EzeCanada: Fellow Nairalanders - including lovers and haters of truth, in this 21st century I think it is better to sit down and analyse what outsiders think of us and the reasons behind the civil war.

Since major ethnic groups in Nigeria are all involved, there are tendencies for people to biased in their judgement. He

I can also understand people can go against their conscience to support evil and try to distort history. Majority of Nigerians - especially the past Nigerian leadership are haters of truth.

Now can we cool our tempo to digest what a fact finding group by the UN have to say about the cause of the civil war and now relate it with what Achebe has said....Please enjoy the link below...cubbed from www.igbofriendsofisrael.com

http://www./1968_Biafra%20_Report_By_American_Jewish_Congress.htm

We assess a man's superiority based on his assets, qualifications, and achievements.

We assess a group's superiority based on its abode.

I'll accept that Ibos are superior, if any Ibo on this thread can sway me over with pictures of the beautiful and majestic Ibo land.

I've seen pictures of Enugu, and it's subpar; I want something different.

Who will take the offer and win me over?

chief batiatus: This is the plain truth;
1) There is nothing exceptional or special about Ibos except for their false sense of superiority which has no basis in anything. That is why its normal in Ibo culture to dream anything no matter how inordinate, hence the reason for the vices in Ibo society or wherever they are
2) Been a graduate I have schooled for at least 19 years across different schools in the country along with many ethnic groups, I have not seen any proof of Ibo intellectual or academic superiority as claimed by achebe. In all other ethnic groups have exelled where many many Ibos have failed before. So what are you talking about?
3) Now even in callings like workmanship, Ibos are among the worst technicians in this country. Ibo mechanics are only smart in cheating their customer, they hardly fix a car sufficiently. In Abuja the worst houses are built by Ibos. All the crappy houses and estates in Abuja like Trademore estate, AMAC/Aco estate, Efab estate, etc plus the numerous shopping plazas built by Ibos are totally useless buildings that are just modern slums. You can almost point out a house built by Ibos and the one by Yoruba or others. All they know is use tile, flashy paint and POP to embellish their obviously poor job and surprisingly they expect others to be deceived
4) Ibos are also short-sighted which is one of the main reason for the suffering of the Ibos (and us identified as their brother) today, go to europe, US, asia, the Ibos have made a mess of our name due to their shortsightedness. An Ibo due to his inate dumbness does not know it is shallow to cheat or steal where others like you (or even you possibly) are soon to come in the future. It is a lack of basic intelligence to steal or cheat where others like you will go to. Recently Indonesian govt say there are 500 nigerians on death row there and 480 are from anambra state! So is that intelligence?
5) Ibos due to their immaturity are also quick to drawing conclusions. Get an Ibo trainee to learn a trade under you for say 2 yrs, by the 2nd month the chap is already having the conclusion that he can do better than you and is ready to start making money now so he has to be on his own! The word on the street can confirm the level of havoc these chaps have wreaked on this country.

I think all in all, the Ibos think there is something about themselves and that they deserve better, please get this into your skulls that there is nothing, absolutely nothing special about Ibos. The only thing is that you are eagar to display that you are smart which in itself is the first sign of dumbness. Also you have lack the real sense of dignity which normally gives you the opportunity to cheat others first, which you however still pay back. You can see how Ibo 'smartness' has dealt with your chance of becoming president in nigeria? That is to tell you that displaying smartness too early is actually the first sign of cluelessness

greateros: Chei! See hw truth dey pinch them like cocroach wey dem spray insecticide!

Alh haram don nearly hang himself!(tribal haemophrodite -yoruba 2day, kanuri ystday, igbo 2moro, gwagi nxt 2moro)

blazay (enemy within)don almost drown ha self for atlantic ocean!

Truth is realy biter!

all4naija: Providing original source links would do us all good. Neutrality you are bringing in should be the right source being the UN with link from their website.

Policewoman: Achebe is merely stating the obvious. Germany was roundly defeated inthe 1st and then 2nd world wars and subsequently occupied by their victors, U.S and USSR. But instead of the U.S continuing to hold them down, they actually exploited their ingeniousness. It is to the credit of the german rocket scientists who were hitherto NAZIs, that America was able to beat the soviet union in the race to put a man on the moon. U.S did nothing to interfere with the German industrialisation after the war. The result is that since the unification of Germany after the fall of the Berlin wall in 1989, d country has since moved from a conquered territory to a great European power. Now back home, Gowon and Nigeia failed to tap into the great innovations witnessed in Biafra which enabled them withstand the Nigeria-UK onslaught for 3 years. They instead relegated them to the background. They instead resorted to exploitation of their crude oil resources. The result is there for us to see. Has Nigeria fared any better? Karma has a way of coming back. If you hold a man down, you are invariably holding yourself down too. Just a food for thought.

bittyend: Can Ibos survive without Nigeria? I really doubt that because they need others to survive. I have never seen any other prominent Nigerian from the other ethnic groups make noise about the success story by comparing their achievements or lack thereof with others; only Ibos do that. Which means, the average Ibo man feeds off the energy of the other ethnic groups.

Personally, I'll like to see a divided Nigeria, where everyone returns to their region, and build a nation based on their intelligence. I think Ibos would struggle to build a nation state!

Basically, I think the Edos are the biggest achievers in Nigeria due to their size and the quality of people they have produced. However, you will never see them make noise about it. And their culture is the richest.

ekt_bear: The issue many will have is not whether the statement is true or not. Heck, perhaps it even is.

But...in my own personal life, I have learned that excessive arrogance is dangerous.

Despite the fact that I think myself superior to 99% of humanity, I certainly have learned (the hard way) not to openly show this.

Now, imagine if I not only openly displayed and belittled all those around me, but also transferred my personal success to say my ethnic group.

It would make no sense to complain of the hatred of others.

This is just a basic aspect of learning to live with other human beings. If you are arrogant, people will work hard to take you down and even destroy you.

all4naija: This is one of the arrogant behaviors Igbo exhibit. No other ethnic tribes intend insulting the Igbo not until the talk of superiority which they want them to accept because the Alzheimer-suffering prof said so.

chiboy11: I don't want a bifran nation, but I tink d igbos made a long head way during d war dat d country Nigeria ve nt achieve till 2day,local refinery ,bomb n amunition production n co,secondly if u look at d igbo dey re industrious n every were in dis country n word but u hardly find d yorubas or hausa dat way,a yoruba man at his 50 yers prefers to stay in his fathers house marry n ocupy a room, an hausa man wil prefer dey re 50 stayin in a shop were eva dey re,take a look @lagos 4example d numbers of igbo dat own a house outnumba wen combine a hausa n yoruba, so tumbs up 4d igbo

alj harem:

And she is edo as well. I am a lagosian as well thus you can consider me as a neutral if you like. You uncalled hate for the northerners is uncalled for.

Everyone have their short comings and I am not removing even mine but this superiority complex Achebe is displaying here is the dum.best thing a man as Old as him would do. He has no respect from himself and the people writing his article.

Shaw007: But Now with his false awolowo accusation,which The Un(or Us) showed with fact was outright false,,all that respect is just down d ocean,sad. . .its really sad

utumunta: I salute Achebe's courage 4 saying what Nigerians harbour in their minds.
1. Y do d hausa/fulani think dat they are naturally born to rule ds con3? They believe they are superior dan d rest of us.
2. Y do d yorubas alwaz align wt d hausa/fulani in politics? They thnk dat hausas are better positioned 2 wrest power 4rm d oda tribes(IGBOS) & hand over to them when they are tired
Check d success recorded in terms of inventions , scientific breakthrus , military tact n might during d Biafra war 2 knw if Achebe is wrong.
He ws right 2 say dat Nigerians cn only reach a consensus when such is targetd agenst d igbos. It is playing out on nairaland & it played out during d war.
Shame dat a ppl awo wantd 2 halt wt his £2
policy, own 60% of Lagos 2day.

FreeGlobe:
you seem to dwell too much on this your people's hatread for igbos even Achebe has told you clearly its a because of envy and jealousy. We dont care if you hate us, it doesnt stop us from breaking feats or taking over Lagos for instance. We have seen people die of bitterness while the bittered contunue to flourish

bittyend: We assess a man's superiority based on his assets, qualifications, and achievements.

We assess a group's superiority based on its abode.

I'll accept that Ibos are superior, if any Ibo on this thread can sway me over with pictures of the beautiful and majestic Ibo land.

I've seen pictures of Enugu, and it's subpar; I want something different.

Who will take the offer and win me over?

FreeGlobe:
you seem to dwell too much on this your people's hatread for igbos even Achebe has told you clearly its a because of envy and jealousy. We dont care if you hate us, it doesnt stop us from breaking feats or taking over Lagos for instance. We have seen people die of bitterness while the bittered contunue to flourish

mimifonwon:
Al i have noticed something about you, you are a green snake, and sadly a tribalist. What achebe writes is true, even other historians have written it, it has nothing to do with tribe. And yes am yoruba by the way. So dont try to come at me with any tribalistic bull sh!t. I dont blame you though, i blame our parents generation that passed down these tribalistic thinking to some of us. I have read accounts from international bodies, even the colonizing body, the british affirms the same conclusion achebe is simply rehashing. The yorubas had the advantage for over 50 years for they were the first people to be colonized and get western education,while eastern nigerians, especially the igbos were the last frontier as they tried to resist everything western until they no longer can. But you have to admit ( that is if you choose to do unbiased research and read other historical accounts) the igbos in a short period of time economically surpassed their northern and southwestern counterparts, and even caught up in education in the whiteman's tongue with the west. So before you start abusing a man and a history you know nothing and looks like you care nothing about, please do your research and try and see if you can find any historical record or written work that is contrary to what achebe writes. And you cannot in honest truth not say that since the civil war that the north and southwestern nigeria have not tried to keep any igbo man from becoming a president or even vice president for the fear that he might create another biafra or even worse keep the resources in eastern nigeria to the east. Please dont come at me with, ummm north has this, southwest has that, the truth is that the bulk of nigeria's wealth has always been in the lands that were curved as biafra. Yes i understand you will point out that igbos are not the only tribe in eastern nigeria, and true, but some of those tribes that trusted in nigeria, had their traditional homeland dashed off to another country, so there are consequences to everything we do in life. My dear brother tell the truth, infact accept the truth, swallow it and shame the devil. You know sometimes good medicine can be extremely bitter, but at the end it helps cure the disease of ignorance and lies we have accepted due to tribalistic sentiments. Btw i will not be responding to any of your rude comments, and yes my mother is igbo and so what. All I have to say to you is read other outside historical accounts before you respond to things written by a credible man, who in his old age would not try to ruin his life works with lies. So please always do you research and dont let your emotions lead you, rather allow unbiased un-tribalistic reasoning to guide you. HAPPY SABBATH EVERYONE!!

frederal:
The Abuja you mentioned, did u also observe †̥hα̲̅†̥ most of the hotels and clubs are owned by Ibos. Truth is just bitter.

cristog120: can anyone imagine how many years it took the igbos to recover from the ravages of the civil war which the yorubas and hausas didnt witness? just a few years.but today they are way ahead of the rest economically,educationally and otherwise.compare biafra and other war torn african counties and relate it with the thoughts of achebe.what an igbo man is suffering from today is envy emanating from our co associates in this fake enclave called nigeria.they all know it. go to any major market around this coutry,major schools around the world,all countries of the world, from east to west,north to south, you will tell the tales yourself.you can only be criticized by those u outshine in all things.any criticism is accepted by me.truth is very bitter when told in the public domain.