Written by Elochukwu Ohagi,
For Family Writers Press International.
In 1966/70 the world witnessed an injustice against the people of Biafra. The unwarranted killing was sponsored and supported by Britain. The starvation of millions of children and the bombing of schools, hospitals, churches and farmlands. The Asaba genocide and the rest.
But Nnamdi Azikiwe, a man they called a great Igbo man was in London giving a press release, calling Ojukwu a Tyrant, describing Biafrans as rebels and asking the world to stop every aid to Biafra. He believes that Biafrans should be starved into submission or extinction.
A lot of people who revered Zik have tried to lie to the people about the exploits of this man. But I see no reason such a man should be honoured and respected.
When the Anambra state government under Willie Obiano forced a public holiday on us all for Zik, I started asking some questions. Nigeria doesn’t celebrate men of the people. Even though some gluttonous South-Eastern politicians have been using Ojukwu’s pictures to garner votes in APGA, they never mapped out a public holiday for him. They used him to fool people but refused to celebrate him. But Zik had mapped a day for, and forced even private markets to shut down. I expected them to use Zik’s pictures on their campaign clothes, just as they are celebrating him. Why are they not using it? Why?
Murtala Mohammed has been celebrated by Nigeria. They have an International Airport named after him and his head on a 20 Naira note. That’s a műrderer and genocidal aniimal who went to Asaba, brought out armless Asaba men, and opened fire on them. A coupist who destr0yed countless governments in Nigeri@. So I am not surprised that a selfish ‘One Nigeria’ believer like Zik is being elevated by South-Eastern governors. Lots of children would view him as an honourable man. Which he is not. Nigerian politicians are gurus in fooling Nigerians.
Zik is both a Fulani caliphate and a British puppet. He believes that the retaking of Port Harcourt and Asaba by Nigerian soldiers is a liberation for the people of Port Harcourt and Asaba. That was at a time when lots of gen0cides were committed in those places by Nigerian soldiers.
If you haven’t watched Zik in his useless press release, please watch it. While he kept calling us rebels and Ojukwu a tyrant, he had no ill words for Gowon and Nigeria. Gowon, it was that watched as more than 50,000 Easterners were murdered in the pogrom by a combined military and civilian militants of northern extraction. It was Gowon who thwarted the Aburi accord that would have restored peace. It was Gowon who used hunger and starvation as a weapon of war. But Zik, you called a great Igbo man, had no word for him. You celebrate such a man and blame Ojukwu. You exonerate Yakubu Gowon and blame the killings of Biafrans on Odumegwu Ojukwu. Where is it done, if not in Nigeria? I have engaged some believers of Zik’s philosophy who think true genocide didn’t happen during the Biafran-Nigerian war because Gowon was a good man. For them, the killing of 3.5 million of their own people isn’t a true genocide. They exonerate Gowon, the head and commander in Chief and want us to blame only Murtala Mohammed. That’s why some of them believe Ndi Igbo should be grateful to Yakubu Gowon. Imagine that.
Akanu Ibiam denounced both the Knighthood conferred on him by the Queen of England and his English name Francis. That was in protest against the atrocities of Britain during the war. Britain sponsored Nigeria, gave them weapons and used the BBC to lie to the world.
But Nnamdi Azikiwe embraced the killers of his people.
I am not a stvpid man. I know a selfish and insensitive man when I see one. That you all think Zik is a great man means nothing to me. The worst of times for Easterners were during that war. It was a time injustice walked on its two giant legs, but out of selfishness, the Zik of Africa sided with the oppress0rs.
You can now see why history should not have been abolished by the Nigerian government. More than 98% of Nigerians were never taught history in school.
That is why they support any trash presented to them and are easily fooled.
Not me! As far as Nigeria is concerned, everything Zik believed in should be thrown into the garbage. Including his One Nigeria nonsense!
Any Igbo Kid growing up with the mentality of Zik’s One Nigeria will surely be a problem towards the emancipation of Igbo people trapped in Nigeria.
Edited By Paul Ihechi Alagba
Elochukwu Ohagi is a Philosopher, Teacher and Activist.
Twitter: @ElochukwuOhagi
