₦airaland Forum

nihilistjnr:
I think history proved Ojukwu to be an unprincipled power-hungry false prophet.

I mean this guy led 3 million people to their deaths in a suicidal war effort, and then ran away instead pay the supreme sacrifice for the cause he supposedly believed in.

He then came back not only to accept a full pardon, but actually run for President of the country he tried to secede from.

He was even buried with full military honours

I don't know how anyone wouldn't consider the man a villain. His life(and death) after coming back to Nigeria was an insult to everyone who died on BOTH sides of the war.

nihilistjnr:
I think history proved Ojukwu to be an unprincipled power-hungry false prophet.

I mean this guy led 3 million people to their deaths in a suicidal war effort, and then ran away instead pay the supreme sacrifice for the cause he supposedly believed in.

He then came back not only to accept a full pardon, but actually run for President of the country he tried to secede from.

He was even buried with full military honours

I don't know how anyone wouldn't consider the man a villain. His life(and death) after coming back to Nigeria was an insult to everyone who died on BOTH sides of the war.

donjazet:
It is unarguable that Obasanjo led the final assault that finally conquered biafra, so we can easily discredit that.

However, of your own personal opinion, do you think the refusal to allow the secession of biafra was the right decision?

BlueRayDick:
But Gowon also claimed he released Awo. Gowon claimed he released him after plead with Awo to join his government. In fact he claimed he had to beg his wife to persuade him to join his government.
I find it hard to believe a military administrator on any of the regions could've released a prisoner of the federal government like Ojukwu claimed.

https://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/191679-why-i-released-awolowo-from-prison-gowon.html

donjazet:
@ the bolded, there is already likely version as to why that happened. Awo and zik had formed an alliance earlier in the 50's which went awry.

See this article I read below.

https://www.vanguardngr.com/2018/08/the-problem-of-retrogressive-politics-in-nigeria-4/

donjazet:
It is unarguable that Obasanjo led the final assault that finally conquered biafra, so we can easily discredit that.

However, of your own personal opinion, do you think the refusal to allow the secession of biafra was the right decision?

donjazet:
I am not emotionally attached to the subject matter. I am only curious to know accurate Nigerian history.
We were not taught our history in school, so for one to make a better assertion on our history, one ha to listen to both sides of the argument.

We have discussed controversial topics here before, I don't get this sudden cold fear.

donjazet:
You are forgetting that by then, there was already bad blood between the two, and Ojukwu couldn't care less about how gowon felt.

afrodoc2:
To avoid any argument let us watch this clip from the final showing Charlton scoring 2 goals en route to victory. Hopefully there is a close up of the medals.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCId9ChW9PQ

afrodoc2:
His egungun always likes express.

nihilistjnr:
I think history proved Ojukwu to be an unprincipled power-hungry false prophet.
I mean this guy led 3 million people to their deaths in a suicidal war effort, and then ran away instead pay the supreme sacrifice for the cause he supposedly believed in.
He then came back not only to accept a full pardon, but actually run for President of the country he tried to secede from.
He was even buried with full military honours

I don't know how anyone wouldn't consider the man a villain. His life(and death) after coming back to Nigeria was an insult to everyone who died on BOTH sides of the war.

BlueRayDick:
No military government will allow a federating unit to break off from a union just like that.

The easterners as a part of the fed rating unit ordinarily should have a right to self determination that allows them to decide of they want to continue with the union or not, but events that led to the declaration of Biafra makes it seem like Ojukwu is part of some military big boys that want to abandon the ship after making it to founder. The 1966 coup claimed the lives of Northerner and few southerners that are not majorly Igbos ; there's a spirit of vengeance in the air.

Ojukwu declaration of Biafra as a sovereign nation would've been better received if the 1966 coup never happened.

In Nigeria of today, I belive Nigeria is a forced union that should be dissolved with all federating units/ regions coming to the table to discuss on a peaceful dissolution not via arms and ammunition

donjazet:
First you have to understand why Ojukwu declared war before forming such an opinion against him.

Thousands of Igbos were being killed all over nigeria, their sweat and blood were being set ablaze all over the country too because the other regional leaders triggered and unleashed heavy propaganda machines depicting the average igbo man as being domineering.
Contritive messages were being broadcast all over radio stations calling for an extinction of the igbo tribe.

Average nigerians became afraid that the igbos would dominate them and set to killing them.
Ojukwu had no choice than to declare a sovereign state that would save it's citizens and guarantee their basic freedom.

Ojukwu was not acting alone, he consulted with all eastern stakeholders and at that point, the decision to secede was unanimous.

Saying he should have died is quite dubious because they say he who runs, lives to fight another day. Ivory Coast was one of the countries that publicly supported biafra and Ojukwu has said that he went to Cameroon to meet the president of Ivory Coast for more support. I certainly don't know if this is true, however there is nothing wrong in counting your losses and preparing for another rainy day.

However I do agree with you that he shouldn't have rejoined politics when he came back, he should have Led a quite life or at least worked from the background.

nihilistjnr:
It's crazy that Aburi accord and subsequently Decree 8 actually addressed these issues in bold.

A golden opportunity squandered, and almost 50 years later we're still looking for SNC

nihilistjnr:
Ojukwu was given decree 8. It wasn't everything they had agreed at Aburi, but it was largely in spirit with the Aburi accord.

There was a pragmatic choice to be had here - take some(most) of what you asked for, or start a war you simply can't win, get a lot of people killed, and end up with nothing.

Ojukwu sacrificed millions at the altarof his personal ambition, and then came back to shit on the war dead by accepting a pardon and running for presidency.

donjazet:
So why did gowon renage on the aburi accord which they both signed?
Gowon is the cause of the war in my opinion.

BlueRayDick:
No military government will allow a federating unit to break off from a union just like that.

The easterners as a part of the fed rating unit ordinarily should have a right to self determination that allows them to decide if they want to continue with the union or not, but events that led to the declaration of Biafra makes it seem like Ojukwu is part of some military big boys that want to abandon the ship after making it to founder. The 1966 coup claimed the lives of Northerner and few southerners that are not majorly Igbos ; there's a spirit of vengeance in the air.

Ojukwu declaration of Biafra as a sovereign nation would've been better received if the 1966 coup never happened.

In Nigeria of today, I belive Nigeria is a forced union that should be dissolved with all federating units/ regions coming to the table to discuss on a peaceful dissolution not via arms and ammunition

donjazet:
What "personal ambition"? The declaration of biafra was not a decision carried out by one man or even the government alone.
It had the unflinching support of more than 95% of the entire eastern population.


The major reason for the seccesion was primarily SAFETY. The firm belief that foreigners wouldn't enter their land and still kill them.
There was nothing like personal ambition here, Ojukwu was already the military governor, so naturally he was the leader of the seccesion effort.

donjazet:
Don't forget that the aim of the coup was to install awolowo as the leader of Nigeria.
A lot of average Nigerians actually supported the coup attempt based on its initial premise which was to eliminate all corrupt government politicians.
Even today, I'm sure people will be very happy if people wiped out the likes of Obj, babangida, ty danjuma, wike etc etc.

Yes I agree firmly with you that the current setting of Nigeria is not working and there should be a total restructuring of Nigeria and its components.

nihilistjnr:
As far as I'm aware, FG wanted to retain the right to declare state-of-emergency over any region with a quorum of 3 out of the 4 military governors.
FG also explicitly wanted to prevent and disincentivise any Military Governor from jeapoardising the integrity of the country.
Eastern Region were given a very good deal with Decree 8. Ojukwu's moves were then motivated by self-interest, because he was concerned the quorum could conspire with FG to replace him.
Ojukwu didn't have to go to war he knew from the start he had no chance of winning. He had just scored a massive W, but he wanted it all - full control, or nothing.
He got nothing

BlueRayDick:
You are not getting it. Irrespective of who was supposed to be installed if the coup succeeded, the coup had an ethnic coloration. That was the reality. On top of this a military head of state of Eastern origin emerged.
You know how northerners can throw caution to the wind when gbé feel they have been cheated? Their Sadauna ( crown prince) was even killed only for an igbó man to emerge head of state.
Honestly progroms,resltant civil war were deeply rooted in that coup misadventure

donjazet:
All these one's are just narratives to justify the war.
The fact is that Ojukwu and Gowon had both AGREED in Ghana on the Aburi accord.
Coming back now to start renegotiating a deal that had already been agreed upon and witnessed by international diplomats is plain dishonesty and disingenuous.

Imagine that we both have problems, we call in a mutually accepted credible third party to help us solve the problem and eventually AGREE on a solution signed by the third party, then we both go home and you start renegotiating terms.
Tell me how many people would accept such? What would stop you from endlessly renogotiating terms?
Gowon caused that war.

donjazet:
True, the coup had an ethnic coloration which soured opinions, however that isn't justification for the mass extinction of the igbos that was taking place. And it wasn't only in the north, even the west partook.

The bloody counter coup should have been enough revenge, not taking it out on ordinary citizens.

nihilistjnr:
The way I see it, Ojukwu had no leverage, and didn't have the military power to take on the FG.

Decree 8 is described by many analysts as being up to 90% of the Aburi accord.
The sheer breadth of concessions to Aburi made in Decree 8 made it a massive massive W for Ojukwu

If you don't know, even the title of Commander-in-Chief that we call the president today, was formulated as a concession to Ojukwu.
Politics is about pragmatism and compromise. Ojukwu showed neither. 3 million people died for it.
This is where I end my involvement.

larride:
Buhari has granted Financial Autonomy to State House of Assembly and State Judiciary today through an executive order.

Hope Uzodinma has signed a bill into law today repelling payment to pension and gratitue to ex govenors, deputy governors, speaker and deputy speaker of state house of assembly.


Good move.

nihilistjnr:
Rumdeuter himself is not a big fan of Ojukwu...and that's putting it very lightly.

larride:
Easy fam, Easy.

BlueRayDick:
You are not getting it. Irrespective of who was supposed to be installed if the coup succeeded, the coup had an ethnic coloration. That was the reality. On top of this a military head of state of Eastern origin emerged.

You know how northerners can throw caution to the wind when gbé feel they have been cheated? Their Sadauna ( crown prince) was even killed only for an igbó man to emerge head of state.

Honestly progroms,resltant civil war were deeply rooted in that coup misadventure

raumdeuter:
There is no way anyone can discuss the civil war and its fallout without starting from the January 1966 coup

The summary of the coup is this

The coup was planned and executed by majority Ibo soldiers

Nigeria had 4 regions

2 ruled by non Ibos, 2 ruled by Ibos

The 2 non Ibo premiers were killed, the 2 Ibo premiers were spared
There was a president(Ibo) and a Prime minister(non Ibo). The Prime minister was killed and the president spared

There were several Ibo cabinet members None of them was killed. Actua[b]lly some of the coupist saw them when they were on rampage and did not touch them

And regarding whether Ojukwu released Awolowo or not. I will leave you to make your own deduction. Awolowo was a Federal Prisoner, He was released and welcome by Gowon.

Let's look at the 2 possible scenarios

Ojukwu released Awolowo. What do you think would have happened to Awolowo if his release was not sanctioned by Gowon when he entered Lagos. e.g if Buhari as President jails someone say Nnamdi Kanu in Port Harcourt jail, Can Wike release him? If he was released by Wike, what do you think will happen to Kanu the moment he steps back into Abuja? Do you think Buhari will go and welcome him? And let him become a free walking man and even appoint him in his cabinet