Former Ghanaian president, Jerry Rawlings, has described the absence of Gen. Yakubu Gowon at the funeral rites of Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu in Enugu as unfortunate, stating emphatically that it was a regrettable occurrence.

In his speech at the burial rites of the iconic Igbo leader at the Michael Okpara Square, Enugu, Rawlings not only rued over Gowon’s absence, but repeatedly referred to the ex-Biafra warlord as a ‘General.’
He said, “Had he (Gowon) been present, it would have afforded him the opportunity to truly show he no longer bore grudges with Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu over what may have happened in the past.”
Gowon, who was in the United States of America, sent a condolence message to Ojukwu’s family through Prof. Benjamin Mariere and promised to visit upon his return, but the Ghanaian statesman said his presence would have changed the tide of the event.


He said, “Today’s event would have been legendary if only he (Gowon) had managed to be here today. However, I have told President Goodluck Jonathan to ensure that Gowon comes to see the family of Gen. Ojukwu as soon as possible.
“I would still remind President Jonathan to ensure that Gowon comes to see the wife of late Gen. Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu.”
Having listened to Gowon’s condolence message, read out by Mariere, Rawlings added, “Indeed, the tributes showered here today on Ojukwu are wonderful and excellent. Ironically, that of Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who is absent summed everything Ojukwu represented. What we owe to the words is to absolve them and assimilate what he said.”


Gowon’s condolence message read, “I could not be physically present at the burial of Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu. I am in the United States of America for an important matter. Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu will be remembered for his courage and unwavering desire to fight for justice for his people.
“Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu loved Nigeria so much, he merely wanted to opt out because of the perceived injustice meted out to his people.”
Meanwhile, Jonathan drew his eulogy from Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart.
The President, who was represented by the Vice President, Namadi Sambo, likened the late Ikemba Nnewi to the lead character in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo.
He said and quoted from the book, “When a man lives a life of solid achievements that is when he is not forgotten.”
The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Ado Bayero, said the death of Ojukwu was a great loss to not only Anambra and Nigeria but the entire black race.


The Emir, a long standing friend of the Ikemba, described him as “a great Nigerian who struggled relentlessly to champion a just and united nation anchored on justice and equity.” He said that his struggle in Nigeria should be understood in the contest of emancipating his people in the light of justice and equity.
Bayero explained that events in Ojukwu’s life have provided a long framework to actualize a better understanding, peace and harmonious coexistence.
He said that from what he heard, that he was impressed by the love and care Governor Peter Obi of Anambra State extended to him.


Obi, however, observed that the death of Ojukwu, also known as Ezeigbo Gburugburu, calls for total re-examination of the nation’s life in the light of building a just and egalitarian Nigeria to which the deceased devoted his entire life.
In his tribute, the Enugu State Governor, Mr. Sullivan Chime, said, “This great hero lying before us today, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, is one of those rare enigmas, the discussion of which can never be exhausted or caused to expire. The story of his life is actually a huge collection of stories. It is a massive montage and kaleidoscope of dramatic and historic events.”


He said, “Larger than life while alive and even more so, in death, Ojukwu is at once, a historical and iconic personage, an enigma and myth who bestrode his times like a colossus, and who responded to all emergent circumstances in his environment with typical candour and valour.
http://elombah.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=10115:rawlings-regrets-gowons-absence-at-ojukwus-funeral-rites-punch&catid=31:ge

Gowon was told. The Lion of Ghana takes no prisoner.

Busy Body man. What da phok is his business with Nigerian issue?

So, it is now a waiting game as far as Rawlings is concerned with Gowon.  I urge Gowon to tread careful to avoid the lions trap. hahah

waity jerry! 

Gowon don't come out ooooooo! Hide well well. hahah!

jerry my man,gowon was avoiding the shadow of the past.he almost wiped out the igbo race from the history of mankind,trust me coming again to the land where innocent blood was shed to honour his number foe who saw the future of this contraception called, gowon would have heard the voices of defenceless women and children being massacre by his foot soldiers.gowon was simply avoiding bitter memories about what he did to the ibo race in their natural habitat,

[size=38pt]Phony no victor, no vanquished[/size]

Good for gowon he knows what good for him,because his body could have been send back to jos nonrecognition

b]Even after trying to wipe out the entire easterners with his bloodthirsty gangs he (gowon) ended up in exile,chased away by the same bloodthirsty fellow nigerian soldiers that he was enjoying human flesh on the same table with during the biafran war. Did murtala mohamed not chase him away where he spent years in exile? Nigeria will remain a joke until they accept the truth and do the right thing,they can only fool themselves and can no longer fool other foreigners, it doesn't matter how they try to run around like a headless chicken which they are by their way of trying too hard to bury the truth and feed the outside world with repeated MOMBO JOMBO LIES hoping it will save them, nada mio amigos. I LAUGH AT THIS BOTTOMLESS PIT/GRAVE YARD NAMED NIGGA- KILLING- AREA.b]

Una no dey tire for whining ? He no come,una dey complain,if he come another wahala.nawao

Rawlings pays respects at Ojukwu Funeral
March 2, 2012 by jjrawlings
Ghana’s former President, Flt Lt Jerry John Rawlings, has at a ceremony in Enugu paid tribute to the late Biafra leader, General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, describing his death as a great loss to Nigeria.



President Rawlings said General Ojukwu stood for equity, peace and justice but did not hesitate to defend his people militarily in pursuit of those ideals.

The former President who led a delegation to the funeral of Chief Ojukwu who died late last year after a protracted illness said circumstances that led to the Biafra war were very disturbing.

“As a young, respected leader of his people he had to lead a sacrificial war that eventually brought reality home to all Nigerians and sowed seeds of unity in Africa’s most populous and ethnically diverse country,” he said.

The former President said events leading to the Biafra war have some similarities to today’s political circumstances in Nigeria and cautioned Nigerians to appreciate the sacrifices of those who laid down their lives during the Biafra war and create an opportunity for hope rather than despair.

General Ojukwu led the Eastern Region of Nigeria to secede in 1967 after the first two military coups in Nigeria created a systematic massacre of his native Igbos. Efforts to secure peace through a reconciliation meeting in Aburi fell through subsequently leading to the creation of Biafra and the Nigeria civil war.

Members of President Rawlings’ delegation included National Security Advisor, General Nunoo-Mensah, Hon. Michael Teye Nyaunu, businessman Herbert Mensah, Kofi Adams, Deputy General Secretary of the NDC and Alhaji Muftau Sanni Thomas.

President Jerry Rawlings of Ghana AKA The Lion of Ghana paying respect to the Lion of Biafra General Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu.