| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 4:45am On Oct 28, 2017 |
Asaba Massacre: Seeking Healing 50 Years After
OPINION
By Azuka Onwuka On Oct 6, 2017
It is not a good sight watching an adult fight tears. Even though the event happened 50 years ago, it was hard for Dr Ify Uraih to recount without being weighed down by emotions.
Like he testified in 2001 at the Nigerian Human Rights Violations Investigation Commission (popularly known as Oputa Panel), which was commissioned by President Olusegun Obasanjo and charged to consider the history of human rights abuses from 1966 to May 1999, Uraih, over the weekend at the palace of the Asagba of Asaba, recounted how he and his father and two brothers faced a hail of bullets on October 7, 1967 at the Ogbe-Osowa Square in Asaba, where they had gathered to welcome the federal troops during the Nigerian Civil War. He was lucky to escape but his father and brothers were not lucky.
The casualties were not soldiers or combatants. They were not caught by friendly fire or accidental discharge. They were gathered together and gunned down in what remains one of the most callous incidents of the Nigerian Civil War.
When the Nigerian troops pushed out the Biafran troops from the Midwestern Region during the war, the Biafran troops retreated across the River Niger and broke the Niger Bridge. The Second Division of the Nigerian Army, led by Lt. Col. Murtala Mohammed, entered Asaba on October 4, 1967. Between October 4 and 6, there were reports that the Nigerian soldiers killed men and boys of Asaba, on the allegation that they were sympathetic to the Biafrans or collaborated with the Biafran soldiers. In a bid to stop these killings, the elders of Asaba decided to embark on a parade through Asaba streets on October 7, which would culminate at the Ogbe-Osowa Square, to pledge their support for “One Nigeria.” The towncrier went round the community to inform the people, to come out dressed in their traditional white attire called akwa ocha for the ceremony.
On the fateful day, the people trooped out, dressed in their traditional white Asaba attire, chanting “One Nigeria,” waving the Nigerian flag and pledging their loyalty to Nigeria. At the town square, they were addressed by Major Ibrahim Taiwo, who tongue-lashed them and accused the people of Asaba of hiding Biafran soldiers and sympathising with the Biafran soldiers. He threatened to kill all of them. Soldiers mounted machine guns and automatic rifles around the square facing them. It looked like a joke to many of those gathered there.
Some Asaba men, including the father of Mrs Maryam Babangida, former First Lady, Mr Nwanonye Okogwu, spoke on behalf of the Asaba people, telling the soldiers that they were civilians who were not taking part in the war. The Asaba people requested that the civilian population be allowed to leave town, so that the soldiers could take care of those they were after.
The Nigerian soldiers asked that the crowd march around the town to ask all those who were inside to come out, so that anybody not at the square would be taken as a dissident. The men and boys were separated from the
women. The men and boys were marched out. A few metres away, those who had returned from the North and therefore understood Hausa heard a soldier tell other soldiers to take them in little groups of 10 for elimination. Dr Uraih recalled that his elder brother resisted joining the first group of 10 people. He was shot in the back and killed. Some people wanted to flee but were gunned down. And so the guns began to boom as the men and boys were mowed down. Those who were mortally injured raised their hands and asked to be killed. They were obliged with bouts of gunfire.
Long after the shooting stopped and the soldiers left, leaving death and blood behind, the few lucky survivors and the injured dragged themselves out of the place of death. Uraih, who was about 15 years old then, survived but his father Mr Robert Uraih, and his two brothers, Emma and Paul, lay dead. The next day, he came back with a wheelbarrow to take away the bodies of his father and brothers for burial to avoid having them buried in mass graves or eaten by scavengers.
It is estimated that after the three-day killing of civilians in Asaba by the soldiers, over a thousand fell victim. Asaba was left with
widows
and orphans. Almost every family lost a son or father. The only male survivors were those who had earlier fled Asaba before the arrival of the Nigerian troops or those who were too old or sick to come out to the square.
The strangest part of this massacre was that it was unprovoked and done in cold blood and in deceit. The victims had no inkling that such a fate awaited them. Who could imagine that people dressed in white, chanting their allegiance to One Nigeria would be gunned down by the same soldiers they were pledging allegiance to?
For decades, Asaba has lived with this horrific and traumatic experience in silence. Their story was swallowed by the events of the Nigerian Civil War, especially the starving children of Biafra. Most Nigerians have never heard of the fate that befell Asaba people on October 7, 1967. Ironically, those who led this massacre rose to become national heroes, with monuments named after them and beautiful tales told about them.
The Asaba people have decided to commemorate the 50th anniversary of this ugly incident in a way that will galvanise them towards rebirth and healing. Accordingly, the Asaba October 7 Memorial Group, led by Mr. Alban Ofili-Okonkwo, plans a four-day anniversary that will start on October 4 and end on October 8, with its theme as “Remembrance and Forgiveness”. The high points being the October 7 colloquium featuring Nobel laureate, Prof. Wole Soyinka, and Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah as keynote speakers as well as the presentation of a book on the carnage entitled, The Asaba Massacre – Trauma, Memories, and the Nigerian Civil War, authored by renowned anthropologist, Prof. S. Elizabeth Bird and co-authored by historian, Prof. Fraser M. Ottanelli, both of the University of South Florida.
Ofili-Okonkwo emphasises that in the spirit of forgiveness and rebirth, a maternity and school of midwifery would be established at the spot where the people were massacred and it will be named The Place of My Birth Hospital. The hospital will serve everybody from all walks of life and from all parts of the nation and the world. This hospital will save life and bring forth life in a place where life was snuffed out.
The group believes that with the sensitisation and citizen engagement programmes, healing and closure would be achieved to signal the collective resolve of Asaba indigenes to leave behind the memories of their tragic past and walk resolutely into a more promising future.
Even though Asaba people have decided to forgive and move on, Nigeria has not been able to find a solution to its lack of respect for human lives. Because it has never taken any decisive step to punish those, especially government agents, who waste human lives, the impunity to kill at will has continued over the decades in different parts of the country, whether in Odi or Zaki-Biam. This lack of punishment for cold-blooded murder of civilians has emboldened more government agents to kill more civilians.
That those who murdered defenceless civilians in Asaba have never been reprimanded in life or in death, neither has Nigerian government acknowledged that its troops massacred its citizens without provocation is a dent on Nigeria’s image. It is never late to do a good thing. 1 Like 
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 5:39am On Oct 28, 2017 |
WetinConsignMe:
@bolded. This Awo's speech has been much misinterpreted and even misquoted. Since the speech is not that long, I am posting the entire speech here. If u read it carefully you have to admit that Awo's position subsequently dramatically changed. Basically he said two things here:
1) IF BIAFRA IS ALLOWED TO SECEDE THE WEST WOULD ALSO SECEDE
2)(And probably more important)
UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES SHOULD THE FEDERAL GOV'T USE FORCE TO KEEP BIAFRA FROM SECEDING
Here is the speech in it's ENTIRETY (note the bolded):
The aim of a leader should be the welfare of the people whom he leads. I have used ‘welfare’ to denote the physical, mental and spiritual well-being of the people. With this aim fixed unflinchingly and unchangeably before my eyes I consider it my duty to Yoruba people in particular and to Nigerians in general, to place four imperatives before you this morning. Two of them are categorical and two are conditional. Only a peaceful solution must be found to arrest the present worsening stalemate and restore normalcy. The Eastern Region must be encouraged to remain part of the Federation. If the Eastern Region is allowed by acts of omission or commission to secede from or opt out of Nigeria, then the Western Region and Lagos must also stay out of the Federation. The people of Western Nigeria and Lagos should participate in the ad hoc committee or any similar body only on the basis of absolute equality with the other regions of the Federation.
I would like to comment briefly on these four imperatives. There has, of late, been a good deal of sabre rattling in some parts of the country. Those who advocate the use force for the settlement of our present problems should stop a little and reflect. I can see no vital and abiding principle involved in any war between the North and the East. If the East attacked the North, it would be for purpose of revenge pure and simple. Any claim to the contrary would be untenable. If it is claimed that such a war is being waged for the purpose of recovering the real and personal properties left behind in the North by Easterners two insuperable points are obvious. Firstly, the personal effects left behind by Easterners have been wholly looted or destroyed, and can no longer be physically recovered. Secondly, since the real properties are immovable in case of recovery of them can only be by means of forcible military occupation of those parts of the North in which these properties are situated. On the other hand, if the North attacked the East, it could only be for the purpose of further strengthening and entrenching its position of dominance in the country.
If it is claimed that an attack on the East is going to be launched by the Federal Government and not by the North as such and that it is designed to ensure the unity and integrity of the Federation, two other insuperable points also become obvious. First, if a war against the East becomes a necessity it must be agreed to unanimously by the remaining units of the Federation. In this connection, the West, Mid- West and Lagos have declared their implacable opposition to the use of force in solving the present problem. In the face of such declarations by three out of remaining four territories of Nigeria, a war against the East could only be a war favoured by the North alone. Second, if the true purpose of such a war is to preserve the unity and integrity of the Federation, then these ends can be achieved by the very simple devices of implementing the recommendation of the committee which met on August 9 1966, as reaffirmed by a decision of the military leaders at Aburi on January 5 1967 as well as by accepting such of the demands of the East, West, Mid-West and Lagos as are manifestly reasonable, and essential for assuring harmonious relationships and peaceful co-existence between them and their brothers and sisters in the North.
Some knowledgeable persons have likened an attack on the East to Lincoln’s war against the southern states in America. Two vital factors distinguish Lincoln’s campaign from the one now being contemplated in Nigeria. The first is that the American civil war was aimed at the abolition of slavery – that is the liberation of millions of Negroes who were then still being used as chattels and worse than domestic animals. The second factor is that Lincoln and others in the northern states were English-speaking people waging a war of good conscience and humanity against their fellow nationals who were also English speaking. A war against the East in which Northern soldiers are predominant, will only unite the Easterners or the Ibos against their attackers, strengthen them in their belief that they are not wanted by the majority of their fellow-Nigerians, and finally push them out of the Federation.
We have been told that an act of secession on the part of the East would be a signal, in the first instance, for the creation of the COR state by decree, which would be backed, if need be, by the use of force. With great respect, I have some dissenting observations to make on this declaration. There are 11 national or linguistic groups in the COR areas with a total population of 5.3 millions. These national groups are as distinct from one another as the Ibos are distinct from them or from the Yorubas or Hausas. Of the 11, the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group are 3.2 million strong as against the Ijaws who are only about 700,000 strong. Ostensibly, the remaining nine national group number 1.4 millions. But when you have subtracted the Ibo inhabitants from among them, what is left ranges from the Ngennis who number only 8,000 to the Ogonis who are 220,000 strong. A decree creating a COR state without a plebiscite to ascertain the wishes of the peoples in the area, would only amount to subordinating the minority national groups in the state to the dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. It would be perfectly in order to create a Calabar state or a Rivers state by decree, and without a plebiscite. Each is a homogeneous national unit. But before you lump distinct and diverse national units together in one state, the consent of each of them is indispensable. Otherwise, the seed of social disquilibrium in the new state would have been sown.
On the other hand, if the COR State is created by decree after the Eastern Region shall have made its severance from Nigeria effective, we should then be waging an unjust war against a foreign state. It would be an unjust war, because the purpose of it would be to remove 10 minorities in the East from the dominance of the Ibos only to subordinate them to the dominance of the Efik/Ibibio/Annang national group. I think I have said enough to demonstrate that any war against the East, or vice versa, on any count whatsoever, would be an unholy crusade, for which it would be most unjustifiable to shed a drop of Nigerian blood. Therefore, only a peaceful solution must be found, and quickly too to arrest the present rapidly deteriorating stalemate and restore normalcy.
With regard to the second categorical imperative, it is my considered view that whilst some of the demands of the East are excessive within the context of a Nigerian union, most of such demands are not only well-founded, but are designed for smooth and steady association amongst the various national units of Nigeria.
The dependence of the Federal Government on financial contributions from the regions? These and other such like demands I do not support. Demands such as these, if accepted, will lead surely to the complete disintegration of the Federation which is not in the interest of our people. But I wholeheartedly support the following demands among others, which we consider reasonable and most of which are already embodied in our memoranda to the Ad Hoc Committee….
That revenue should be allocated strictly on the basis of derivation; that is to say after the Federal Government has deducted its own share for its own services the rest should be allocated to the regions to which they are attributable.
That the existing public debt of the Federation should become the responsibility of the regions on the basis of the location of the projects in respect of each debt whether internal or external.
That each region should have and control its own militia and police force.
That, with immediate effect, all military personnel should be posted to their regions of origin….
If we are to live in harmony one with another as Nigerians it is imperative that these demands and others which are not related, should be met without further delay by those who have hitherto resisted them. To those who may argue that the acceptance of these demands will amount to transforming Nigeria into a federation with a weak central government, my comment is that any link however tenuous, which keeps the East in the Nigerian union, is better in my view than no link at all.
Before the Western delegates went to Lagos to attend the meetings of the ad hoc committee, they were given a clear mandate that[b] if any region should opt out of the Federation of Nigeria, then the Federation should be considered to be at an end, and that the Western Region and Lagos should also opt out of it.[/b] It would then be up to Western Nigeria and Lagos as an independent sovereign state to enter into association with any of the Nigerian units of its own choosing, and on terms mutually acceptable to them. I see no reason for departing from this mandate. If any region in Nigeria considers itself strong enough to compel us to enter into association with it on its own terms, I would only wish such a region luck. But such luck, I must warn, will, in the long run be no better than that which has attended the doings of all colonial powers down the ages. This much I must say in addition, on this point. We have neither military might nor the overwhelming advantage of numbers here in Western Nigeria and Lagos. But we have justice of a noble and imperishable cause on our side, namely: the right of a people to unfettered self-determination. If this is so, then God is on our side, and if God is with us then we have nothing whatsoever in this world to fear.
The fourth imperative, and the second conditional one has been fully dealt with in my recent letter to the Military Governor of Western Nigeria, Col. Robert Adebayo, and in the representation which your deputation made last year to the head of the Federal Military Government, Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon. As a matter of fact, as far back as November last year a smaller meeting of leaders of thought in this Region decided that unless certain things were done, we would no longer participate in the meeting of the ad hoc committee. But since then, not even one of our legitimate requests has been granted. I will, therefore, take no more of your time in making further comments on a point with which you are well familiar. As soon as our humble and earnest requests are met, I shall be ready to take my place on the ad hoc committee. But certainly, not before.
In closing, I have this piece of advice to give. In order to resolve amiably and in the best interests of all Nigerians certain attributes are required on the part of Nigerian leaders, military as well as non-military leaders alike, namely: vision, realism and unselfishness. But above all , what will keep Nigerian leaders in the North and East unwaveringly in the path of wisdom, realism and moderation is courage and steadfastness on the part of Yoruba people in the course of what they sincerely believe to be right, equitable and just. In the past five years we in the West and Lagos have shown that we possess these qualities in a large measure. If we demonstrate them again as we did in the past, calmly and heroically, we will save Nigeria from further bloodshed and imminent wreck and, at the same time, preserve our freedom and self-respect into the bargain.
May God rule and guide our deliberations here, and endow all the Nigerian leaders with the vision, realism, and unselfishness as well as courage and steadfastness in the course of truth, which the present circumstances demand.
——————–
Speech by Chief Obafemi Awolowo made to the Western leaders of thought, in Ibadan, 1 May 1967 (quoted in “Crisis and Conflict in Nigeria (Volume 1), January 1966-July 1971” by A. H. M. Kirk-Greene.
@coloured. Awo was referring to the Aburi Accord that Gowon had declared "unworkable". Here is the accord: FULL TEXT OF THE ABURI ACCORD. (i) A military committee comprising representatives of the regions should meet to take statistics of arms and ammunition in the country. Unallocated stores of arms and ammunition held in the country should be shared equitably between the various commands in the federation. (ii) The Army should be reorganized in order to restore discipline and confidence, Specifically, a. the army should be governed by the Supreme Military Council which would be chaired by a Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces and the Head of the Federal Military Government; b. Area Commands under Area Commanders and corresponding to existing Regions should be created. c. During the period of the military goverment, Military Governors should have control over Area Commands, for internal security. d. A military headquarters, comprising equal representation from the regions and headed by a Chief of Staff, should be established. e. A Lagos Garrison, including Ikeja Barracks, should be created. (iii) In accordance with the decision of August 9, 1966, Army personnel of Northern Nigerian origin should return to the North from the West. In order to meet the security needs of the West, a crash programme of recruitment and training is necessary but the details should be examined after the Military Committee has finished their work. (iv) The Supreme Military Council should deal with all matters of policy including promotion to top executive posts in the Armed Forces and the Police. (v) The legislative and executive authority of the federal Military Government should be referred for determination, provided that, where a meeting was not possible, such a matter must be referred to the Military Governors for their comments and concurrence. (vi) Appontments to the Diplomatic and consular posts as well as to superscale posts in the Federal Public Service and equivalent posts in the Federal Corporations must be approved by the Supreme Military Council. (vii) With a view to promoting mutual confidence, all decrees or provisions of decrees passed since January 15, 1966, which detracted from the previous powers and positions of the Regional Governments should be repealed. Law officers of the Federation should meet in Benin on January 14, 1967, and list all the decrees or provisions of Decrees concerned, so that they may be repealed not later than January 21, 1967, if possible. (viii) A meeting of Permanent Secretaries of the Ministries of Finance of all the governments in the federation should be convened within two weeks to consider ways and means of resolving the serious problems posed by displaced persons all over the country. (ix) Displaced civil servants and corporation staff (including daily-paid employees) should continue to be paid their full salaries until March 31, 1967, provided they have not secured alternative employment. The Military Governors of the East, West and Mid-West should send representatives (Police Commissioners) to meet and discuss the problems of recovery of property left behind by displaced persons. (x) The Ad Hoc Constitutional Committee should resume sitting as soon as practicable, and the question of accepting the unanimous recommendations of September 1966 should be considered at a later meeting of the Supreme military Council. (xi) For at least the next six months there should be purely a Military Government having nothing to do with politicians. (xii) The deceased military leaders should be accorded full military honors due them. (xiii) All government information media should be restrained from making inflammatory statements and causing embarrassment to various Governments in the Federation. (xiv) Lt.-Col Ojukwu should keep his order – that non-Easterners should leave the Eastern Region – under constant review with a view to its being lifted as soon as practicable. (xv) The next meeting of the Supreme Military Council should be within Nigeria at a venue to be mutually agreed. 
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by ElsonMorali: 6:37am On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
See, you were lied to after the fact and you bought the lie. Ask any older person who saw the war: the red cross themselves, reverend fathers, caritas, UNICEF, etc personally made sure the relief materials got to the children and were not diverted and those materials saved many lives. I am yet to see the correlation between the long post you posted of Asaba massacre and the starvation of kids in biafra? During war, horrific things happen. That's why we keep telling you to go about your secession drive in a more civilized manner But you'd rather prefer to call Yorubas cowards. Still, you just made an assertion that some groups made sure the relief material got to those that needed them (like as If you were there) and I'm supposed to take your words at face value? If three relief materials got to the children then why are there pictures of malnourished children and overfed Ojukwu and family and friends? You were lied to. Awolowo on getting to the war front expressed shock at the starving kids and it's on record that he asked why relief materials didn't get to the desired destination because the food corridor was open and active. He eventually closed it Because according to him,"we can't be feeding the soldiers of the opposition so that they have more strength to prolong the war" (paraphrased) Children starved to death, yet many more were saved by Awo's policy. 3 Likes |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 7:20am On Oct 28, 2017 |
ElsonMorali:
Shows you don't know jack about the civil war.
If not for his involvement by stopping relief materials from reaching the opposition side, the war would have dragged on and on and on and more Igbos would have lost their lives and the Igbos would have been just another minority tribe in Nigeria.
So yes, Awolowo was Igbos saviour. But Most are too dim to see this. How u were lied to! The war would have ended anyway. Stopping the Red Cross and other Charities from feeding innocent little children did not shorten the war. OHHH YES, STARVATION INDEED IS A VERY LEGITIMATE WRAPON OF WAR!! (I DON'T THINK AWO COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF BABANGIDA. HE COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE THESE IMAGES WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE!) 1 Like 
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 7:23am On Oct 28, 2017 |
. 
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by ElsonMorali: 7:28am On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
How u were lied to! The war would have ended anyway. Stopping the Red Cross and other Charities from feeding innocent little children did not shorten the war.
OHHH YES, STARVATION INDEED IS A VERY LEGITIMATE WRAPON OF WAR!!
(I DON'T THINK AWO COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF BABANGIDA. HE COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE THESE IMAGES WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE!)
You are only fooling yourselves If you think Awolowo caused the starvation of those kids. Go and dust your history books. Show me the pictures of underfed biafran soldiers or underfed children of Ojukwu and the other elites like Chinua Achebe. I'm waiting for the pics... The war would have ended anyway, with the Igbos decimated to a quarter or even less of their original number. Maybe someone like you won't be alive today If your grandparents had been killed in the war If it had dragged on a few more months. You have Awolowo to thank for your existence. 4 Likes |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 7:34am On Oct 28, 2017 |
Tell me the truth. YOU YOURSELF. Looking at these images would YOU have had the heart? 
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by sexaddict08(m): 7:51am On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
How u were lied to! The war would have ended anyway. Stopping the Red Cross and other Charities from feeding innocent little children did not shorten the war.
OHHH YES, STARVATION INDEED IS A VERY LEGITIMATE WRAPON OF WAR!!
(I DON'T THINK AWO COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF BABANGIDA. HE COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE THESE IMAGES WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE!)
what is this  where, when?? |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 7:59am On Oct 28, 2017 |
sexaddict08:
what is this where, when?? Where have you been? These are Biafran children. Victims of "Starvation is a legitimate weapon of war"! |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 8:08am On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
How u were lied to! The war would have ended anyway. Stopping the Red Cross and other Charities from feeding innocent little children did not shorten the war.
OHHH YES, STARVATION INDEED IS A VERY LEGITIMATE WRAPON OF WAR!!
(I DON'T THINK AWO COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF BABANGIDA. HE COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE THESE IMAGES WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE!)
The truth is that Awo got carried away. He told himself what he wanted to believe. The truth is that the Red Cross, UNICEF, Caritas and other charities have a way of making sure their supplies get to non-soldiers especially children. |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 8:26am On Oct 28, 2017 |
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 8:35am On Oct 28, 2017 |
GhanaMustGoo:
Ahh, but you are not considering maybe it would have been.worse. Maybe the East would have been.invaded and occupied for the oil. I don't think so. I don't think any neighboring country would have been a match for Biafra. With all that oil money plus Igbo ingenuity? Impossible. |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 2:23pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
Not only that, don't forget the little matter about oil. Awo became aware of the unbelievable amount Shell BP was paying and would now be paying to Biafra.
And believe me oil was also the reason why they reneged on the Aburi accord saying it was "unworkable"
Femi Adesina is a one-Nigeria man, a Buhari man, an Awoist.
Here is what he wrote (note the bolded):
Federal Government's Violation Of The Aburi Accord Led To The Nigerian Civil War - Femi Adesina
(Femi Adesina is currently the special adviser on media and publicity to President Buhari.)
"The meeting held on January 4 and 5, 1967, and came out with what is popularly known today as the Aburi Accord.
The agenda of the meeting consisted of three crucial issues: (i) Reorganization of the Armed Forces (ii) Constitutional agreement (iii) Issues of displaced persons within Nigeria.
The two-day meeting reached consensus that were acceptable to both sides... This was something akin to federalism, even under a military government...
What does this mean again in simple language? Equity, fairness, true federalism.
Matters like the holding of an ad hoc constitutional conference, fate of soldiers involved in the January 15, 1966 coup, rehabilitation of displaced persons, etc, were also amicably resolved, and the conferees returned happily to Nigeria. Only for the Federal side to deliver a blow to the solar plexus: The Aburi Accord, Gowon said, was unworkable, and he reneged on all the agreements".
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 3:38pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
How u were lied to! The war would have ended anyway. Stopping the Red Cross and other Charities from feeding innocent little children did not shorten the war.
OHHH YES, STARVATION INDEED IS A VERY LEGITIMATE WRAPON OF WAR!!
(I DON'T THINK AWO COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF BABANGIDA. HE COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE THESE IMAGES WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE!)
This useless country. Any other place they would put systems in place to make sure.this NEVER happens.again. Fight and kill each other all u want JUST LEAVE INNOCENT LITTLE CHILDREN OUT OF IT!! 1 Like |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 3:44pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
WetinConsignMe:
EVERYBODY PLEASE HELP ME WISH A HEARTY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO A SPECIAL GIRL, A FELLOW DANITE, OSELU28!!!
YOU GO GIRL!!
Happy birthday dear |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 3:48pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
I don't think so. I don't think any neighboring country would have been a match for Biafra. With all that oil money plus Igbo ingenuity? Impossible. I have to admit u r right. They won't have a chance against Biafra. |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 4:03pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
ElsonMorali:
Did it work or not? 
Y'all keep blaming Awolowo for starving you yet fail to realise what really happened.
The relief material that got to the east, what happened to them?
Of all the war pictures you've seen How many of the soldiers were looking gaunt and unfed?
Did you see Ojukwu's family pictures during the war?
How many of his family members starved to death like the rest?
#smh for you really seriously. Here are the fat and well-fed Biafran soldiers u kept referring to: 1 Like 
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 4:29pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by Ofemannnu: 9:20pm On Oct 28, 2017 |
What did you gain posting those children's pictures.Stop that nonsense and get a life! |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by 9jaDoc(f): 12:00am On Oct 29, 2017 |
Ofemannnu:
What did you gain posting those children's pictures.Stop that nonsense and get a life! Oh it's for those who are wondering why Awo didn't just go on exile instead of killing himself. This is the real reason why. Babangida was just a convenient excuse. (I DON'T THINK AWO COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE OF BABANGIDA. HE COMMITED SUICIDE BECAUSE THESE IMAGES WON'T LEAVE HIM ALONE!) 1 Like |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by VillageWinch: 12:45am On Oct 29, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
CONFESSIONS FROM AWO'S ASSOCIATE, ADEBAYO ADEYINKA
In a no-hold barred interview with FS Onluine recently,a grass root politician ,Mr Adebayo Adeyinka who lives within the College Road at Ifako-Ijaiye axis in Ogba ,a suburb of Lagos, Nigeria was livid with rage when he learned that a key politician connected to the issue was denying the incident.
He revealed that Chief Awolowo wanted to lead some kind of guerilla warfare or militant campaign against the government of President Babangida so that he can be overthrown through a popular or people -led putsch.
According to him , the Elder Statesman summoned a meeting of his core loyalists over the issue and this was even filmed so as to strengthen the extent of commitment of each of the politician that attended the meeting,
He pointed out that however unknown to all of those who were privy to this meeting and clarion call , Chief Lateef Kayode Jakande ,Former Executive Governor of Lagos State had a different plan as he betrayed them to the military.
THE BETRAYAL OF AWOLOWO BY LATEEF JAKANDE
He Said:' But unknown to them , Chief Jakande was planning to betray them, he went to President Ibrahim Babangida and promptly showed him the tape
"Papa Awolowo was invited for a meeting with President Ibrahim Babangida who was then staying at Dodan Barracks which was the seat of power as at then and the truth of his clandestine meetings was revealed to him by the gap -toothed
IBB's OPTIONS TO AWOLOWO AND HE CHOOSING THE N20 RAT POISON OPTION:-
"He gave Papa some options and that was for him to be ready to face a court martial , be ready to go to a prison or better still go on exile
"At this stage Papa felt instead of allowing some ambitious khaki boy to mess him up he should just pack it in and call it a day ,so Chief Awolowo decide to commit suicide so as to save himself from the ignominy of going to prison for the second time in his lifetime.
"But before he did this he called his core loyalists for a meeting ,before then he had called up Late Chief Bola Ige [Cicero],since the latter had a very strong understanding of the Hausa Language having had his formative years as a young man in Kaduna but discovered that the late Esa-Oke strongman was innocent after he was interrogated by Papa
"He called others for enquiries while asking them to tender the video cassettes of the meeting they all attended to discuss the plans to topple President Babangida for examination ,at this juncture Chief Jakande developed a cold feet as he could not produce his own copy of the video which was freely distributed to all that was present at the meeting previously before the betrayal and that was how the cat was let out of the bag.
"So he cursed him at this point and pointed out that he will never have any form of relevance politically as far as Nigeria was concerned and till today members of the Awolowo Dynasty avoids him like a plague.
"I was there when the letter he wrote to the family to beg them for forgiveness over the unfortunate incident was read in the presence of all present ,if he continues to deny I am ready to confront him publicly again on the same issue as I can even remember that elders asked him to go to the grave of the late sage to plead for forgiveness.
"When he was questioned he lied that the National Security Organization now State Security Services had visited his house to check on him and in the process took the tape in question but" Awoists" knew that this was a very weak argument as he did not inform their political group of this development before their enquiry on the subject.
"That was how Senator Abraham Adesanya assumed the leadership of the Awolowo camp of Yoruba politics after the demise of the man ,he was not even so close to Awolowo during his lifetime like Chief Jakande and that was why many called him Baba Kekere on account of this cosy relationship
IRONY OF AWO PAYING BIAFRANS 20 POUNDS AND DIEING COURTESY OF 20 NAIRA RAT POISON:-
"Before he gave up the ghost, he said his prayers and then took the poison which killed him almost immediately but the public was not fully aware as they were given a different account of what happened.
"We were simply told that he died while he was brushing his teeth in his bathroom at his Park Lane,Apapa residence here in Lagos
EXPOSING HOW MUCH AWOLOWO STOLE FROM NIGERIA
(1) He was stupendously wealthy during his lifetime, infact there is NO company at Oba Akran in Ikeja ,Lagos where he does not have at least a five percent equity, Dideolu Court in Ogba alone cannot be valued at less than N10 Billion ,that was the place that he had in mind to be his Seat of power if he was elected as Nigeria's President.
(2) He owned Shonibare Estate but the man he was using as a front and who later went to prison over some issues which Awolowo himself was privy to eventually laid claim to the estate.
"He got all of this wealth due to a great measure of goodwill and tax waivers he gave to investors whenever they come to establish their business.
(3) Anytime you buy a bottle of Coca-Cola you are enriching the Awolowo Dynasty,
(4) Go to Ijebu Ikenne and you will discover that the price of bag cement there is different from other parts of the nation due to the subsidy that the citizens enjoy on account of Awolowo who was their son and I hope you know that West African Portland Cement is in Ewekoro and not Ikenne.
(5) He listed such blue chips like Dunlop Nigeria Plc,
(i) Guinness Nigeria Plc.
(ii) Neimeth Pharmaceutical Nigeria Plc.
(iii) May and Baker Nigeria Plc.
(iv) Vitafoam Nigeria Plc.
(v) Wahum Nigeria Limited .
(vi) CAP Nigeria Plc.
(vii) International Paints of West Africa [IPWA].
(viii) Berger Paints Nigeria Plc.
(ix) Berec Nigeria Limited. ,
(x)Kabelmetal, Nigeria Bottling Company Plc
(xi) Leventis Nigera Plc.,
(xii)West African Portland Cement Company,[Lafarge ].
(xiii)Wema Bank Nigeria Plc.
(xiv) Scoa Nigeria Plc.
(xv) CFAO Nigeria Plc.
(xvi) Cadbury Nigeria Plc.
(xvii)Wemaboard Estates, Odu'A Group.
(xviii) Livestock Feeds Nigeria Plc.
(xix) Nigerian Breweries Plc as places the Awolowo family have commercial interest to mention just a few.
(6) Apart from this stocks analysts believe that the most visible of his investment ,The Nigerian Tribune Newspapers cannot be valued at less than N100billion today in terms of brand evaluation as Thisday Newspapers was valued by the Owner ,.Mr Nduka Obaigbena at N200 Billion recently during a media chart while celebrating his fiftieth birthday sometimes last year.
WHEN A THIEF BECOMES A KING MAKER:
"He made Sijuwade rich, because he was his business associate and in fact some of us held very strong views that he was one of his fronts and later the same man became the Ooni of Ife"he added
Mr Adebayo Adeyinka recalled his several years of following grass root politics right from the days of Action Group to the Unity Party of Nigerian era in the second republic but now lamented that he had since lost all interest in partisan politics due to the massive corruption in our polity.
HOW AWO FAMILY NOW REGARD ''AWOISTS"
"On account of this great betrayal Awolowo family members regard the "Awoist" as a group people should deal with using a long spoon till this day and this explains why when The Peoples Democratic Party Government gave some of them political appointment lately they accepted it without thinking twice. This Awo sef na one kind guy so |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 1:04am On Oct 29, 2017 |
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 1:08am On Oct 29, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
LIAR, LIAR, PANTS ON FIRE!!
Now take a look at the list of
the '66 coup plotters and render
your own judgement;
1. Major Chukwuma Kaduna
Nzeogwu(Delta Igbo)
2. Major Adewale Ademoyega
(Yoruba) author of "Why we
struck"
3. Capt. G. Adeleke(Yoruba)
4. Maj. Ifeajuna(Igbo)
5. Lt. Fola Oyewole(Yoruba)
author of "The reluctant rebel"
6. Lt. R. Egbiko(Esean)
7. Lt. Tijani Katsina(Hausa/
Fulani)
8. Lt. O. Olafemiyan(Yoruba)
9. Capt. Gibson Jalo(Bali)
10. Capt. Swanton(Middle Belt)
11. Lt. Hope Harris Eghagha
(Urhobo)
12. Lt. Dag Warribor(Ijaw) 13. 2nd Lt. Saleh Dambo(Hausa)
14. 2nd Lt. John Atom Kpera
(Tiv).
This is an.eye opener. So why do they keep saying Igbo! |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by VillageWinch: 1:35am On Oct 29, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
He was expecting the West to also secedue. You read Awo's speech. Banjo and his troops were supposed to encourage that. He was supposed yo link up with Yoruba leaders and secede. And it almost worked too but Banjo and Ifeajuna had other ideas. See below.
This is from "America's secret files on Ojukwu"
Why Ojukwu Killed Banjo, Ifeajuna and Others
In the most detailed revelation yet, Ojukwu said he killed Victor Banjo, Emmanuel Ifeajuna, Philip Alale, Sam I. Agbam because they wanted to remove him, remove Gowon and install Chief Obafemi Awolowo as the Prime Minister. In a secret document cabled to the Defence Intelligence Agency in Washington, the US military and defence attachés in the Nigeria reported that based on available information at the time (3 August 1967), “in the long run Njoku will unseat Ojukwu.”
In a chat with the American consul, Bob Barnard, in Enugu three days after the executions, Ojukwu said: “The plotters intended to take Brigadier Hillary Njoku, the head of Biafran Army, into custody and bring him to the State House under heavy armed guard, ostensibly to demand of him that Njoku be relieved of the command on the grounds of incompetence.
Once inside the State House, Njoku’s guards would be used against him (Ojukwu). Ifeajuna would then declare himself acting Governor and offer ceasefire on Gowon’s terms. Banjo would go to the West and replace Brigadier Yinka Adebayo, the military governor of Western Region. Next, Gowon would be removed and Awolowo declared Prime Minister of Reunited Federation.”
Ojukwu continued: “Victor Banjo, Ifeajuna and others kept in touch with co-conspirators in Lagos via British Deputy High Commission’s facilities in Benin.”
When the American consul asked Ojukwu for evidence, Ojukwu replied: “Banjo is a very meticulous man, who kept records and notes of everything he did. The mistake of the plotters was they talked too much, their moves too conspicuous and they made notes which came into my hands. As a result, the conspirators came under surveillance from the early stages of the plot’s existence. Their plans then became known and confirmed by subsequent events.”
In another document, Major (Dr.) Okonkwo, whom Ojukwu appointed as military administrator of the Midwest, said he and Ojukwu participated in court-martialling Banjo in Enugu on 22 September 1967 and Banjo “freely admitted in his testimony that a group of Yorubas on both sides of the battle were plotting together to take over Lagos and Enugu governments and unite Nigeria under Chief Awolowo. Gowon, Ojukwu and Okonkwo were to be eliminated. Gowon was to have been killed by Yoruba officers in the Federal Army.” He added that when arrested on the night of 19 September, Banjo offered no resistance because he said then it was too late to stop the affair and the plot was already in motion. His role, Banjo said, was already accomplished. “As far as is known, Banjo died without revealing the names of his collaborators in Lagos,” Okonkwo said.
So, in short, ojukwu and Gowon would be killed and Awo made prime .minister Banjo would take over the West while Ifeajuna would take over the East. How about the North? |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by VillageWinch: 1:42am On Oct 29, 2017 |
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 6:51am On Oct 29, 2017 |
VillageWinch:
So, in short, ojukwu and Gowon would be killed and Awo made prime .minister
Banjo would take over the West while Ifeajuna would take over the East. How about the North? Why are these coup makers obsessed with making Awo prime minister. Na only Awo waka come? 66 coup they wanted to release Awo from jail and make him PM. Cou p DURRING the war, the same Awo. Haba! 1 Like |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by GhanaMustGoo: 6:57am On Oct 29, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
From a heartlsnd Yoruba blogger:
SO THE RUMOUR I HEARD IN THOSE DAYS AT THE UNI IS ACTUALLY TRUE!!!
THAT PA. OBAFEMI AWOLOWO COMMITTED A SUICIDE!!!
PA AWO. PLANNED A GUERRILLAS WARFARE AGAINST THE THEN MILITARY REGIME
BUT PAPA JAKANDE WENT AND EXPOSED HIM WITH AN EVIDENCE. (TOO BAD)...
WELL AS I SAID HERE B4, AND ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE; I WILL SAY IT AGAIN.
ECHOING PAPA OGUNDE PHILOSOPHICAL WORDS
YORUBA RONU!!! LET US BE ONE AND SOLID
HAPPY NEW YEAR IN ADVANCE.
Why is it 90% of the time rumours always turn our to be true. No smoke without fire, I guess |
| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 7:32am On Oct 29, 2017 |
9jaDoc:
Not only that, don't forget the little matter about oil. Awo became aware of the unbelievable amount Shell BP was paying and would now be paying to Biafra.
And believe me oil was also the reason why they reneged on the Aburi accord saying it was "unworkable"
Femi Adesina is a one-Nigeria man, a Buhari man, an Awoist.
Here is what he wrote (note the bolded):
Federal Government's Violation Of The Aburi Accord Led To The Nigerian Civil War - Femi Adesina
(Femi Adesina is currently the special adviser on media and publicity to President Buhari.)
"The meeting held on January 4 and 5, 1967, and came out with what is popularly known today as the Aburi Accord.
The agenda of the meeting consisted of three crucial issues: (i) Reorganization of the Armed Forces (ii) Constitutional agreement (iii) Issues of displaced persons within Nigeria.
The two-day meeting reached consensus that were acceptable to both sides... This was something akin to federalism, even under a military government...
What does this mean again in simple language? Equity, fairness, true federalism.
Matters like the holding of an ad hoc constitutional conference, fate of soldiers involved in the January 15, 1966 coup, rehabilitation of displaced persons, etc, were also amicably resolved, and the conferees returned happily to Nigeria. Only for the Federal side to deliver a blow to the solar plexus: The Aburi Accord, Gowon said, was unworkable, and he reneged on all the agreements".
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by Leez(m): 8:12am On Oct 29, 2017 |
IRONY OF AWO PAYING BIAFRANS 20 POUNDS AND DIEING COURTESY OF 20 NAIRA RAT POISON:- "Before he gave up the ghost, he said his prayers and then took the poison which killed him almost immediately but the public was not fully aware as they were given a different account of what happened. "We were simply told that he died while he was brushing his teeth in his bathroom at his Park Lane,Apapa residence here in Lagos EXPOSING HOW MUCH AWOLOWO STOLE FROM NIGERIA (1) He was stupendously wealthy during his lifetime, infact there is NO company at Oba Akran in Ikeja ,Lagos where he does not have at least a five percent equity, Dideolu Court in Ogba alone cannot be valued at less than N10 Billion ,that was the place that he had in mind to be his Seat of power if he was elected as Nigeria's President. (2) He owned Shonibare Estate but the man he was using as a front and who later went to prison over some issues which Awolowo himself was privy to eventually laid claim to the estate. "He got all of this wealth due to a great measure of goodwill and tax waivers he gave to investors whenever they come to establish their business  |
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| Re: 10 Awolowo Controversies: Are They Justifiable? by WetinConsignMe: 9:42am On Oct 29, 2017 |
fergie001:
Nigeria problems weak person,we have been unfortunate to have leaders who think about family,tribe and religion first before the welfare of the country.
I wasn't there but from aggregation of history,
Awolowo went for his tribe and his family,who still benefits from Govt today.
Ahmadu Bello was all about his Fulani tribe and dominance on other tribes.
Azikiwe was for his family and only his family.
Looking at all this 3,none thought about Nigeria,so first and foremost with the generational shift,let us think about Nigeria,that is my humble and honest opinion. How it ought to be... Love one another not hate United as black African brothers United and moving together as one nation Co-operation not division and fighting 
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