sjeezy8:

what does the East have to offer anyone? lol hopes of secession

Of course Secesssion! This is because we are well endowed in all facets of life and also we don't need to be carrying the cross of parasitic yorubas .

As ONLYTHRUTH had said, the present Igbo generation wont be charitable to you Yoruba people as Ojukwu and our forefathers did.

metal-gong:

Of course Secesssion! This is because we are well endowed in all facets of life and also we don't need to be carrying the cross of parasitic yorubas .

As ONLYTHRUTH had said, the present Igbo generation wont be charitable to you Yoruba people as Ojukwu and our forefathers did.

'You cannot change anything in your life with intention alone, which can become a watered-down, occasional hope that you'll get to tomorrow. Intention without action is useless.' - Caroline Myss

I hope you are smart enough to decode the message.

metal-gong:

Of course Secesssion! This is because we are well endowed in all facets of life and also we don't need to be carrying the cross of parasitic yorubas .

As ONLYTHRUTH had said, the present Igbo generation wont be charitable to you Yoruba people as Ojukwu and our forefathers did.

^^ what forefathers? other than Zik and Ojukwu ( the village idiot) there was nothing you guys did for anyone.
Please feel free to name any prominent and respectable igbos before Zik? . . .

Zik is like the first known igboman and he raised amongst hausas and yorubas.

The good yorubas among us will continue not be tribalistic and reach our hands to you -we have has Herbert macauley Ziks mentor, Ajayi crowther and Henry townsend who educated igbos, Wole Soyinka who was put in jail for protestin aganst the biafran war, and Fela who address issues of the Biafran war through music and Gani who challenged the ruling military junta for excluding Ndigbo during Abachas regime.

cap28:

because he realised (belatedly) that he was about to be tactically outmanoevred by a joint north and west coalition, the british had ensured that a military dominated by the north was the only way they could ensure power remained in the hands of the northern oligarchy, they wanted the north to hold the reins of power in collaboration with either a western or eastern backed support however the supporting role had to be in a SUBORDINATE position, zik agreed to this (this is why he wasnt in support of the cessation) however events overtook the british plan for control, what the british did not want was a dominant east and definitely not with Ojukwu in power, the only set up which was acceptable to the british was a northern led structure with either east or west support but NOT in a dominant position.  Is this not the model that is still in operation till today?

If Ojukwu had abandoned his people and bowed to Gowon - he would be out in the cold - Gowon would not be under any obligation to negotiate with him without any power base, hence his efforts to form some sort of coalition with the western states. 

Ojukwu wanted the northern troops to leave the west in order to enable him consolidate his power base and break the north's hold over power.  britain knew this and this why they ensured that the north formed an alliance with the west thereby making it difficult for Ojukwu to singlehandedly wrest control of nigeria from the north. 

onlytruth the problem with you is that you are too shortsighted and limited in your understanding of what this war was about, who the real power brokers in nigeria are and how tribalism has been used by external forces to impede the progress and development of nigeria as a viable political and economic entity.

Some of your political assertions were correct about colonialist interests and its analytical strengths or weakness of the each regions of Nigeria. However certain events such as personal, political or economical furiously overtook British overall interest in the colony.

Based on the British activities in the protectorates before and immediately after independence, one can correctly argue that the colonial masters wanted the docile northern region to have control at the center of independent Nigeria. But such political machination would have been thwarted and ended what is known today as Nigeria if personal discretions and political ambitions were held in check.

If the genetic makeup of eastern region were to be reversed as to those of northern region, Nigeria would have definitely not existed. Biafrans displayed rear and inherent intellectual ability the British and other pseudo colonialists knew could set trailblazer of self-induced industrial development in Africa.

dede1, onlytruth, metal gong- do you see what im telling you about your hero - have you heard that he has now come out to endorse IBB for the 2011 presidency, you guys need to wake up and understand that this man is a traitor to igbo people.

http://www.ifeyinka.com/2010/04/ibb-should-return-says-dim-odumegwu.html

sjeezy8:

Onlylies STEAL WHAT? he has nothing lol

Why would anyone cry over him? He ran for president in early 2000's and LOST woefully. If anyone wanted him to be president he would ahve won- but no one did not even igbos as he lost in the East as well.

Ojukwu may have wanted the yoruba to meet their quota just as yorubas like Herbert Macauley, Ajayi Crowther, Henry Towsend wanted igbos to be more educated. So what is you point?

Most Yorubas dont demonize Ojukwu, we all agree hes a leader and has a few good attributes - we just think he's VERY dumb lol ,

Theres nothing that cannot be achieved in Nigeria Ojukwu was the one who instilled the thought of northern oligarchy, and it came to be because majority SEs and SS's listened to the fable and fear the north in "One Nigeria".

There is nothing I (a yoruba) cannot have in Nigeria. The north is nothing without the south so why are people like you scared to be in One Nigeria, Its as if you think the northerners are superior to you guys or something.

Of course, you can get all you want in a corrupt and crooked place like Nigeria because it is land where the worst student gets the best result. A land where the word merit is a taboo.

According to you, the north is nothing without the south, another misconception and wonder if your part of south is inclusive in your analysis and what have you got that have sustained the north, that they cannot live without you and what is the difference between your part of south and the north?
I can’t speak for he north, but I well knew that the north can feed the world tomorrow if they so wish and with the rich Arab nations, they have a willing and trusted allies that will help them but they are too lazy like you to see beyond the prism misconnected one Nigeria. The part Saudi Arabia played recently with Yar Adua, should have opened  the ignorant eyes of peeps like you, but you will never learn, that this north is not as hopeless as some of you think they are.

No one told you that they are scared of one Nigeria, Igbo man is brave enough to settle in the hostile environment and that is not a sign of people that are scared, scared of who exactly,? When we have passed the worst?
We HAVE never been afraid of competition with anyone if there is a level playing field, justice and equity to compete.
But Nigeria is never a provider of such a condition, but rather they will scheme through various means to keep us down and hence out quest to do things by ourselves, in our own independent nation, where our failure will be ours and our success ours too. No more blames!!

I could as well reverse your original question for you. Why are you afraid to be on your one but rather prefer the chaotic Nigeria?
1. Is it because you inadequacies will be laid bare if left on your own?
2. No more tribal politics to play to undermine others and yourself?
3. You are afraid that all your years of boastful qualities will now be called into action and you are afraid you will be exposed at last as an empty vessel?
4. You are afraid to lose free oil money you are use to but do not belong to you?

cap28:

dede1, onlytruth, metal gong- do you see what im telling you about your hero - have you heard that he has now come out to endorse IBB for the 2011 presidency, you guys need to wake up and understand that this man is a traitor to igbo people.

http://www.ifeyinka.com/2010/04/ibb-should-return-says-dim-odumegwu.html

So who told you that he is not doing the Igbo agenda by backing IBB? Let me tell you, there can only be few leaders while the crowd follows. If you want to know where the Igbo stand in Nigeria, you better start looking at the Ojukwus.
IBB may be your enemy and nemesis, but he is our friend.

Like I keep saying over and over again, the Igbo are NOT interested in whether SATAN himself is the president of Nigeria. There is no gentleman inside the jungle.
You have to count one before counting two.

As long as that SATAN delivers on his promise to us, we will support him. Nigeria is worse than hell.
If IBB allows us to chose our leaders (something Obasanjo denied us) we will vote for him.

cap28:

dede1, onlytruth, metal gong- do you see what im telling you about your hero - have you heard that he has now come out to endorse IBB for the 2011 presidency, you guys need to wake up and understand that this man is a traitor to igbo people.

http://www.ifeyinka.com/2010/04/ibb-should-return-says-dim-odumegwu.html

Hypocrites always concentrate on little leave in other peoples eyes, but to ignore the rafters in their own eyes. It was in Yoruba land, Ogun state precisely where the man M.K.O Abiola comes from that IBB declared or hinted about his presidential ambition and not in Ojukwu living room and your people clapped and cheered before your sons/daughters including Gbenga Daniel one of your governors. What a hypocrite you are.

So if Ojukwu decided to endorse anyone, which is his choice as a person, how does that translate into betrayal of Ndigbo? What is the connection? When 90% of those that killed June 12 from the start to finish are your brothers and have you tell yet how they betrayed you?

Shonekan, Jakande, Olu Onagoruwa, Oladapo Diya, A.K Adisa. Arisokola Aloa, Oni of Ife and many more all one way or the other played a part in scuttling June 12 and giving legitimacy to IBB/Abacha. I want you to call them betrayers or traitors. But you can’t, they are all your brothers. Hypocrite.

Ojukwu is a hero to millions of Igbo people and that is our choice. And he is not your hero, and that too is your choice but I have challenged you again to say even one thing Ojukwu has done that have impacted on you as a person in negatives.
It is a known fact that one man’s hero is another man zero or even something else. The person you called and respect as your father today may be a total bastard to another person, that is a fact of life. Igbo people has the right to choose their hero based on their experience. You better Concentrate on choosing your hero, at least among your own brothers. Who is your Yoruba hero and lets talk about him or her. Put up or just shut up.

Onlytruth:

So who told you that he is not doing the Igbo agenda by backing IBB? Let me tell you, there can only be few leaders while the crowd follows. If you want to know where the Igbo stand in Nigeria, you better start looking at the Ojukwus.
IBB may be your enemy and nemesis, but he is our friend.

this is what i call self delusion how will igbos benefit from an IBB presidency, can't you see that Ojukwu has no loyalty to you, only to himself - he has realised (after needlessly bringing about the death of 3m of his own people) that the real power in nigeria remains with the north - he tried to dislodge this power bloc but failed, now like a true traitor he has decided that if you cant beat them you might as well join them, cant you hear from his responses to the interviewer that those people are his friends, see how he refers to IBB - even going as far as saying: he has a sense of humour - for christ's sake this man looted over £12b from the national treasury!!!

Eziachi and onlytruth you will continue to be blinded by your myopic tribalism - have you seen me mention anything about igbo vs yoruba on this thread, no,  because i can see that looking at things through a tribal lense totally distorts ones ability to judge a situation objectively, i am not condemning ojukwu as an igbo man, i am condemning him as a man period and for your information i am igbo.

cap28:

dede1, onlytruth, metal gong- do you see what im telling you about your hero - have you heard that he has now come out to endorse IBB for the 2011 presidency, you guys need to wake up and understand that this man is a traitor to igbo people.

http://www.ifeyinka.com/2010/04/ibb-should-return-says-dim-odumegwu.html

It is rather unfortunate that non-Igbo in particular and non-biafrans in general do not understand the mutual connection that exists between Ndigbo and Ojukwu. Whatever political venture Ojukwu tends to undertake in Nigeria shall remains Ojukwu’s discretion and has no bearing whatsoever on Ndigbo. If majority of Ndigbo has decided to create a hero culture around Ojukwu, so shall it be.

Ndigbo are very dynamic in nature and hardly cow-tow or succumb to so-called leader’s political agenda. It was not long ago that Ojukwu was politically defeated in Nnewi senatorial district by an Owerri based physician named Dr. Onwudiwe when the Ojukwu ran for senatorial office under the platform of NPN. It must be recall that this form of political dynamism can not be seen from any other ethnic group in Nigeria.

In addition, Ojukwu as a Nigerian is entitled to his political views either by endorsing convicted criminals or ordained ministers. It baffles the wit out of me how too many Nigerians exhibit abysmal sense forgetfulness when clouded by ethnic bias.

@Cap28,

Forget about my hero or Onlytruth'd hero, I have challenged you to name your Yoruba hero and let us talk about him/her, you will never know, you could finally open our blinded eyes. If you can't do that, then just go to sleep. It is time to put up or shut up. Lets hear if from you. Who is your Yoruba leader?
You insulted Ojukwu because you said that he endorsed IBB's political ambition and then I told you that IBB announced his ambition at the heart of Yoruba land with Yorubas as his host/Guest, including your brother/governor Daniel in attendance, but you kept silent and your silent now in that regard is deafening. HYPOCRITE.

@ topic,

It would be one of the most anticipated Nigerian books of all time. Cant wait to read it . .

Eziachi:

@Cap28,

Forget about my hero or Onlytruth'd hero, I have challenged you to name your Yoruba hero and let us talk about him/her, you will never know, you could finally open our blinded eyes. If you can't do that, then just go to sleep. It is time to put up or shut up. Lets hear if from you. Who is your Yoruba leader?
You insulted Ojukwu because you said that he endorsed IBB's political ambition and then I told you that IBB announced his ambition at the heart of Yoruba land with Yorubas as his host/Guest, including your brother/governor Daniel in attendance, but you kept silent and your silent now in that regard is deafening. HYPOCRITE.

myopia combined with tribalism is a deadly mixture, this is what you are suffering from and it will continue to lead people like you into a dead end.  why do you continue to make this an ethnic issue when the real issue is a flawed individual whose moral bankruptcy caused the death of 3m of his own people.  the fact that he continues with his deceit to this day seems not to make any difference to you, okay so IBB was endorsed by yorubas - i was never in support of any group be they igbo or yoruba endorsing IBB because i know that he is an enemy of progress so i dont understand why you are bringing up the fact that he was endorsed by my "brothers" in the past. 

where has this sentimental attachment to Ojukwu gotten you and other acolytes?  It didnt get you anywhere 40 years ago and it certainly will not get  you anywhere today, why not learn from the mistakes made by betrayers like Ojukwu and focus on supporting genuine people who have the interest of their fellow nigerians at heart instead of a fraudulent self appointed messiah whose loyalty to his people was nothing more than a smokescreen used to mask his deep craving for power at any cost.

Onlytruth:

So who told you that he is not doing the Igbo agenda by backing IBB? Let me tell you, there can only be few leaders while the crowd follows. If you want to know where the Igbo stand in Nigeria, you better start looking at the Ojukwus.
IBB may be your enemy and nemesis, but he is our friend.

please vote for him thats my uncles close friends na hook up for me.

Eziachi:

@Cap28,

Forget about my hero or Onlytruth'd hero, I have challenged you to name your Yoruba hero and let us talk about him/her, you will never know, you could finally open our blinded eyes. If you can't do that, then just go to sleep. It is time to put up or shut up. Lets hear if from you. Who is your Yoruba leader?
You insulted Ojukwu because you said that he endorsed IBB's political ambition and then I told you that IBB announced his ambition at the heart of Yoruba land with Yorubas as his host/Guest, including your brother/governor Daniel in attendance, but you kept silent and your silent now in that regard is deafening. HYPOCRITE.

yea no one should abuse ojukwu because he backed IBB. There many yoruba who want IBB to be president also

IBB is not considered any enemy of the yoruba and neither is ojukwu because yorubas have no enemy. They are people do politics not based on ethnic sentiments but self interest individually.

Onlytruth:

So who told you that he is not doing the Igbo agenda by backing IBB? Let me tell you, there can only be few leaders while the crowd follows. If you want to know where the Igbo stand in Nigeria, you better start looking at the Ojukwus.
IBB may be your enemy and nemesis, but he is our friend.

IBB is not anyones enemy except poor people. Cause Elite yoruba will vote him over anyone in a second if it benefits them.

If I was selfish I would say jonathan should forget about 2011. Cause honestly IBB as president is good for me. Infact my uncles dislike Obasanjo and are close with IBB. what makes him an enemy to yorubas? Yorubas like me dont have enemy only connections.

[size=13pt]Oyinlola Eyes VP Seat Under IBB[/size]

Fresh facts have emerged on the latest moves of the embattled Osun State Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola to scheme for the post of vice-presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party come 2011 polls.

According to an investigation conducted by OSUN DEFENDER, the protracted illness of President Umar Yar’Adua, which has altered the political permutation at the Presidency seemed to have pushed Oyinlola into his new scheme. OSUN DEFENDER has authoritatively learnt that the controversial Osun State Chief executive has begun shuttling between the former Military Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida’s (retired) home and the immediate past President Olusegun Obasanjo’s Otta Farm over his ambition.

It was learnt that the governor has since lost interest in the senatorial bid he initially contemplated when the PDP’s shopping for vice presidential candidate who may pair with a Northern presidential candidate began.

Information has it that the Okuku-born retired Brigadier-General has begun to position himself for the job of the second citizen in the federation, should the position is finally zoned to the South-West.
____________________________________________________________________

[size=13pt]IBB’s Campaign Posters Flood Oyinlola’s Home Town, Okuku[/size]

It is no longer news that the embattled Governor Olagunsoye Oyinlola of Osun State has been jostling to be the running mate of former Military President of Nigeria, General Ibrahim Babangida, should the latter shows interest in contesting the 2011 presidential election.

According to investigation, some sets of people within the fold of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the council area have been paid to ensure the spread of the posters into the nooks and crannies of the area.

The posters, which are in different colours have littered the hometown of Oyinlola.

OSUN DEFENDER gathered that the posters were pasted at night.

At the Okuku Day celebrated last Saturday, the posters and pictures of IBB flooded the venue of the programme, just as some people wore T-Shirt with the inscription of “IBB for President”.

Onlytruth guy- I told you yoruba people have no enemies- some want him(IBB) or another northerner to be president because they know that the VP will be zoned to the SW.
IF i was a tribalist and selfishly greedy- I would support IBB or Gasau but im not

cap28:

dede1, onlytruth, metal gong- do you see what im telling you about your hero - have you heard that he has now come out to endorse IBB for the 2011 presidency, you guys need to wake up and understand that this man is a traitor to igbo people.

http://www.ifeyinka.com/2010/04/ibb-should-return-says-dim-odumegwu.html

Ojukwu thinks hes doing the right thing for igbos but hes not just like he did with Abacha and Shagari. It will always backfire

sjeezy8:

please vote for him thats my uncles close friends na hook up for me.

yea no one should abuse ojukwu because he backed IBB. There many yoruba who want IBB to be president also

IBB is not considered any enemy of the yoruba and neither is ojukwu because yorubas have no enemy. They are people do politics not based on ethnic sentiments but self interest individually.


IBB is not anyones enemy except poor people. Cause Elite yoruba will vote him over anyone in a second if it benefits them.

If I was selfish I would say jonathan should forget about 2011. Cause honestly IBB as president is good for me. Infact my uncles dislike Obasanjo and are close with IBB. what makes him an enemy to yorubas? Yorubas like me dont have enemy only connections.

Onlytruth guy- I told you yoruba people have no enemies- some want him(IBB) or another northerner to be president because they know that the VP will be zoned to the SW.
IF i was a tribalist and selfishly greedy- I would support IBB or Gasau but im not

Ojukwu thinks hes doing the right thing for igbos but hes not just like he did with Abacha and Shagari. It will always backfire

sjeezy8 people like  you are like a cancer in the nigerian system, you and your followers are parasitic scourges who will continue to arrest the development of nigeria and condemn the future of so many hardworking nigerians to a life of grim poverty,  who gives a damn whether IBB is your uncle's close friend, perhaps your uncle is a drug pusher like his friend IBB, you and people with your mentality are a disgrace and i pray that "your uncle's friend"  IBB gets what he deserves  - a permanent residence 6 feet under because that is the best place for him, if there is indeed a god this satanic demon should never be  given the opportunity to inflict more suffering on the people of nigeria again.   

thank god not all yorubas reason like you only immoral lowlifes like you and your so called uncle.

^^ im not a cancer im a libra- thank you very much

and I said I dont want IBB to be president but if he does its no blow to yorubas as some think.- my point being someone voting for IBB just to spite yorubas can never work. Because yorubas people are not the type of people you group together they will always be on all sides.

so if these clown support ibb to spite yorubas - they will be dissapointed with the outcome.

and my uncle is a legit business man with igbo connects, hausas, ijaw so he cannot lose- hes not a tribalist and holds no ethnic sentiment about Mko and co. . .

A few reminders

1. You don't attack anyone in war situation and then fight the war in your backyard. That is why Biafra never attacked Nigeria and Biafra was attacked by Nigeria so people should stop talking about Ojukwu leading anyone to war. On the contrary, Ojukwu defended the Easterners from unwarranted killings by other Nigerians. Same war Iraq was attacked and the war was fought there and not in the US is the same way Biafra fought a war of survival.

2. Some people here who claim to be Igbos and yet believe that Ojukwu caused more problems for the Igbos should understand that probably the only reason they were not killed or even their parents was that Ojukwu chose to fight back when attacked instead of surrendering without fighting. Even with the deaths recorded the dignity of the Easterners became established and that is why no ethnic group or region kills them at will as they used to before as they are certain that such killings will be avenged without delay. If innocent Igbos and Easterners could be massacred in peace time without any form of protection from other regions then you can imagined what would have happened if Ojukwu chose not to defend his people.

3. Ojukwu did not unilaterally declare Biafra, the Eastern region government did based on the house of assembly's resolution and the name Biafra was suggested by an Ijaw man, not an Igbo man so it was neither an Ojukwu's project nor an Igbo project but an Eastern region's project.

4. Ojukwu left Biafra when he did to facilitate surrender as there was no way Biafra would have surrendered while he was around without people continuing the fight in other ways. If Ojukwu had died or captured and killed by the Nigerian army then I can assure you that the Nigerian Biafran war wouldn't have been the only war in recent history that ended without further attacks from the defeated party as is common all around us. So, Ojukwu's decision to leave the scene was the most reasonable option and by doing that a lot of lives were saved and the war was not prolonged.

5. That the Igbos lived in other parts of Nigeria before the war and after the war in spite of the massacres and killing of innocent men, women and children using starvation as a tool shows more than anything that the Igbos are not afraid of competition or survival in any part of Nigeria. All the Igbos demand for are justice, fair play, peace and security. The Igbos will always hold their own in any given endeavor.

6. Igbos are republicans and they usually do not listen to any particular political leader for any reason whatsoever. But in Ojukwu for once in its history the Igbos have come to respect, cherish and applaud this man for his principled stand in defense of his people even when he risked all his father had considering the fact that his father was the first millionaire in the region and any war would affect his wealth more than any other person but he saw the need to protect and defend his people as more important task when compared to defending his wealth as a lot of our politicians do today.

7. For those that brag about producing the presidents and vice presidents since after the war my questions are

a) Why is that the South East has the lowest poverty index in Nigeria?
b) Why is it that the South East (according to JAMB statistics) leads other regions in enrollment into our higher institutions in spite of the typical "Igbos are traders" mantra?

When things are done right like dredging of the River Niger and citing of international airports in the South East are completed we shall know the contribution of the Igbos to states where they transit goods from. Take away the traffic of goods from the international airports and sea ports outside South East and we will see the revenue drop and shift in activities with the attendant reduction in loss of lives on the roads by either accidents or robbers who steal what they do not have.

SJeezy

You need to be careful with your utterances. Nigeria is more than one man. A lot of posters on these forums are very passionate about Nigeria, in one way or the other. It is absolutely sickening when you keep coming up with ludicrous statements like, 'we should support IBB because he is my uncles friend' or 'Yoruba will not suffer because they will make deals with the North'.

We are not concerned with whatever personal gains you as an individual will make from having friends in high places. Please try to debate in an impersonal manner. Some of the valid points that you make at times are usually lost in the ultra-nepotism tones of your post.

Afam:

A few reminders

1. You don't attack anyone in war situation and then fight the war in your backyard. That is why Biafra never attacked Nigeria and Biafra was attacked by Nigeria so people should stop talking about Ojukwu leading anyone to war. On the contrary, Ojukwu defended the Easterners from unwarranted killings by other Nigerians. Same war Iraq was attacked and the war was fought there and not in the US is the same way Biafra fought a war of survival.

2. Some people here who claim to be Igbos and yet believe that Ojukwu caused more problems for the Igbos should understand that probably the only reason they were not killed or even their parents was that Ojukwu chose to fight back when attacked instead of surrendering without fighting. Even with the deaths recorded the dignity of the Easterners became established and that is why no ethnic group or region kills them at will as they used to before as they are certain that such killings will be avenged without delay. If innocent Igbos and Easterners could be massacred in peace time without any form of protection from other regions then you can imagined what would have happened if Ojukwu chose not to defend his people.

3. Ojukwu did not unilaterally declare Biafra, the Eastern region government did based on the house of assembly's resolution and the name Biafra was suggested by an Ijaw man, not an Igbo man so it was neither an Ojukwu's project nor an Igbo project but an Eastern region's project.

4. Ojukwu left Biafra when he did to facilitate surrender as there was no way Biafra would have surrendered while he was around without people continuing the fight in other ways. If Ojukwu had died or captured and killed by the Nigerian army then I can assure you that the Nigerian Biafran war wouldn't have been the only war in recent history that ended without further attacks from the defeated party as is common all around us. So, Ojukwu's decision to leave the scene was the most reasonable option and by doing that a lot of lives were saved and the war was not prolonged.

5. That the Igbos lived in other parts of Nigeria before the war and after the war in spite of the massacres and killing of innocent men, women and children using starvation as a tool shows more than anything that the Igbos are not afraid of competition or survival in any part of Nigeria. All the Igbos demand for are justice, fair play, peace and security. The Igbos will always hold their own in any given endeavor.

6. Igbos are republicans and they usually do not listen to any particular political leader for any reason whatsoever. But in Ojukwu for once in its history the Igbos have come to respect, cherish and applaud this man for his principled stand in defense of his people even when he risked all his father had considering the fact that his father was the first millionaire in the region and any war would affect his wealth more than any other person but he saw the need to protect and defend his people as more important task when compared to defending his wealth as a lot of our politicians do today.

7. For those that brag about producing the presidents and vice presidents since after the war my questions are

a) Why is that the South East has the lowest poverty index in Nigeria?
b) Why is it that the South East (according to JAMB statistics) leads other regions in enrollment into our higher institutions in spite of the typical "Igbos are traders" mantra?

When things are done right like dredging of the River Niger and citing of international airports in the South East are completed we shall know the contribution of the Igbos to states where they transit goods from. Take away the traffic of goods from the international airports and sea ports outside South East and we will see the revenue drop and shift in activities with the attendant reduction in loss of lives on the roads by either accidents or robbers who steal what they do not have.

Interesting points; I don't agree with everything you said but people will always have a difference of opinion.
Personally, I admire the stance that Ojukwu took during that era. I believe that he acted selflessly; he was forced into a situation where he had to act. For a man of 33, he acted rather well. I agree with what he advocated at Aburi; although I concede that the resolutions from Aburi should have been the result of a democratic process. When you consider the position of his father in Nigeria then, you can only admire him for joining the Army. That he made some strategic errors should not remove from his noble acts. However, my admiration of him stopped when he fled into exile. His actions since his return have also not endeared him to many. Having said that, I can understand why some Igbo people will forever adore him but they equally should understand the criticisms of him.

Concerning the questions that you asked; it is almost impossible to get an accurate index with regards to crime, poverty, education for a number of reasons
1. Migration
2. Underground economy
3. Unexplained sources of income and revenue
4. Crime
5. Private universities
6. Inaccurate data, collation, sampling, and analysis

I am sure that there are other reasons but I will mention just these. The issue of economic development will always rest on the kind of political leaders that we have. Whether you are going to agree with me or not, we are all affected by the same incompetent, vision-less, and corrupt leadership at the centre. I can not speak for the North but I know that there are hardworking, enterprising, and bright men and women in the South who are being held back by a rudderless and morally corrupt gang. This gang has as members Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Ijaw, Igbo, Tiv, etc. When it comes to the sins of Nigeria, no one is innocent and no one is unaffected.

Katsumoto:

Interesting points; I don't agree with everything you said but people will always have a difference of opinion.
Personally, I admire the stance that Ojukwu took during that era. I believe that he acted selflessly; he was forced into a situation where he had to act. For a man of 33, he acted rather well. I agree with what he advocated at Aburi; although I concede that the resolutions from Aburi should have been the result of a democratic process. When you consider the position of his father in Nigeria then, you can only admire him for joining the Army. That he made some strategic errors should not remove from his noble acts. However, my admiration of him stopped when he fled into exile. His actions since his return have also not endeared him to many. Having said that, I can understand why some Igbo people will forever adore him but they equally should understand the criticisms of him.

Concerning the questions that you asked; it is almost impossible to get an accurate index with regards to crime, poverty, education for a number of reasons
1. Migration
2. Underground economy
3. Unexplained sources of income and revenue
4. Crime
5. Private universities
6. Inaccurate data, collation, sampling, and analysis

I am sure that there are other reasons but I will mention just these. The issue of economic development will always rest on the kind of political leaders that we have. Whether you are going to agree with me or not, we are all affected by the same incompetent, vision-less, and corrupt leadership at the centre. I can not speak for the North but I know that there are hardworking, enterprising, and bright men and women in the South who are being held back by a rudderless and morally corrupt gang. This gang has as members Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Ijaw, Igbo, Tiv, etc. When it comes to the sins of Nigeria, no one is innocent and no one is unaffected.

I had been waiting endlessly for someone to expose me to the wanton strategic errors committed by Ojukwu yet it has all been hot air. I stand to be corrected that only glaring strategic error committed by Ojukwu was the appointment of Banjo as the commander of 101 BEF. If individual characteristic deficits were placed in check, I am of the opinion that Nigeria-Biafra civil war would have had a different meaning to what we have today.

Again, there will always be difference of opinions about Ojukwu’s last minute decision to leave Biafra. However, I am of the opinion that such a strategic move did not present the few hard nuts on the Nigerian side to declare open season on the surviving Biafrans because they did not comprehend if Ojukwu will make a sudden show of return with foreign fighters. Many Nigerian leaders feared that any maltreatment of Biafrans coupled with anticipated Ojukwu’s clandestine entry will be a combustible combination that could unleash a reprisal never seen by humans.

Granted that necessity is the mother of invention, there was no doubt that Biafra would have been one of the locally induced industrial powers at least within the corridor of West Africa. There were marked evidences in Biafra that the nascent country would have been a force to be reckoned in industrial revolution.

Afam:

A few reminders

1. You don't attack anyone in war situation and then fight the war in your backyard. That is why Biafra never attacked Nigeria and Biafra was attacked by Nigeria so people should stop talking about Ojukwu leading anyone to war. On the contrary, Ojukwu defended the Easterners from unwarranted killings by other Nigerians. Same war Iraq was attacked and the war was fought there and not in the US is the same way Biafra fought a war of survival.

2. Some people here who claim to be Igbos and yet believe that Ojukwu caused more problems for the Igbos should understand that probably the only reason they were not killed or even their parents was that Ojukwu chose to fight back when attacked instead of surrendering without fighting. Even with the deaths recorded the dignity of the Easterners became established and that is why no ethnic group or region kills them at will as they used to before as they are certain that such killings will be avenged without delay. If innocent Igbos and Easterners could be massacred in peace time without any form of protection from other regions then you can imagined what would have happened if Ojukwu chose not to defend his people.

3. Ojukwu did not unilaterally declare Biafra, the Eastern region government did based on the house of assembly's resolution and the name Biafra was suggested by an Ijaw man, not an Igbo man so it was neither an Ojukwu's project nor an Igbo project but an Eastern region's project.

I have to say your position on this is arrant nonsense. Ojukwu was the military governor of the Eastern Region and he has to take ultimate responsibility for all the strategic decisions taken by the government in the period leading up to, and including the declaration of the state of Biafra.
Trying to push the matter to the Eastern House of assembly is disengenuous moreso as he tabled the bill for secession before them. to be rubber stamped. Who are these assembly menbers by the way?


As for the issue of the Biafra not starting the  war that again is utter nonsense. Ojukwu started it by declaring the secession. Why is this? Well it is the constitutional duty of all commissioned officers of the Nigerian Armed Forces to protect the territorial integrity of Nigeria. Thus as night follows day Ojukwu as a former officer should have expected his declaration to be followed by the immediate application of military force in order to preserve Nigeria's sovereignity and territorial integrity. It is that simple.

Katsumoto:

Interesting points; I don't agree with everything you said but people will always have a difference of opinion.
Personally, I admire the stance that Ojukwu took during that era. I believe that he acted selflessly; he was forced into a situation where he had to act. For a man of 33, he acted rather well. I agree with what he advocated at Aburi; although I concede that the resolutions from Aburi should have been the result of a democratic process. When you consider the position of his father in Nigeria then, you can only admire him for joining the Army. That he made some strategic errors should not remove from his noble acts. However, my admiration of him stopped when he fled into exile. His actions since his return have also not endeared him to many. Having said that, I can understand why some Igbo people will forever adore him but they equally should understand the criticisms of him.

You are not sounding very coherent here. What makes you think Ojukwu acted selflessly? What were his motives for refusing to recognize the authority of Gowon. Has anyone here come to a conclusion on this?

Aburi is another matter which you have shown a surprisingly poor grasp of. We have to look at the Aburi meeting in context. It took place against the backdrop of a total breakdown in communication betwween the Eastern Region and the Federal Military Government.
It was thus reasonable for officers of the FMG to assume that the meeting would be about confidence building and fence mending with their counterparts in the Eastern Region.
Certainly Ojukwu or any military potentate had no right whatsoever to mandate that Nigeria should be transformed into a mere customs union. Can you imagine that??
Only elected representatives of the Nigerian people should have that mandate.

Dede1:



I had been waiting endlessly for someone to expose me to the wanton strategic errors committed by Ojukwu yet it has all been hot air. I stand to be corrected that only glaring strategic error committed by Ojukwu was the appointment of Banjo as the commander of 101 BEF. If individual characteristic deficits were placed in check, I am of the opinion that Nigeria-Biafra civil war would have had a different meaning to what we have today.

Again, there will always be difference of opinions about Ojukwu’s last minute decision to leave Biafra. However, I am of the opinion that such a strategic move did not present the few hard nuts on the Nigerian side to declare open season on the surviving Biafrans because they did not comprehend if Ojukwu will make a sudden show of return with foreign fighters. Many Nigerian leaders feared that any maltreatment of Biafrans coupled with anticipated Ojukwu’s clandestine entry will be a combustible combination that could unleash a reprisal never seen by humans.  

Granted that necessity is the mother of invention, there was no doubt that Biafra would have been one of the locally induced industrial powers at least within the corridor of West Africa. There were marked evidences in Biafra that the nascent country would have been a force to be reckoned in industrial revolution.

Dede1
You are a funny chap; Ojukwu lost the war because he appointed Banjo as commander of the BEF? You are clutching at straws. We have been through this many times. When people point out the errors committed by Biafra, some Biafrans will start saying that others are gloating because Biafra lost the war.

Strategic errors
1. Not realising that Biafra did not have the resources to engage the Nigerian side. A very gifted General will use the weight and/or size of its enemy against it (Judo strategy). Biafra was outnumbered and outgunned but it did nothing extra-ordinary to shift the balance of the war. Please read about how Ho Chi Minh defeated first, the the French and then the Americans despite being seriously out-gunned.
2. Not forming alliances before declaring Biafra. It didn't reach alliances with the West or the Camerouns to its East.
3. Not anticipating that super powers would support Nigeria (this is called short-sightedness)
4. Using Enugu as the capital with it so close to the Northern front. Enugu was captured after only 3 months of fighting (Oct 4th). The fall of Enugu meant that Biafra was always on the backfoot.
5. Venturing into the west gained more soldiers for the Nigerian side as more Yoruba, mid-west sons joined the Nigerian side
6. Not realising that without a capable Navy, Biafra would be blockaded
7. Declaring Biafra too soon; Biafra was declared on May 29th, Nigeria launched its offensive on the 6th of July. Biafra did not have the time to source for weapons. Hence its locally made weapons were not sufficient to prosecute a full scale war.
8. Biafra did not have the means to feed its citizens with the war on its soil.

If you continue to argue that the only mistake that Gowon made was in appointing Banjo to lead the BEF, then I am afraid, you haven't learned anything from that war. Nigeria won the war not because Gowon was a better strategist, it won simply because it had more support, more men, more resources, more food. Biafra had less of all these when the war started. The Igbo are ingenous with regards to industry but that is not enough to prosecute a war. You also continue to overstate the gifts of the Igbo while implicitly stating that the other parts of Nigeria have nothing to offer. You continue to under-estimate your opponent; I think Ojukwu was equally guilty of this. Whilst you may want to argue that the Igbo were/are more advanced than the Northerners, the Northerners have a feudal system which is suited for military campaigns plus like the Yoruba, they had many centuries of military campaigns; the Igbo didn't have that. When you become more objective, perhaps you would be able to analyse issues better.

That is a brilliant summary. But it contradicts your previous post on Ojukwu which I challenged you on.
You cannot exculpate Ojukwu from political mistakes in his approach to negotiations with the FMG in the run-up to war.

In  fact forget all this empty talk about alliances across the Niger. 99% of Westerners and Mid-Westerners were happy to stay within the then extant federal structure. There is not a cat in hell's chance they would have taken their chances in an alliance with a man like Ojukwu moreso as it would crucially leave the recently discovered crude oil reserves in Ojukwu's control.

tensor777:

You are not sounding very coherent here. What makes you think Ojukwu acted selflessly? What were his motives for refusing to recognize the authority of Gowon. Has anyone here come to a conclusion on this?

Aburi is another matter which you have shown a surprisingly poor grasp of. We have to look at the Aburi meeting in context. It took place against the backdrop of a total breakdown in law communication betwween the Eastern Region and the Federal Military Government.
It was thus reasonable for officers of the FMG to assume that the meeting would be about confidence building and fence mending with their counterparts in the Eastern Region.
Certainly Ojukwu or any military potentate had no right whatsoever to mandate that Nigeria should be transformed into a mere customs union. Can you imagine that??
Only elected representatives of the Nigerian people should have that mandate.

I addressed the second bolded part in my post when I said that I concede that the resolutions at Aburi should have been arrived at through a democratic process. Other than the fact that those at Aburi were military and didn't have the rights or abilities to negotiate Nigeria's future, the points raised by Ojukwu were valid. When you look at the nonsense that Nigeria has become, I have to agree with him.

Ojukwu had every right to challenge Gowon being the Supreme Commader. Ojukwu stated the Army code of seniority must be followed otherwise the Army would always be subject to junior officer over-throwing senior officers. Ojukwu didn't demand to become Head of State, he demanded that the most senior officer, Ogundipe, should take over.

I believe that he was selfless because the average Nigerian would have sold his people out if he/she was in his shoes. Ojukwu had the most to lose with war. Afterall, his father had several investments in Lagos. How many Nigerians would venture into war knowing that they were going to lose considerable investments. If not that he wanted to serve his fatherland, what was he doing in the army? Like I said previously, I admired him until January 1970.

Awolowo's  declaration that "if the Eastern Region is allowed to go the Western Region will go" should reasonably interpreted that the vacilliating Gowon should use all necessary means to ensure the cotinued existence and territorial integrity of the Fedral Republic of Nigeria.
There was no actual intention to secede on the part of Awolowo.

tensor777:

That is a brilliant summary. But it contradicts your previous post on Ojukwu which I challenged you on.
You cannot exculpate Ojukwu from political mistakes in his approach to negotiations with the FMG in the run-up to war.

In  fact forget all this empty talk about alliances across the Niger. 99% of Westerners and Mid-Westerners were happy to stay within the then extant federal structure. There is not a cat in hell's chance they would have taken their chances in an alliance with a man like Ojukwu moreso as it would crucially leave the recently discovered crude oil reserves in Ojukwu's control.

tensor777:

Awolowo  declaration that "if the Eastern Region is allowed to go the Western RTegion will go" should reasonably interpreted that the vacilliating Gowon should use all necessary means to ensure the cotinued existence and territorial integrity of the Fedral Republic of Nigeria.
There was no actual intention to secede on the part of Awolowo.

Are you aware that when Sir James Robertson offered each region self-autonomy, Awo was the only regional leader who accepted. Bello said the North was not ready for self-autonomy. If Zik had voted for self-autonomy like Awo, the East and the West would have become separate countries, with the North remaining in British hands. Zik said no because he wanted to rule Nigeria rather than just the Eastern region. Fast forward to 1967, Ojukwu wanted to declare Biafra; if he had reached an agreement with the West, Gowon would have found it almost impossible to sustain two military campaigns against the West and the East. This is against the backdrop of a few years of rest in the west caused by Bello and Akintola. I think that Awo might have agreed to secede as well and form Odua if he was approached.

Katsumoto:

I addressed the second bolded part in my post when I said that I concede that the resolutions at Aburi should have been arrived at through a democratic process. Other than the fact that those at Aburi were military and didn't have the rights or abilities to negotiate Nigeria's future, the points raised by Ojukwu were valid. When you look at the nonsense that Nigeria has become, I have to agree with him.

Ojukwu had every right to challenge Gowon being the Supreme Commader. Ojukwu stated the Army code of seniority must be followed otherwise the Army would always be subject to junior officer over-throwing senior officers. Ojukwu didn't demand to become Head of State, he demanded that the most senior officer, Ogundipe, should take over.

I believe that he was selfless because the average Nigerian would have sold his people out if he/she was in his shoes. Ojukwu had the most to lose with war. Afterall, his father had several investments in Lagos. How many Nigerians would venture into war knowing that they were going to lose considerable investments. If not that he wanted to serve his fatherland, what was he doing in the army? Like I said previously, I admired him until January 1970.

Well lets deal with these points in seriatim.
What we were dealing within july 1966 was a mutiny. As a result of which the officers had lost control of their men. Gowon was appointed as the Head of State as he was regarded as a neutral figure who would be acceptable the rank and file as well as the officer corps. It is in that context his appointment should be viewed.
As for Ogundipe he along with some others had lost control of even the soldiers on his entourage. He simply had no capacity to assume the office of commander in chief.

As I have said before Ojukwu since his days as a student in Kings College and Oxford has always been attracted to the attainment, the use and the retention of political power. It is in that context his actions in joining the army, and post exile manoeverings with the political elite in Abuja should be viewed.

It has nothing to do with love of money. He was born into money and has displayed the financial acumen to multiply that money. But money, in of itself has never, held much interest to him

Katsumoto:

Are you aware that when Sir James Robertson offered each region self-autonomy, Awo was the only regional leader who accepted. Bello said the North was not ready for self-autonomy. If Zik had voted for self-autonomy like Awo, the East and the West would have become separate countries, with the North remaining in British hands. Zik said no because he wanted to rule Nigeria rather than just the Eastern region. Fast forward to 1967, Ojukwu wanted to declare Biafra; if he had reached an agreement with the West, Gowon would have found it almost impossible to sustain two military campaigns against the West and the East. This is against the backdrop of a few years of rest in the west caused by Bello and Akintola. I think that Awo might have agreed to secede as well and form Odua if he was approached.

Well that is your own opinion. I am not a Westerner but I can boldly say that most Yorubas at the time were nationalists and were fully in support of the efforts of the Gowonian regime to preserve the federation.
More specifically there was a delegation from the Western region that went to Enugu to warn Ojukwu against any attempt at secession.

tensor777:

Well lets deal with these points in seriatim.
What we were dealing within july 1966 was a mutiny. As a result of which the officers had lost control of their men. Gowon was appointed as the Head of State as he was regarded as a neutral figure who would be acceptable the rank and file as well as the officer corps. It is in that context his appointment should be viewed.
As for Ogundipe he along with some others had lost control of even soldiers on his entourage. He simply had no capacity to assume the office of commander in chief.

As I have said before Ojukwu since his days as a student in Kings College and Oxford has always been attracted to the attainment, the use and the retention of political power. It is in that context his actions in joining the army, and post exile nanoeverings with the political elite in Abuja should be viewed.

It has nothing to do with love of money. He was born into money and has displayed the financial acumen to multiply that money. But money in of itself has never held much interest for him

Interesting; I have not read much on Ojukwu's life before the Army.
I also think that you and some others are very unkind to Ogundipe. He was a victim of tribalism and circumstances. With the events of January 66, many Northern NCOs were insurbodinate towards senior officers who were not Northerners. Take into cognisance the fact the July 29th coup was started by a corporal in Abeokuta who shot an Igbo officer. It wasn't surprising that an NCO would state that he would only take orders from a Northern officer (Garba) after being given an order by Ogundipe. Without a solid ethnic base of his own, it was difficult to continue.

I accept that Gowon was a consensus candidate but that was because the British and the Americans meddled in our affairs. I accept that if Ogundipe was allowed to rule, Murtala and Martins Adamu would have probably organised another coup to get rid of Ogundipe. Afterall, they eventually got rid of Gowon. The problem with the army, then and now, is tribalism. In a mono-ethnic Army, Ogundipe would and should have taken over as the most senior officer.