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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Politics / Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi (7394 Views)
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Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by abes(m): 11:31am On Jul 11, 2017 |
"Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either."Albert Einstein In lieu of the lies and fictionbeing circulated and published as factual Historyby Biafrans about the events during and after the Nigerian Civil War, it is of great pertinence that some questions be examined in the context of real events and facts of reality. For a very long time, Biafrans, led by their Chief Fiction Writer and Propagandist, Chinua Achebe, have been circulating, what else, fiction about the Twenty pounds giving to the Igbo after the Nigerian Civil War.They have accused the Federal Government of Nigeria of impoverishing all Igbo after the war by not allowing them to have access to their pre-war savings in the Nigerian Banks. They have particularly accused the revered Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the then Finance Minister of engineering the policy because of his hatred for the Igbo. Though, historical facts showed that he was not the one who set up the panel or had anything to do with it other than just executing the panel's recommendations, the purveyors of lies and blackmail have no regard for such. Just like everything that Chinua Achebe has ever been involved in, this is another lie of the Biafrans that needs examination and exposition so that the world would be able to see the TRUTH. This propaganda has assumed a life of its own that some members of younger generation have now begun to think that it might probably have been true. Chinua Achebe has been championing the peddling of this particular falsehood among others, for so long that upcoming "fiction" writers have believed him and are already parroting Achebe's lies. For those who were too young to remember, the Civil War did not start in a sudden manner. There were days, weeks and months leading to the civil war when people from different regions were packing and moving to their homelands. At such time of uncertainty, no one could predict what was going to happen and common sense would dictate that each and everyone would be in control of his or her resources to be able to survive when the war broke out. This would mean that before an Igbo man would leave Kaduna, Lagos or Ibadan, he would have withdrawn all his money before crossing into Biafra. This would not just be dictated by common sense, survival instinct would have also required and demanded it too. But Chinua Achebe and his corterie of liars would want the world to believe that this did not happen. They want the rest of us to believe the Igbo who lived in other parts of Nigeria were generous and kind enough to leave their monies in Nigerian banks to do business. They want the world to believe that our Igbo brethren left all their wealth in Nigerian Banks because of their "love" for Nigeria as opposed to their new Nation called Biafra. How could that have happened? Does that make sense? How could you have left your resources and wealth back in a place where you are not likely to return to? How could you avail a country called Nigeria, which you hate with passion, with your resources no matter how small or big? Does this allign with reason? In a moonlight tale written by Chimamanda Adichie under the title "We Remember Differently," she had written that Awolowo "was the man who, in the words of my uncle, 'made Igbo people poor because he never liked us.' At the end of the war, every Igbo person who had a bank account in Nigeria was given twenty pounds, no matter how much they had in their accounts before the war.” Adichie is an upcoming writer to whom some intellect is being ascribed. What effort did she make to verify the tales of her uncle? Did she do any research to confirm the moon tales she was told? At least, if she wanted to be taken seriously as a person who knew what she was doing, she ought to have conducted a research, and at worst, contextualize the tales she has been told. And apart from her uncle, did her father told her any story concerning this? No. All the above questions either did not occur to Adichie or were considered unimportant by her. They would not be necessary because this would undercut the fiction she was trying to put forth. It would expose the falsehood she was trying to peddle just like that of her mentor, Achebe. Yet she would want to revel in the borrowed garb of intellect in which she was being draped. It is a big shame! In his response to Adichie, S. Kadiri wrote inter alia: "If Achebe himself had gotten his savings in the bank reduced to twenty pounds after the war would he not have informed Adichie or the rest of the world through his ‘There Was a Country? And if Achebe as a senior executive officer at that time did not have any savings in the bank when he left Lagos for Biafra, what then is the probability that other Igbo people of his rank left money in the bank, in Lagos, while fleeing eastward? But I still have the following questions for Chinua Achebe: (a) In which Bank did Achebe have his savings before the Civil War? (b) Was it at African Continental Bank (ACB) or elsewhere? (c) Whichever Bank it was, how much was his balance before running to the East? (d) Did Achebe emptied out his account before running to the East? (e) Or Did he leave his balance in his accounts in the bank in Lagos or Ibadan? (f) If he left his money in the Ibadan or Lagos bank, how much was his balance? (g) What would be his rationale for leaving his money in Ibadan or Lagos when he was going to build a new country, BIAFRA? (h) Would this mean that he was not a patriotic Biafran? (i) Why did he not provide the details about this in his "There was a country?" (j) If he forgot to do so, can he now come out with the last statement of Account? (k) Did Achebe collect the 20 pound ex-gratia given by Awolowo? (l) If he did, did he deserve it? (m) If he did not deserve it, did he think he committed fraud by taking the 20 pounds? (n) How come Chukwuemeka Ojukwu was able to retrieve his father's millions and other Igbopeople were not able to do so? (o) What was applicable to Ojukwu that did not apply to Achebe or any Igbo in getting back their savings in the Nigerian banks? The above questions would also apply to every Igbo who claimed to have had money in Nigerian banks before the civil war. The bottom line here is that the issue of this 20 pound gift has become an instrument of blackmail in the hands of Biafran leaders like Achebe who would try to avoid responsibility for the harm they caused their own people. They had to look for someone to blame and Obafemi Awolowo came handy for this. How can any Igbo blame others for losing his Bank Statement? If they could not substantiate their claims in regard to their balances, how did they expect to be paid? Or did they think the rest of Nigerians were fools who would rush to pay any spurious claims they make? Granted that the war could have caused the loss of some documents, why would this be the fault of Awolowo? Is this not a sign of irresponsibility on the part of Achebe and other leaders of Biafra? Chief Ayo Adebanjo had written this in reaction to the lies of Chinua Achebe that Awolowo hated the Igbo: "It is noteworthy that after the division of the country to 12 states by General Gowon in 1968, the East Central State composed mainly of Igbo people emerged. Awolowo then diligently saved the monthly allocation due to Igbo during the war and released same to them at the end of the war. The African Continental Bank (ACB) and the Cooperative Bank for Eastern Nigeria, the two main financial institutions of the Igbo at the time, which had become moribund during the civil war were rejuvenated by Awolowo by releasing substantial funds to them for active operation." I am challenging Chinua Achebe and all those who are defending him to come out and deny this factually. They should come out and say this did not happen and produce documentary evidence to this end. This might be another good opportunity to showcase them as liars and purveyors of falsehood if not hate mongers. Achebe's flagrant flippant disrespect of facts in his book has called to question any academic integrity Achebe might lay claim to. It is one's view that the Igbo sentries who have been peddling this blackmail of 20 pounds payment are ungrateful lot. Apart from the crimes the Igbo have committed against the Yoruba Nation, killing their eminent personalities in politics and the Armed Forces, the Yoruba have tolerated them. They have been patient with the Igbo. The Yoruba have accommodated them. Yet it is daily insults from the Igbo to the Yoruba. It is a stream of lies and fiction against the Yoruba. However, this is a topic for another day. But the fact remains that the Igbo have a pattern of ingratitude, not just to the Yoruba, but also to the Hausa- Fulani and other ethnic nationalities in Nigeria. The Igbo did not have to be given any money after the civil war. It was not compulsory. For some of them to continue to make claims which could not be substantiated that they left money in the Nigerian banks and had to be paid back would amount to fraud of the highest order. It could not have been anything other than sheer dishonesty on the part of those Igbo brethren insisting to be paid what they could not prove. It should be an offence punishable under the law if any person makes that kind of claim and he or she was not able to substantiate it. It is time an end was put to this kind of blackmail and falsehood. More so, who paid the orphans and widows in the Mid-West as well as Yorubaland that were victims of Biafran soldiers? Who indemnified them for the loss and destruction of their properties by the Biafran soldiers? Who paid the victims of Biafran bombers at Lagos, Ibadan, Kano and Kaduna? Who would pay for all those? Who would pay for the deprivations of the widows and orphans in Ore? It is a fact that Achebe's life is irretrievably intertwined with fiction. Evidently, a major part of his life has been fictitious. Thus to write and peddle fiction by him would be convenient and easy. Achebe has done this for so long that he is no longer able to distinguish fiction from reality and facts. As Albert Einstein pointed out above, "Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either." Achebe could no longer be trusted. He is an incorrigible purveyor of lies and falsehood. But he could not and would not be allowed to continue to get away with falsehoods woven in the tapestries of fiction. http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=22841 Remi Oyeyemi, Dec 19, 2012 12 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by pazienza(m): 11:44am On Jul 11, 2017 |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Nobody: 11:50am On Jul 11, 2017 |
Do you know this man did not debunk the 20pound story in this long and trash talking article. How come most of this Awo free education people are becoming history revisionist daily 61 Likes 9 Shares |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Nobody: 11:54am On Jul 11, 2017 |
This is a clear case of iberibeism because of skewed knowledge and defending evil which turned an illiterate "intellectual" into a baying dog being caught by it's Hunter's trap 22 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by ejanla077: 11:59am On Jul 11, 2017 |
people dey crase sha why do we yoruba muslims love to turn history upside down against Igbos.... my friend awolowo did wat he is being accused.. he admitted it too 32 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Ogalanyachieze: 11:59am On Jul 11, 2017 |
Another attempt to hide biafra. Op you can equally say that ojukwu is a fiction of igbo imagination and not a real historical personage. Just say he never existed in real life. Just like they change the bight of biafra to bight of bonny or benin 28 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Warship: 12:04pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
You see why the ancestor of Afonjas was thrown out of heaven Why do a particular people love to lie and turn history upside down against the Igbos 44 Likes 3 Shares |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by chemicalDisease: 12:08pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
QueenOfNepal: He is an Afonja. They perpetually confuse. 25 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by SonofDevil: 12:19pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
chemicalDisease:Incase you don't read How come ojukwu was able to recover his father properties and savings in bank account and other biafrans collect 20pounds 8 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by MRSALT: 12:20pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
I have stopped commenting on Nairaland long time ago. I only read and pass. Honestly, the writer of this article failed big time. After much talk, the writer could not debunk the 20pounds claim. I am disappointed. 30 Likes 4 Shares |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by MRSALT: 12:22pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
SonofDevil: Is property same with cash deposited in the bank? Did Ibos complain about properties or cash in the bank? Please do not muddle the two. 12 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by madridguy(m): 12:27pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Quote of the day: Anyone who doesn't take truth seriously in small matters cannot be trusted in large ones either."Albert Einstein 3 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by gtrust: 12:30pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
You cannot debunk what is true by writing nonsense! - How much did Awolowo save for the Igbos and where did he pay the money into ![]() - Nigeria paid Igbos 20 pounds FACT! MRSALT: 2 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Nobody: 12:32pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
afonjas are crazily stupid.. thrash.. writer no make person provoke oh.. ![]() 14 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by dunkem21(m): 12:38pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
.. 16 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by SonofDevil: 12:51pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
MRSALT:savings is a cash deposit 2 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by PenisCaP: 1:18pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Yorubas are chronic liars. 11 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Origamist: 1:22pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
PenisCaP:Post the lies in the article 2 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by irepnaija4eva(m): 1:24pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Though historical facts showed that he was not the one who set up the panel or had anything to do with it other than just executing the panel's recommendations, Now this statement alone countered all bull crap he wrote up there. Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the then Finance Minister of engineering,executed the panels recommendation of 20 pounds policy. Was Achebe not saying the same thing? Just negodu this man's angle of reasoning. 15 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by conductor11: 1:25pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Origamist:Liee nnukwu nsi 20 Likes
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Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Origamist: 1:27pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
conductor11:Post the lies in the article |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by conductor11: 1:30pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Origamist:Here it is. Drink like your forefathers and be nourished. 21 Likes 2 Shares
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Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Lloydfather(m): 1:36pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Unfortunately chinua Achebe is not alive to reply ur mumu post, neither will i. I will only say if i pained u how the biafrans managed to bounced back wanne go mud. 17 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by PFRB: 2:05pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
I took pains to go through the article and I never saw anywhere the writer debunked the 20 Pounds issue. 10 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by irrefragable: 2:25pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Afonjas and lies sha...... Shebi Lai mohammed is an afonja and their ancestor Oduduwa was chased from heaven for lying. Ok. Continue. 11 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Nobody: 2:27pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Stop mis-yarning and support Biafra abes: 16 Likes
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Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by chemicalDisease: 2:31pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
SonofDevil: Suckk my lef balll. 9 Likes 1 Share |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by SonofDevil: 2:32pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
chemicalDisease:sense fall on you 1 Like |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Origamist: 2:33pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
irepnaija4eva:what the author of the article is saying is that 20 Pounds were given to those who could not provide evidence of having money in Nigerian banks. But the widely held belief is that every Igbo received 20 Pounds regardless of their savings. "The bottom line here is that the issue of this 20 pound gift has become an instrument of blackmail in the hands of Biafran leaders like Achebe who would try to avoid responsibility for the harm they caused their own people. They had to look for someone to blame and Obafemi Awolowo came handy for this. How can any Igbo blame others for losing his Bank Statement? If they could not substantiate their claims in regard to their balances, how did they expect to be paid? Or did they think the rest of Nigerians were fools who would rush to pay any spurious claims they make? Granted that the war could have caused the loss of some documents, why would this be the fault of Awolowo? Is this not a sign of irresponsibility on the part of Achebe and other leaders of Biafra?" The excerpt above sums it up. 3 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Christistruth00: 2:36pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Can someone please tell me how much Ojukwu's Bank of Biafra refunded to depositors at the end of the civil war? 6 Likes |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by SweetJoystick(m): 2:37pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
Deep |
Re: Biafrans And The 20-pound Blackmail (article) By Remi Oyeyemi by Sapiosexuality(m): 2:54pm On Jul 11, 2017 |
So, how is the 20pounds story a lie? Another problem with some of us. We have this illogical and blind zeal to defend our tribe's leaders. That's why we refer to the forefathers who institutionalized tribalism in this country as heroes. You owe those men nothing. Awo and Ahmadu Bello were high level tribalists. Ahmadu Bello was worse. For me, there's never been any true Nigerian Hero or model. The only people who come close and believe in Nigeria were Zik and OBJ but still the men were fallible. I don't consider them heroes. The only problem I had with Achebe's 'There Was A Country' is the tone. It suggests anger and grudge. It was laced with unforgiveness. Besides that, more than 5 books I've read on the War agreed with almost all he said. I've never seen that Nigerian Leader, Dead or Alive, I will absolve of anything. 8 Likes |
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