₦airaland Forum

Aigbofa: You don't get it. Instead of literary awards, he will be getting fatwas.

Oh I got it alright. That is why I said he is now a hero to 40 million Nigerians. They will go to war for him. Chew on that.

Katsumoto: Lets do a small exercise.

Write down the names of Igbo leaders/sons who have put themselves in arms way for other Nigerians. You are not allowed to write Ojukwu because we all know he ran when OBJ was bearing down on him.

After Awo was imprisoned in 1963 and Balewa/Zik sent soldiers into the west to deal with the various uprisings, what were the names of the Igbo men who stood up to speak for their brothers in the West? I am trying to learn here.

Because you and I don't share the same views on mores and ethics, it would be an exercise in futility.
I personally condemned Nzeogwu's coup, even though his motives were clearly nationalistic.
There is something very special about my people Ndigbo: WE NEVER CONDONE EVIL. Period!
Once someone is proven to be evil, even if in the process of defending us, we disavow the person immediately. It is why most Nigerians love us even though they may hate us for other reasons.

My people Ndigbo have died for other Nigerians in MILLIONS.
Other tribes would not accept Nigeria after such deaths, even if the fault was theirs.
Give us a little credit dude, it won't kill you!

Aigbofa: Achebe is now the Salman Rushdie of Nigeria, he has just written his own "satanic verses"

Achebe just gave rest to souls of 2-3 million Eastern Nigerian kids who starved to death on the orders of Awolowo.
He is now a HERO TO AT LEAST 40 million Nigerians.

In a twisted way I agree with you that he wrote "Satanic verses" because he chronicled the actions of SATAN INCARNATE named Awolowo.

Katsumoto: Since Ojukwu was doing the bidding of the Biafrans, then why the whinefest?

If Biafrans didn't want a surrender eben when food wasn't coming, why focus on Awo?

Just accept responsibility for your actions and let Awo be.

Anyway, I really don't want to engage in same broken record back and forth chat.

My contribution to this thread is that I'm baffled that Achebe's singular "attack" on an EVIL MAN Awolowo is being seen as an attack on the entire Yoruba tribe.
Unless I don't understand English language anymore, Achebe specifically talked about Awolowo, and all lovers of truth know he speaks the truth on this subject.

I still believe that as long as there are the Wole Soyinkas in Yoruba land, I would continue to assume that an entire tribe cannot be evil.

Sei an juma.

I came to this conclusion because I learned that Awolowo made MILLIONS using the indigenization policy. He became a billionaire after stealing Igbo assets in the banks.
For me, Awo was just an evil man who hated Ndigbo with a rare passion, and did all he could to set Igbo back, enriching himself in the process.

Katsumoto: Have you accepted Ojukwu's evil deeds in not surrendering when he couldn't feed his people or for charging charities landing fees for food and medicine being taken into Biafra?

Hold your leaders responsible.

Katsumoto, Katsumoto, Katsumoto

How many times did I call you? lmao.

You still don't understand one of the most fundamental truths of the Biafran resistance to the Nigerian rule. The secession was a POPULAR CHOICE.
Ojukwu was even a reluctant leader of the secession. There were people who resisted his leadership from day one. Some of them were executed, some stayed alive till the bitter end. Ojukwu was not called "the people's general" for nothing. He was doing the bidding of his people.

Can you say that Awolowo was also doing the bidding of the Yoruba people?
Awolowo was in it for himself. He may have formulated a policy (20 pound policy) that benefitted his Yoruba tribe (as Achebe masterfully put it), he was not sent by the Yoruba to do that. He was just an evil man who hated Ndigbo, but loved his people. I can understand the urge to defend him, but there is a limit to which a decent person can defend evil.

Obiagu1: By the way, I just ordered a copy of the book.

I'm ordering mine tomorrow. For sure.

Aigbofa: For once in my life, I will be burning some books- Achebe's

As long as you pay for them first.
The prof will chuckle and smile to the bank.
It always feels good to make money the right way.

CyberG, I don't respond to childish rants.

Aigbofa: LMAO Biafra at that point was no longer in a position to fight even the Boy Scouts. Return to their trenches! That's got to be a joike.

I have studied a lot of civil wars in different parts of the world, and I can tell you that Biafra could have continued that war. Not in the same RIGID FIXED PLACES tactics of course, but in guerilla tactic, and could have done that for at least 20 more years. The only thing is that the East and other parts of Nigeria were the rebels move to will turn to Southern Sudan. Madiebo was one of the people who advocated that, but Ojukwu rejected it, because Ojukwu could not operate such a war strategy; too many risks to command and structure of government (in Biafra of course). That is why Achuzia said that they could have continued the war.
Believe me, " no victor, no vanquished" may go down in Nigeria's history as the most ingenious political trick ever played on a people.
You can see that in Igbo laments till this day.

Aigbofa: If this is true why is Madiebo still alive? Why was Effiong not executed? Remember that Biafra was indeed vanquished, completely defeated to surrender.

Their execution would have been noticed by the Biafrans, and they would have returned to their trenches and the war restarted. You still don't get it do you?
They executed the ones they knew they could get away with. Go and read what happened after Biafra surrendered.

A lot of people praise Gowon for the "masterful way" he ended the war. What they meant is the extreme deception used by Gowon to have the Biafrans lay down their arms.
Your Awolowo only did the civilian part using the 20 Pound policy. There was a lot of military ones much earlier. Achuzia was kept in detention for 7 years after the war ended.

Aigbofa: Look, in some other countries leaders of failed rebellions are captured and shot. Which means people like Achebe and this Madiebo running his mouth would have been long dead. Instead of getting 20 pounds many of them would have gotten firing squads.

A matter of perspective. You forget that the war could still have dragged on (as attested by Achuzia). Gowon's "No victor, no vanquished" carrot was not all altruistic. It was a ploy to end the war and give victory to the federal side.
Also, A WHOLE LOT OF IGBO OFFICERS AND SOLDIERS WERE EXECUTED after they surrendered. So, your wish actually happened.

So, we got BOTH -firing squads and evil monetary policy.

The Achebe's were not near to be caught by it all.
The Madiebo's were the ones who could have continued the war. He (Madiebo) is not apologizing to anyone.

Obiagu1: This only people that idolise a devil are Yoruba people.
Germans disowned Hitler, Park Geun-hye apologised for her father's atrocities despite the fact her father actually built South Korea.

Yoruba

Evil loveth evil.

I pray the time I'll throw Yoruba out of Nigeria.

I honestly can't fathom why a whole tribe should be reduced to a very devious man.

Even Ojukwu has FIERCE critics in Igboland and Eastern Nigeria.
Even some of us his greatest admirers often lament his failures and short sight during the war.
I can't even hate Awo enough because I always remember the Soyinkas and the like.

Honestly I have a very mixed feeling about Yoruba people because of this. Part of me want to get them out of Nigeria by all means, and another part wants to even import them to the East. That is the confusion created by those defending evil in Nigeria.

I suspect that if these defenders of evil continue to do so, it will cement in my mind that a whole tribe is actually evil.

ekt_bear: Lmao.

Please spare us your indignation on behalf of Yoruba folk

Believe me I don't indulge. I share similar attitude with Achebe whenever truth is involved.
The fact remains that there were MANY Yoruba men/women who stood firm and refused to join the bangwagon of falsehood in the lead up to the war and after the war.
Notice that there were Yoruba folks who retained and returned Igbo assets and even paid rent on them.
Whenever I see people talk as if Awolowo is now the same as the entire Yoruba tribe, I scratch and shake my head!
Just watch, there are some Yoruba folks that won't mutter a sound throughout this latest controversy, and it won't be because they have no voice. It is rather because they cannot defend evil.

Awolowo was not a friend of Ndigbo, and some of his intentions were genocidal or downright evil.
I cannot recall any Igbo politician (at any time in the history of Nigeria) that ever habored similar high grade HATE for the Yoruba.
That is my point.

AWOLOWO IS NOT = YORUBA TRIBE.

The response coming from some of Yoruba elite on this issue is quite frankly ludicrous.
Achebe's memoir and the exact words he chose to describe Awo are very specific and succinct. Achebe never speaks half truths, or encase words in riddles. He always speaks plainly and to the point. He did that on two occassions when he turned down national honors. He has an antecedent of being a FIERCE LOVER OF TRUTH. No amount of fake indignation from any quarters would change Achebe or tarnish his reputation. The international community know him already.

The situation some of these defenders of Awo find themselves is analogous to an animal caught in a snare made of amazing ropes and twines. Once entangled, the more the "victim" tries to disentangle, the tighter the noose on the victim.

Okay, let me ask Mr Fani Kayode one question: WHAT ABOUT THE 20 POUND POLICY? How did he forget that one?

What even baffles me is that Achebe never attacked Yoruba people; HE "ATTACKED" AWOLOWO, and unless Awolowo has become Oduduwa himself, it should be an insult to the Yoruba tribe for anyone to pretend that Awo even rises to touch the shoes of such noble Yoruba sons, as Prof Wole Soyinka, Fela Anikulapo Kutui (and his entire Ransome Kuti family), and even my spiritual mentor Dr D. K Olukoya.

So, I get personally indignant on behalf of Yoruba folks, when people raise Awo above the entire tribe.

Methinks that the more those Awo defenders try to scrub Awo's tarnished legacy, the tighter the noose on their throats!

I have one advice for them : SURRENDER TO THE SNARE OF TRUTH ELSE IT WILL LYNCH YOU!

Signed,

Onlytruth, Ndu di n'eziokwu 1 of Igboland, Eze Ndigbo Nairaland.

^^

Immortality can also be in HELL.

BTW Mr. Rotimi Fashakin is NOT CPC.
He is from the tribe that is under scrutiny, so he cannot be an unbiased party.

greateros: the north and south are always scared whenever the hidden truth about the genocide against the igbos is mentioned.

that controversial and shameful issues of the war that Nigeria wants to hide is actually the reason why Nigeria will never, ever move forward. an igbo proverb say that "if an abominable act is concealed, it will continue to hunt and create havoc on the conscience of the perpetrators - the perpetrators always go on defense mode whenever the issue is mentioned!"

the first step towards placing Nigeria on the part of progress is by tendering unreserved apology to the igbos - unless that is done, Nigeria will continue to retrogress!

Accusing Prof Achebe of eliciting war based on his memoir is like trying to cover pregnancy wit a blanket!

Ndigbo say that truth is indomitable. If you put it inside a box, it will escape as gas. If you put it inside the ground and cover it, it will germinate like a plant.
Nigeria should face her past demons and deal with it.
There shall be no peace for the wicked, says GOD!

An evil man's devilish legacy has now become internationally documented through this memoir.
Achebe owed it to the spirits of dead Eastern Nigerian children, starved to death through a federal policy designed and implemented by Awolowo -a man whose hide was saved and freed by an Eastern Nigerian son, Emeka Ojukwu.

By this memoir, Achebe has earned yet another feather to his "Ichie" hat.
Whenever he passes on now, he will become indoctrinated into that special immortal space in Eastern Nigerian hearts.

Congrats to the Eagle on top of the Iroko tree!

An evil man's devilish legacy has now become internationally documented through this memoir.
Achebe owed it to the spirits of dead Eastern Nigerian children, starved to death through a federal policy designed and implemented by Awolowo -a man whose hide was saved and freed by an Eastern Nigerian son, Emeka Ojukwu.

By this memoir, Achebe has earned yet another feather to his "Ichie" hat.
Whenever he passes on now, he will become indoctrinated into that special immortal space in Eastern Nigerian hearts.

Congrats to the Eagle on top of the Iroko tree!

LOL, this "Prof Corruption" is a certified goat.
He reminds me of one Yoruba woman interviewed in the video attached on page 1 of this thread.
In that video, the woman called MKO - "MK HO"!

Make man laff first before commenting.

CyberG: Lol...you make no sense! I dare you declare your war TODAY. If you don't you are a bastar.d!!

" I dare you to declare . .blah"

Which kain mental case be dis?

What gives you idea that I will fight against Nigeria- a nation that is favoring me more than you?
Make una see dis goat o!

CyberG: What is there NOT to look at the pictures? Yes, I will because if ibo fathers and mothers and okuju did not care about them, why should people who live 1000 KM away? It is a war, either you kill or are killed, no time to pity the enemy! Simple as that...and YES, YOU CAN put ALLLLL the pictures there, it will help you remember that in the next war, there will be NO pictures of any living, moving or non-moving this for they shall all be eviscerated!

See rant.
Sharap dia you pu.ssy. If I ever come across you in real life I will teach you a lesson you will never forget.
Anumanu.

CyberG: You are foolis.h and that young man trumps you in everything! Are iboz not criminals who would do anything for money? Today, 3 of them were killed and burned to ashes for robbing others of money, no be ibo? Drugs? Robbery? Rape? Ritual money? Ritual killing? kidnapping? Is that success? God punish your big flat head!

So, now you have turned to name calling?
Chei see cowardice!
You be pure woman walahi.

bashr8: e dey realy pain you , good to know that.

I cornered the coward, and all he could do was curse.
Freaking coward.

CyberG: OnlyFOOL is really stup.id. The poster had more sense than you apparently and just like ojuku was making okra mouth, he later was lamenting how no one batted an eye lid when children and women bore the brunt of the war in iboland. Then, ojuku said he was prepared, his iboz have been prepared for war since. I can't wait for the beginning of hostilities again and I can only hope you lead that rebellion because I will eliminate you and feed your dumb.ass to the dog!

There were people like myself within the leadership of Eastern Nigeria, and later the Biafran military -Ojukwu never allowed them to implement their own plans.
Ojukwu made the greatest mistake of his life by thinking like some of my brothers here. He was still calling Awo "Papa", while the old devil was busy plotting the annihilation of Easterners. Ojukwu didn't know what hit him when Awo turned!

You have the ONLYTRUTHS of Igbo youth to deal with now.
Different time and different group of Igbo completely.
The pacifists among us won't be given a say, NOT even one say!

asha 80: let us be honest there is never going to be any confrontation or war btw igbos and yorubas.not sure if igbos are ready for another war and from what i have seen yorubas are generally not interested in armed conflict.highest than can happen is lagos leadership throwing sublimal signals of discontent.

I pray that majority of our people don't think like this because this is exactly why we were caught off guard in 1966/67.
I have since learned that a war can happen in Nigeria ANY MOMENT.
Ndigbo si na agha akara aka adighi eri ngwuro!

alj harem: Lol sorry na. Nwannem oti to oya sorry. Just let us live in peace. Is that too much to ask for ?

Tell your animal brothers to stop provoking us. That's all.

jomonic: No race will do themselves any good service by forgetting their history. Will you ask the Jews to forget the holocust or the tutsy's forget the genicide pepetrated against them by the Hutus.

Don't mind that lunatic.

alj harem: Exactly, I don't want to live in benin republic yet. I rather everyone respect themselves. Imagine what you would tell your grand children when they don't see Yorubas again in Nigeria ?

It's pretty sad don't you think ? So I rather igbos respect us just as we have respected them

Stop preaching to the choir. Tell your people not to provoke a very angry tribe. That's all.