Remembering the Asaba Massacre , Asaba should forgive and forget-Gowon



October 6 and 7, 1967 will ever remain unforgettable to Asaba people. They were the days the Nigerian Army led by late General Muritala Muhammed, attempted to wipe out all the male indigenes of Asaba because they were seen as Igbos and relations of Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu, leader of the 1966 coup that claimed the life of some northern Nigeria leaders. Emma Okocha’s book, Blood on the Niger is the book that elevated the Asaba massacre to global discourse. With this review presented at the Asaba Reading Club event tagged “Asaba massacre: The peril of geographical location” at time blood is flowing again, this time ironically in the midst of those whose relatives were used to carry out the Asaba massacre, we say, never again!

Blood on the Niger authored by Emma Okocha and published by Gomslam Books is an extremely graphic and historical non- fiction piece. It is a well-researched book spanning 304-page of lucid yet unbelievable unfolding horror. The book tells the tale of a people and the fate meted out by those considered guardians, friends, and neighbours. It comprises of 10 chapters and closing pages. It is written in the style of an academic piece and covers the period of the Nigerian civil war which spanned 6th July 1967 to 15th January 1970 and the years that followed.

The civil war was fought between the government of Nigeria headed by General Yakubu Gowon and the secessionist state of Biafra led by late Lt. Colonel Odumegwu Ojukwu. The war was known as the Biafran War or the Nigerian-Biafra War. According to numerous sources and facts also garnered from the book under review, the conflict resulted from political, economic, ethnic, religious, and cultural tensions shortly after the country’s independence from colonial rule; a resulting military coup and counter-coup, persecution of the Igbos in northern Nigeria which eventually translated to the persecution of people the writer called Western Ibo – they hailed from the Midwest and the South-South region particularly (see the map depicted on page 16 of the text under review for a clearer reference);

The people from the Midwest and the South-South region dominated different spheres of post-colonial Nigeria life including the civil service, hospital management, the military, government, trade, and commerce. There was also the hustle for control of the lucrative crude oil production in the region as a catalyst spearheading the war.

Other writers on the subject matter include Frederick Forsyth – The Biafra Story, The 12-day revolution by Major Isaac Jasper Adaka Boro and The Biafra war-Nigeria and the aftermath by Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe, The man died: Prison Notes of Wole Soyinka by Wole Soyinka to mention but a few.

Blood on the Niger tells the tale of the Western Ibos. It takes its name from the summary execution of young men of Western Ibo descent and indeed others whose origin could not be ascertained at the time of their execution as they had integrated with the natives, including perceived Biafran symapathisers by the river banks…their bodies tossed into the River Niger and carried away as the blood flowed.

As victims of the brutal treatment unleashed by federal troops, the region groaned from suppressing or voicing decades of pain, unacknowledged and stifled for fear of the impact of the same under the notion of One Nigeria.

The book begins with several introductory pieces that feature quotes concerning the war from world leaders and influencers including Richard Nixon, former president of the United States of America, The Vatican, as well as several international press reviews from notable media establishments from around the world.


In its introductory chapter, the profile of the Midwest as an administrative centre, would eventually lead to the systematic massacre and felling of Western Ibos. Subsequent chapters feature the Biafran invasion of the Midwest, the resulting quagmire of the Western Ibos who were looked upon with suspicion by the federal troops. There also followed the mauling of unarmed civilians who were summarily executed in several pockets spanning the entire region as shown on the map depicted in the book eventually culminating in the dance of death on the 6th day of October 1967 where over 3, 000 men were slain in one day at Ogbeasowa in Asaba as they gathered to welcome Federal troops.

Apart from the significant massacre where the men were separated from women and children, then killed, the gun-toting, gum-chewing soldiers of the federal troops were seen acting with a list exterminating and redeeming at will. They claimed to be acting on orders. Whose orders? They raped and plundered – power-drunk on spoils of war from a welcoming populace; the power of life and death literally in their hands!

I must pause here to acknowledge that the book cover – a one of its kind, a wall mural interpreted in bronze and commissioned by a proud son of Asaba, Prof. E.A.C. Nwanze, to commemorate the massacre – is indeed a fitting choice.

Other chapters in the book featured the obituary portraits and laudable achievements of victims of the massacre cut down in their prime, the strive for redefinition, relevance, and rehabilitation in the aftermath of the killings. The attempts at healing – an opportunity presented by the Oputa panel, and the failure of the government to acknowledge and perhaps rant restitution to the region by adopting the white paper from the panel as well to date. There was also Gowon’s apology viewed by many as personal.

Critique on the book includes the arrangement of chapters which could have been better managed to allow for a seamless flow of reading as there was a certain back and forth which caused the reader to scamper for reference and counter reference in different parts of the book to enjoy for smooth reading and understanding. The pictures should have been better presented in gloss print. It would also have been great to know the constitution of the International observer team on page 160 for posterity’s sake whilst the introductory and closing pages could have been better managed for a seamless reading and reference. There are also one or two forgivable typographical errors.

Emma Okocha’s Blood on the Niger is a chilling, enlightening, and well-researched documentation of a story that needs to be told over and over again. Though not for the faint of heart as it is a tale of graves so shallow pointing fingers of the dead could be visible, an account of guests rising from hearty meals to gun down their hosts – It is a shocking and telling tale. I strongly recommend this book to anyone who seeks to understand the reality of the massacre. For answers, pull up a chair and read Blood on the Niger.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2020/10/remembering-the-asaba-massacre/

Imagine misleading your countrymen to fight for you because you had a personal beef with gowon .. God go judge una ... My uncle lost his dad in a building where the Nigerian army marched all men into. My uncle saw his dad fall on the ground by the bullets of the soldiers.. my uncle shed uncontrollable tears when he told us that story. He said he watched his dad bleed.. after the war, he went back to the building but couldn't recognised his father's body.. the war was a really horrible tale..

vastolord4:
Imagine misleading your countrymen to fight for you because you had a personal beef with gowon .. God go judge una ... My uncle lost his dad in a building where the Nigerian army marched all men into. My uncle saw his dad fall on the ground by the bullets of the soldiers.. my uncle shed uncontrollable tears when he told us that story. He said he watched his dad bleed.. after the war, he went back to the building but couldn't recognised his father's body.. the war was a really horrible tale..

This your uncle must be a story teller.


Guess you didn't even read the write up.

Just like that?

helinues:
Just like that?

Yeah

They should forgive and forget like nothing happened?

Only in Nigeria will an ex-president owe ordinary citizens an apology. Why is he even apologizing in the first place?

As a leader, there will always be actions and inactions but it is the responsibility of the masses to carry their cross and move on.

We'll always be cheated in this life. The earlier you know that the better for you as a human. It's called life but we sometimes call it harsh reality. Stop being naive.

Nonsense, they didn't include the part the indigenes of Asaba wore white garments to celebrate with the FG troops for liberating them from Ndigbo who they claimed they had no relationship with before Gen Murtala Mohammed told the troops to remove the men from the women in the festival before exterminating them.
The festival they hosted for the FG troops was known as "Ákwá ọcha dance" Before the Nigerian troops reminded them that you can't name yourself whenever you like, that an Igbo is always an Igbo.
This is a lesson to we "delta ibo", "south south ibo" and "we ikwerre" when the day of reckoning comes, this will be your future

They can forgive but cant forget.Seems Gen.Gowon is suffering from Stockholm Syndrome given what his one Nigeria slavemasters have turned his middle belt region into today.No wonder he said he have no regret fighting the civil war.

The Asaba massacre was unjustified by the federal troops but the likes of Lt.Col.Murtala Muhammed, Capt.Ibrahim Taiwo etc who are blood thirsty choose to execute poor innocent souls.Thank providence, they face the same cruel fate.

Bkayyy:
Nonsense, they didn't include the part the indigenes of Asaba wore white garments to celebrate with the FG troops for liberating them from Ndigbo who they claimed they had no relationship with before Gen Murtala Mohammed told the troops to remove the men from the women in the festival before exterminating them.
The festival they hosted for the FG troops was known as "Ákwá ọcha dance" Before the Nigerian troops reminded them that you can't name yourself whenever you like, that an Igbo is always an Igbo.
This is a lesson to we "delta ibo", "south south ibo" and "we ikwerre" when the day of reckoning comes, this will be your future

Why are you always talking off point. Did you go through the thread at all.

We south south is it not their geopolitical zone? What you expect them to say? We SE ? or what?


Most of you guys will just jump into a thread and start writing off tangent to the topic at hand.

Sorry you ended up making no sense.

Juliusmalema:




Why are you always talking off point. Did you go through the thread at all.

We south south is it not their geopolitical zone? What you expect them to say? We SE ? or what?


Most of you guys will just jump into a thread and start writing off tangent to the topic at hand.

Sorry you ended up making no sense.

Sorry if the truth hurts you.
All I'm saying is that the report should include the truth and the "festival" the people of asaba organized for the FG troops before the deed was done.
*modified*
Nonsense, I just went through your posts and realized you are a shout westerner not south oh.
Mr Man, my post was not for your kind and don't you ever quote me again, nonsense.
You people think it's everyday that others have energy for tribal arguments

Bkayyy:

Sorry if the truth hurts you.
All I'm saying is that the report should include the truth and the "festival" the people of asaba organized for the FG troops before the deed was done

Young man I am done with you. You are talking off point. learn to be organize and comment like someone with intellect not like a member of Ipob unless you are one.

Bkayyy:
Nonsense, they didn't include the part the indigenes of Asaba wore white garments to celebrate with the FG troops for liberating them from Ndigbo who they claimed they had no relationship with before Gen Murtala Mohammed told the troops to remove the men from the women in the festival before exterminating them.
The festival they hosted for the FG troops was known as "Ákwá ọcha dance" Before the Nigerian troops reminded them that you can't name yourself whenever you like, that an Igbo is always an Igbo.
This is a lesson to we "delta ibo", "south south ibo" and "we ikwerre" when the day of reckoning comes, this will be your future

unfortunately some people listen to a one sided story without getting the right fact, what happened to Asaba was a hypocrite gone wrong, trying to appease people who don't see you the way you are, I hope the lesson was well learnt, no matter how much you think you can please the fulani man, they will remind you where you came from someday.

Freestainworld:
unfortunately some people listen to a one sided story without getting the right fact, what happened to Asaba was a hypocrite gone wrong, trying to appease people who don't see you the way you are, I hope the lesson was well learnt, no matter how much you think you can please the fulani man, they will remind you where you came from someday.

Abi o, thank God the event was recorded if not they would have made the universe believe the lie of how they were on their own minding their business of being western ibos before the Nigerian forces came and massacred them and if care is not taken they will soon blame it on Ndigbo.

vastolord4:
Imagine misleading your countrymen to fight for you because you had a personal beef with gowon .. God go judge una ... My uncle lost his dad in a building where the Nigerian army marched all men into. My uncle saw his dad fall on the ground by the bullets of the soldiers.. my uncle shed uncontrollable tears when he told us that story. He said he watched his dad bleed.. after the war, he went back to the building but couldn't recognised his father's body.. the war was a really horrible tale..

See what I'm talking about, they will find a way to blame it on Ndigbo forgetting how they shamelessly went to dance for FG troops led by a Northerner with the name Murtala Mohammed for liberating them from Igbos and shamelessly tried to convince him of how they are not igbos. Ndị ara, shameless cowards

myBraine:
They should forgive and forget like nothing happened?

Only in Nigeria will an ex-president owe ordinary citizens an apology. Why is he even apologizing in the first place?

As a leader, there will always be actions and inactions but it is the responsibility of the masses to carry their cross and move on.

We'll always be cheated in this life. The earlier you know that the better for you as a human. It's called life but we sometimes call it harsh reality. Stop being naive.

Wow... Since it's like that, some people will fire a nuclear bomb on your locality. After all, some people would be cheated in life.

We shall always remember

Buhari, Ibrahim Taiwo and Murtala Muhammad were the arrowheads

MyopicMods:



This your uncle must be a story teller.


Guess you didn't even read the write up.

Don’t mind the clown! His uncle should have pointed out the site of that room in Asaba in the 60s that contained 3,000 men to him!

vastolord4:
Imagine misleading your countrymen to fight for you because you had a personal beef with gowon .. God go judge una ... My uncle lost his dad in a building where the Nigerian army marched all men into. My uncle saw his dad fall on the ground by the bullets of the soldiers.. my uncle shed uncontrollable tears when he told us that story. He said he watched his dad bleed.. after the war, he went back to the building but couldn't recognised his father's body.. the war was a really horrible tale..

Stop deceiving yourself.

Bkayyy:

Abi o, thank God the event was recorded if not they would have made the universe believe the lie of how they were on their own minding their business of being western ibos before the Nigerian forces came and massacred them and if care is not taken they will soon blame it on Ndigbo.

some of them still blame the Igbo's till date for the massacre but one thing I know is that charity begins at home, an Igbo man cannot desert you when they are on your back but the Northeners will use the hell of you and still render you useless, that is if they allow you to live.

Bkayyy:

See what I'm talking about, they will find a way to blame it on Ndigbo forgetting how they shamelessly went to dance for FG troops led by a Northerner with the name Murtala Mohammed for liberating them from Igbos and shamelessly tried to convince him of how they are not igbos. Ndị ara, shameless cowards

Don't be too quick to fall for his obvious ignorance. Muru akor!
Have you ever thought about the fate of Igbos and other easterners in other parts of Nigeria if that war wasn't fought? It would have been worse. Over 30,000 murdered in cold blood with hundreds of thousands injured. Millions had fled the north with nothing back to the Eastern region. Nigeria had NO protection for them. What options did Ojukwu have? Going back to the north was not an option. To make matters worst, Gowon single handedly broke the Eastern region and had taken charge of the sources of income of the East. What option was left for the Eastern region and her leader Ojukwu? Aburi was the only practical hope and Gowon failed to honour it.
History is kind to Ojukwu and Biafrans in general.
At the surrendering of the noble cause by Philip Effiong, he told Gowon something. He said that if Nigeria failed to treat the children of the Eastern region well, they will arise again. Was the Eastern region treated well after the war? No. Are we been treated well today? No. What option are we left with? FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM.
This is our position.

Yujin:

Don't be too quick to fall for his obvious ignorance. Muru akor!
Have you ever thought about the fate of Igbos and other easterners in other parts of Nigeria if that war wasn't fought? It would have been worse. Over 30,000 murdered in cold blood with hundreds of thousands injured. Millions had fled the north with nothing back to the Eastern region. Nigeria had NO protection for them. What options did Ojukwu have? Going back to the north was not an option. To make matters worst, Gowon single handedly broken the Eastern region and had taken charge of the sources of income of the East. What option was left for the Eastern region and her leader Ojukwu? Aburi was the only practical hope and Gowon failed to honour it.
History is kind to Ojukwu and Biafrans in general.
At the surrendering of the noble cause by Philip Effiong, he told Gowon something. He said that if Nigeria failed to treat the children of the Eastern region well, they will arise again. Were the Eastern region treated well after the war? No. Are we been treated well today? No. What option are we left with? FIGHT FOR OUR FREEDOM.
This is our position.

Please go back and read my post again and ask yourself whether this your response was in line with it.
My brother I am not against freedom, after all Ndigbo were never part of Nigeria to begin with (check the name of the 6 signatories for the formation of Nigeria in 1914) what I am against is one sided story to fool the masses by the shameless people of asaba. If they want to write about the asaba massacre, they should and must include the part where they wore white to dance and celebrate the Nigerian forces for liberating them from Ndigbo and tried to convince the general that they were not igbos before the general ordered for the execution of all the male dancers which unfortunately were almost all of their male population

The zoo called Nigeria must suffer for what they did to us.



North is receiving theirs,soon west will receive theirs.

Bkayyy:

Please go back and read my post again and ask yourself whether this your response was in line with it.
My brother I am not against freedom, after all Ndigbo were never part of Nigeria to begin with (check the name of the 6 signatories for the formation of Nigeria in 1914) what I am against is one sided story to fool the masses by the shameless people of asaba. If they want to write about the asaba massacre, they should and must include the part where they wore white to dance and celebrate the Nigerian forces for liberating them from Ndigbo and tried to convince the general that they were not igbos before the general ordered for the execution of all the male dancers which unfortunately were almost all of their male population

My first paragraph was for you to be careful not to assume majority of Asaba indigenes reason like that. Their will always be few individuals who twist reality.
The rest of the post was aimed at everyone who might read that comment. That war was forced on us. Not fighting it would have been more disastrous for us. A fighting man if allowed to live is mostly respected but a fearful man's life can be taken at anytime because he's totally without respect.

Yujin:

My first paragraph was for you to be careful not to assume majority of Asaba indigenes reason like that. Their will always be few individuals who twist reality.
The rest of the post was aimed at everyone who might read that comment. That war was forced on us. Not fighting it would have been more disastrous for us. A fighting man if allowed to live is mostly respected but a fearful man's life can be taken at anytime because he's totally without respect.

Who forced the war on you people?
Is it your brother Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu from ọkpanam that killed sir ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa?
Or Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that tried to rescue the real Igbos race by breaking away as a result of the reprisal killings in the North caused by the dehumanizing way their sarduana sir Ahmadu Bello was killed by your brother Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu?
Please, I will like to see your answer

vastolord4:
Imagine misleading your countrymen to fight for you because you had a personal beef with gowon .. God go judge una ... My uncle lost his dad in a building where the Nigerian army marched all men into. My uncle saw his dad fall on the ground by the bullets of the soldiers.. my uncle shed uncontrollable tears when he told us that story. He said he watched his dad bleed.. after the war, he went back to the building but couldn't recognised his father's body.. the war was a really horrible tale..

Do not be unfortunate in life..

vastolord4:
Imagine misleading your countrymen to fight for you because you had a personal beef with gowon .. God go judge una ... My uncle lost his dad in a building where the Nigerian army marched all men into. My uncle saw his dad fall on the ground by the bullets of the soldiers.. my uncle shed uncontrollable tears when he told us that story. He said he watched his dad bleed.. after the war, he went back to the building but couldn't recognised his father's body.. the war was a really horrible tale..

You are not an Asaba man and it's simple to say so
No Asaba man will blame Ojukwu rather than Gowon !
They surrendered, yet were massacred.
Your profile is fake!

Bkayyy:

Who forced the war on you people?
Is it your brother Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu from ọkpanam that killed sir ahmadu Bello and Tafawa Balewa?
Or Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu that tried to rescue the real Igbos race by breaking away as a result of the reprisal killings in the North caused by the dehumanizing way their sarduana sir Ahmadu Bello was killed by your brother Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu?
Please, I will like to see your answer

Don't be shortsighted. We're on the same side. That one fellow on nairaland claim he's from Asaba and attempts to blame Ojukwu shouldn't make you shade other Asaba people or Ndi Anioma. This is why I said "muru akor".
You think I'm attacking you but I'm not. You're sounding defensive already while you shouldn't. Always speak for all Ndigbo and call out specific individuals irrespective of which part of Igboland they come from.
Most Igbos erroneously think it was the Nzeogwu's coup that caused the northern pogrom. It wasn't. It was just the perfect excuse they needed for the attacks on Igbos who they loathed.

TooMuchStuff:
We shall always remember

Buhari, Ibrahim Taiwo and Murtala Muhammad were the arrowheads

Dimka dispatched those two genocidal criminals called General Murtala Mohammed and Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, to hell where they belong

How did all these start?

What triggered the killing of more than 3million people?


It pains me that all these happened because Nzeogwu and his gang view the government as corrupt.


It is sad that millions of our people were killed because Nzeogwu and gang were trying to bring peace to Western region.

Interesting.

Interesting.

loveth360:
The zoo called Nigeria must suffer for what they did to us.

North is receiving theirs,soon west will receive theirs.

If you understand Yoruba, I would have recite ewi Asegbe for you.

Everything the West did during the Biafran war is Asegbe, and there is nothing you all can do about it.

Just accept your fate and see that as part of your history and move on.

Remember, your ancestors carefully masterminded a lot of wrong leading into 1967 and the Karma reared its head on their offsprings.

Actions beget consequences, so think before taking decisions.

Lastly, you condemn Nigeria for massacre, have you forgotten you Igbos also massacred some of the SS’ner tribes?