Nigerians from other groups, wonder why Igbos love the great Ikemba, and the answer is simple. He was truly the symbol of Igbo unity. Everything he represented was a manifestation of what Igbo unity entails. Through Iron will, this man forged the destiny of the Igbo people. Before Ojukwu and Biafra, the Ndigbo seen ourselves as a people of various clans. However, during and after the war, the Ndigbo had a type of unity that was never seen in our entire history. Instead of seeing ourselves as Aro, Ngwa, Mbaise, Nri etc, we seen ourselves as simply as IGBO.

Ojukwu is the manifestation of Igbo unity. That is why he will always remembered. It goes more deeper than simply him being the leader of Biafra. The Igbo unity that he helped produce will be his lasting impact for generations to come.

One Igboland, One Igbo people, for the greater glory of Ojukwu and his children. The father of our people has died, but he will be remembered for generations to come. I love you Ojukwu as a son should love a father.

EzeUche:

Nigerians from other groups, wonder why Igbos love the great Ikemba, and the answer is simple. He was truly the symbol of Igbo unity. Everything he represented was a manifestation of what Igbo unity entails. Through Iron will, this man forged the destiny of the Igbo people. Before Ojukwu and Biafra, the Ndigbo seen ourselves as a people of various clans. However, during and after the war, the Ndigbo had a type of unity that was never seen in our entire history. Instead of seeing ourselves as Aro, Ngwa, Mbaise, Nri etc, we seen ourselves as simply as IGBO.

Ojukwu is the manifestation of Igbo unity. That is why he will always remembered. It goes more deeper than simply him being the leader of Biafra. The Igbo unity that he helped produce will be his lasting impact for generations to come.

One Igboland, One Igbo people, for the greater glory of Ojukwu and his children. The father of our people has died, but he will be remembered for generations to come. I love you Ojukwu as a son should love a father.

Amen! Seconded powerfully.

^^^^^^

You guys are sounding more and more like North Koreans!! Scary!

^^

Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. It was okay for Awolowo to be your papa, but not okay for Ojukwu to be our own papa.

Aigbofa:

^^^^^^

You guys are sounding more and more like North Koreans!! Scary!

How so?

Every people/nation have a leader they consider the father of their nation. The U.S. has George Washington, China has Mao Zedong, India has Ghandi, France has Charles de Gaulle, the list is endless.

Ojukwu was a symbol of Igbo unity. No one can deny that. He led a fractious group that became a more cohesive group.

Onlytruth:

^^

Your hypocrisy knows no bounds. It was okay for Awolowo to be your papa, but not okay for Ojukwu to be our own papa.

My hypocrisy? Lawd have mercy! It is one thing to respect somebody, it is another thing to love a stranger like a son loves his father!!!
You are all starting to sound like some brainwashed communists.

Aigbofa:

My hypocrisy? Lawd have mercy! It is one thing to respect somebody, it is another thing to love a stranger like a son loves his father!!!
You are all starting to sound like some brainwashed communists.

From the abundance of experience, the only way to draw you out is to say Awolowo was an ignorant goat. Now hit your buttons with the expected response. Ewu Yoruba.

Are you going to organize a seven days of compulsory wailing and crying ( not mourning o ) for the great leader as well? SMH

Aigbofa I see that you have conveniently ignored my post.

Do the Yoruba not have Awolowo? Is he not considered your Baba? Please refrain from your hypocrisy, and let the Ndigbo refer to Ojukwu anyway we want. I do not understand why some people have a hard time doing that. Worrying about other people's leaders. It is not normal.

EzeUche:

Aigbofa I see that you have conveniently ignored my post.

Do the Yoruba not have Awolowo? Is he not considered your Baba? Please refrain from your hypocrisy, and let the Ndigbo refer to Ojukwu anyway we want. I do not understand why some people have a hard time doing that. Worrying about other people's leaders. It is not normal.

Calling someone papa in Yorubaland is a sign of respect. It does not translate to loving them as you love your own father.
Papa Awo
Papa Ajasin
Papa Adesanya and so on, and we respect them all.

EzeUche:

Aigbofa I see that you have conveniently ignored my post.

Do the Yoruba not have Awolowo? Is he not considered your Baba? Please refrain from your hypocrisy, and let the Ndigbo refer to Ojukwu anyway we want. I do not understand why some people have a hard time doing that. Worrying about other people's leaders. It is not normal.

They will be happy if Igbos claim Awo as a father (Tufiakwa). Ewu Aigbofa. At this point they should begin to commit suicide like Awolowo.
Now I know why The Economist, NYT etc, had no obituary news about Awo: he indeed committed suicide

Aigbofa:

Calling someone papa in Yorubaland is a sign of respect. It does not translate to loving them as you love your own father.
Papa Awo
Papa Ajasin
Papa Adesanya and so on, and we respect them all.

Do you not love Awolowo? Do you not give the greatest amount of respect and admiration. Do you all not defend him like your life depended on it? I am just trying to tell you to stop being so hypocritical. Igbos love Ojukwu, similar to how Black Americans love the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

Nchara:

They will be happy if Igbos claim Awo as a father (Tufiakwa). Ewu Aigbofa. At this point they should begin to commit suicide like Awolowo.

At least Awo played that role for ibos than Zik ever did.

Aigbofa:

Calling someone papa in Yorubaland is a sign of respect. [/b]It does not translate to [b]loving them as you love your own father.
Papa Awo
Papa Ajasin
Papa Adesanya and so on, and we respect them all.

Now you are spinning! lol

In any case, you cannot force us to adopt your own ethos in the way you treat your "papas". You can choose to "respect" yours, while we can choose to "love ours like own father". Kapish?

EzeUche:

Do you not love Awolowo? Do you not give the greatest amount of respect and admiration. Do you all not defend him like your life depended on it? I am just trying to tell you to stop being so hypocritical. Igbos love Ojukwu, similar to how Black Americans love the Reverend Martin Luther King Jr.

Of course I do, not the way I love my Dad though.

Aigbofa:

At least Awo played that role for ibos than Zik ever did.

Taa! He (AWO) committed suicide, hence no international news magazine made his obituary. In  Igboland he would have been thrown into the evil forest.

Aigbofa:

Of course I do, not the way I love my Dad though.

I love Ojukwu as the father of a united Igbo people. Are there different degrees of love?

EzeUche:

I love Ojukwu as the father of a united Igbo people. Are there different degrees of love?

Yes, there is. You need to visit North Korea.

Aigbofa:


Yes, there is. You need to visit North Korea.

I know you never knew that people were crying like babies when president JFK was killed. That is the type of love people can have for a beloved leader.

Onlytruth:

I know you never knew that people were crying like babies when president JFK was killed. That is the type of love people can have for a beloved leader.

I've never heard any American saying they love any leader as much as their own father, except North Koreans and some people on Nairaland.

Honestly, I understand the love Igbos have for Ojukwu. Ojukwu is the real Igbo leader, not Zik.

lagcity:

Honestly, I understand the love Igbos have for Ojukwu. Ojukwu is the real Igbo leader, not Zik.

What is the basis of this love? That millions died just to make a point?

Aigbofa:

I've never heard any American saying they love any leader as much as their own father, except North Koreans and some people on Nairaland.

So, you are waiting for them to say it? Your quarrel is that we are saying it. My friend action speaks louder than words.
A lot of people don't even cry when their own father died, but cry when a beloved leader dies.
Your attempts to drag North Koreans into this is simply idiotic.

Aigbofa:

What is the basis of this love? That millions died just to make a point?

History is looking favorably on Ojukwu. As the obituaries from The Economist and Times Magazine are doing. Looking at the war from an objective lens instead of the biased lens that most Nigerians look at it. Including Igbos such as myself and groups that fought for the Nigerian side.

The title of my thread should be the answer that you are looking for why Igbos love Ojukwu.

Onlytruth:

So, you are waiting for them to say it? Your quarrel is that we are saying it. My friend action speaks louder than words.
A lot of people don't even cry when their own father died, but cry when a beloved leader dies.
Your attempts to drag North Koreans into this is simply idiotic.

LOL Idiotic ehn?

I'm patiently waiting for the seven days compulsory wailing for the dear leader.

Aigbofa:

What is the basis of this love? That millions died just to make a point?

Stinking pig, this is a no time to display your imbecility. Get out of this thread, idiott.

Aigbofa:

LOL Idiotic ehn?

I'm patiently waiting for the seven days compulsory wailing for the dear leader.

People mourn the death of their leaders. Is it that hard to comprehend? Benazhir Bhutto was mourned in Pakistan, when she was assassinated. Americans mourned the death of Ronald Reagan. The list is endless. Please stop arguing for the sake of arguing. It is getting very OLD.

lagcity:

Honestly, I understand the love Igbos have for Ojukwu. Ojukwu is the real Igbo leader, not Zik.

This is something we can agree on. Thank you for that candid response.

Aigbofa:

[b]What is the basis of this love? [/b]That millions died just to make a point?

Here is the basis of the love:

(1) There was the first round of massacre in Northern Nigeria
Ojukwu's response: He asks Igbos to return to the North

(2) Igbo are massacred again in the North
Ojukwu's response again: He asks Igbos to return to the North

(3) Igbo are massacred the third time in the North, this time the massacre continues. .

Ojukwu's response "If you return to the East, I will do my best to protect you".

Stalemate.

Ojukwu insists on seniority in the military.
Final attempts at peace and security: ABURI ACCORD signed

Gowon reneges on Aburi

Ojukwu -after resisting pressure from Easterners for almost 6 months- declare East an independent state.

That is what happened.

Our love for him is not for free.

Ngodigha1:

Stinking pig, this is a no time to display your imbecility. Get out of this thread, idiott.

OMG! So much venom.

Onlytruth:

Here is the basis of the love:

(1) There was the first round of massacre in Northern Nigeria
Ojukwu's response: He asks Igbos to return to the North

(2) Igbo are massacred again in the North
Ojukwu's response again: He asks Igbos to return to the North

(3) Igbo are massacred the third time in the North, this time the massacre continues. .

Ojukwu's response "If you return to the East, I will do my best to protect you".

Stalemate.

Ojukwu insists on seniority in the military.
Final attempts at peace and security: ABURI ACCORD signed

Gowon reneges on Aburi

Ojukwu -after resisting pressure from Easterners for almost 6 months- declare East an independent state.

That is what happened.

Our love for him is not for free.

To think he was even insisting that a Yoruba took over from Ironsi, and that one, typical of Yorubas, checked out to the UK much like Abiola.

Onlytruth:

Here is the basis of the love:

(1) There was the first round of massacre in Northern Nigeria
Ojukwu's response: He asks Igbos to return to the North

(2) Igbo are massacred again in the North
Ojukwu's response again: He asks Igbos to return to the North

(3) Igbo are massacred the third time in the North, this time the massacre continues. .

Ojukwu's response "If you return to the East, I will do my best to protect you".

Stalemate.

Ojukwu insists on seniority in the military.
Final attempts at peace and security: ABURI ACCORD signed

Gowon reneges on Aburi

Ojukwu -after resisting pressure from Easterners for almost 6 months- declare East an independent state.

That is what happened.

Our love for him is not for free.

Look, like OBJ said, it was a series of unfortunate events. You cannot say with honesty that all avenue for peace were exhausted. Whoever goaded Ojukwu into hastily declaring Biafra was as guilty as Ojukwu. Two million dead for nothing!!