₦airaland Forum

By Jon Silverman

The city of Asaba is the capital of the oil-rich Delta State in the south-south region of Nigeria. It lies on the western bank of the Niger river. It is not well known beyond Nigeria, but still has powerful resonances for Nigerians because of events in its environs in the first year of the country's civil warin October 1967. Federal government troops pursuing the Biafran army entered the town and, over three days, massacred at least a thousand people. The town was left in ruins and the survivors traumatised.

The events of that terrible time remain close to people's hearts. When Nigeria returned to civilian rule in 1999 after decades of military governance, a body called the Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission - popularly known as the Oputa Panel - received some 10,000 petitions about abuses that had taken place between 1966 and 1999. They included the Asaba massacre. But few cases were examined in any depth. The result was that deep dissatisfaction remained.

The massacre is still little acknowledged and a highly sensitive issue. According to historians Elizabeth Bird and Frazer Ottanelli, the massacre is not well known because it was covered up at the time. They argue that this was done with the connivance of Nigeria's allies and backers, such as the British Labour government of Harold Wilson. The fact that the military commander whose soldiers committed the atrocities, Muritala Muhammed, became Nigeria's head of state in 1975 ensured that the suppression of the truth continued.

The Nigerian civil war broke out in July 1967 when the Igbos of several eastern states, who were mainly Christian, formed a breakaway republic of Biafra in response to massacres carried out by troops of the Northern (Hausa) dominated government. It's estimated that more than a million people died during the three-year conflict, many of malnutrition as a result of an economic blockade. The fighting ended in January 1970 but there continue to be tensions between Christian and Muslim populations in regions of Nigeria.

The Asaba massacre was the single worst atrocity of the civil war. It is part of local folk memory. But, as with many of the events of the civil war, it is not taught in Nigerian schools.

Several years ago, the former leader of the federal government during the civil war, General Gowon, tendered an apology for the atrocities during a private visit to Asaba. But no further action followed.

Campaigners believe it is time that the massacre was officially memorialised. They argue that the obvious location for a permanent memorialisation is Asaba's historic Mungo Park House.

The memorial

Mungo Park House is a pre-fabricated wooden structure dating from 1886. It is thought to be the last existing building once owned by the Royal Niger Company. Responsibility for the building was assumed by Nigeria's National Commission on Museums and Monuments in 1997 but without government funding the Commission has been unable to renovate it or develop the project.

For some, building a memorial would be beneficial for people living in the area. As Bird and Ottanelli point out, countries elsewhere in West Africa are discovering the value of cultural heritage. For example, Ghana's active promotion of its world heritage sites has boosted national prestige and brought considerable tourist income.

In contrast, Nigeria lags behind.

In 2017, there was a 50th anniversary remembranceevent in Asaba, attended by the Nobel laureate, Wole Soyinka, who observed that

reconciliation is only possible when it is closed by a consciousness of remorse and compensation, no matter how symbolic.

The state governor was there, but there was no representative from the federal administration, indicative of the government stance that the war with Biafra is best forgotten in the interests of national unity.

Given this, the struggle to secure a memorial is likely to continue for some time.

Jon Silverman, Research Professor Media and Criminal Justice, University of Bedfordshire

Source: https://theconversation.com/plans-for-an-asaba-massacre-memorial-are-stirring-passions-in-nigeria-133643

It would be grear to see this become a reality.. State and private bodies can work together to see it through. If the FG cant find money to renovated Mungo Park House the transfer it state or LG if they're interested.

Federal Government of Nigeria : Body of Lies.

Nigeria can never set aside a memorial for the Asaba massacre because that confirms that they indeed carried out an evil massacre on the innocent people of Asaba, who were wholly Nigerians.

Truth be told eh those aniocha people in my eyes re ibos. If they like they should keep lying to themselves.

Years back my grandfather never wanted his daughter my mums much mych younger sister to marry an ibo man. A guy from agbor was soundly rejected because he was seen as ibo.

This massacre occured because people that where supposed to run away from the federal army or fight them, wore white clothes and wer singing they re not ibo with ibo language, if course carnage followed.

The killing did not spread to delta south, just asaba and Ika lands.

People still havnt learnt thier lessons tho. Wati concern me?

The Zoo has been covering her atrocities, even Banned history in schools all at trying to suppress the evil it committed and is still committing against a section of the Zoo. Yet they hope for a united Zoo

Ndi Ara!

IkpuNnegiEwu44:
The Zoo has been covering her atrocities, even Banned history in schools all at trying to suppress the evil it committed and is still committing against a section of the Zoo. Yet they hope for a united Zoo

Ndi Ara!

History isn't banned. Your state can reintroduce it back into the curriculum anytime they please.

Well as of today

Captainrambo2:
Truth be told eh those aniocha people in my eyes re ibos. If they like they should keep lying to themselves.

Years back my grandfather never wanted his daughter my mums much mych younger sister to marry an ibo man. A guy from agbor was soundly rejected because he was seen as ibo.

This massacre occured because people that where supposed to run away from the federal army or fight them, wore white clothes and wer singing they re not ibo with ibo language, if course carnage followed.

The killing did not spread to delta south, just asaba and Ika lands.

People still havnt learnt thier lessons tho. Wati concern me?

Well today, they are no longer Igbos.

They are now Niger Delta ethnic nationality of Anioma.

Asaba is one the major reasons why history is not taught in schools. The authorities have no way of explaining why the Nigerian Army went to Asaba, a town that was not even in Biafra, and murdered hundreds of unarmed civilians

gidgiddy:
Asaba is one the major reasons why history is not taught in schools. The authorities have no way of explaining why the Nigerian Army went to Asaba, a town that was not even in Biafra, and murdered hundreds of unarmed civilians

Is that why the state government refuse to reintroduce the history? This same information is available in books, on the internet, and is allowed to be freely discussed in public. You guys should stop pretending Nigeria is China where history is actually censored. They act like tiananmen square never happened.

MelesZenawi:
Well today, they are no longer Igbos.

They are now Niger Delta ethnic nationality of Anioma.

whatever that means



They re igbo in my eye

Asaba people are not Niger Deltans, they were forced in by Marian Babangida. Till date, Deltans still considers warri as capital. Asaba people are supporting Nnamdi Kanu's movement.. They are traitors. They are not telling the world how on the instigations of Ojukwu, they ambushed and killed hundreds of Nigerian troops led by Muritala Muhammad, at the Onitsha head bridge. Typical of the Igbos., always playing the victim.

Exmilitant:
Asaba people are not Niger Deltans, they were forced in by Marian Babangida. Till date, Deltans still considers warri as capital. Asaba people are supporting Nnamdi Kanu's movement.. They are traitors. They are not telling the world how on the instigations of Ojukwu, they ambushed and killed hundreds of Nigerian troops led by Muritala Muhammad, at the Onitsha head bridge. Typical of the Igbos., always playing the victim.

So you want them to support Tompolo, a creek fugitive and a water miscreants.

Anyway that's by the way. The capital of Delta remains asaba. Warri been capital is in your night dreams not reality.

Go and take pain reliever.

It's unfortunate that Nigeria soldiers committed crime against Nigerians living in Asaba during the civil war.

SlayerForever:
Nigeria can never set aside a memorial for the Asaba massacre because that confirms that they indeed carried out an evil massacre on the innocent people of Asaba, who were wholly Nigerians.

The state could anytime they please. They had remembrance event in 2017. The FG can run but they cant hide they truth.

And they want we From Asaba to support One nigeria after all the atrocity committed against us,even when our people came out to support one nigeria.

The Asaba massacre was a crime against humanity. The Nigerian Army massacred people in the town just because they are Igbos.

But God has a way of avenging crimes against his people. 10 years after the Asaba massacre, the two principal actors in that crime, Murtala Mohammed and Ibrahim Taiwo, were both gunned down on the same day by Dimka

gidgiddy:
The Asaba massacre was a crime against humanity. The Nigerian Army massacred people in the town just because they are Igbos.

But God has a way of avenging crimes against his people. 10 years after the Asaba massacre, the two principal actors in that crime, Murtala Mohammed and Ibrahim Taiwo, were both gunned down on the same day by Dimka

After dem don kill una finish.
Your god can only avenge you but can't use the same energy to save you from being massacred like chickens in the first place.
Are they the only ones to die from a coup?
Do you even have evidence that Murtala ordered the massacre?

BeLookingIDIOT:
After dem don kill una finish.
Your god can only avenge you but can't use the same energy to save you from being massacred like chickens in the first place.
Are they the only ones to die from a coup?
Do you even have evidence that Murtala ordered the massacre?

It doesnt matter if Murtala Mohammed ordered the killings or not. What matters is that men under his command carried out the massacre, which he was aware of, and nobody was punished for it. That makes him as guilty as if he ordered the massacre

BeLookingIDIOT:
After dem don kill una finish.
Your god can only avenge you but can't use the same energy to save you from being massacred like chickens in the first place.
Are they the only ones to die from a coup?
Do you even have evidence that Murtala ordered the massacre?

Don't sweat it. Boko Haram has avenged Asaba people for the masaccred.

Captainrambo2:
whatever that means



They re igbo in my eye

of course,they are Igbo's when u like and not Igbo's when it pleases you



Gbegiri 101 logic

MelesZenawi:
Well today, they are no longer Igbos.

They are now Niger Delta ethnic nationality of Anioma.

Will they sing to deny Igbo's today in another language or the same Igbo language they sang in the past? Have they created an anioma language?

Lalasticlala

goodnessme1:
And they want we From Asaba to support One nigeria after all the atrocity committed against us,even when our people came out to support one nigeria.

Today you are from Asaba

Yesterday, you were Yoruba

Day before that you were Fulani

And before that you were Igbo.

Who are you going to be tomorrow?

Just curious.

No details about the massacre now?

Sokosuji:
of course,they are Igbo's when u like and not Igbo's when it pleases you



Gbegiri 101 logic

Don't mind him.

Still the same set of people that will say that Delta Ibos and Ebonyi people are not true Igbos.

BeLookingIDIOT:
After dem don kill una finish.
Your god can only avenge you but can't use the same energy to save you from being massacred like chickens in the first place.
Are they the only ones to die from a coup?
Do you even have evidence that Murtala ordered the massacre?

Abooki don't worry, Boko Haram, ISWAP, Ansaru are the tools of karma are ravaging your land for spilling innocent blood. Development will never come there, your land will remain in stone age till the days of your great-great-great grand children, if they don't die of polio or cholera in infancy.

FrLukas:
Don't mind him.

Still the same set of people that will say that Delta Ibos and Ebonyi people are not true Igbos.

Why is that giving you sleepless night?

Osagyefo98:
Why is that giving you sleepless night?

Where is the sleepless night?