Prof ABC Nwosu is a former Minister of Health. On this interview, he speaks on a number of the points raised by a former Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon in his current interview on his function within the Nigeria-Biafra Battle, and different points
You need to have learn Common Yakubu Gowon’s interview on the Civil Battle. As somebody near Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, what’s your tackle the interview?
I felt unhappy; very unhappy as a result of I had anticipated that Gowon would reveal at the least a number of the issues which have bothered me and Ndigbo from 1966 until now.
Gowon’s interview was not solely unhappy for me due to his self-serving half-truth however for the key issues not mentioned. I don’t suppose that Gowon believes that whole deviation from the Aburi settlement was the reason for the civil conflict, however everyone, and I imply everyone who was a Biafran on the time, doubted that it was.
That’s why ‘On Aburi We Stand’ was the conflict cry from the East. If Aburi had been carried out, there would have been no Nigeria-Biafra conflict. I thank the revered journalist, Chuks Iloegbunam, for his masterful response to Common Gowon interview.
For instance, when Common Gowon mentioned that he didn’t name his Secretary to Authorities to the Aburi assembly while Ojukwu did, I mentioned to myself that Common Gowon has misplaced it as a result of Aburi was not a singles tennis match between him and his so-called good friend, Ojukwu.
Why is Aburi crucial for Nigeria?
Aburi was crucial as a result of each different dialogue on what had occurred particularly, the January 15 coup, Might 29 pogrom and the July 29 counter-had didn’t resolve the matter as the assorted delegations had feared for his or her lives and wouldn’t attend additional conferences.
Chief Obafemi Awolowo’s assembly with Ojukwu on Might 5 and 6, 1967 didn’t achieve bringing the Japanese delegation to the assembly. As Gowon appropriately mentioned, the East couldn’t attend any assembly in Nigeria as a result of they feared for his or her lives.
As Gowon additionally mentioned, a British conflict aircraft in addition to a Naval conflict ship had been thought-about however rejected by the East due to the involvement of Britain within the battle. So, the suitable venue was Common Ankrah and his supply of Aburi in Ghana.
It was not a gathering between Gowon and Ojukwu, that’s why I insist that it was not a singles tennis match between the 2 of them.
It was a gathering between Common Gowon, who got here with the federal cupboard secretariat; Common Hassan Usman Katsina and the Secretary to the Northern Authorities; Governor David Ejoor, who got here with the Secretary of the Midwest Authorities; Governor Adeyinka Adebayo, who got here with the Secretary of the Western Nigerian authorities and Governor Odumegwu Ojukwu, who got here with Japanese Nigerian authorities.
So, it was a full-fledged Nigerian assembly to avert a conflict and never a gathering between Gowon and Ojukwu. One of many key unanimous selections at Aburi was that the battle wouldn’t be settled by way of a conflict.
Subsequently, to say that we fought to reside collectively shouldn’t be true since all of them had agreed that combating was not obligatory and wouldn’t be used to settle the matter.
In any case, the matter of dividing Nigeria into 12 states was neither tabled nor mentioned at Aburi. What was mentioned was devolution of powers from the centre to the federating items, together with coercive businesses of state like Police, Military and so forth.
Aburi settlement will proceed to hang-out Nigeria within the type of restructuring of the Nigerian polity alongside the intentions of the founding fathers of the republic
What was mentioned with unanimity was in making appointments to ‘tremendous everlasting secretaries,’ Inspector General of Police, amongst others.
This significantly irked the tremendous everlasting secretaries on the time, who submitted an anti-Aburi settlement memo. What was required with a purpose to maintain good religion was a follow-up assembly by all these current on the authentic assembly, the place the unique settlement was reached.
The opposite members can’t implement their model of the settlement with out consulting and getting the concurrence of the Japanese authorities that wore the sneakers that had been pinching them on all sides – refugees and rehabilitation, burial of so many useless our bodies and fleeing residents.
So, it was flawed to have carried out the civil servant-mutilated Aburi settlement. If one checks the sequence of occasions resulting in the Nigeria-Biafra conflict, the creation of 12 states on Might 5, 1967, which was not a part of Aburi, was executed to take the wind off the sails of the urge for the creation of Biafra.
This was clearly dangerous religion proven by the Federal Authorities. Sadly, this was the impetus that accelerated the declaration of Biafra on Might 30, 1967 as a result of folks of the East feared that the Federal Authorities may declare a state of emergency and invade the East.
Biafra was not declared earlier than the creation of the 12 states, which was not within the spirit of the Aburi settlement. One of many main agreements of the Aburi was the repatriation of troopers to their states of origin. The West continued to whine over this till the Nigeria-Biafra conflict, the place they joined the battle towards Biafra.
However Aburi settlement will proceed to hunt Nigeria within the type of restructuring of the Nigerian polity alongside the intentions of the founding fathers of the republic, the place there are not any senior or junior Nigerians, and the place the federating items are coordinate authorities, not this nonsense of sub-national authorities. Sub-national authorities implies that Abubakar Tafawa-Balewa was senior to Sir Ahmadu Bello, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Chief Dr. Michael Okpara.
To me, that’s arrant nonsense, and all these folks utilizing the time period sub-national authorities don’t know what a federation is.
You mentioned that you’re apprehensive about Gowon’s silence on the January 15, 1966 coup and the counter coup of July 1966, what are your worries?
I’m apprehensive in regards to the January 15, 1966 coup as a result of I do know it was totally investigated by the particular department of the police beneath late Inspector General of Police, MD Yusuf and the report up until now shouldn’t be public, although some folks have managed to put their arms on it.
The report was mentioned to have been submitted to the Chief of Army Staff beneath Common Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi (which might be Common Gowon) however Gowon has mentioned nothing about it up to now.
I might have favored to know the way many individuals had been investigated; the assertion that they made and specifically, whether or not it was an Igbo coup.
I do know for sure that the report indicated that Emmanuel Arinze Ifeajuna and Adewale Ademoyega had been the central figures of the coup and that Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was concerned in the direction of the later a part of their planning.
There are rumors that others had been concerned however Nigerians want to see what the report was like. It was additionally unhappy that Common Gowon saved whole silence on the counter coup of July 29, 1966 and the way he grew to become Supreme Commander.
That interview by Gowon was additionally completely silent on the pogrom and killing of civilians within the North and West of Nigeria. Easterners, particularly Ndigbo, would surprise why he was silent as a result of these had been the premise of fears of insecurity by Easterners, particularly Ndigbo, about their lives and property in their very own nation with out being protected by their very own authorities.
Understanding the rationale why folks get killed and their property seized once they enterprise out of their states of origin, is crucial for stability in Nigeria.
Gowon acknowledged that he gave particular directions on guidelines of engagement for the Nigerian Military for the conflict… Actually, and had been these guidelines enforced?
I by no means learn of the tribunal and trials of these behind the Asaba Bloodbath for instance. In the meantime, ‘Asaba nonetheless mourns’ and has erected a memorial to provide their sons respectable relaxation. The opposite day Ogbomosho folks needed nationwide honours for his or her son and hero, Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle.
I ponder whether it was the identical Brigadier Adekunle, the Black Scorpion, who ordered that something shifting needs to be shot, even the canine, however I go away that for now.
And the West nonetheless feels that Colonel Emma Nwaobosi needs to be publicly hanged for killing Governor Akintola and his spouse while idolizing Chief Awolowo. It perplexes me.
Lastly, on conflict crimes, I’m nonetheless to come back to phrases with the truth that hunger of recent born youngsters, their moms and toddlers may very well be a authentic instrument of conflict.
Is that a part of the UN Conference? And but no person talks about these items; simply wishing that those that misplaced their family members ought to simply cover within the nook and shut their mouths. And Gowon saved quiet on this within the interview.
It’s apparent, from what you mentioned, that you just anticipated extra from Gowon’s interview…
Sure as I might have anticipated from Ojukwu, if he ever gave an interview within the later a part of his life.
In three months, it will likely be 55 years because the conflict ended and Nigerians reside collectively however the identical issues that had been to be solved by Aburi are nonetheless very a lot with us. We maintain having conferences upon conferences on methods to reside in a extra steady united nation.
We even had beneath Obasanjo a Reality and Reconciliation Fee beneath the famend jurist, Chukwudifu Oputa, with additionally famend Bishop Matthew Hassan Kukah as Secretary, however no person was prepared to speak. No one additionally had any regrets.
Governor Usman Farouk, Governor of Northwest State when Nigeria was a 12 state construction and member of the investigative panel of MD Yusuf Panel for the January 15 coup, wrote his e book titled, “There have been Victors and There have been Vanquished.” A few of us have copies. No one remains to be prepared to speak and say precisely what occurred.
Even when these nationwide conferences agree on points like state police, devolution of energy, Much less funds for the Federal Authorities, extra share on derivation precept, they don’t get carried out both by a president who throws the report into the trash bin or by a president, who is meant to be an apostle of true federalism and financial federalism.
The consoling concern is that we will all go the best way of all mortals whether or not we prefer it or not. And Nigeria will proceed to be an unstable state till we restructure.
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