…Says it’s no crime to honour fallen Biafra heroes
Stephen Ukandu, Umuahia
Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, has been challenged by Igbo women to speak up on the truth about the Aburi Accord and what truly led to the Nigeria vs Biafra war of 1967-1970.
This, according to the women, will clear the air about the misconceptions and sustained wrong narratives about the actual cause of the civil war.
Speaking under the aegis of Igbo Women Assembly (IWA), the women said that contrary to misleading narratives in some quarters that the war was declared by the Igbo, the late Biafran war lord, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, was forced to resort to war in defense of Ndigbo who were the targets of the genocidal attacks that preceded the war.
They argued that “there is actually nothing wrong with honouring victims of the Nigerian civil war,” contrary to misconceptions about Biafra Day anniversary.
Speaking on the heels of the recent sit-at-home declared by Biafra agitators on May 30, in honour of those who lost their lives while defending the defunct republic, IWA National President, Lolo Nneka Chimezie, said “remembering fallen heroes and heroines is a global practice that should not be criminalised.”
The IWA President said that “Biafra remembrance day has got to be part of our history that cannot be suppressed.”
Lolo Chimezie commended all those who despite all odds, observed the sit-at-home in honour of all those both soldiers and civilians who died in the cause of “the avoidable war.”
According to her, observing a day in honour of the war casualties particularly the gallant soldiers who died defending their beloved ones, does not in anyway amount to rebellion against the Nigeria State.
“Igbo women want to put it on record that those who died while defending us during the civil war were not goats but our beloved husbands and youths. We don’t believe that setting aside a day to remember them is a crime.
“So, we want to thank all those in South-East and elsewhere who joined in honouring those heroes and heroines. It will be a mirage for anybody to think that we can stop remembering them. Biafra day is not about IPOB; it’s rather about our history which even the unborn generation will be told of.”
The IWA President further advised the Nigeria Government to find a way to recognize the Biafra day as indelible part of Nigeria’s history instead of “futile attempts to suppress the day or clamp down on those observing it.”
She argued that the continued injustice against Ndigbo gave birth to the renewed agitation for Biafra restoration, advising the Federal Government to stop using brute force, and rather engage the agitators for a peaceful dialogue with a view to addressing their grievances.
Lolo Chimezie further argued that contrary to misconceptions and propaganda by the Federal Government, members of the Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB, are not the architects of insecurity in the South-East but criminal elements sponsored by enemies of Ndigbo.
“A militant leader who said he was asked to secure South-East should be questioned about the insecurity in the zone. Today, the criminals have turned the once peaceful South-East into a crime zone. This is part of their ploy to continue the civil war against us but we should be wiser.”
The IWA President queried why it was difficult for the Nigerian state to apologise to Ndigbo after the recent revelation by former Head of State, General Ibrahim Babangida, that the 1966 coup tagged ‘Igbo coup,’ was a false narrative.
“We have done a lot of research and discovered that the civil war was avoidable. The false narration that the 1966 coup was Igbo coup as recently confirmed by Gen. Babangida, has not been addressed. Why can’t Nigeria apologize to Ndigbo for the false accusation which led to the avoidable civil war?”
Chimezie argued that “if the Federal Government could recognize June 12 in honour of Moshood Abiola, the perceived winner of the 1990 presidential election who died in questionable circumstances, why can’t it do same in honour of Biafrans who died during the war?”
Igbo women told the former Head of State, Gen. Gowon, who executed the civil war that “no amount of prayers can bring true healing and reconciliation without genuine apologies to pacify the spirits of the war casualties.”
“Since after the war, what has Nigerian Government done to pacify the victims of the war? Why is it that Nigeria doesn’t want to talk about the war? What was the offense of those Igbo wasted during the war?
“Why is it that 56 years after the civil war, the shadow of the war and the blood of innocent Igbo shed during the pogrom are still haunting Nigeria? Instead of learning their lessons and apologizing, Nigeria is still harassing those remembering their loved ones who died in the war. We cannot stop talking of the war. Even the unborn generation will hear of it.
“Gen. Gowon who supervised the war and genocide against the Igbo is busy going around the country and praying. But we want to remind him that no amount of prayer can wash away the stain of the blood of over 6 million innocent Igbo children, women and men wasted during the war.
“Gowon should tell the world the truth about Aburi accord in Ghana and the Biafra war. He should not go to grave without confessing the truth if there must be true healing for those hurt by the needless civil war.
“There was a lot of war crimes including the Asaba massacre, church and market bombings. How can we shy away from talking about the sad history of the war?”
The Igbo women group again, renewed their call for the unconditional release of IPOB leader, Mazi Nnamdi Kanu, as part of the healing process to protracted injustice against Ndigbo.
According to them, Kanu’s release will rather fast-track the return of peace to the South-East and not escalate tension in the region.
IWA disagreed with the National Security Adviser, NSA, Nuhu Ribadu, that IPOB is behind the insecurity in the South-East, arguing that “criminal elements sponsored by Igbo enemies” are masterminds of the unrest in the zone.
IWA pledged their continued solidarity with Kanu, declaring that the liberation cause he is championing is not selfish but a fight for justice and equity.
Calling for unity among Ndigbo and advising political leaders sacrificing the interest of the race on the altar of their personal gains to have a rethink, IWA declared that Ndigbo would be indefatigable if they are united.
