advocate666:

don't worry. We know our enemies.

who are they ?

nenepea: Many NL are just like this Dr. Please get hold of Prof's book and read. Stop showing your ignorance on this social media site

Na like ds una dey fail jamb, the doctor is not trying to discredit prof achebe's book since he hasn't even read it, he is simply saying facts he knows as a historian to point out very little blame if any should be directed to the outsider (awo) and dt the ibo should look inward, he doesn't have to read the prof's book to know these facts

felifeli:
Contrary to your belief "nyanmiri" does not mean southerners . It specifically referred to Ibo people. During the war, the constant battle chant of soldiers was "nyamiri yamutu ya kare" , which I think means "kill all Ibos , that's all"

Actually, 'Nyamiri'(as was explained to me by an hausa elder) is a mis-pronunciation of the actual word by the northerners of the progrom era, and is derived from Igbo language 'nyem mmiri'(give me water), which occured as a result of starvation policy employed in verious camps where Igbos were kept, and thus: begging for water(mothers for their children or for themselves as well as men; to slake their taste). And murtala mohammed oversaw that systematic - less-gas-chamber like annihilation(employed by hitler against the jews), and the consequence for Murtala was assassination. I keep saying it, all Igbo prominent enemies, don't die happy(depression, poison, obscurity, assassination, seclussion and frustration is always their lots) it's either through sucide or by another man's hand. Find out.

^^ Obasanjo and Benjamin Adekunle are living till now Both are 75 and 76yrs old

dayokanu: ^^ Obasanjo and Benjamin Adekunle are living till now Both are 75 and 76yrs old

if thats what you call life, then am very sorry for you.

Mr. Globe:

if thats what you call life, then am very sorry for you.

Then what is life to you?

dayokanu:

Then what is life to you?

worshiping a leader that cowardly ran to IVC instead of courageously fighting alongside his army. ibhoe logic

ekt_bear

[quote]When a [b]historian speaks, even Achebe should listen. Not to talk of small pikin like berem

@^^ Please revisit topics and my write-ups/comments on Biafra/Awo. You'll come away with a profound knowledge that I have actually made similar/Same comments here on NL pertaining to Awo/Biafra and Nigeria. Never mind small minded ignorant persons on NL who know nothing about War/Politics let alone about Nigeria nor their own backyard(Biafra) . The gentleman will be vilified as usual . They should learn to read and learn from the salient mistakes made, that hastened the inevitable demise of Biafra led by lazy presumptuous so called leaders. Ojukwu and the fighting foot soldiers were perhaps the only innocents/sincere persons in Biafra.

alj harem: e don finish ? Show is over

Ok now on a serious note.

We as a people should not let petty tribalism becloud our sense of reasoning. Yes I am an Awoist, this does not make me a tribalist rather it makes me a strong believer of Awolowo's idealogies. I know some would ask, "why can't I just form my own idealogy". Yes you all are right but Awolowo's idealogy is in line with mine. A commonwealth nation we all can enjoy. The first school Awolowo built was in Urhobo land and yes they made fun of him. Look at it today.

I love Igbos and trust me even today I was still called an Igbo man because of my looks I just laugh about it and wonder if Igbos on nairaland can see how Igbo loving I am. But this does not excuses Achebe's ignorance on the baifra issue.

Each time Baifra topic comes up and I am online it annoys me because first of all, I believe it is silly of us to be discussing issues that happened in 1960's in year 2012. Secondly, it brings out the worst in me because I have read and research on this baifra issue extensively. I have even done a personal survey to know more so I can be as objective as a man can be. I found out that I keep arriving at the same conclusions.

Sometimes it can drive a sane man crazy when you keep repeating the same issue and the same question are still being asked. Then you result to insult, that this point most yorubas would be laughing because you have started acting like lunatics.

I mean don't you find it embarrassing ? because I do for you all.

What have you researched? U did not do ur research well . I beleive that purposely dont want to acknowlwdge the real fact because u re highly tribalistic like your idol awolowo . Even kayode in his interview admitted that what happened - the pogrom in the north was unacceptable .for ojukwu to have offered igbos safe haven was the right to ve done at that time.

Ojukwu did not declared civil war. he made effort to avert that hence the aburi accord - confederation which would have been a way of avoiding war but gowon came back to nigeria to drop the agreement . Who wanted war here ? for gowon to have dishonoured the international agreement ojukwu had no option than to secede . Following secession, gowon declared war on biafran . If gowon hadnt declared , there would not have been war . Ojukwu did not declare war . He created safe region for his people who were being masacered in the north . So Alj harem get it right . Again know that history should always be refered for future . pre and post civil war cannot be swept under the carpet like that . It keep informing our decision sometimes . u cannot take it away . the damage has been done already . the relationship between the yorubas and igbos was damaged before and after the war and no denial on that and it cannot be fixed even if the country is divided , we remain enemies. Why yorubas ? The north is a well known enemy to igbos . The yorubas are close neighbors to igbos, compounded problems for igbos during the war that is why igbos perceive yorubas as traitors . Even up til now the yorubas continued to wage cold war against the igbos . it is pity that your elders are clamouring for confederation today which ojukwu requested 42 yr ago . Why didnt yorubas support ojukwu for conderation then , by now Nigeria would be a paradise . See the mess u have now ( Nigeria) called a country . Re u people not ashame of yourselves . Nigeria today is the off shoot of civil war .The fall of Biafra give rise for Northern domination which has put nigeria in this mess. Why didnt yorubas take over nigeria after the war? Because of cowardice , yorubas left nigeria at the mercy of the illiterate north . despite all these , a right thinking nigeria knows the capabilities of yorubas as against the north . U assisted the north to defeat igbos thereafter you relegated urself to the background watch north destroy Nigeria . happy for the igbos because they have bounced back and surpased every other tribes that wanted to anihilate them.

alj harem:

who are they ?

i thought u've gone to bed

proudlyafrican

Yes,it is war and you have to subdue the enemies by any means necessary,i hope that answers you right since you don`t want to use your brain.

@^^ Gbam!+100 . It is the general lack of intellectual rigour on the part of many young Igbo young persons that is troubling and shocking. It is as if there is a general agreement not to think creatively let alone critically . Sincerely, it does not bode well for the Igbo if the majority are haughty and refuse to think laterally and strategically. I am afraid indeed.

Wow, standing ovation for the Dr.Yorubas have a proverb 'Kokoro ton je efo into efo longbe'. ie the ant that is eating the vegetable lives inside the vegitable.Ndigbo should look inwards and stop the blame game, do not alinieate everyone and on the same breadth be thinking of an Igbo presidency ,use your head and be wise. I remember Ojukwu's quote and tribute when Awo died " the best President Nigeria never had" it's time to sheath the sword and move on guys.

Lol. Who's that m0r0n who thinks Ojukwu and Aburi Accord were the first to suggest a confederation? What was the regional system Nigeria operating before Ironsi came with Unification Decree (Decree 34)? Did each region not operate with some level of autonomy? Maybe you should ask Ironsi what he was thinking; since he apparently came in to implement NCNC agenda (the Unification Decree was much touted by the NCNC).

logica: Lol. Who's that m0r0n who thinks Ojukwu and Aburi Accord were the first to suggest a confederation? What was the regional system Nigeria operating before Ironsi came with Unification Decree (Decree 34)? Did each region not operate with some level of autonomy? Maybe you should ask Ironsi what he was thinking; since he apparently came in to implement NCNC agenda (the Unification Decree was much touted by the NCNC).

you are bitting about the bush . Then when regional ideation resurfaced again under aburi what happened ? in a conflict between 2 the third person should try to be neutral and not to take side that was actually what happened between the north, east and west . For the yorubas to have taken side with north does not vindicate u guys; it demostrated anti igbo and that is where yorubas wrong igbos and that stays . u guys attracted that lack of trust to yourself as far as igbos are concerned .

icon aus:

you are bitting about the bush . Then when regional ideation resurfaced again under aburi what happened ? in a conflict between 2 the third person should try to be neutral and not to take side that was actually what happened between the north, east and west . For the yorubas to have taken side with north does not vindicate u guys; it demostrated anti igbo and that is where yorubas wrong igbos and that stays . u guys attracted that lack of trust to yourself as far as igbos are concerned .

Mugu, should I once again outline events for you?
Here goes:

1. July '66 counter-coup and pogroms; Igbo masses slaughtered in the North. Eastern soldiers are moved to the East; Northern soldiers to the North. Only the West still had Northern soldiers.
2. Western leaders start the agitation, maneuvering and politicking to get the Northern soldiers moved from the West to the North.
3. While this was going on, the East (who were supposed to be the allies of the West) without coordinating with their so called allies in the West begin a push towards Lagos and annex the Mid-West; and committed all kinds of atrocities - r@pe, murder, looting, etc.
4. The Western leadership begin to doubt the "alliance" with the East and realize they may after all be ignorant of the intentions of the East.
5. The West decide to resist the Eastern push to Lagos and as they say, the rest is history.

Now given the chronology (please feel free to present any refutations), who here was the traitor?

logica: Mugu, should I once again outline events for you?
Here goes:

1. July '66 counter-coup and pogroms; Igbo masses slaughtered in the North. Eastern soldiers are moved to the East; Northern soldiers to the North. Only the West still had Northern soldiers.
2. Western leaders start the agitation, maneuvering and politicking to get the Northern soldiers moved from the West to the North.
3. While this was going on, the East (who were supposed to be the allies of the West) without coordinating with their so called allies in the West begin a push towards Lagos and annex the Mid-West; and committed all kinds of atrocities - r@pe, murder, looting, etc.
4. The Western leadership begin to doubt the "alliance" with the East and realize they may after all be ignorant of the intentions of the East.
5. The West decide to resist the Eastern push to Lagos and as they say, the rest is history.

Now given the chronology (please feel free to present any refutations), who here was the traitor?

Ur story is what u were told . U intentionally avoided an important part showing that u re bias , Who started the war ? did ojukwu just decide to attack ? he was attacked first and the quickest way to end the war was to capture lagos being the capital so that gowon and co would surender and obey the aburi accord thinking that the Yoruba peolpe would cooperate . Anyway it had happened , we all learnt and unfortunately the yorubas got on the bad book of igbos and that is the fact . Yorubas knew what they did that is the reason u hardly see them in the east meanwhile the igbos are welcoming to any tribes . What alliance are u talking about ? Fake alliance with awolowo who wanted the fall of igbos at all cost . If the alliance was there , why u didnt yorubas support the aburi accord ?

Boo hoo hoo. Cry me a river

Just only 2 yrs of GEJ in power yorubas are shouting ethnic cleansing. what abot igbos who has been suffering that for the past 45yrs ? just note is gonna be long before a yorubas smells presidency . Anyway we know that u guys re waiting for the north to take over again so u continue taking nigeria backwards shameless people

icon aus:

Ur story is what u were told . U intentionally avoided an important part showing that u re bias , Who started the war ? did ojukwu just decide to attack ? he was attacked first and the quickest way to end the war was to capture lagos being the capital so that gowon and co would surender and obey the aburi accord thinking that the Yoruba peolpe would cooperate . Anyway it had happened , we all learnt and unfortunately the yorubas got on the bad book of igbos and that is the fact . Yorubas knew what they did that is the reason u hardly see them in the east meanwhile the igbos are welcoming to any tribes . What alliance are u talking about ? Fake alliance with awolowo who wanted the fall of igbos at all cost . If the alliance was there , why u didnt yorubas support the aburi accord ?

It is obvious you also smoke the same kind of gbana that damaged Ojukwu's brain so badly; which was why he was always paranoid and seeing "sabos" everywhere.

I did not tell you a story; I told your dumb-azz history. So you ask me who started the war; was it the people of the Mid-West? I know you have no value for life, but you can go explain to the hundreds of murdered Mid-Westerners and the r@ped females that they were just collateral damage. Their sacrifice to the cause of Biafra is highly appreciated.

I can understand you being dumb and all, cannot see anything wrong with a plan to march all the way through Mid-West and West to Lagos by land to capture Gowon. Only a m0r0n could've come up with that plan. The fact that you are even asking me about "what alliance" shows you don't even know much about the Nigerian Civil War. I guess you are just here to moan over a cup of kain-kain.

LMAO. So the reason you don't see Yorubas in the East is because of "what they did", not because of the absence of opportunities (which by the way is the reason for the mass exodus from the East)?

icon aus: Just only 2 yrs of GEJ in power yorubas are shouting ethnic cleansing. what abot igbos who has been suffering that for the past 45yrs ? just note is gonna be long before a yorubas smells presidency . Anyway we know that u guys re waiting for the north to take over again so u continue taking nigeria backwards shameless people

Look here dumb-azz. No smart Yoruba believes holding the presidency will magically turn around the woes of our region. Obasanjo was there for 8 years (plus the previous 3 years making 11 years). That must be an Igbo thing. I suppose you guys are still reminiscing on the good times during the Ironsi regime when he took nepotism to new heights.

paranoia_pill: Wednesday, 24 October 2012 00:00 By Dr. Tony Nwaezeigwe

I HAVE not yet read the controversial personal history of Chinua Achebe, and as a professional historian, I don’t really think it is ethical to speak on a work one has not read. However, I have endeavoured to read Noo Saro-Wiwa’s review of the book posted on The Guardian of London on-line. I have also read the numerous comments on the book with specific reference to the roles of Chief Obafemi Awolowo in the civil war.

I could recall that this subject of Achebe’s attack on Chief Obafemi Awolowo was the Dr. Frederick Fasehun’s welcome address to me during my meeting with him on Thursday, October 11, 2012, at his Century Hotel, Okota, to discuss the subject of Igbo Presidency in 2015. Still on the same subject matter, while en route Nsukka by Ifesinachi luxury bus, just few kilometers to Ore, I received a call from Ghana, this time by the renowned Igbo literary critic and mathematician-turned historian, Professor Chinweizu, imploring me to comment on the controversy.

Over-flogged and irrelevant subject

I have, therefore, decided to comment on a subject I strongly feel is both over-flogged and irrelevant at this point of our history. However, to the professional historian, no literary work is an end to itself, not even the one coming from such literary icon as Professor Chinua Achebe. Every work of literary art is, therefore, to the professional historian, a means to an end, a tool and source-material for the professional historian in pursuit of the end. That end is definitely the solution to the intractable political socio-economic, and allied problems of mankind.

Achebe no doubt, like other writers and commentators has done his bit of contribution towards that end. However, whether Achebe’s contribution is adjudged to be positive or negative in orientation, it remains a matter literary conjecture, since every writer is entitled to his personal opinion based on his exclusive perception of a given subject matter. In this regard, the title of the book is self-explanatory. One does not, therefore, understand why the personal view of an individual will constitute a whole lot of an enveloping controversy. Or, could be because such a comment is coming out of the mouth of a “Professor Chinua Achebe”? Just like a Julius Caesar crossing the Rubicon, or a Mungo Park discovering the source of River Niger. I ask this question because the subject matter is no longer new, as it has over the years formed one of tools against possible Igbo-Yoruba common front against a perceived common enemy.

The fact remains, however, that the issue of Chief Awolowo’s anti-Igbo roles during the civil war is highly over-bloated with irreconcilable body of evidence. This issue was fully explained in my October 1998 Guest Lecture to the Department of

Political Science, University of Lagos, titled: “Ethnicity and the Politics of Igbo-Yoruba Relations: case of a celebration of defeat?”

In the first instance, the Igbo first lost the golden opportunity to have Chief Awolowo fully on their side when, neither General Ironsi nor Col. Ojukwu failed to see the wisdom in releasing the former from prison custody in Calabar. Chief Obafemi Awolowo had to wait for the six or seven months before he could be released and granted amnesty by General Yakubu Gowon, who subsequently elevated him.

There was no doubt that the Yoruba under the leadership of Chief Awolowo were ready to secede along with the Igbo, had circumstances on ground not prevented the scheme. Fundamental in that circumstance was the presence of the Northern troops in Ibadan, Abeokuta and Lagos. Since the Yoruba at that time lacked the needed military presence in the army to confront the occupying forces, there was little they could have done. The Yoruba leaders had actually demanded for the withdrawal of the Federal troops from their territory to enable them carry out their scheme of secession. It was actually on account of that demand that the Federal authorities announced on Thursday, May 25, 1967 that the Northern troops would be withdrawn from the West Region.

However, that withdrawal eventually meant the withdrawal of troops at Ibadan and Abeokuta for the reinforcement of the Lagos garrison as well as for the strategic

cities of Jebba and Ilorin. Even the acting Military Governor of the Western Region at that tme, Col. Adebayo, in his subtle protest on May 26, described the presence of Northern troops at Ikeja as “this outstanding problem,” and pleaded with his people to exercise patience since he was discussing the matter with General Gowon.

It was under this charged political atmosphere that Gowon announced the

following day, May 27, the creation of the 12-State structure. That action eventually led to the fission of Yoruba minds towards secession, particularly since the indigenes of the new Lagos State saw their new status as a freedom from the domineering image of Chief Awolowo. The subsequent elevation of Chief Obafemi Awolowo to number two position was to erase the idea of a Yoruba secession.

It could also be recalled that on March 3, 1967, the Biafran leader, Col. Odumegwu-Ojukwu, then still acting on the capacity of a Regional Governor, affirmed this evident incapacitation of the West by the occupying Northern troops. Odumegwu-Ojukwu had said that both Governors of the two Southern Regions of West and Midwest were in full support of his position against the North, but could not do much because of the presence of Northern troops in their territories.

Chief Awolowo’s inability to carry out his threat of secession if the East seceded could not therefore be interpreted as an act of betrayal. Beyond the matter of sentiments, objective judgment agrees that there can never be secession without a back-up military force. Comparatively, the Yoruba had thrown a much stronger loyal support to the leadership of Nnamdi Azikiwe than the Igbo ever exhibited toward Chief Obafemi Awolowo. Thus in speaking of Awolowo’s roles in the civil war, objectivity demands that reference be made also of such Yoruba-born pro-Igbo partisans of the war, like Professor Wole Soyinka and those who chose to fight and die for Biafra like Colonels Banjo and Ademoyega.

Gruesome experiences

There was no doubt that Professor Chinua Achebe, from the accounts of his civil war experiences was a privileged Biafran citizen who only watched but never suffered the gruesome experiences of hunger, diseases and homelessness during the war. If the father of African literature actually wants to be objective concerning the conduct of the civil war, then he should first focus his literary search-light at the internal mechanisms of the conduct of the war on the side of Biafra.

In other words, if any blame were to be apportioned for the defeat of Biafra and the suffering of the Igbo masses, it cannot be targeted at external forces such as Awolowo, but at the internal elite who masterminded the failed civil war policies of the leader, like Achebe himself. One would want Professor Achebe to explain to

Nigerians in general and the Igbo in particular, what happened to the millions in foreign currency raised abroad in support of Biafra but which never got to the shores of Biafra? How much of such money were actually raised and who were those Igbo leaders of Biafra entrusted with the duty of bringing the fund to Biafra?

What also happened to the millions given to such people as Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe and Mojekwu, a relative of Odumegwu-Ojukwu for the purpose of purchasing arms and ammunition to prosecute the war? Did they not cart away with the money and never returned to Biafra until after the defeat? Where again could one place those who sold relief materials meant for the poor and suffering citizens of Biafra, when it was meant to be distributed free? Were all these atrocities against the Igbo equally masterminded by Chief Obafemi Awolowo?

Viewed critically, even the literary icon himself, acting on the capacity of Biafra’s Minister of Communication, could not have supported any policy that would have given the Federal Government undue advantage over Biafra. Even the Federal Government’s policy of an all-round twenty pounds exchange cannot be faulted by any economic theory given the undetermined value of the Biafran currency. It is important for Professor Achebe to know that the Igbo of today fully understand who their actual friends and foes are in the present Federation.

Abandoned property saga

The 1966 pogroms against the Igbo were Hausa-Fulani schemes and not those of the Yoruba. Many Igbo lived unmolested in Yorubaland throughout the war. The coup d’etat that toppled General Aguiyi-Ironsi was a Northern act and not a single Yoruba soldier was involved. The abandoned property saga did not take place in Yorubaland.

Above all, although there could exist a situation of mutual rivalries between the Igbo and Yoruba, such competitions never for once degenerated into a state of anti-Igbo riots, with countless loss of lives and property. The Igbo thus know who their friends are, and they know that the Yoruba are not their foe. In conclusion, it is important to let Professor Achebe understand one evident fact: if any Igbo leader could have one-quarter of Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s vision for the Yoruba, then the Igbo are saved the pains of recurrent political idiocy.



• Dr. Nwaezeigwe is Senior Research Fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Nigeria, Nsukka.
http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=102559:in-defence-of-awolowo-matters-arising-from-achebes-civil-war-memoir&catid=73:policy-a-politics&Itemid=607

If this joker took facts for granted in a show of shame as he did with this innocuous issue, only God can uncover what he did with his thesis, if any. No wonder Unizik, Awka could be mentioned in academic jokes before UNN comes to mind. If this useless and uncouth interloper is still gainfully employed by UNN, he should be held for remunerations of funds paid him as salary.

I had looked forward to reading where the jester would lead us into the real history of Awolowo’s political troubles. It is no gainsaying to state Yoruba, in cohort with Huasa, Fulani and Kanuri, imprisoned Awolowo. The major Yoruba sons who conspired with Tafawa Balewa and Ahmadu Bello to chill Awolowo’s azz in jail were Adetokumbo Ademola, Olawale Elias, Sodeide Sowemimo, Majekudumi, Akintola and his hoards of tugs. Awolowo was meant to be finished off in Nigerian Prison in Bauchi but timely intervention of certain Igbo peeps saved his azz and was later sent to eastern region to have a second chance in life.

Why would Igbo support Awolowo as Yoruba supported Azikiwe? Did Awolowo live or own a block in Igbo land? Did Awolowo even have the terminality to name his kids Igbo name? Did Awolowo spend a day in Igbo land unless when searching for electioneering votes? I bet you the tribal icon called Awolowo can not call out a word of Igbo talk less of making a speech in Igbo.

Fool is only reasonable term reserved for any human being who remotely thought that the release of Awo from the prison should be the first agenda of Ironsi’s regime which was faced with mutiny, political unrest and pogrom. In May1966, the political riot in northern region of Nigeria saw many lives of southerners that consisted Yoruba, Igbo, Ibibio, Efik, Edo, Esan, Ijo, Urhobo, Itsekiri, Ejagam, Annang and Ogoni perished. There were more important things on the plate of Ironsi’s regime than a lone convict in Calabar.

I am not surprised the untidy douche bag in the person of Nwaezeigwe drew blank on heinous crimes perpetrated by persons such as Major O Daramola. The massacre of Igbo chaps who managed to get to the bridgehead at Lokoja was spearheaded by Major O Daramola and he was a Yoruba. It must be recalled northern elites saw the need to use a southerner to nail the coffin of Ndigbo through the abandon property in Port Harcourt. They promptly called on then Col O Daramola to chair the panel which decided that every property accumulated by Ndigbo in Port Harcourt before the civil war should be declared abandon property. Again, sons and daughters of Ndigbo should remember Col O Daramola was a Yoruba.

It will amount to waste of energy to call Nwaezeigwe a dingbat because it is obvious. Seriously, only a drooling nitwit such as Nwaezeigwe can make hay out of childish innuendos such as millions raised to buy arms for Biafra’s agenda ended in the pocket of KO Mbadiwe and CC Mojekwu. Mbadiwe, for the sake of posterity, held the same position as Azikwe, Ikejiani, Kenneth Dike and even Chukwuma Azikiwe. The duty of roving ambassador was primarily to draw the attention of the world to the atrocity Nigerians were committing in eastern region of Nigeria. CC Mojekwu was commissioner for home affairs.

I had expected the dunce to mention the people who were responsible for the fund and total amount raised for the weapons meant for Biafra. I bet this swine is in the class of people who still believed that Ojukwu used his father’s money to prosecute the war. What a waste of human spam. It is inconceivable to fathom why this tadpole thought a man who can not strike a difference between Enfield Mark III and Mark IV rifles can be sent to secure arms for Biafra.

logica: Look here dumb-azz. No smart Yoruba believes holding the presidency will magically turn around the woes of our region. Obasanjo was there for 8 years (plus the previous 3 years making 11 years). That must be an Igbo thing. I suppose you guys are still reminiscing on the good times during the Ironsi regime when he took nepotism to new heights.

Guy, I was about typing a stinker to these Igbo jingoist until I read your well articulated post which bears my view to the fullest!

The Igbos are the most self-centered folks I have ever known in this world. It is in them not to care what happens to their neighbour as long as they achieve their selfish aims. This attitude is evident in all Igbos both in business and politics and honestly speaking, this is not about sentiments.

Yes, I am Yoruba but my wife is from the old Mid-West. Her father, who is now 80years old, and I got around discussing the civil war sometime ago. He told me the atrocities of the Biafra soldiers in Sapele and the entire Urhobo land in those days. It was more like colonization! My father also told me of what the Yorubas in Ore and its environs suffered in the hands of Biafra soldiers. Everywhere, from Calabar to Benin to Ore, no one would give a good account of Biafra soldiers of those days.

So Igbos expect Yorubas to give up their peace and allow Biafra soldiers match through their land to wreck havoc on them and do to them what they saw them do to the tribes in today's south-south? The Yoruba casualties in Ore alone were eye-openers! So, I'm not going to come here to argue whether Awolowo starved the Igbos intentionally or not because to me, any action to ensure the defeat of the ambitious and advancing Biafra soldiers who do not leave good tales in the mouth of any community they transversed would be justified.

It seems to me that Achebe's attempt to label Awolowo as an enemy of the Igbo is malicious and shallow because really, if indeed the Yorubas were the Igbos' enemies because of the civil war, then there are plenty enemies for the Igbos starting from the Efik, Ibibios, Ijaws, Binis, Urhobos, Ikwerres etc all of whom have many sad tales to tell of Biafra soldiers. In fact, the Ikwerres attempted to revenge all the attrocities of Biafra in their land by seizing all Igbo owned properties and converting them to theirs during the civil war. At least, no igbo man lost his property or investments in Yorubaland during and after the war as this scholar rightly said. Ojukwu's father's properties in Lagos were seized by the FG and later returned to him. I know one of those properties in Ikoyi.

It is high time Igbos got over this hatred thing and get ready to live in Nigeria. Biafra is a mirage!

logica: Look here dumb-azz. No smart Yoruba believes holding the presidency will magically turn around the woes of our region. Obasanjo was there for 8 years (plus the previous 3 years making 11 years). That must be an Igbo thing. I suppose you guys are still reminiscing on the good times during the Ironsi regime when he took nepotism to new heights.

you dont even know how long OBj ruled nigeria that goes to show u dont know the nigeria recent history talkles of know what happened during the war . i cant even contunue this with u . Your comments are childish . Obj ruled Nigeria for more than 11 yrs cumulatively . So dont tell mi ani thing about civil that was older than u .liar! and back stabber

icon aus:

you dont even know how long OBj ruled nigeria that goes to show u dont know the nigeria recent history talkles of know what happened during the war . i cant even contunue this with u . Your comments are childish . Obj ruled Nigeria for more than 11 yrs cumulatively . So dont tell mi ani thing about civil that was older than u .liar! and back stabber

How? So your own 8+3>11 right? Did you attend elementary school at all?

X-factoria:


Guy, I was about typing a stinker to these Igbo jingoist until I read your well articulated post which bears my view to the fullest!

The Igbos are the most self-centered folks I have ever known in this world. It is in them not to care what happens to their neighbour as long as they achieve their selfish aims. This attitude is evident in all Igbos both in business and politics and honestly speaking, this is not about sentiments.

Yes, I am Yoruba but my wife is from the old Mid-West. Her father, who is now 80years old, and I got around discussing the civil war sometime ago. He told me the atrocities of the Biafra soldiers in Sapele and the entire Urhobo land in those days. It was more like colonization! My father also told me of what the Yorubas in Ore and its environs suffered in the hands of Biafra soldiers. Everywhere, from Calabar to Benin to Ore, no one would give a good account of Biafra soldiers of those days.

So Igbos expect Yorubas to give up their peace and allow Biafra soldiers match through their land to wreck havoc on them and do to them what they saw them do to the tribes in today's south-south? The Yoruba casualties in Ore alone were eye-openers! So, I'm not going to come here to argue whether Awolowo starved the Igbos intentionally or not because to me, any action to ensure the defeat of the ambitious and advancing Biafra soldiers who do not leave good tales in the mouth of any community they transversed would be justified.

It seems to me that Achebe's attempt to label Awolowo as an enemy of the Igbo is malicious and shallow because really, if indeed the Yorubas were the Igbos' enemies because of the civil war, then there are plenty enemies for the Igbos starting from the Efik, Ibibios, Ijaws, Binis, Urhobos, Ikwerres etc all of whom have many sad tales to tell of Biafra soldiers. In fact, the Ikwerres attempted to revenge all the attrocities of Biafra in their land by seizing all Igbo owned properties and converting them to theirs during the civil war. At least, no igbo man lost his property or investments in Yorubaland during and after the war as this scholar rightly said. Ojukwu's father's properties in Lagos were seized by the FG and later returned to him. I know one of those properties in Ikoyi.

It is high time Igbos got over this hatred thing and get ready to live in Nigeria. Biafra is a mirage!

You are better off staying away from matters you know very little about.

Apart from rubbish revisionist articles written by yoruba media, there is no evidence of the so called biafra atrocities in the mid west. Where as the atrocities of the nigerian army on biafran civilians are well documented.

On the ikwerre issue,you are so ignorant.

Biafra is more real than your fake nigeria,biafra lives the heart of all noble igbo person,igbos would never forget biafra,get used to it.

logica: Mugu, should I once again outline events for you?
Here goes:

1. July '66 counter-coup and pogroms; Igbo masses slaughtered in the North. Eastern soldiers are moved to the East; Northern soldiers to the North. Only the West still had Northern soldiers.
2. Western leaders start the agitation, maneuvering and politicking to get the Northern soldiers moved from the West to the North.
3. While this was going on, the East (who were supposed to be the allies of the West) without coordinating with their so called allies in the West begin a push towards Lagos and annex the Mid-West; and committed all kinds of atrocities - r@pe, murder, looting, etc.
4. The Western leadership begin to doubt the "alliance" with the East and realize they may after all be ignorant of the intentions of the East.
5. The West decide to resist the Eastern push to Lagos and as they say, the rest is history.

Now given the chronology (please feel free to present any refutations), who here was the traitor?

And i was thinking that katsumoto is the no1 history revisionist extraordinaire. Well,seems like someone just knocked him off that top position.

pazienza:
Apart from rubbish revisionist articles written by yoruba media, there is no evidence of the so called biafra atrocities in the mid west. Where as the atrocities of the nigerian army on biafran civilians are well documented.

LMAO. Another m0r0n. Yes indeed; it's only the poor Biafran people that suffered untold atrocities in the hands of Nigerian troops. Check to be sure you are human and not an ostrich.

pazienza:

And i was thinking that katsumoto is the no1 history revisionist extraordinaire. Well,seems like someone just knocked him off that top position.

Look here, don't just present me with an award (which I gratefully accept by the way); provide refutations or evade my posts like the plague.

logica: LMAO. Another m0r0n. Yes indeed; it's only the poor Biafran people that suffered untold atrocities in the hands of Nigerian troops. Check to be sure you are human and not an ostrich.

Please don't dignify that fool with a response. Typical of them, they can't make logical arguments so they resort to abuse and all sorts of crazy rants.

I stopped posting on NL for a while until recently because of the attitude of very many under-age/immature posters like this Piazenza that constitute the statistics of pathetic Nigerian youths! Its a shame that we have a bunch of them in this generation. I fear for the future of Nigeria.

I think he is objective in his comment. He wrote like a more refined and civilized igbo man. A humble and intelligent thinker. Igbos should emulate him and give room for reasoning. We need one another. Why are many so stupid not to recognise dis. The north smiles and rejoices each time we confront ourselves. The ibos are the enemies of themselves. They say things that cause others to continually hate them. Or is it a curse? They should stop thinking they are better, or can do it all alone. Enough of all dis tribal acrimonies!

pazienza:
Apart from rubbish revisionist articles written by yoruba media, there is no evidence of the so called biafra atrocities in the mid west. Where as the atrocities of the nigerian army on biafran civilians are well documented.

Undoubtedly, there were atrocities committed in the Midwest by Biafran soldiers. That is a fact. The problem is that the findings of the tribunal (chaired by an Ika man) into atrocities were suppressed so that very real ethnic tensions and wounds could heal, but if you've ever read any of those yahoo usergroup arguments over this issue, you would know that some of the names of and specifics about those orphaned by Biafran killings at Urhonigbe and Ugo have already come out. Anyway, the truth can't be hidden forever. Eventually, the whole thing will come out in detail and a lot of people deluding themselves will have to come to terms with reality.

If this Dr. Nwaezeigwe where to be a Nairalander, Ndi Igbo will:

1.) Accuse him of Anti-Igbo activities!
2.) "LABEL HIM" as another "OKIJA JUJU"
3.) Ban him from all "political aspirations" like becoming the "Eze Ndigbo of Nairaland"!

For those who abused him for consulting "Fasheun" (refering to Globe and Igwe), did it not occur to you all that "Igbo" or any other Nigerian tribe CANNOT all by itself, do anything without the support of at least one other major tribe?

I have said these in many of my post, including recently on the "Eze Ndigbo Nairaland election" thread around the 48th page or so.

The "Dr." is a smart man and he is trying to "build bridges" across tribal divide, which he hopes would pay dividend at the right time in future! And by "anything", l mean "Presidency, Secession, just name it"

I am hoping the new "to be elected Eze Nairaland" will learn from this, something that fine Igbo lady "Ogugua88" also highlighted.

Cheers,

Lastpage!