Anambra: Group berates Ojukwu over war song
National NewsNov 12, 2009
By Henry Umoru

ABUJA—A group under the aegis, Igbo Youth Forum yesterday dismissed the prediction of doom by Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that war looms in Anambra State if Andy Uba obtained favourable judgment from the Appeal Court, even as they called on him to apologize to the people of Anambra and the entire Ndigbo for alleged sins of the past.

Addressing newsmen in Abuja yesterday, the National President of the group, Mr Kevin Okoro who stressed that the Ndigbo will not be drawn into another baseless war by Ojukwu, however described the comments from Ojukwu as self-centered and unworthy of an elder statesman.
According to them, “Our attention has been drawn to the rather comic threat of war, over a subsisting court case, by Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu.
“The action is unfortunate and most pathetic coming from a man whose only contribution to the Igbo race was leading them to a war and abandoning them in the middle of a battle that consumed over 1 million Igbo sons and daughters.”

“Has Ojukwu apologised to the families of slain Igbo sons whom he led to their doom? What about the families of renowned Igbo elites whose wise counsel Ojukwu sentimentalized to his own political advantage.”


http://www.vanguardngr.com/2009/11/12/anambra-group-berates-ojukwu-over-war-song/

All this is caused by just Anambra politics.

Ojukwu was right’
By DAVID ONWUCHEKWA, Nnewi
Thursday, November 12, 2009


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The recent media attack on Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu over his purported statement that another civil war can burst out because of Anambra 2010, has attracted the reaction of his kinsman and immediate past president general of Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife. The elderstatesman has fired back at those who called Ojukwu names over the said publication.

“I’m not his PR man, but I think fair should be fair. If you have grudges against him, wait for a proper opportunity then vent your spleen. It is not proper venting your spleen at a wrong time on a wrong issue based on a statement you have not read, I think it is unfortunate,” Dr Ikedife complained.
Read on:

What Odimegwu Ojukwu is
He stands out as so many things to so many people; from being a hero to being a villain. And because of my relationship with him, the view I have of him is not the view many people have of him. I leave that aside.
But let me go straight to the question of his being at the centre of the storm because of what he said about Andy Uba on the prospect of his being the Governor of Anambra State.

First of all, let me state the way I see the matter. It is in court and should, therefore call for minimum comments from ordinary people. It is sub-judice. And when a matter is before a court and the court is about to make pronouncement on it, too many comments may come to mean or appear like directing or trying to influence the court.

But an issue that is in the public arena, of course, will draw comments and not many people, as a matter of fact, know that the matter is in the court. So they speak freely as they feel irrespective of the fact that you can say that ignorance of the law is not an excuse.

Now, people are talking about one aspect of the matter. They say he is calling for war and so they try to vilify him. I suspect that many people who are writing against and castigating him, calling him all sorts of names have not in fact read his interview in full.

The headline of a story may give an impression of one thing but when you read the content of the story you may come away with exactly different conclusion. What I understand Ojukwu to be saying is that we must all be very careful about the things we do, that we must not indulge in excesses because excesses may precipitate war. And he said that he does not want to be involved in any other war.

People are calling down fire and brimstone on him as if he said we are going to declare war. Go and read it yourself. So some of the commentators are not fair to him. Yes, they did not read his interview very well.
I’m not his PR man, but I think fair should be fair. If you have grudges against him, wait for a proper opportunity then vent your spleen. But venting your spleen at a wrong time on a wrong issue based on a statement you have not read, is unfortunate.

Ojukwu never called for war
He never said he is going to declare war. He never said he is going to lead any war. He never said you people should go to war. He is looking at this thing as an elderly person while sitting in his Ozi Obi, on his traditional stool Upata as he sees something which a young man on top of an iroko tree may not see. That is the way I see it.He is sounding a note of warning and caution. Please, don’t do this because it may lead to something we least expect… and he at his age, as he said, is not prepared to be involved in any other way. And people are spitting fire and brimstone. I think in an issue like this, make sure you read the story very well before reacting or pigeon-holing him.

Waiting for judgement on Uba’s case
When the judgement is given so many people will react either in support or against it because it is a very big issue, a landmark issue. It could now be seen that something that started wrongly can be righted by the court.
My understanding was that the election for a gubernatorial position in Anambra State in April 2007 should never have been held because there was no vacancy. And if that was the case the exercise was an exercise in futility and the result of it should also be futile, null and void. But I’m not a lawyer or judge. So the learned people might see it differently. So, we wait for the court to give its interpretation then we shall all react.

Sentimental
Well, you may read what Ikemba said, and interprete it as being sentimental, You may interpret it as being rational; you may see it as being pre-emptive, or prophetic. Interpret it the way you will. The interpretation I give it may not be your own. So, my interpretation is neither here nor there, But I don’t think sentiment was what was working on. What was working on was a premonition, an anxiety, and a concern. This is somebody who has seen war before and he does not want to see it again.

http://www.sunnewsonline.com/webpages/features/newsonthehour/2009/nov/12/newsbreak-12-11-2009-001.htm