₦airaland Forum

Any thing short of peaceful achievement of disintegration of the colonial memorial called Nigeria will be waste of human endeavor. I do not want any resource control, federal character or census figure but disintegration of Nigeria.

Tippy Top:
By castigating Nzeribe over his interview one would have thought one is supporting the tenets of democracy.
Supporting a man who called for a military take over is hardly democratic.

I have no issues with political minnows that tend to see unwarranted endeavor on the part of Chief Nzeribe but had it up my eye balls with those people who suggested placing a call to SSS and NSO to deal with the senator. Many of the critics have tendered unchecked utterances that could be discerned as defamation of character which is hardly a tenant of democracy.

A person who plays within the rules of democratic principles should understand that any Nigerian can openly express and wish the president death. Democracy, as seen in USA which Nigeria is trying to imitate, even allows individuals of less status of Nzeribe to openly call death to Bush or Obama. Any Nigerian has a constitutional privilege to openly call for change of present government to military, oligarchy, monarchy or communism. Why has Chief Nzeribe’s exercise of such privilege provided by the so-called democracy engendered so much vitriolic diatribes teetering on defamation of character?

All these unfortunate mudslinging that were directed at Senator Nzeribe by certain cross-section of Nigerian society put a shining question mark on the ability of Nigerians to handle democracy.

KnowAll:
It would be within the remit of the SSS, the NIA and the other one forgotten its name to invite Nzerebe for question, maybe he would like to throw more light on some of the clandanstine nocturnal meetings he has be having with military commanders. His comments are a direct slight to Jonathan's leadership and the whole democratic experience and I will not be suprise if rtr General Gusua invites him for questioning.

You can not wish for Nzeribe the incidents designed for a totalitarian government and at the same time converse for democracy. I must submit that majority of the people criticizing Chief Nzeribe over his alleged interview do not know one iota of democratic principles.

Who made these clowns the final arbiter that laid down the gauntlet and ruled that democracy is the best system of government and the only one system of government for Nigeria?  Democracy has failed Nigeria before now and every indicator is pointing to another colossal failure.

If the surviving relatives of the victims of Dogo Village massacre failed to revenge their death, the roaming spirits of dead will continue to haunt them. I shall take Law of Moses over any other law on this issue.

Katsumoto:
Nigerian tragedies are man-made; a result of years of injustice, corruption, and mis-management

I totally concur with your view on this subject. The unfortunate part is that some of the tragedies were humanly avoidable.

Katsumoto:
But would he have that voice in a military setup? You make the point that everyone has a voice in a democratic setting but isnt it counter-productive to then invite the military?

Democracy is not about productive or counter-productive. It is about rule of law which states that a person has privilege to do as the person wishes within the law. Nigeria is practicing the so-called democracy as such grants Chief Nzeribe the inalienable rights to voice his opinion freely. You can not seem to defend and uphold the spirit of democracy while trying very hard to silence the dissenters.

Katsumoto:
You expect too much from the average Nigeria; you should know better. People remember Nzeribe for his June 12 action; thats why they hate him. I do not think you are aware of how hated Nzeribe is.

This is not a matter of the so-called June 12 or the degree of iniquities that trail Chief Nzeribe. Many elections have been annulled in Nigeria and I should state unequivocally that the so-called June 12 holds water only in the figment of imagination of the deluded folks. The circumstantial government that prevails in Nigeria currently is democracy and it is a worthy belief that Chief Nzeribe should be allowed to participate in such setup. Democracy embraces freedom of expression and more so to the voices of dissenters.

I am not taking issues with the empty-belly Nigerians but with those people who would want us to believe that they were educated and yet act like imbecilic morons. You can hate a person all you want but democracy demands accommodation of opposing views and treating the holder of such views with measured respect.

@Post

Based on this post, the GOC of 3rd Armored Division should not be anywhere near the command of any military unit talk less a Division. Maj.-Gen. Saleh Maina, as one of the first respondents to national crisis, should not be joining issues with government of Plateau State but should settle with national intelligent outfit why they failed in sniffing out a preventable trouble such as the recent Jos massacre. The General is simply putting up show of shame and irresponsible cover-up.

Katsumoto:
And you have evidence that a military region is the best for Nigeria? Tell me, how will the new military regime be different from the regimes of IBB, Gowon, Obasanjo, Abacha, Abdulsalam?

Why must you keep insulting people who have a different opinion to yours? This village square attitude of shouting down people does not lead to intelligent discourse. If you are aware that your knowledge is superior, why bother coming here?

If all the shouters and haulers of abusive words at Chief Nzeribe for exhibiting one of the basic privileges guaranteed by the democracy knew little intrigues about the system, they should have restrained themselves from such indulgence. Regardless of what you and I think about military government, Chief Nzeribe should not attract unwarranted abusive words from village square vagabonds as we have experienced on this thread.

By the way, it nice to inform me about shouting down on people who knew nothing about democracy yet they have audacious pedigree to subject a person who does not agree with them on the mockery of democracy found in Nigeria to series of vitriolic diatribes.

If the attitude of the governor of Ogun State, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, by any known means constituted the cardinal aspect of democracy in Nigeria as being alleged in a posted article on this board, I should say that Chief Nzeribe stands as a fearless pillar in Nigerian society.

Why are some trolls on this forum constantly showing flair for stupidity and acting like zombies? Is DEMOCRACY the only system of government ever practiced in the universe? The people of Nigeria are capable of designing a system of government that may significantly differ from the so-called democracy and can serve them better than the crap they have now. .

In fact, what Nigeria is practicing presently is a damnable mockery of democracy. Even the communism that is holding sway in China is better in all forms than the idiotic democracy practiced in Nigeria.

If these dimwits that have subjected Nzeribe to all forms of scurrilous diatribe for voicing his innocuous political opinion knew iota of democratic principles would hide their mangled faces in sunbathed sand. Democracy guarantees free expression of thoughts regardless how less insignificant.

If the alleged peaceful demonstrated by MASSOB actually happened in the following states such as Abia, Anambra, Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Cross River, Delta, Ebonyi, Edo, Enugu, Imo and Rivers state, I will say that certain people in southern Nigeria have awoken from deep political slumber.

SapeleGuy:
On Ankrah, i will simply say "If you no chop the soup, no take am rub mouth". Bear in mind he was already retired at the time of the coup, he could have told kotoka and afrifa, thanks but no thanks. By not doing so he was complicit.

Back to topic, Are you saying that your man didn't sell weapons to both the federal and biafran sides?

My friend, as much as I like the adage of "If you no chop the soup, no take am rub mouth", it has to be posited that Lt Gen Joseph Ankrah did not retire but was dismissed on a frivolous charge of attempting a coup.

I have never come across an iota of evidence that suggested Nzeribe sold arms to both Nigeria and Biafra. So far it has been conjectural craps equal in importance to beer parlor gossip.

SapeleGuy:
Dede1 - with all the articulated grammar wey you dey knack for here, you wan tell me say you never do this research? E be like say you dey slack. The documents have been declassified for about 3 or 4 years now.

Lt. General Joseph Arthur Ankrah became head of state and chairman of the national liberation council on Feb 24th 1966 after the foot soldiers (although they later experienced rapid promotion) you mentioned had done the leg work. For a general, I don't know how much more involvement you want to see.

Afam - where are the lies that have been told about ankrah or nzeribe?

Look pal; let us bury the sentiments regardless where the pendulum swings. Lt Gen Joe Ankrah was dismissed from the Ghanaian armed forces in 1965 by Nkrumah government for the wrong reason of being implicated in a coup plot.

Then come the really coup in February of 1966 led by middle rank officers of Ghanaian armed forces. Thank goodness Ghanaians were not loafers as Nigerians who turned a coup into a tribal macabre. 

I shall give you the benefit of doubt because of your believes in conspiracy theory. Neither Afrifa nor Kotoka ever insinuated during or long after the debacle of February 1966 that saw the overthrow of Nkrumah that Lt Gen. Joseph Ankrah was involve in the coup.

The coup plotters might have sympathized with Ankrah who was first commissioned officer in Ghanaian armed forces as result of the treatment meted to him by the Nkrumah led government. We should avoid soaking up with hearsay and innuendos when setting up information that could give a wrong interpretation.   

I recalled that your post never even tried to employ word such as alleged or implicated when you dealt Nzeribe and Ankrah with smearing blow of embezzlement and coup

SapeleGuy:
Nzeribe was and is only interested in what is best for Nzeribe.

Nzeribe helped the General Ankrah govt that overthrew Nkrumah (at the behest of certain foreign powers) Nzeribe was kicked out of Ghana in 1969 for bribery and corruption and General Ankrah was forced to resign over this scandal, so nobody should hoodwink us and say the source of his wealth is clean.

Whether Ghana or Nigeria - looting is looting.

This man is stupendously wealthy but sadly there is no evidence of his wealth touching the lives of his people.
We should reject his type of avaricious leadership and consign it to the dustbin.

Is this a mere hearsay or conjectural load of rubbish? It seems like a desperate endeavor to smear the person of Nzeribe. I know for fact that General Joe Ankrah was dismissed from the Ghanaian armed forces in 1965 for attempting coup.

I also know that both Majors Kwasi Kotoka and Akwasi Afrifa led the coup that sent Nkrumah on endless vacation in 1966. Also, it is fact that Lt Gen Joe Ankrah was brought back to the armed forces to lead the military revolutionary council in February 1966 after the sacking of Nkrumah’s government in Ghana.

Please I should be interested in the details of Ankrah’s involvement in the coup if you would not mind.

Afam:
It is obvious that the Udenwa's daughter you are talking about knows nothing about Nzeribe.

Nzeribe made his money outside Nigeria, does not get involved in government contracts and that was the reason why he compiled names of powerful Nigerians in 1999 and made it clear that we can tackle corruption if we are serious by simply matching assets to people and asking them to explain the source.

Is the man very rich? Yes. Is he one of the corrupt politicians that have looted Nigeria dry? No.

Love him or hate him I prefer people like this man at the helm of affairs as they always say things the way they are.

So, Udenwa's daughter would do well to focus on the money her father looted rather than finding it difficult to understand how Nzeribe became so rich.

I grease your elbows again for resisting the temptation of joining the fray in castigating Nzeribe for his comments about Nigeria and military takeover and able to let out hidden facts about the man. Nzeribe had been seriously wealthy before joining Nigeria political game of get-rich-quick. The man has every inalienable privilege to voice his concerns about dilapidated Nigeria.

Katsumoto:
Yes, you can refuse orders. Lt. Col Ayo Ariyo resigned his post under Adekunle rather than fight Biafra. Banjo fought for Biafra and was executed by Ojukwu. Soyinka spent 26 months in prison for Biafra. There were Igbo sons who fought against Biafra; should it be a big deal if Adekunle fought against Biafra?

This is the part I don't get about certain people. Dede1 who made the initial comment is aware of all these, yet he made an unnecessary comment about a Yoruba son fighting against Biafra ignoring the actions of other Yoruba sons as well as the actions of Igbo sons and other Easterners who fought against Biafra. We should always give a balanced argument when debating. Hightlighting one part of history so as to strenghten one's argument while ignoring other relevant parts of history is not a fair way to have a debate.

I raised the issue of the Yoruba son because you have argued that invasion of Yoruba land by Biafran Expeditionary Force was a blunder based on the fact that Yoruba was neutral to the saga. By the way, Lagos Garrison Organization had 90 percent of Yoruba in the rank and file when it was moved to Escravos, Mid-western region. The Adekunle’s issue became a big deal because you made it so by positing that western region of Nigeria was a novice bystander to the saga of Nigeria-Biafra war.

Granted that well-meaning and articulate sons of Yoruba saw the dangerous implication of joining force with feudalistic northern region of Nigeria to precipitate war on Biafra should not bestow the element of neutrality to the region.

The Jos massacre is pale in comparison to the pogrom of 1966 and yet some morons would stroll onto this forum to mouth-off that Biafrans should have turned the other cheek It was on record that forbearers of today’s victims had hands in pogrom of 1966. This is the beginning of future events.

Katsumoto:
So the Biafrans were dealing with the Nigerians but the Biafrans surrendered to the Nigerians. There is a difference between what is on record and what was handed down through moonlight story-telling. Some of the information posted above may have some element of truth in it but the fact is that at the end of the day, Biafra was subdued and they surrendered.

I guess you will congratulate Ibime for stating that Lagos was a strategic target but when the arguments suits you, you change your mindand state that the BEF were on there way to Lagos to liberate the West from the clutches of Gowon. I have heard this argument many times from OnlyTruth, Eziachi and others. It appears that you Biafrans can not get your stories accurately. On Monday, you are going to help the Yoruba drive the Hausa soldiers from their soil; on Wednesday, Lagos was a strategic target and you were going to attack it.

I hope Eziachi and OnlyTruth are reading this because we can not keep having multiple hypothetical arguments. So I will from now henceforth argue on the basis that the BEF were attacking the West and were expelled. After the expulsion, they got their a.s.s.e.s handed to them.

Your characterization of my post as moonlight tales should be taken as an honor because it requires a sharp mind to conjure such stories. It is neither my fault nor the fault of numerous contributors that you seemed to have issues with chronological order of events before and during the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.

You wasted considerable amount of Internet bandwidth trying very hard to reconfigure history as pertained to Lagos and western region of Nigeria during the civil war. It is very funny that a dedicated scholar of recorded events such as you would attempt to convince even a political minnow that Lagos, western region and mid-western region of Nigeria were not part and parcel of the Nigerian side that precipitated war of attrition on Biafra. How could you forget the composition of representatives of Nigerian side in Aburi, Ghana? How sudden could you have forgotten that Gowon’s headquarter was in Lagos? Even before the so-called police action was kicked-off, Gowon had already sent Lagos Garrison Organization under the command of a Yoruba son to Escravos, Mid-western region in preparation for sea-borne assault on Port-Harcourt and Calaber. Gowon, while still pitched the tent of his military headquarter in Lagos, ordered the 1st Area Command of Nigerian armed forces to launch attack on Biafra and yet it did not occur to you and your forbearers to drum the neutrality stand of western region of Nigeria into his ears. What an oversight. 

As for the moonlight tales, I hope you realized that I stated that Owerri was overrun by Nigerian vandals in 1968 through the military assault that was spear-headed by the elements of 16 Brigade under Major Utuks. Also at the same time, 15 Brigade under Major Makanjunola had Oguta in its cross-hair. Mbaise was threatened through Ugba-junction by the elements of 14 Brigade under Major Oni of Nigerian army. Yet Biafran army regrouped through the efforts of men and women of “S” Division and 14 Division under the leadership of Col Onwuatuegwu and Brigadier Ogbugo Kalu respectively and drove Nigerian vandals out of Oweeri and it environs. By the dawn of 1969, Biafran Brigades of 68, 63, 60 and 52 had 3MCDO beating hasty retreats from all fronts to Port Harcourt.

Any unbiased mind would agree that Biafra was winning considerable number of battles from an opponent that was better equipped and fed than the former. Despite the bravery put up by the Biafran forces, Nigeria still had Biafra on a stranglehold through a strategy orchestrated by Britain.

@POST

I can not believe the fact that some political minnows and armchair Generals whose feet had never touched a parade ground in their miserable live are soaking up in war strategy  . I have always enjoyed discussions evolving war sectors and theaters during Nigeria/Biafra civil war. By December 1969, if I could recall properly, the 2nd Division under the command of Lt Col G S Jallo of Nigerian army had not cross Niger Bridge at Onitsha as the 11th Division under Col P C Amadi of Biafran army refused to cede an inch of estate to the vandals.

The 1st Division under Col Bisalla of Nigerian army had handful of harassments from elements of 13th Division and 15th Division of Biafran army that hand upper hands within the hills and valleys around Lukpa Ugwu and Lukpa Nta in the vicinity of Okigwe.

Also the elements of 1st Division and 3MCDO had a stalemate in their battles within Umuahia/Aba/Ikot Ekpene against the elements of 15th Division and 12th Division under Lt Col Chukwuka and Col Eze of Biafran army respectively.

The 3MCDO under the command of Col Obasanjo of Nigerian army had to contend with elements of “S” Division under the command of Lt Col V. Asoya and 14th Division under Brigadier Ogbugo Kalu.   

The majority of 3MCDO elements had been either seriously disorganized or on their heels scampering towards Port Harcourt as the 60, 63, 68 and 52 Brigades of Biafran army were in hot pursuit. For example, the 16 Brigade that captured Owerri in 1968 was destroyed and famed Major Utuk was momentarily relieved of his command. The Brigade tried to re-organize at Elele Alimini under Captain Buhari. After the debacle at Ogba/Egbema, 15 Brigade under the command of Major Olu Makanjunola was reduced to ineffective force that forced Obasanjo to remove Major Olu and appoint Captain Illuyomade as the new commander of a Brigade that was scattered all over the swamps of Ahoada. The14 Brigade under Major Oni vacated Apani and was resting at Chokocho as it was being chased by the elements of 52 Brigade under the command of Major Frank Okilo of Biafran army.

Meanwhile 3MCDO 17 Brigade under Major Tomoye is holed up in Aba while 12 Brigade under Captain Isemede is isolated in Azumini as the Aba-Port Harcourt road has breached at railway crossing at Owaza/Ozuaku junction. The 13 Brigade under Major Innih was chilling at Ikot Ekpene.

Based on the above stated scenarios couple with the good knowledge of the geography of the war theaters in discourse, I am beginning to believe in the revelations accredited to Chief Achuzie in his latest interview.


@Ibime

You are behaving like a true son of your grandfather. Keep it up.

Katsumoto:
A lot of oceans have passed under the bridge since then. Discussing every political issue in the context of the civil war is illogical, self-serving, and counter-productive. You should be able to discuss issues without juxtaposing unrelated events and issues together.

For all of Obasanjo's faults and criticisms, he is still well liked by some Nigerians.

I shall take your drivel as an unfortunate joke because I know you are a student of history. How could a person possibly implement Obasanjo without the main variables that conjugated the personality of the man? I shall go out on the limb and modestly say that Obasanjo would not have proceeded beyond the rank of a Colonel in Nigerian armed forces barring the circumstances of 1966.

Like it or not, Obasanjo became a person he represents today because of the events of 1966 and discussion of Obasanjo without such major variables that saw him to the position of Head of State and President of Nigeria is not only lacking in facts but logic.  

I have little or no interest on a person named Obasanjo but since the subject had made the public domain, juxtaposition of cradled events and such a name is appropriate in my view.

Nigeria died a natural death the day entire Nigerians joined forces to perpetrate a war of attrition against Biafra.

Wole Soyimka could be many things and I honestly do not think coward is one of them.

However, wonders shall never cease to happen. Obasnajo used to be the pride of his people and the all-conquering General of the famed Nigerian armed forces. I could not believe my ears reading about Obasanjo being reduced to the level of dirt and stepped on by the same very people who had stood by roadside cheering on his homecoming.

@POST

One wonders what is going through the mind of Gowon as the his people in Plateau State are visited with the same gruesome act of murder that was perpetrated on the easterners in 1966 as result of the coup orchestrated by him and his fellow Middle Belt folks.

Who cares to hea what role Gowon played during the civil war? The civil war has been fought and it has left indelible scare on peoples’ minds. He should be worrying about the consequences of his actions will bring upon his grandchildren.

@ few posters

It is very unfortunate that Nigeria has grown into stupidity with knack to demonstrate infinitely. I could not believe reading odious and impetuous analogy of Biafra and Germany from the ongoing discourse. People tend to gravitate to all time low trying to absolve themselves or their forbearers from delusional acts by indulging in arrant prevarication.

Biafra never enjoyed a minute of peaceful existence as a sovereign nation and yet someone audaciously decided to generate loathsome comparison that pitched Biafra against Germany that had risen to the apex of imperial power.

The discussions should center on the issue Chief Joe Achuzie raised in his alleged interview that Biafra was not actually defeated.

@POST

Who is more corrupt in Nigerian society than the ingrate called Theophilus Danjuma? I guess the fast acting of the Acting President should be in the form of issuing an order for Theophilus Danjuma’s arrest.