I love this guy....he analysed the whole issues about Biafra and Nigeria existing peacefully.......kudos to you Samuel ....your Article is so insightful and inspiring. thumbs up






It is the year 2016! Freedom is not yet a free gift to humanity as the price to pay for it is so exorbitant. Mankind, now at a crossroad of its existence, has greatly advanced in Religion, Science, Technology, Social Media, Economy, Civilization etc. but rather than use these noble tools or resources for the good of humanity, Man prefers to use his talents, his Religion, his technology, his media, his military strength, his diplomatic power, his nuclear weapons etc. to oppress, terrorize and silence his fellow Man – to destroy his beautiful home –the planet Earth. Man by means of his selfish leadership and blind followership actions has turned himself into a demi-god that holds his fellow Men in perpetual slavery in order to control or divert the natural resources that flow in their community to himself, his family, his tribe, his caste, his clan his religion or his country. From the regional wars (past and present) happening in the lands of Syria, Iraq, Palestine etc. to the great wars on the African soil of Sudan, Sierra Leone , Nigeria, etc. the grave effects of man’s inhumanity to his fellow man is witnessed. Generations have perished, kingdoms have fallen, and innocent children have died as a result of Man’s unquenchable thirst, greed, and lust for power and control over the resources of his fellow men.



The story of Biafra as a people and their quest for Freedom is not new to our world but the fact that their story remains hidden, covered up in the cupboards of history, blocked off or under-reported by Western Media and African Media rings a bell in the conscience of humanity, prompting a human rights cause to investigate why powerful Country Leaders, Continent Leaders and World Leaders have chosen to ignore the debate on Biafra. A debate to discuss Biafra’s fundamental human right to Social Inclusion in the Nigeria Society or a decree/referendum to grant Biafra her inalienable right to Freedom as Indigenous People (where it becomes clear that Nigeria’s Social Inclusion vision is not working or yielding intended results).



Could it be that there are many vested interests at play in the Biafra Freedom Quest? Could it be that the suppressed people of Biafra – who are often referred to as –“the Black Jews of Africa”- the lost tribes of Isreal, hold within themselves the hidden potentials, the talents, the wisdom or the keys needed to unlock the treasures of humanity, to create innovative solutions to the problems tearing humanity apart? Could it be that a few powerful citizens, Country Leaders, Continent Leaders, Religious Leaders and World Leaders are profiting daily from the resource crises happening in Biafra land? Could it be that they are profiting from the stylish modern slavery, political class bondage and resource hostage being inflicted on the Biafra people for over 100 years? Could it be that a few rich, powerful and untouchable individuals and nations are benefiting immensely from the large oil wells and mineral resources that flows like honey in Biafra Land?



Simplifying history, tracing the causes and effects of the Biafra Freedom Revolution is a delicate task, a slippery business which demands talents better than mine. It is a risky history hacking game which could open up many dried historical wounds as it brings to light the hidden motives and culpability of past and present Leaders in Africa and our world today. Yet it would be of greater good to humanity in this age of enlightenment if one were to attempt to unfold the hidden truths and spark off a global debate on Freedom in order to examine the critical issues at stake and pin down the underlining causes of human conflicts, tribalism, terrorism, abuse of human dignity through violent acts, corruption and poverty amidst plenty that threatens the existence of humanity as a family. By tracing our root origins to ancient civilizations that once lived as a peaceful family in Biafra Land, we can learn from past experiences and prevent history from repeating itself today. That probing into the Biafra Freedom Revolution history we can unearth important leadership lessons needed for all who aspire for leadership positions in African Society today and the world at large.



“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” -

Geoge Santayana , Spanish born American Essayist



The purpose of this writing is to tell an old story – the story of Biafra without judging who is right or wrong. Let your conscience be the final Judge. By analyzing historic issues, compiling views and comments about the Biafra Revolution from great minds, past and present, who are speaking for it or against it, it is my hope that the debate on Biafra Freedom will be accelerated globally as citizens and legislators around the world wake up to a renewed call from humanity to protect our global family – the human race, to protect the most vulnerable ones in our society. By analyzing the issues at stake, by calling our leaders to order if need be, by drawing important lessons needed to build effective leadership skills in 21st Century in order to create “a society for all”. Great minds and Authors have written on the subject of Biafra, I do not wish to add to it, all I want to do at this moment is tell a story, the story of a people called BIAFRA using the voices of their friends and foes in history, in such a manner that it will touch the conscience of humanity. .............................THE GODS ARE ASLEEP - Who will Save the Biafra Children?

Full story here -

http://biafra.info/freedom


[img]http://biafra.info/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/freedom.jpg[/img]

@ Mumudonshit, In as much as I do not support or subscribe to the subtle nature of this derailing effort, maybe not intended, I must say that Samuel detailed the truth.
I went through it. See excerpts below.

"the fact that Biafra has failed does not necessarily mean that Nigeria will succeed. Yakubu Gowon understands; not long after he came to power in 1966 he despaired of ever overcoming the divisive forces that were rending Nigeria. “There is no basis for unity,” he said then. But he has since come to believe otherwise. His efforts to transform that conviction into reality could become an example—or an epitaph—for all of Black Africa’s struggling states..

Ojukwu has established in clear terms the basis of his vision of a modern state in the “Ahiara declaration.”  …That he fought for the highest principles and values, everything against which Nigeria turned its back: the preservation of human dignity, the integrity of political leadership, the survival of the Igbo and their minority neighbours and the rehabilitation of the Igbo within the polity. Ojukwu continues this fight – the struggle for Igbo rehabilitation has become the struggle of his life – because as he has argued, in his comments to the National Reconciliation Committee (NARECOM), established by the late Sani Abacha “without justice, there would be no reconciliation

The retired Supreme Court Judge, Paul Nwokedi has recounted the premise for which the Soviet Union refused to support “a young nation seeking self-determination” when as Ojukwu’s envoy to Moscow he asked the same questions. Andre Gromyko’s, response to him was instructive: “Pauliya, Europe will not let you go…you have not fought this war for one year and you’re already producing your own rockets and rocket fuel…” he said to Nwokedi in 1968".

-Obi Nwakanma

“There has been genocide, for example on the occasion of the 1966 massacres; two areas have suffered badly [from the fighting]. Firstly the region between the towns of Benin and Asaba where only widows and orphans remain, Federal troops having for unknown reasons massacred all the men. According to eyewitnesses of that massacre the Nigerian commander ordered the execution of every Ibo male over the age of ten years. ” 

- Monsignor Georges (sent down on a fact-finding mission by His holiness the Pope reporting his finding in Vatican Rome – Le Monde (French Evening newspaper) April 5, 1968. “

“…650 refugee camps, contained about 700,000 haggard bundles of human flotsam waiting hopelessly for a meal, outside the camps, was the reminder of an estimated four and a half to five million displaced persons, the Kwashiorkor scourge, a million and half children, suffer(ed) from it during January; that put the forecast death toll at another 300,000 children, More than the pogroms of 1966, more than the war casualties, more than the terror bombings, it was the experience of watching helplessly their children waste away and die that gave birth to, a deep and unrelenting loathing, It is a feeling that will one day reap a bitter harvest unless…,    ” (Frederick Forsyth, British writer January 21st 1969) “

“I saw several hundred of Zombie-like creatures -men, women and children, lying, sitting or squatting in the midst of others who were dead. The living ones were completely reduced to skeletons and could not talk. I was seeing for the first time, kwashiorkor, Frankly, I took fright; I believe that any foreign troops from anywhere in the world occupying  IkotEkpene  or  any  other  town  in  Biafra   would   have   shown   much   more   sympathy.”  (Gen. Alex Madiebo, IkotEkpene, July 1968)

“Starvation  is  a  legitimate  weapon  of  war,  and  we  have  every  intention  of  using  it  against  the  rebels,  – ” Mr. Alison Ayida, Head of Nigerian Delegation, Niamey Peace Talks, Republic of Niger, July 1968)

I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary and no UN delegation.  I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything even at things that do not move. ”  – ( Benjamin Adekunle. Commander, 3rd Marine Commando Division, Nigerian Army to French  radio reporter).

“Let us go and crush them. We will pillage their property, despoil their womenfolk, kill off their menfolk and leave them uselessly weeping. We will complete the pogrom of 1966”   (The theme song of Radio Kaduna, Nigeria-government-controlled, 1967-1970).

“I asked a Biafran how long his nation had existed so far, and he replied, “Three Christmases, and a little bit more.” He wasn’t a hungry baby. He was a hungry man. He was a living skeleton, but he walked like a man. “   Kurt Vonnegut ( Biafra: A People Betrayed) .

http://biafra.info/freedom/
Samuel C. Okechukwu


This is history. The truth. The times. Let everybody know it.

hopilo:

You got the video, create a topic and post it on Nairaland

I've not seen it o. Where did you send it to, facebook or Email?

Truefederalism:

I've not seen it o. Where did you send it to, facebook or Email?

Facebook messenger

hopilo:

Facebook messenger

Ok. I will check

Front page lalasticlala.

This will help in reducing tribal fights

Everyone should keep their eyes focused on this.

Stop running away from real history.

Please, read this and stop the blame game

seunlayi:
Ojukwu is actually a hero if the above conversation is true. I never knew all the poo we are into could have been easily averted. Rip Ojukwu

I thought he was not a good leader but now I truly believe he fought for the future of Nigeria.

Nigeria has a date with the truth.

gunuvi:
Very intelligent sets of young officers. It has completely changed some of my perceptions about ojukwu. He is not a valian and he quite understand what he wants and he was very bold to spell it out. Such documents ought to be at public domain and easily accessible to Nigerians. Thanks op for this. I'll print it out and reread it.

You are very correct.

The other soldiers wanted to sweep the root cause under the carpet and accept Gowon like that but he stood his ground and fought to the end.

This article is good.

People should read and learn

Truefederalism:


Errmmm, I will try hard to not see your comment as prompted by resentment or somewhat misunderstanding of the text. Do not blame me. It's written all over it. You tried not to, but you based your analysis almost on Ojukwu.

I loved your take on the Yoruba stand, that is, within the army, and their justified withdrawal from an imminent face-off with the Northern faction. That is understandably justified, but only in a situation where the Yoruba does not see the East as capable of productive alliance.
This goes a long way to explain the origins of our travails in the south today.
Ojukwu assured Ogundipe of the East's support, and even midwest. What else did I miss?

The issue here was not cowardice per say, it was trust. The issue was not numbers, it was a problem of who to enter into alliance with, the gun or the truth?


You cannot fiegn ignorance on the reason why Ojukwu clamored for a titular Commander-in-chief (which we ended up adopting as a nation) in place of Supreme Commander, the reasons were clear, he was gunning for a 'military democracy' as someone put it, or true federalism as we know it today, and having a SUPREME COMMANDER defeats all its intents and purposes.

He was the leader of the east and had gone there as a representative of the east. Let us not twist facts to make a person look bad. He was doing the bidding of the East; a people whose civilian and military population had just faced pogrom and mutiny in a very wierd manner.

No easterner at that time, and till this moment, trusts and regards the federal government, and at that time, the military.

If the army couldnt live in one barrack as they agreed and we do, what then is the function of a supreme commander who does not command loyalty from the general troops? Or was the army in the east considered inconsequential?

Ojukwu made it clear there, it was not about Gowon. He insisted on the right approach and due process within the army alright, but it was not about Gowon.
He was looking into the future when some people were looking at their ranks, and he turned out to be a prophet.

I wouldnt want to go into the issue of Igbo Coup or not.

But know this, as at the time of this meeting Aguiyi was still officially missing and any sensible person, not a tribalist or some kind of bigot, should have held Gowon in acting capacity, even as he was wrongly "picked".
That was what Ojukwu did.

You refered to the coup in your analysis, and how it favored the Igbo and how Ojukwu kept quiet, but you forgot that all through that meeting Ojukwu did not go back into the mistakes of that Ironsi regime. None in attendance did. Most of those present were proposing solutions to the current crises and not how it came about. Ojukwu was one of them.

He had this to say at a later date,

"It is said that the 1966 coup that failed was strictly an Igbo coup, but then the irony of history is that it was the late General Aguiyi Ironsi, an Igbo who single-handedly dismantled the coup in Lagos, while my humble self, another Igbo-man rendered it immobile in the north.” ~Ojukwu
http://obindigbo.com.ng/2016/01/10-unforgettable-quotes-of-late-biafran-leader-odumegwu-ojukwu/

You talked about Igbos carrying out the first coup, do you also know who caused the coup, the western house and the wild wild west?
Bro, lets just calm down and discuss the prevailing matter.


By the way, there is this thing I tell my Igbo friends.

I am of the opinion that the East does not know how to be tribalistic (maybe this is the result of practicing democracy throughout the prehistoric periods and precolonial era, and up until now).

Go through Nigerian history and see for yourself. Look at the antecedents of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aguiyi Ironsi, Ojukwu, and Goodluck Jonathan, they all behaved like it was their sole right to be nationalists, like it was their particualar prerogative to care for the entity called Nigeria, even ahead of their kin.
Where people preached tribalism they shouted nationalistic values, and that trend continues even today.

I think that is the problem of this country, it is either we all come out together and practice full tribalism or we all join hands and become true nationalists, all of us. There must be balance.

God bless you for a wonderful analysis. I keep telling people that the Igbo man os a learner when it comes to being tribalistic. He is always nationalistic in his approach. Seeing everywhere as home hence his willingness to travel everywhere and settle as home. From Zik, to Aguiyi Ironsi to Ojukwu to GEJ the same nationailistic outlook to issues even when all around them exhibit tribal tendencies. All they desire is peaceful coexistence. They loathe any form of lording over them as they are the only true custodians of democracy in the country owing from centuries of democratic self rule and that is why God fatherism doesnt thrive nor last in Igboland.

Is there a way I can buy you a couple of beers for your analysis above? You wrote like a sage. I should start following you if you dont mind.

Fawklicant:



God bless you for a wonderful analysis. I keep telling people that the Igbo man os a learner when it comes to being tribalistic. He is always nationalistic in his approach. Seeing everywhere as home hence his willingness to travel everywhere and settle as home. From Zik, to Aguiyi Ironsi to Ojukwu to GEJ the same nationailistic outlook to issues even when all around them exhibit tribal tendencies. All they desire is peaceful coexistence. They loathe any form of lording over them as they are the only true custodians of democracy in the country owing from centuries of democratic self rule and that is why God fatherism doesnt thrive nor last in Igboland.

Is there a way I can buy you a couple of beers for your analysis above? You wrote like a sage. I should start following you if you dont mind.

Thank you brother. I appreciate the gesture.
That you read through is enough bottles of beer for me.
It is now our duty as custodians of truth and enlightened people to educate others.

Let us say it as it is. For tomorrow.

Truefederalism:


Errmmm, I will try hard to not see your comment as prompted by resentment or somewhat misunderstanding of the text. Do not blame me. It's written all over it. You tried not to, but you based your analysis almost on Ojukwu.

I loved your take on the Yoruba stand, that is, within the army, and their justified withdrawal from an imminent face-off with the Northern faction. That is understandably justified, but only in a situation where the Yoruba does not see the East as capable of productive alliance.
This goes a long way to explain the origins of our travails in the south today.
Ojukwu assured Ogundipe of the East's support, and even midwest. What else did I miss?

The issue here was not cowardice per say, it was trust. The issue was not numbers, it was a problem of who to enter into alliance with, the gun or the truth?


You cannot fiegn ignorance on the reason why Ojukwu clamored for a titular Commander-in-chief (which we ended up adopting as a nation) in place of Supreme Commander, the reasons were clear, he was gunning for a 'military democracy' as someone put it, or true federalism as we know it today, and having a SUPREME COMMANDER defeats all its intents and purposes.

He was the leader of the east and had gone there as a representative of the east. Let us not twist facts to make a person look bad. He was doing the bidding of the East; a people whose civilian and military population had just faced pogrom and mutiny in a very wierd manner.

No easterner at that time, and till this moment, trusts and regards the federal government, and at that time, the military.

If the army couldnt live in one barrack as they agreed and we do, what then is the function of a supreme commander who does not command loyalty from the general troops? Or was the army in the east considered inconsequential?

Ojukwu made it clear there, it was not about Gowon. He insisted on the right approach and due process within the army alright, but it was not about Gowon.
He was looking into the future when some people were looking at their ranks, and he turned out to be a prophet.

I wouldnt want to go into the issue of Igbo Coup or not.

But know this, as at the time of this meeting Aguiyi was still officially missing and any sensible person, not a tribalist or some kind of bigot, should have held Gowon in acting capacity, even as he was wrongly "picked".
That was what Ojukwu did.

You refered to the coup in your analysis, and how it favored the Igbo and how Ojukwu kept quiet, but you forgot that all through that meeting Ojukwu did not go back into the mistakes of that Ironsi regime. None in attendance did. Most of those present were proposing solutions to the current crises and not how it came about. Ojukwu was one of them.

He had this to say at a later date,

"It is said that the 1966 coup that failed was strictly an Igbo coup, but then the irony of history is that it was the late General Aguiyi Ironsi, an Igbo who single-handedly dismantled the coup in Lagos, while my humble self, another Igbo-man rendered it immobile in the north.” ~Ojukwu
http://obindigbo.com.ng/2016/01/10-unforgettable-quotes-of-late-biafran-leader-odumegwu-ojukwu/

You talked about Igbos carrying out the first coup, do you also know who caused the coup, the western house and the wild wild west?
Bro, lets just calm down and discuss the prevailing matter.


By the way, there is this thing I tell my Igbo friends.

I am of the opinion that the East does not know how to be tribalistic (maybe this is the result of practicing democracy throughout the prehistoric periods and precolonial era, and up until now).

Go through Nigerian history and see for yourself. Look at the antecedents of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aguiyi Ironsi, Ojukwu, and Goodluck Jonathan, they all behaved like it was their sole right to be nationalists, like it was their particualar prerogative to care for the entity called Nigeria, even ahead of their kin.
Where people preached tribalism they shouted nationalistic values, and that trend continues even today.

I think that is the problem of this country, it is either we all come out together and practice full tribalism or we all join hands and become true nationalists, all of us. There must be balance.

These guys are in Aburi because Ojukwu refused to attend meeting in Lagos, Benin or anywhere else outside East for fear Murtala was hunting to kill him if the opportunity was given.

So how could an Ojukwu, who refused to go to Benin or Lagos or Kano or Markurdi for fear of threat on his life, be issuing promise of protection to another?

Ojukwu is known to make mouth and give flamboyant commitments that cannot be substantiated, his promise of support to Ogundipe should be viewed along the line of similar guarantees of upper hand given to Biafrans who, depending on his words, ended up massacred in a war their General assured was going to be a walk-over victory for Biafra.

ImperialYoruba:


These guys are in Aburi because Ojukwu refused to attend meeting in Lagos, Benin or anywhere else outside East for fear Murtala was hunting to kill him if the opportunity was given.

So how could an Ojukwu, who refused to go to Benin or Lagos or Kano or Markurdi for fear of threat on his life, be issuing promise of protection to another?

Ojukwu is known to make mouth and give flamboyant commitments that cannot be substantiated, his promise of support to Ogundipe should be viewed along the line of similar guarantees of upper hand given to Biafrans who, depending on his words, ended up massacred in a war their General assured was going to be a walk-over victory for Biafra.

First of all, Ojukwu did not declare a war against Nigeria. He does not even bear solely the decision to secede. This is what a lot of people today get wrong.

The decision to secede was made by the citizens who mandated their leader, Ojukwu as the military governor of the region, to proclaim their independence at an "earliest possible date".
The first shot was from Nigerians at Nsukka.

Throughout that war Biafrans were on the defensive, barely keeping their territories from the feds.

I need us to look at these events with open minds. Let's view them like we are spectators from outside the country.

In a situation where your populace is war hungry and the war is already at your door step courtesy of your aggressor, what do you do? Do you, as a military leader, surrender to the very values you've campaigned against, simply because you are scared?
Plus propaganda is also needed in war for a number of reasons,
1. To keep faith
2. To motivate your people
3. To put fear in your aggressor or enemy
Etc
Ojukwu was a military man and did what a lot of military men who believed in military values would have done.
He made a lot of mistakes during the war, nobody is disputing that, but he did not lead Biafrans to war against their wish.
To many Biafrans it was about revenge, to many others it was freedom and self determination.

Ojukwu had nothing to even gain as such, aside being the leader, as circumstance did present, of a people who wanted to be free.

Now, back to where you began,

Ojukwu was already seen as a traitor, his permutations had failed and his supposed allies had joined forces with the gun. The very people he'd sought to project and protect their interest. He became an outlaw.
His safety was compromised in every way within the Nigerian military.

The situation during the time of this meeting and how it was when he asked Ogundipe to take over the Army were no longer the same.

Also, no where have I heard or read that Ojukwu was scared of a particular person, Murtala, but for here, from you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lKXK2Er8UZk

Truefederalism,
Im not sure you have good grasp of events leading to the war.

Ojukwu looked down on his peers and even on some of his superiors. He was of mind, as did many other Ibos at that period, that the phrase "Igbo has no king" must be scaled from the little enclave where it is a belief to the general population of Nigeria and supplanted as an article of faith in our political system. Ibo has no king translates to no one can rule over Ibo.

At the time Ojukwu was pushing for Ogundipe to become Head of State, the Army generally had agreed to relocate soldiers to their origins to serve. Ojukwu had knowledge that Yorubas did not have the numbers in the Army. So it is not a genuine and honest interest, the suggestion of magnanimity in his support for Ogundipe is a farce. Ojukwu had the long vision of Ibo becoming surrogates to Yorubas in the Army. What he didn't know is that Yorubas were ahead of him and were determined to frustrate the vision. Go over the transcript again and notice how the Yoruas at that table kept asking him same question over and over, positioned in different light.

Like i said, Ojukwu was book smart but lacked political wisdom.

...and if I may add, he said at the meeting table he confided in Ogundipe that himself and Ejoor were at the ready and disposed to help him against the mutineers. I suspect Ojukwu saw a look of shock and surprise on Ejoor's face because he then turned to Ejoor and said I meant to bring this to your notice that I offered you to die for Ogundipe.

Can you see how Ojukwu's mind work?

ImperialYoruba:
Truefederalism,
Im not sure you have good grasp of events leading to the war.

Ojukwu looked down on his peers and even on some of his superiors. He was of mind, as did many other Ibos at that period, that the phrase "Igbo has no king" must be scaled from the little enclave where it is a belief to the general population of Nigeria and supplanted as an article of faith in our political system. Ibo has no king translates to no one can rule over Ibo.

At the time Ojukwu was pushing for Ogundipe to become Head of State, the Army generally had agreed to relocate soldiers to their origins to serve. Ojukwu had knowledge that Yorubas did not have the numbers in the Army. So it is not a genuine and honest interest, the suggestion of magnanimity in his support for Ogundipe is a farce. Ojukwu had the long vision of Ibo becoming surrogates to Yorubas in the Army. What he didn't know is that Yorubas were ahead of him and were determined to frustrate the vision. Go over the transcript again and notice how the Yoruas at that table kept asking him same question over and over, positioned in different light.

Like i said, Ojukwu was book smart but lacked political wisdom.

...and if I may add, he said at the meeting table he confided in Ogundipe that himself and Ejoor were at the ready and disposed to help him against the mutineers. I suspect Ojukwu saw a look of shock and surprise on Ejoor's face because he then turned to Ejoor and said I meant to bring this to your notice that I offered you to die for Ogundipe.

Can you see how Ojukwu's mind work?

I read the text and believe you did too. I saw and understood clearly from the transcript, how Ojukwu's mind worked. What I don't understand now is how yours work.

If you actually read that transcript and this is what you could come up with, I see no reason for further arguments with you. I wouldn't want to further dialogue with you.

You sound like your mind is made up on certain issues, bothering mostly on your resentment of the man, Ojukwu, which is clear.

Thank you for your time. Please go through the transcript one more time.

guys pls can I paste this on facebook?

faith2ogesco:
guys pls can I paste this on facebook?

Sure. I will have to follow the link though. And contribute my quota.

Truefederalism:


Sure. I will have to follow the link though. And contribute my quota.

k thanks. will let you know when I do

Interesting piece.
The truth they don't want people to know.

ImperialYoruba
An intelligent and educative discuss is when one is open minded. Urs seems not to be the case.

Nice one TrueFederalism

Schematics:
Ojukwu is one of the few most enlightened and brightest minds Africa has seen. We may never have another Ojukwu. He really meant well for Easterners and Nigeria at large no wonder his name still reverberates at it's mention.

Ikemba Nnewi continue to rest in the bosom of the LORD.

Ojukwu was playing a feint,He meant well for only himself... reminds one of Neville Chamberlain and Adolf Hitler

Videos to watch


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T-Utdw1ON8s
British Family Trapped in Biafra in 1970


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIZ5bVAdgWY
The real story of Nigeria. Part 1


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uuS_n1MWgcg
The real story of Nigeria part 2.

Truefederalism:


Errmmm, I will try hard to not see your comment as prompted by resentment or somewhat misunderstanding of the text. Do not blame me. It's written all over it. You tried not to, but you based your analysis almost on Ojukwu.

I loved your take on the Yoruba stand, that is, within the army, and their justified withdrawal from an imminent face-off with the Northern faction. That is understandably justified, but only in a situation where the Yoruba does not see the East as capable of productive alliance.
This goes a long way to explain the origins of our travails in the south today.
Ojukwu assured Ogundipe of the East's support, and even midwest. What else did I miss?

The issue here was not cowardice per say, it was trust. The issue was not numbers, it was a problem of who to enter into alliance with, the gun or the truth?


You cannot fiegn ignorance on the reason why Ojukwu clamored for a titular Commander-in-chief (which we ended up adopting as a nation) in place of Supreme Commander, the reasons were clear, he was gunning for a 'military democracy' as someone put it, or true federalism as we know it today, and having a SUPREME COMMANDER defeats all its intents and purposes.

He was the leader of the east and had gone there as a representative of the east. Let us not twist facts to make a person look bad. He was doing the bidding of the East; a people whose civilian and military population had just faced pogrom and mutiny in a very wierd manner.

No easterner at that time, and till this moment, trusts and regards the federal government, and at that time, the military.

If the army couldnt live in one barrack as they agreed and we do, what then is the function of a supreme commander who does not command loyalty from the general troops? Or was the army in the east considered inconsequential?

Ojukwu made it clear there, it was not about Gowon. He insisted on the right approach and due process within the army alright, but it was not about Gowon.
He was looking into the future when some people were looking at their ranks, and he turned out to be a prophet.

I wouldnt want to go into the issue of Igbo Coup or not.

But know this, as at the time of this meeting Aguiyi was still officially missing and any sensible person, not a tribalist or some kind of bigot, should have held Gowon in acting capacity, even as he was wrongly "picked".
That was what Ojukwu did.

You refered to the coup in your analysis, and how it favored the Igbo and how Ojukwu kept quiet, but you forgot that all through that meeting Ojukwu did not go back into the mistakes of that Ironsi regime. None in attendance did. Most of those present were proposing solutions to the current crises and not how it came about. Ojukwu was one of them.

He had this to say at a later date,

"It is said that the 1966 coup that failed was strictly an Igbo coup, but then the irony of history is that it was the late General Aguiyi Ironsi, an Igbo who single-handedly dismantled the coup in Lagos, while my humble self, another Igbo-man rendered it immobile in the north.” ~Ojukwu
http://obindigbo.com.ng/2016/01/10-unforgettable-quotes-of-late-biafran-leader-odumegwu-ojukwu/

You talked about Igbos carrying out the first coup, do you also know who caused the coup, the western house and the wild wild west?
Bro, lets just calm down and discuss the prevailing matter.


By the way, there is this thing I tell my Igbo friends.

I am of the opinion that the East does not know how to be tribalistic (maybe this is the result of practicing democracy throughout the prehistoric periods and precolonial era, and up until now).

Go through Nigerian history and see for yourself. Look at the antecedents of Nnamdi Azikiwe, Aguiyi Ironsi, Ojukwu, and Goodluck Jonathan, they all behaved like it was their sole right to be nationalists, like it was their particualar prerogative to care for the entity called Nigeria, even ahead of their kin.
Where people preached tribalism they shouted nationalistic values, and that trend continues even today.

I think that is the problem of this country, it is either we all come out together and practice full tribalism or we all join hands and become true nationalists, all of us. There must be balance.

Brilliant and outstanding..... love it.

Truefederalism:


I read the text and believe you did too. I saw and understood clearly from the transcript, how Ojukwu's mind worked. What I don't understand now is how yours work.

If you actually read that transcript and this is what you could come up with, I see no reason for further arguments with you. I wouldn't want to further dialogue with you.

You sound like your mind is made up on certain issues, bothering mostly on your resentment of the man, Ojukwu, which is clear.

Thank you for your time. Please go through the transcript one more time.

I followed this thread from beginning to end, and I can tell that Imperialyoruba has his comments laced with poorly hidden bigotry, which is also one of Nigeria's problems today. He, of course, had to find a way to force history into the straight jacket of some warped ideas people hold about Ojukwu and the Ibos. It beats me how someone reads a plain transcript not written in Aramaic, but still manages to mysteriously misinterprete it, in order to fit it into the common narrative. As for them, anything you can say to destroy the Ibos, do it!

And his interpretation of Ibo have no king to mean nobody can rule over the Ibos is, at best, terribly poor.

You, Truefederalism, are intelligent and civilised; your analysis of the whole transcript is pure class. Kudos!

gunuvi:
Very intelligent sets of young officers. It has completely changed some of my perceptions about ojukwu. He is not a valian and he quite understand what he wants and he was very bold to spell it out. Such documents ought to be at public domain and easily accessible to Nigerians. Thanks op for this. I'll print it out and reread it.

A nation that hopes to attain future greatness will build on its past, will learn from the mistakes of its history.
Unfortunately, that nation is not Nigeria. And, to lend credence to this claim, the FG scrapped History Education from secondary schools' curriculum. What does that tell you?
Historical events like this were expunged, instead of bringing it into limelight. Its partly the reason why uninformed people with access to the internet will come to NL and display such disgusting ignorance, you won't believe they were equipped with functioning brains from birth.
It's more unfortunate when you realize that such uninformed people are the ones who will assume leadership positions in the near future....a so called nation keeps floundering and keeps digging its own grave. Should we still be wondering why we are this way?

.

This is an eye opener. I can only say R.I.P to the peoples general. Lt.Col. Ojukwu. Love u abunch!.

I don't know why this thread is not on front page. I really think many people need to read and assimilate what happened rather than fighting tribal fights. But no, they will keep depriving young minds the truth about the past.

Cc: Mynd, lalasticlala

There prolly is a hidden rule here that forbids threads like this from reaching FP.