im tired of this

the average mindset of most people and wars or ethnic clashes is

you kill my father I kill your family

this is why we dont discuss things like this wit ibos  because they will forget how everything started.

alj harem:

why can't they succeed with the eastern nigeria ?

i have repsect for alaafin more than Awo.

Onlytruth:

If the Yoruba would have done the same, then you are totalitarian. Period.
That is the truth, and that is why secessionists believe that you should not be in same country as us. You may succeed in a union with northern Nigeria, but NEVER Eastern Nigeria.

no, they are not totalitarian.

you have to have the heart of understanding and reasoning. if for some reason, whites kill obama and all the black people in power while leaving the whites do you think there would not be a revolt by the blacks in america? be honest.

amingafar:

im tired of this

the average mindset of most people and wars or ethnic clashes is

you kill my father I kill your family

this is why we dont discuss things like this wit ibos  because they will forget how everything started.

i have repsect for alaafin more than Awo.

Aren't u an igala?

PhysicsQED:

I'll assume the purpose of this posting this thread on Nairaland and not on a Nigerian Forum (where it will be preaching to the choir) is to correct the ridiculous notion some Nigerians have that Biafra was born out of Ojukwu's personal ambition. That is commendable since a lot of people who haven't bothered to read up on any aspect of the civil war try to lay the blame for secession on Ojukwu.

This is a good article in general in explaining the pressures on Ojukwu given the circumstances, but it is actually not accurate on a number of crucial points which I'm sure people who are interested in this era of Nigeria's troubled history are familiar with. I would advise those that blindly accept every argument put forward here to read not parts of, but the entirety of the book The Nigerian Civil War by John de St. Jorre. The first incorrect statement is the timing of the blockade. The blockade did not occur before the Aburi accord but in fact after the secession declaration. The other is the idea that One-Nigeria advocates like Nzeogwu, Ademoyega or the other coup plotters would have declared secession.

The main problem some that actually know anything about the war have with Ojukwu is in the way Biafra was actually realized. He could have granted the indigenous population of the now Rivers state, many of whom are Igbo, the fuller autonomy that they wanted, but he didn't, instead giving them a poor substitute for what Gowon would later grant them, turning them against him. That isn't my problem, for sure, but it is a very real one which some people from that area do in fact have and did have with Biafra. As things currently are, I doubt it would be a problem if Biafra was declared again and they were included in Biafra now that they have the control that they desired. This little gesture towards those Eastern minorities, including Igbos (Ikwerres) that loathed "Igbo domination" could have saved Biafra a lot of headache.

He could have followed Awolowo's prudent suggestion and had representatives of the East, supported in some, but not all,of their demands by the West, meet with the Northern dominated federal government and negotiate and if the North proved intransigent in implementing at least some part of the Aburi accord, he could say, with the full backing of important voices in the West that the end of Nigeria was necessary. He refused and asserted that the solution was the "largest army in black Africa", which he had built up secretly, neglecting the fact that the Western region had no army and could not obtain one in their position but were expected to attempt to somehow stand with the East and fight the North for the East's demands.

With the important potential ally (the Western region) severely checkmated (note that Awolowo was in no position to secretly start a rebel army, lest he betray the man who freed him (Yakubu Gowon, although I know Ironsi meant to have freed him but didn't actually do so immediately after he resolved to do so, resulting in Awolowo still being in prison until Gowon pardoned him)) the best option was diplomacy (building a coalition of support in the South) rather than going it alone. Ojukwu chose going it alone under the assumption that he was in a "position of power" (his words) due to his newly found large army. He refused a solution in which those in the Western region who supported the implementation of most of the East's demands (Awolowo) could stand with the East and declare solidarity, and align themselves with the East over those in the Western region who supported the Northern controlled military and government and instead said that a military solution was necessary.

The other problem with this military solution, apart from the fact that it precluded those in the West who were sympathetic to the cause of the East from even being able to show solidarity with the East by having leaders from the West and East present before the world a series of reasonable demands of the East to be met for Nigeria to continue, seems to be that instead of invading and taking over part of the North on the way to taking out Gowon in the West or overrunning much of the North (both of these options may not have been militarily feasible, but if so, then all the more reason not to secede under the impression that the power from which he was seceding could be defeated with his army), he took over the Midwest and in exactly such a way that could only be described as a Biafran takeover of a non-Biafran region. He had already lost potential Southern support by refusing diplomatic overtures to the Federal government in which those in the South who supported the East's demands could show support. Immediately after the Midwestern takeover (not "liberation" he lost whatever Southern indifference or neutrality that still existed. Had he gone the other route, and actually thrashed the Nigerian military directly in battle and then overrun the North, that would have been "honorable conduct," and settled the question of whether there was to be a Biafra without any additional question of whether the not at all honorable situation in the Midwest would be sustained after Biafra's victory or the more crucial question of whether a similar situation would have arisen in the West following Biafra's takeover of the West.


These were tactical mistakes, and they were important and enormous. But Ojukwu was not some some perfect human being.

I also hope it's known that Aluko is not exactly pro-Biafran. In fact, reading some of his other articles he seems slightly prejudiced against Igbos so this article probably doesn't even have the aim which some pro-Biafrans here on Nairaland might assume it does.

I agree.

jason12345:

i would not justify evil, never.

ahmedu bello was killed january and the pogrom started, i think july. am i right?

You are right, almost 6 months after his death. Have u ever wondered why it took that long to rav them up to committed a pogrom after such a high leader in their region was killed by a so-called igbo coup? Have u ever wondered why the civilians didnt do it sooner or even some soldiers?

chyz:

Aren't u an igala?

I am agala and with fulani and nupe background like abubakar  audu
 like most northerners Ive said it on different occasions.

when I speak im not only saying my opnion but the general opinion of northerners I WILL NOT KILL ANYONE. but as I stated

amingafar:


the average mindset of most people and wars or ethnic clashes is

you kill my father I kill your family

which mayn in the north feel

amingafar:

I[b] am agala and with fulani and nupe background like abubakar  audu[/b]
 like most northerners Ive said it on different occasions.

when I speak im not only saying my opnion but the general opinion of northerners I WILL NOT KILL ANYONE. but as I stated

which mayn in the north feel

brother u are welcome always to the north,

do u have some yoruba blood in u

jason12345:

no, they are not totalitarian.

you have to have the heart of understanding and reasoning. if for some reason, whites kill obama and all the black people in power while leaving the whites do you think there would not be a revolt by the blacks in america? be honest.

You are comparing apple with oranges. Igbo was never as powerful as whites in the US.
Also even if Obama is harmed (God forbid anything happening to my beloved President ) the worst blacks can do is to riot and break a few shops and buildings.

There could never be organized pogrom in any part of the US.

chyz:

You are right, almost 6 months after his death. Have u ever wondered w[b]hy it took that long to rav them up to committed a pogrom after such a high leader in their region was killed by a so-called igbo coup? Have u ever wondered why the civilians didnt do it sooner or even some soldiers?[/b]

thats why i said, "couple with the gloating" which reached a climax. it takes some time for people to react especially in this case where an igbo man was still in power.

i am sure when they lost their leader, they were first of all dumb founded and confused. therefore, the pogrom was a planned, over exaggeration act. but never the less, it would still happen in any part of the world.

i have given two examples (usa and saddam) and you would expect them to react the same way.

look, igbos u have to be reasonable here, no one hate u ppl  fact

all they did back then was for revenge, and now it is over

i love igbos but when u do not speak the truth, most northerners do not like liers    fact

that is why we are having some problem with the yorubas now

u have to stop putting an innocents man name to the mud (Awolowo) this is a man i respect, he loved his people and other peolpe alike.

Onlytruth:

You are comparing apple with oranges. Igbo was never as powerful as whites in the US.
Also even if Obama is harmed (God forbid anything happening to my beloved President ) the worst blacks can do is to riot and break a few shops and buildings.

There could never be organized pogrom in any part of the US.

you will be quite shocked with the reaction. it would be viewed as a supremacist act and a plan to enslave the black race. the violence would be unbearable. ( i pray that does not happen )

jason12345:

thats why i said, "couple with the gloating" which reached a climax. it takes some time for people to react especially in this case where an igbo man was still in power.

i am sure when they lost their leader, they were first of all dumb founded and confused. therefore, the pogrom was a planned, over exaggeration act. but never the less, it would still happen in any part of the world.

i have given two examples (usa and saddam) and you would expect them to react the same way.

No, both your examples are wrong.
We are talking about Nigeria and I have told you that Ndigbo will NEVER start killing innocent strangers in their land for the death of a politician.  
The only times Igbos killed strangers was in retaliation from killing of Igbos in the North.

Our values are fundamentally different.

You worship individuals, we don't!

alj harem:

look, igbos u have to be reasonable here, no one hate u ppl  fact

all they did back then was for revenge, and now it is over

i love igbos but when u do not speak the truth, most northerners do not like liers    fact

that is why we are having some problem with the yorubas now

u have to stop putting an innocents man name to the mud (Awolowo) this is a man i respect, he loved his people and other peolpe alike.

how are the yorubas dishonest? was yaradua not the president after OBJ. watch your mouth oooo! . BACK TO TOPIC!

jason12345:

how are the yorubas dishonest? was yaradua not the president after OBJ. watch your mouth oooo! . BACK TO TOPIC!

sorry my bad

OnlyLies has murdered himself "Igbo's killed Northerner's in Igboland in retaliation for their brother's killed in the North". Same difference here.How is this different from what the Northerner's did?Where those Northerner's in Igboland not innocent civilian's? You have just shut your victim case.Please never bring that whiny issue up again.Case Closed! Jason, ignore the hypocrite

TewMuch:

OnlyLies has murdered himself "Igbo's killed Northerner's in Igboland in retaliation for their brother's killed in the North". Same difference here.How is this different from what the Northerner's did?Where those Northerner's in Igboland not innocent civilian's? You have just shut your victim case.Please never bring that whiny issue up again.Case Closed! Jason, ignore the hypocrite

gbam!!!!!!!!!!!

Onlytruth:

No, both your examples are wrong.
We are talking about Nigeria and I have told you that Ndigbo will NEVER start killing innocent strangers in their land for the death of a politician.  
The only times Igbos killed strangers was in retaliation from killing of Igbos in the North.

Our values are fundamentally different.

You worship individuals, we don't!

There is a difference in worshipping the leaders (north) and actually valuing your leaders. you have to understand that, even an ashanti resident cannot be killed by ewe soldier while leaving the ewe leaders without a war ensuing Ghana.

the values of the igbos are not very different from that of the country, the only problem was the partiality traits in the coup and the gloating. imagine if ojukwu was killed by northerners now (God forbid). the igbos in the east would kill any northerner in the east. you cannot deny that!

alj harem:

why can't they succeed with the eastern nigeria ?

Because they worship human beings. We don't. Different values systems. That has been at the core of why Nigeria is not working.
That is why my folks decided to fight on empty stomachs than share a country with his people.

40 years on, that has not changed.

It is high time these wound re-opening threads be deleted.Nothing can justify systemic ethnic cleansing.I read people on NL trying to justify the pogroms.

jason12345:

There is a difference in worshipping the leaders (north) and actually valuing your leaders. you have to understand that, even an ashanti resident cannot be killed by ewe soldier while leaving the ewe leaders without a war ensuing Ghana.

the values of the igbos are not very different from that of the country, the only problem was the partiality traits in the coup and the gloating. [b]imagine if ojukwu was killed by northerners now (God forbid). the igbos in the east would kill any northerner in the east. [/b]you cannot deny that!

If anyone touches Ojukwu, the reaction will not be killing of innocent Abokis and thier nama. The reaction will likely be a war. It may start like a joke but will blow into a full war from which Nigeria will never recover.
Ndigbo don't attack innocent people. Simple.

Abagworo:

It is high time these wound re-opening threads be deleted.Nothing can justify systemic ethnic cleansing.I read people on NL trying to justify the pogroms.

you are getting it wrong. no one, i repeat, no none is justifying the killing of the igbos. secondly, it was not ethnic leasing, it was a WAR and biafrans fought back. ethnic cleansing is what happened in rwanda, where the hutus/ tutsis (not sure) did not fight back.

TewMuch:

OnlyLies has murdered himself "Igbo's killed Northerner's in Igboland in retaliation for their brother's killed in the North". Same difference here.How is this different from what the Northerner's did?Where those Northerner's in Igboland not innocent civilian's? You have just shut your victim case.Please never bring that whiny issue up again.Case Closed! Jason, ignore the hypocrite

tewmuch, we have to engage our brothers so they can see reason. we cannot just bury an issue just for it to rise again!

Abagworo:

It is high time these wound re-opening threads be deleted.Nothing can justify systemic ethnic cleansing.I read people on NL trying to justify the pogroms.

abagworo, we do not care about yorubas because they were not involved in the war, all we care about is why the igbos lie about there leader(awo)

secondly why did they kill our leader

Onlytruth:

If anyone touches Ojukwu, t[b]he reaction will not be killing of innocent Abokis and thier nama[/b]. The reaction will likely be a war. It may start like a joke but will blow into a full war from which Nigeria will never recover.
Ndigbo don't attack innocent people. Simple.

@ bolded

that is were you are wrong!!! i can swear every northerner would be killed in the east if ojukwu was killed by them (northerners).

onlytruth, you have to be unbiased and honest with yourself

alj harem:

abagworo, we do not care about yorubas because they were not involved in the war, all we care about is why the igbos lie about there leader(awo)

secondly why did they kill our leader

Eziokwu? Are you sure about that?

TewMuch:

OnlyLies has murdered himself "Igbo's killed Northerner's in Igboland in retaliation for their brother's killed in the North". Same difference here.How is this different from what the Northerner's did?Where those Northerner's in Igboland not innocent civilian's? You have just shut your victim case.Please never bring that whiny issue up again.Case Closed! Jason, ignore the hypocrite

That is what we call hypocrisy of the highest order.

amingafar:

I am agala and with fulani and nupe background like abubakar  audu
 like most northerners Ive said it on different occasions.

when I speak im not only saying my opnion but the general opinion of northerners I WILL NOT KILL ANYONE. but as I stated

which mayn in the north feel

You are even an Igala, you are not even a northerner.Lol. Do you know you can never be a northern candidate for presidency. Igbos are even the ones who gave birth to you.check your history. You come here with the "i have fulani mixure in my blood" nonsense but the fact still remains that you are Igala. you all didnt even play a roll in the pogroms. Yet im still trying to figure out why you continue to come on here and talk as if you are a real northerner and like a hausa-fulani.

jason12345:

@ bolded

that is were you are wrong!!! i can swear every northerner would be killed in the east if ojukwu was killed by them (northerners).

onlytruth, you have to be unbiased and honest with yourself

You know why I said that there will be war instead of pogrom against northerners?

It is because Ojukwu was the leader of Biafra, and there are still elements within Igbo and Eastern population who believe that the war was abandoned and should be fought to a real conclusion.

They are itching for an excuse because larger Igbo population would not subscribe to war unless something that bad happens. Just my views.  

I would repeat, Ndigbo don't attack innocent strangers in their land, unless there is a pogrom against Ndigbo in northern Nigeria or elsewhere.  

jason12345:

you are getting it wrong. no one, i repeat, no none is justifying the killing of the igbos. secondly, it was not ethnic leasing, it was a WAR and biafrans fought back. ethnic cleansing is what happened in rwanda, where the hutus/ tutsis (not sure) did not fight back.

tewmuch, we have to engage our brothers so they can see reason. we cannot just bury an issue just for it to rise again!

There was ethnic cleansing which lead to secession before the war.

Abagworo:


There was ethnic cleansing which lead to secession before the war.

no, it was the reaction of the youths in the NORTHERN part of the country. so no, it was not a genocide.

Onlytruth:

You know why I said that there will be war instead of pogrom against northerners?

It is because Ojukwu was the leader of Biafra, and there are still elements within Igbo and Eastern population who believe that the war was abandoned and should be fought to a real conclusion.

They are itching for an excuse because larger Igbo population would not subscribe to war unless something that bad happens. Just my views.  

I would repeat, Ndigbo don't attack innocent strangers in their land, unless there is a pogrom against Ndigbo in northern Nigeria or elsewhere.  

i respect your views but you still are not honest with me. the easterners would have killed every "aboki" in the east without hesitation.

chyz:

You are even an Igala, you are not even a northerner.Lol. Do you know you can never be a northern candidate for presidency. Igbos are even the ones who gave birth to you.check your history. You come here with the "i have fulani mixure in my blood" nonsense but the fact still remains that you are Igala. you all didnt even play a roll in the pogroms. Yet im still trying to figure out why you continue to come on here and talk as if you are a real northerner and like a hausa-fulani.

. he has a right to represent the north so as bukola saraki

This is how Nigerians come across when they scapegoat Ojukwu for leading their war of survival. No one can in good faith single Ojukwu out as a "former rebel," except if we accept that such a person is a crass ignoramus.

-Bolaji Aluko.

jason12345:

thats why i said, "couple with the gloating" which reached a climax. it takes some time for people to react especially in this case where an igbo man was still in power.

i am sure when they lost their leader, they were first of all dumb founded and confused. therefore, the pogrom was a planned, over exaggeration act. but never the less, it would still happen in any part of the world.

i have given two examples (usa and saddam) and you would expect them to react the same way.

Jason you are wrong. I even feel that you know something is fishy about that whole thing. Maybe you dont know how nigeria works. If somthing dubbed to be an igbo coup at that time would have happened all hell would have broken loose right away there is no thing like 6 months delay of riot. The killing of Ahmedu Bello was a climax in its own. In reality it was not seen as an Igbo coup when it happened or fews months after it happened. It was not label an Igbo coup until the British media built up propaganda and labeled it an "Igbo coup" to build up sentiment and also further their agenda in nigeria. Also it was no just northern civilians killing Easterners in the north it was northern soldiers also. That is why so many died. Question jason, why did the "Igbo coup" fail?

jason12345:

. he has a right to represent the north so as bukola saraki