Civil War: We’ve no cause to regret what we did – Gowon
On October 12, 2012 · In News 6:55 pm 1

…Says Awolowo and I are innocent

BY BASHIR ADEFAKA

Nigerian Head of State, who prosecuted the civil war, General Yakubu Gowon, has absolved his regime and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo of accusations by Professor Chinua Achebe, in his new book, “There was a country,” that they pursued sub-human policies that killed Biafrans especially children during the war, which has been described as pogrom and genocide against the Igbo.

Speaking from his London home in a telephone chat with Vanguard, Gowon said he prayerfully took the decisions he took during the war and had no cause to regret his actions because “If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria.” Excerpts:

What is your comment on Professor Achebe’s latest book?
Let me read it first. I’m not in the country now.

In the book, he said you and Chief Obafemi Awolowo implemented some policies aimed at killing the Igbos such as starvation and preventing food from getting to Biafran children during the war. What is your take on that?

Let him check himself and of course on our part, we know that, that was not what we were. That was how we were portrayed but, on our part, we know that was not what we were in our actions and all that.

But would you please go and ask historians about the beginning of the war rather than for you to ask me to comment about whether Awolowo and I actually had hands in what he is talking about? Go and find out from historians?

One would think that, as the then Head of states, you have direct and undiluted truth about the issue?
The historians will tell you the correct story. I am not in Nigeria presently and honestly this is a question that I have had to answer several times. You would have asked them if there was a controversy or whoever did what. Let them do their own interpretation of what happened.

But you are a key factor in getting to the root of the newly generated controversy…
(Cuts in) If there was no secession, we wouldn’t have the civil war. Awolowo was not the cause of the secession. Why then are they bringing him into this controversy?

If there was no secession, there wouldn’t have been the war that we had, which was a very unfortunate situation in the life of Nigeria. That is the answer that I would give to you about this.

What is your take on the opinion that your ‘no victor no vanquished’ resolution and failure to try the secessionists for treason account for some of the brewing controversies?

You can be rest assured that as far as we are concerned, we did everything that was possible. And we have no cause to regret what we did.

So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time?

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/10/civil-war-weve-no-cause-to-regret-what-we-did-gowon/

one genocider defends another
what did anyone expect
gowon is still alive, awo is dead
the man just wants to ensure that no one drags his a.ss to de hague
hahahaha!

Nigeria's Milosevic!!

You are speaking from your peaceful London abode abi? why not come to jos- your home town, relax and measure the value of "piss" you achieved with your genocidal prayerful decisions. 'Nigeria prays' for your kind.

Honestly i don't understand it.I have never heard where someone feeds his foe in war?Abi held liable for lack of food in the foe's territory.The Igbos should have used there ever super powers(which they boost of,to tackle there needs of food during the war.) Abi Ojukwu and the brainy Igbo race acquired weapons and forgot the critical stomach of her people.
Did the Nigerian army continue to starve the conquered territories of Igbo people? If no,Its war!the Igbos must understand its war and don't expect roses from the enemy.

Did anyone noticed that Gowon is sounding like a confused and worried xmas hegoat? i know what troubles his mind right now as the matter surfaced in 21 century. He must be saying right now if this people take this case to Hague what do i do, now awo and co is death only me will face the music lol hehehe

re@lchange:
one genocider defends another
what did anyone expect
gowon is still alive, awo is dead
the man just wants to ensure that no one drags his a.ss to de hague
hahahaha!

Hague laago melo? Lo sun jo!

9ja_I_hail: Did anyone noticed that Gowon is sounding like a confused and worried xmas hegoat? i know what troubles his mind right now as the matter surfaced in 21 century. He must be saying right now if this people take this case to Hague what do i do, now awo and co is death only me will face the music lol hehehe

In all seriousness though, why haven't you ibos taken your case to the Hague if you believe so strongly that you were wronged? Is it for lack of concrete evidence or that you know truly that your enemies did what was to be expected in a war?

haka_nai: Honestly i don't understand it.I have never heard where someone feeds his foe in war?Abi held liable for lack of food in the foe's territory.The Igbos should have used there ever super powers(which they boost of,to tackle there needs of food during the war.) Abi Ojukwu and the brainy Igbo race acquired weapons and forgot the critical stomach of her people.
Did the Nigerian army continue to starve the conquered territories of Igbo people? If no,Its war!the Igbos must understand its war and don't expect roses from the enemy.

You are more foolish than Gowon, i thought new northern generation will be more sensible than their uneducated fathers, how did you fail to read very well and comprehend it? now be inform that Biafra was and never beg Nigeria to feed them, do you know the meaning of blockade? Bro it means that int'l organization and other means of importing foods into Biafra had been blockade by British and Nigeria Govt. Stop fooling around you maggot.

so in warfare, ndigbos want their enemy to feed them and give them weapons? :-D
no wonder igbos are not historically known to win wars! SOMEBODY SHOULD BUY OLD MAN ACHEBE THE BOOK CALLED 'THE ART OF WAR'

re@lchange:
one genocider defends another
what did anyone expect
gowon is still alive, awo is dead
the man just wants to ensure that no one drags his a.ss to de hague
hahahaha!

lol.. you bad oh. me I dont really blame the young man at the time. I blame the old devil in human form wjo gave the helpless kid the idea.

Desola:

In all seriousness though, why haven't you ibos taken your case to the Hague if you believe so strongly that you were wronged? Is it for lack of concrete evidence or that you know truly that your enemies did what was to be expected in a war?

I suppose you should be busy with prof of corruption your nairaland sugar heart. Next time don't ever you quote me you dirt hole.

9ja_I_hail:

I suppose you should be busy with prof of corruption your nairaland sugar heart. Next time don't ever you quote me you dirt hole.

Forget about the hole and answer the question.

P.S Prof is doing a great job putting you all in your place and couldn't be more proud of him.

They have no cause to regret all of the things they did to Igbos in the past. Ha!

I've even read comments in various blogs and even here on NL that threaten to kill Igbos or "teach" them a lesson should they ever secede again. We can now conclude that Igbos can and should be killed at will for any secessionist tendencies.

Whereas the likes of the Niger-Delta, Calabar and/or the Middle-Belters get a free pass for wanting to form their federations.

Then they tell us to "forget" the war, because it is all past tense. Bury the hatchet and quit whining, so to speak, because everyone else apparently has done the same.

*Mind-F*ck*

Yes the rain is gone indeed sweetheart,if i were you i will be singing the same ahallaluja the rain is gone all hail prof corruption for taking up abandoned project like yourself.Now your signature is a clear indication that prof has done a great job by removing this shame of bad market you caused to your family.Next time don't quote me you article or non commercial value.

9ja_I_hail:

You are more foolish than Gowon, i thought new northern generation will be more sensible than their uneducated fathers, how did you fail to read very well and comprehend it? now be inform that Biafra was and never beg Nigeria to feed them, do you know the meaning of blockade? Bro it means that int'l organization and other means of importing foods into Biafra had been blockade by British and Nigeria Govt. Stop fooling around you maggot.

shut your pie hole! Didn't the international organisations which were providing aid offer to land during the day to supply your kwashiorkor ridden land with food? Didn't your 'agbariojuku' deny them the right to land maintaining that they can only land in the night and pay fees for doing so or nothing at all? Are you gonna play blind to watching the video where the stupid fork made that statement explicitly? Na lie go 'buyakasha' all of una flat okoro heads.

9ja_I_hail: Yes the rain is gone indeed sweetheart,if i were you i will be singing the same ahallaluja the rain is gone all hail prof corruption for taking up abandoned project like yourself.Now your signature is a clear indication that prof has done a great job by removing this shame of bad market you caused to your family.Next time don't quote me you article or non commercial value.

you ibos can never debate factually but always have to go down the gutter where you belong. Why are you so bothered about my market and the supposed good that the great prof. Corruption has done? Is that the answer to the question?

Focus, boniface, focus!!

9ja_I_hail: Did anyone noticed that Gowon is sounding like a confused and worried xmas hegoat? i know what troubles his mind right now as the matter surfaced in 21 century. He must be saying right now if this people take this case to Hague what do i do, now awo and co is death only me will face the music lol hehehe

he didn't utter a word regarding Bakassi and he has the effontry to say he is innocent about the civil war! He kept on repeating words cos he is as guilty as his shadow! He has relocated to london because the heat in plateau is burning his feet! The killings in plateau state is a nemesis because he killed innocent biafran children! The same islamic northerners he ganged up with to destroy biafra are the same people tormenting his state! Little wonder he hasn't spoke any word about the loss of lives and properties in his state!

You can be rest assured that as far as we are concerned, we did everything that was possible. And we have no cause to regret what we did.

So, I think whoever is saying what I am now hearing that they are saying, the question is; why are they saying what they are saying now? For what reason are they saying it at this time?

Absolutely right!!!

If Igbos want an apology, they should apologise for truncating the first republic - and tell us why Zik, Okpara, and Ironsi escaped. Then, they also need to tell us why one of them made the "macabre" song to celebrate the death of others. IMO - they got what they deserved, if they can't move on, that's their problem.

I am of the opinion that Biafran war leaders should be sent to the ICJ(Hague) for crimes against humanity.

Those leaders are supposed to be tried for deceiving their people to fight a war they were not prepared for. The Igbo leaders who deceived their people to fight the civil war without arms and ammunition should be tried for crimes against humanity. They were not prepared for the war, yet they made use of their propaganda machine to deceive the igbos to fight the war.

Solution:

Let Igbos leave if they want to leave, this incessant whining will continue to stagnate the progress of the country. To be honest, everyone needs to go their separate ways. Reading this crap everyday and the non-stop blame game is just annoying.

You started it - others ended it, yet you won't move on. Don't start what you can't finish next time!

You have no cause to regret the genocide inflicted on innocent children and women?

You have no cause to regret this b@stard Nigeria that you fought to maintain?

May the Fulani/Huasa Jihadist continue to plague you and your people.


I used to be sympathetic to the Berom People but now i know better.

9ja_I_hail:

Desola leave me alone i am not prof i am not ready to take on stinking pig like you as a sweetheart.Please go get a life i have important things to take care of, i am sorry for some guys who take risk of their life, i am sure prof is a sick man by now because u are bunch of diseases. Don't ever you quote me more you Smelling pig

even that fake wannabe prof said he has an igbo gf. I think these yorobbers are only wise in this regard

Mr. Globe2:

lol.. so yorobbers are historically known to win wars? pure comedy.

yoruba's had their thriving oyo empire.
hausa's had their hausa wars.
fulani's had their jihad.
the middle belters had their kwararafa wars.

and igbos had what? failed biafra!
" one who cannot feed himself should not embark on war. . .The art of war"

berem: he didn't utter a word regarding Bakassi and he has the effontry to say he is innocent about the civil war! He kept on repeating words cos he is as guilty as his shadow! He has relocated to london because the heat in plateau is burning his feet! The killings in plateau state is a nemesis because he killed innocent biafran children! The same islamic northerners he ganged up with to destroy biafra are the same people tormenting his state! Little wonder he hasn't spoke any word about the loss of lives and properties in his state!

Did you noticed the writer asking him to clarify himself from the allegations he maintain that the writer should look for historians to hear from them, the writer been a smarter write put it to him sir i supposed that you as the then head of state is in better position to give us a better verifiable account of event that took place under your watch than any historian can do but he maintain that historians has the fact, now i ask which historians is this old coward talking about, are they not the same historians him and his followers paid millions of tax payers money to rewrite what happened in order to suit their propaganda. Gowon is plain stupiid, well i don't blame him because he is an illiterate his actions are not surprising.

Why should he apologise?

Did Ojukwu apologise for dragging the country into a needless war, and for demanding landing fees for aids?

Did Biafra apologise for the massacre of mid-westerners?

Have Igbos apologised for the 1966 coup?

Did Biafra apologise for invading other regions?

I ask again, why should he apologise?