Post by jakaswanga on Nov 26, 2011 17:08:34 GMT 3
Ojukwu Chukwu-Emeka Odumegwu, the then 33 year old colonel who on 30th May 1967 declared the independent state of Biafra, seceding from Federal Nigeria, and setting the stage for dread civil war upto 12 January 1970, died early morning 26/11/12 at the age of 78 in a London Hospital. An instructive life.
The passions of a controversial man like Ojukwu should be understood to get a clearer picture of some of the powerful historical undercurrents permeating the national politics of the African continent. The demons that bedevil them, these pioneers of their peers who took some of the most momentous decisions affecting the lives of millions, have not been exorcised. He uncannily looks like Jonas Savimbi with that beard.
1951: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa forms Northern Peoples Congress [NPC] together with Ahmadu Bello.
1957: Balewa annointed federal premier of Nigeria.
1960: Independence with Mnadi Azikiwe as Governor General.
1963: Azikiwe formally President, Balewa prime minister.
*But the politicians have managed to poison the air with ethnic and religious hatemongering in the run to 1964 elections. The big three, Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa-Fulani gravitate towards specific ethnic parties. NPC is northern and muslim and Hausa Fulani; Action Group [AC] is Yoruba, Central & West; and the National council for Nigerian citizens [NCNC] is chiefly Igbo, East.[/color]
1964: After the fractious elections, Azikiwe tries to fire Balewa.
*This is a copyright Congo situation where President Kasavubu fires Premier Lumumba who inturn fires him, and nobody leaves office! I think were Kibaki to fire Raila, we would end up with the same comical prelude to disaster.
1965-1966: Stalemate Waiting to exhale. The first generation nationalists have outlived their uselfulness but they linger on, and something has to give that the nation proceed. And it did, setting the stage for hell. Here is an elegant read.
the 15th january 1966 Nigeria coup
1967: Biafra secedes under Ojukwu.
But as Ojukwu dies and a chapter ends on the discomforts of the 1884 Berlin cannibalisation of Africa with Nigerian specifics, it is the life of his deputy which I want to highlight most. The man who carried the can.
For it was he, colonel Philip Effiong Obong', who after Ojukwu fled to the Ivory Coast on January 9 1970, was left to announce the capitulation four days later on January 12, surrender to colonel Yakubu Gowon of the federal forces, and offer his honour. The republic of Biafra lay smoking in ruins, 2.5 million dead, and Gowon --whom Ojukwu had jested with Mr. GO ON WITH ONE NIGERIA [G.O.W.O.N] in a propaganda war of the colonels, was free to exact his maximum price. This surrender decision was the payday of his [Effiong's] all. In his own words.
His full names are as follows.. and a review of his recollections of the war.
Philip Asuquo Efiong Udo Ukpong Akpan Ekandem Essien Nkam Obionte
Effiong Obong' lived long after, finding time to write and revise his memoirs! Dying at 78 too! in 2003!He refused to denounce Biafra. In an interview he once said: Even as they knew we had lost the war and all their children died of starvation, the peoples eyes held no hate for us failing leaders. They burried their loved ones on the soil, and called the soil Biafra, not Nigeria. We lost the war, but we were right.
PS: The Eritreans won theirs.
The passions of a controversial man like Ojukwu should be understood to get a clearer picture of some of the powerful historical undercurrents permeating the national politics of the African continent. The demons that bedevil them, these pioneers of their peers who took some of the most momentous decisions affecting the lives of millions, have not been exorcised. He uncannily looks like Jonas Savimbi with that beard.
1951: Abubakar Tafawa Balewa forms Northern Peoples Congress [NPC] together with Ahmadu Bello.
1957: Balewa annointed federal premier of Nigeria.
1960: Independence with Mnadi Azikiwe as Governor General.
1963: Azikiwe formally President, Balewa prime minister.
*But the politicians have managed to poison the air with ethnic and religious hatemongering in the run to 1964 elections. The big three, Igbo, Yoruba, and Hausa-Fulani gravitate towards specific ethnic parties. NPC is northern and muslim and Hausa Fulani; Action Group [AC] is Yoruba, Central & West; and the National council for Nigerian citizens [NCNC] is chiefly Igbo, East.[/color]
1964: After the fractious elections, Azikiwe tries to fire Balewa.
*This is a copyright Congo situation where President Kasavubu fires Premier Lumumba who inturn fires him, and nobody leaves office! I think were Kibaki to fire Raila, we would end up with the same comical prelude to disaster.
1965-1966: Stalemate Waiting to exhale. The first generation nationalists have outlived their uselfulness but they linger on, and something has to give that the nation proceed. And it did, setting the stage for hell. Here is an elegant read.
the 15th january 1966 Nigeria coup
1967: Biafra secedes under Ojukwu.
But as Ojukwu dies and a chapter ends on the discomforts of the 1884 Berlin cannibalisation of Africa with Nigerian specifics, it is the life of his deputy which I want to highlight most. The man who carried the can.
For it was he, colonel Philip Effiong Obong', who after Ojukwu fled to the Ivory Coast on January 9 1970, was left to announce the capitulation four days later on January 12, surrender to colonel Yakubu Gowon of the federal forces, and offer his honour. The republic of Biafra lay smoking in ruins, 2.5 million dead, and Gowon --whom Ojukwu had jested with Mr. GO ON WITH ONE NIGERIA [G.O.W.O.N] in a propaganda war of the colonels, was free to exact his maximum price. This surrender decision was the payday of his [Effiong's] all. In his own words.
His full names are as follows.. and a review of his recollections of the war.
Philip Asuquo Efiong Udo Ukpong Akpan Ekandem Essien Nkam Obionte
Effiong Obong' lived long after, finding time to write and revise his memoirs! Dying at 78 too! in 2003!He refused to denounce Biafra. In an interview he once said: Even as they knew we had lost the war and all their children died of starvation, the peoples eyes held no hate for us failing leaders. They burried their loved ones on the soil, and called the soil Biafra, not Nigeria. We lost the war, but we were right.
PS: The Eritreans won theirs.