep up at it for this long....its almost like they're feeding of it.

interesting!
The north is out there waiting to share the spoils of this bickering.
why we cant even move on in this country is not because of corruption, its because of nepotism.
it is surprising to see how it is rooted even amongst the oldest of folks, so called nationalists.
it is sad that the 2 most educated and civilized ethnic groups in the country can not live together in peace.
let the cold war continue but ask your damn selves who'll benefit in the long run

I'm outta here to happier places.

^^^ what place

when u hate the truth so much that ur pc has crashed

sorry about that

ikeyman00: ^^^ what place

when u hate the truth so much that ur pc has crashed

sorry about that

what is the truth?

^^^^ keep asking?

ikeyman00: ^^^^ keep asking?

you either state your case or get lost - asking people to embrace the truth when you cannot even explain the truth makes you a tool!

If any actor during the Nigerian/Biafran civil war should publish his/her memoir will not miss out the role Awo playeed during the war. In Achebe's memoir, he has captured it as it happened. He did not only write about Awo's satanic side but offered us his references.
Prof Achebe has no ill feelings towards the yorubas, in his memoirs, he paid glowing tributes to Soyinka, Hubert Ogunde etc.
It is no sin for anyone to say things as it happened irrespective of who is involved.
Prof Achebe, it shall be well with you.

Andre Uweh: If any actor during the Nigerian/Biafran civil war should publish his/her memoir will not miss out the role Awo playeed during the war. In Achebe's memoir, he has captured it as it happened. He did not only write about Awo's satanic side but offered us his references.
Prof Achebe has no ill feelings towards the yorubas, in his memoirs, he paid glowing tributes to Soyinka, Hubert Ogunde etc.
It is no sin for anyone to say things as it happened irrespective of who is involved.
Prof Achebe, it shall be well with you.

what's satanic about awolowo's side? biafra was at war with nigeria, isn't it? doughnuts are not handed out during wars - had awolowo not cut the supply of food and medicals, the needless war would have continued and more igbo children would have starved to death! ojukwu should blame himself for leading multitudes to their deaths and not having a plan b.............what was he thinking? why did he go to war he wasn't adequately prepared for in the first place?

coogar:

what's satanic about awolowo's side? biafra was at war with nigeria, isn't it? doughnuts are not handed out during wars - had awolowo not cut the supply of food and medicals, the needless war would have continued and more igbo children would have starved to death! ojukwu should blame himself for leading multitudes to their deaths and not having a plan b.............what was he thinking? why did he go to war he wasn't adequately prepared for in the first place?

Did he actually declare war. No to the best of my records.
Gowon went to war.
Anyone in Ojukwu's position will act likewise. Ojukwu had series of meetings with Hassan Katsina over the killings of Ndigbo in the north. He reassured Ojukwu that the killings of easterners has stopped and that Ndigbo should return to the east. Yet the pogrom continued, and easterners were not safe in their own country, so there was the need for a safe country.
Ojukwu never wanted war and did everything to prevent war, remember Aburi and OAU summit in Kampala.

Andre Uweh:
Did he actually declare war. No to the best of my records.
Gowon went to war.
Anyone in Ojukwu's position will act likewise. Ojukwu had series of meetings with Hassan Katsina over the killings of Ndigbo in the north. He reassured Ojukwu that the killings of easterners has stopped and that Ndigbo should return to the east. Yet the pogrom continued, and easterners were not safe in their own country, so there was the need for a safe country.
Ojukwu never wanted war and did everything to prevent war, remember Aburi and OAU summit in Kampala.

The thought process some of you exhibit sometimes indicates why some conflicts are unnecessary.

If we assume that Igbos were only safe in Eastern Nigeria, what difference would it have made to their safety if they were citizens of Biafra or citizens of Nigeria who only resided in the East?

If you declare secession within a country, you are asking for war. It is naive at best and disingenuous at worst to suggest otherwise. If everyone became unhappy with the situation in their country and declared secession, potentially, there could be a country for every man.

Katsumoto:

The thought process some of you exhibit sometimes indicates why some conflicts are unnecessary.

If we assume that Igbos were only safe in Eastern Nigeria, what difference would it have made to their safety if they were citizens of Biafra or citizens of Nigeria who only resided in the East?

If you declare secession within a country, you are asking for war. It is naive at best and disingenuous at worst to suggest otherwise. If everyone became unhappy with the situation in their country and declared secession, potentially, there could be a country for every man.

You ask this sort of question because you were not directly involved in the pogrom. The descisions were made by those affected by the pogrom.
Assuming you had a pregnant sister then she was killed in a cold blood by rippen open her stomach, am sure you would have agreed that easterners do not have to be in the same country with this sort of people.
Descisions arrived at during that period may or may not be the best but under those circumstances, no blaming Ojukwu and co for what they did.

^^^^ and they still refuse to see it!

nawoo

meanwhile rossike is out there arguing nonesense

Andre Uweh:
You ask this sort of question because you were not directly involved in the pogrom. The descisions were made by those affected by the pogrom.
Assuming you had a pregnant sister then she was killed in a cold blood by rippen open her stomach, am sure you would have agreed that easterners do not have to be in the same country with this sort of people.
Descisions arrived at during that period may or may not be the best but under those circumstances, no blaming Ojukwu and co for what they did.

You miss the point. Ndigbo had every right to decide its own destiny.

Problem with the decision is just that, it was a decision. No effective planning took place; no alliances were sought.

Biafra could have waited until it was ready; if the bid for secession was motivated by a desire not to remain in Nigeria.

But we know Ojukwu carried on with secession because Gowon did not implement one agreement from Aburi. Ojukwu demanded that the Nigerian Head of state not have the power to appoint or fire the regional governors. In other words, Ojukwu did not want to be fired by Gowon.

But the irony of that situation is that the people in each had the power to elect their governor until Igbo soldiers carried out the first coup. Remember that Ademulegun's pregnant wife was killed by Onwuategwu. Shodeinde's pregnant wife was also shot at but didn't die. Yet Yoruba folks exercised restraint.

No matter how you dice it, the fault always goes back to Ndigbo.