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BY PRINCE IBORO UDOM
Nigeria’s political history is a story in contradictions. This accounts for why her quest for national unity and integration has been unsuccessful, quite to the chargrin of the few genuine patriots who had dreamt of a Nigeria that would be the envy of all in the community of nations. But upon the attainment of political independence, the hope that a Nigeria nation could emerge out of a multitude of tribes and tongues has unfortunately evaporated like ash such that it seems it could never realize it’s rather cherished but unfulfilled dreams.

While we try to “understand our differences” as Sir Ahmadu Bello advised rather than to “forget our differences” there seems to be a progressive rise in the quantum and intensity of ethnic consciousness as shown by the reactions by ethnic Lords over sundry issues.

This dangerous tendency was recently manifested following the release of a book written by Prof Chinua Achebe and titled: “There was A Country: A Personal History of Biafra” In the latest book the renowned literary icon, blamed the plight of the Igbos especially following the war on the deliberate economic policies formulated by the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo as Finance Minister and Deputy Chairman of the Federal Executive council which was headed by General Yakubu Gowon, the then Head of State.

These policies, according to the literary icon impoverished and economically strangulated the Igbos including other Easterners. These myriads of reactions bring to the force the contradictions, the mischief and sheer absence of love and understanding of the plight of other Nigerians by those who have arrogated national interest and welfare to themselves and see any other person as undeserving of concern. My honest contention would be that it is always very good to apportion blames if by doing so the wrongs done could be rectified or remedied.

In the case of Biafra and Nigeria, undoubtedly, great wrongs have been done with noticeable harm. Ethnic chauvinists and pretenders to the Nigerian unity project are wont to say that Biafra is past and should not be revisited, but they must be advised that we are all products of history.

It has been asserted that those who chose to ignore the lessons of history are more often than not ignored by history itself. This is true of Nigeria.

It has refused to learn from history as a guide to the future but has rather unwittingly been repeating the same mistakes all over again. The result is that it has become like a patient who after medical diagnosis throws away the reports which contained details of his ailment and the recommended treatment to be administered d. when he eventually appears before the doctor, the process is ordered to recommence once again, and chances are that before another process of medical examination is concluded, the situation has become precarious and regrettabley, beyond medical redemption.

The issues mentioned in the said book are all too familiar, but if one may ask, “what were the immediate and remote causes of the Nigeria Civil War (1967-1970)? Who should be blamed for the events that led to the declaration of independence by “Biafra”?

What was the real intention behind the war and post –war policies? The earlier we sincerely give answers to these salient questions, the better for our quest for nationhood. The moment we begin to tell ourselves the home truth even when such revelation and admission/confession is against our personal or tribal interest, the better for the healing process to commence in full swing.

Without any fear of contradiction, let me state clearly that the mindless and senseless massacre and destruction of Igbo lives and properties following the counter coup by the reactionaries led by Lt Col. T. Y. Dnjuma more than anything else caused the attempted secession bid by Colonel Udumegwu Emeka Ojukwu, then Military Governor of the then Eastern Region.

The macabre that attended the well-organized and superbly supervised genocide perpetrated against the Igbos in the north and supported by the northern leaders, albeit as a ‘retaliation’ against the murder of their leaders in the first coup de’tat could have been nipped in the bud if the beneficiaries of the “unitary” government for which General Aguyi Ironsi was sacrificed had taken any sincere step to dissuade their people from the course they had taken against the innocent Igbos who had to pay a great price for their belief in one Nigeria and their spirit of enterprise.

Let the facts be stated the umpteenth time for the mischievous and peddlers of falsehood who distort clear undeniable facts of history for their selfish and tribal interests.

Agreeably, the northerners were never known and have never been know to be pro-Nigerian in their thoughts, inclinations and pronouncements, and for the records, they never wanted independence for Nigeria and neither did they embrace the idea of one Nigeria Resolutions of the Northern Regional House of Assembly regarding the “strangers” on their soil, the various pronouncements of Sir Ahmadu Bello, Premier of the Northern Region, and the aborted speech by General Gowon announcing the division of Nigeria are all in the public domain for Nigerians to see.

Another fact of history is that Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe left the Eastern Region, contested and won election into the Western Regional House of Assembly and was in the process of forming the government in the Region, his party, the National Convention of Nigerian Citizens, NCNC, having won the majority of seats at the Election, but the late sage Awolowo sensing disgrace and obvious loss of relevance, orchestrated through blackmail and recourse to primordial ethnic sentiments and emotions, the “cross-carpeting of the NCNC members of the House to the Action Group, AG,. This singular act killed the spirit of national unity and accommodation that was becoming visible by the wider acceptance of NCNC by the Westerners.

The result of this political ‘master-stroke’ by Awolowo forced Azikiwe unceremoniously back to the Eastern Region where he, out of frustration; having failed to also go the central Legislature in Lagos equally orchestrated a fresh election to the Eastern Region House of Assembly. This singular act again affected the brotherly love in the region and the nationalist spirit as the Efiks, Ibibios and the Annangs etc who were the major victims began to lose hope in the federation, nay the Eastern Region.

This perhaps explains why the Igbos were denied their support during the course of the war. Agreed also that in war, just like Awolowo rationalized, that “everything is fair and starvation is one of the weapons of war, could it rightly be said that post-war anti-people and anti-development policies are accepted especially were it was declared,”no victor, no vanquished”? It is not true that humanitarian service provided by international voluntary organization to Nigerian held territories were denied the civilian populace in Biafra, not the soldiers?

Was this not a clear case of genocide alongside the earlier pogrom in the north targeted at Igbos? And if, as the Awolowo and Gowon apologists are arguing, that they don’t deserve any blame for the suffering of the Igbos nay Easterners during and after the war, can any truly sensible person rationalize the policy conceived and implemented by the said otherwise great Awolowo to the effect that every Easterner (mostly Igbos) that had whatever amount of money in the bank was only given “20 pounds”

Not only this, property belonging to Igbos across the country were seized by the Federal Government and were classified as “abandoned” properties even when the owners had survived the war and needed a means of sustenance.

The late Ikemba (Ojukwu) had to fight for many years to repossess his father’s property in Lagos State. The result of this deliberate and mischievous economic policy was despite deceitful programme of Reconciliation, Rehabilitation and Reconstruction. And when public enterprises were nationalized, no Igbo man/woman was in a position to purchase any shares in those companies. This was against the backdrop of the fact that the Eastern Region, up to the late 1960s was rated as the fastest growing economy in the world.

The literary Icon, Prof Chinua Achebe has not committed any crime by writing his memoirs while alive. Others are enjoined to also tell Nigerians what they know about the war, the pogrom and proffer a way out. We have lied for too long, we have pretended for too long. Time for admission of wrong and confession of sins is now. The Igbos deserve our sympathy and off course, apologies. Iboro Udom writes from Akwa Ibom state