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Apparently in deference to his world repute as a master story teller, the preview of the historical polemic of Albert Chinualumogu Achebe, better known as Chinua Achebe, retelling the story of Biafra, in his new book, There was a Country, has elicited unprecedented hate mails. Thankfully, the less emotive commentaries merely questioned Achebe’s motive and intention; while many also praised Achebe for living up to his responsibility as an elder, who must address the truth, even when it hurts. Ironically, many of those that accused Achebe of an unforgiving heart and hatred, where even more vengeful as they poured indescribable scorn on Achebe for daring to indict Chief Obafemi Awolowo over the Biafra saga, without realising the incongruity.

One salient point from the diatribe is that the Biafra war has not been dispassionately and deeply investigated, as a historical event. Probably because the details of that past is too scary, or merely because the Nigerian state has remained unsettled since the war. The two undisputed issues raised by Achebe are that the Nigerian state allowed and indeed committed pogrom against the children and women of Biafra, before and during the war. The other issue is that at the end of the war and thereafter, the Nigerian state engaged in economic despoliation through policies and programmes to further punish the people; the highlight of which is the payment of twenty pounds in lieu of whatever amount, they owned at the end of the war.

What, however, irked many of the bitter commentators were that Achebe imputed untoward tribal motive as the reason why Chief Obafemi Awolowo, joined General Yakubu Gowon’s led Federal Government to use extra-combat measures, to suppress the emergence of Biafra. Achebe argued that Awolowo was driven by his ambition to uplift his tribe, the Yoruba at the expense of his own tribe, the Igbo. In the preview that caused the uproar, Achebe clearly stated that those views are his own interpretation of the motive behind Awolowo’s actions. Without maligning the general integrity of Achebe, it would have been enough as some commentators have done in their review, to also ascribe motives to Achebe. Unfortunately some excessively and passionately used the published preview as a launch pad to attack Achebe and his tribe, without restraint.

Even while waiting for an auspicious time for an independent examination of the issues raised by Achebe against the Nigerian state, many including this writer look forward to a truth and reconciliation process, particularly among the younger generation. As correctly argued by many commentators, the Yoruba as a people indeed showed more maturity towards the Igbo than other ethnic groups during the war. For instance, unlike in the old Rivers State, there was no case of abandoned property. This writer also agrees with the view that the inevitable rivalry between the Yoruba and Igbo should not distract political collaboration for their common good and that of the federal republic of Nigeria.

Indeed as correctly argued by Olakunle Abimbola in his column last week, in this paper, there has been an unending war of political attrition, prior and since the war, as each ethnic group in Nigeria tries to retaliate the wrong doing of a previous era. The fall out of that unending misadventure is the political uncertainties that have made the country permanently unstable politically, which in-turn aide corruption and further weakening of state institutions. As seen after the war, the country suffered political instability and coup d’états as the injustices and perceived injustices of the past made the country untenable for the due process stress associated with democracy. While the country suffered, many individuals took advantage, and today most of the trillions of petro-dollars made by the Nigerian state since after the war, have been stolen probably as ransom for securing a united Nigeria.

While there is need to come to terms with what has been described as the historical monstrosities of the Nigerians state, I do not subscribe to the view as some are wont to believe, that the past completely defines the present. Otherwise, we will dwell in stereotypes and prejudgments, in place of dispassionate examinations and analogies. For instance a census of the atrocities of the more modern day Nigeria would show that tribe and tongue may differ, but when it comes to plundering Nigeria, the elite from all ethnic groups coalesce and speak the same language. One elderly friend of mine suggested that a census of the fuel subsidy scammers would easily show those at the apex of the criminal economic enterprise, that has rendered Nigeria, a giant with clay foots.

Having been born barely a year before the formal war was declared by the Nigeria state, to conquer the then Biafra; this writer, suffered the pain, deprivations and want of the average Biafra child. As I have argued among friends, the Nigerian state must someday account for nearly starving us to death. Indeed I look forward to receiving due compensation from the Nigerian state, even though a very senior friend from the Nigerian side, jokingly said that my present physical development belie this unfortunate part of my history. So, while not forgoing my entitlement to restitution, especially as the Kenyans several years after are bringing the British to justice, I am inclined to collaborate to solve modern day Nigerian challenges, with less strain on the past.

In facing the future, the people of Ondo State will go to the polls this weekend. Without hesitation, I endorse Rotimi Akeredolu of Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), a distinguished Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN) and past president of the Nigeria Bar Association (NBA). My endorsement is based on his records at the Bar and as an activist, which speak eloquently in his favour.