The row over literary giant Chinua Achebe’s memoirs, There was a country, grew yesterday, with leaders supporting or opposing the position of the celebrated writer.
Achebe, in his just released Civil War memoirs, accuses the leaders of the then Federal Government, particularly Gen. Yakubu Gowon, who was the Head of State, and the Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the late Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of committing genocide against the Igbo.
Achebe said the late Chief Awolowo inspired “starvation of the Igbo” as a weapon in the war.
In a statement yesterday, an associate of the late Chief Awolowo, Chief Ayo Adebanjo, said: “I am sad and distressed that a literary giant and an elder statesman such as Professor Chinua Achebe could be credited with the statement attributed to him in his latest book on the Nigerian Civil War at this time in Nigeria’s political history, over 40 years after the end of the Nigeria Civil War.
“Fair minded persons cannot accuse Chief Awolowo of being part of the intellectual arm of a cabinet that intentionally initiated the pogrom of the Igbo, when in fact the record shows he took positive steps to persuade Ojukwu to avoid the conflict.
“Whilst the war was raging, Chief Awolowo visited Enugu and Port Harcourt where he saw Kwashiorkor (malnourished) victims for the first time. He wondered how this could happen in view of the quantity of food items sent through international agencies to the civilians in these areas. He was then informed that the food never got to the civilians, the food items were cornered by the soldiers who were feeding to the detriment of the civilians. One can imagine such a report being provided to a cabinet filled with military officers conducting a war.
“It should not be surprising that to avoid feeding enemy soldiers, the federal government at the time put a stop to the delivery of food meant for the civilian population that was being hijacked by Biafran soldiers. This is what Achebe mischievously called the deliberate starvation of the Igbos…
“If it is true that Chief Awolowo was such an architect of pogrom and genocide against the Igbos, how would Professor Achebe explain the fact that there were no incidents of pogrom or genocide against the Igbo in any part of the then Western Region composed mainly of the Yorubas, and Chief Awolowo’s primary sphere of influence. Rather, the Igbos who fled the West on the clarion call of Ojukwu for them to return to the East had their properties kept safe for them, with the rents collected on the properties duly accounted for at the end of the civil war and paid to such Igbo owners. It should be noted that no incidents of “abandoned property” occurred in the Western Region – Chief Awolowo’s zone.”
Another associate of the late Leader of the Yoruba, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, is worried over the statement credited to Achebe on the late sage.
Speaking in a telephone interview, Fasanmi described Achebe’s comment as a plot to pitch the Igbo against the Yoruba.
The Second Republic Senator said that without Awolowo’s understanding of the country’s situation and sound judgement at the time, there would not have been Nigeria today.
He said: “It is unfortunate that somebody of Achebe’s intellectual capacity could be bringing up issues about the war fought and forgone many years back.
What is the rationale behind Achebe’s action and what does he want to achieve?”
“When the nation’s major challenge is how to bring various ethnic nationalities together in the interest of everybody and for the unity of all sections of the country, somebody from the blues is just gathering his thoughts and fanning embers of disunity.
“What is far more important is for the Igbo to join the rest of the nation to build a common front for the nation’s unity. No one should be happy with the way things are in the country today. There are corruption, energy problem, social infrastructural decay, security challenges and many others for all of us to come together and fight.”
Fasanmi insisted that no one could rubbish the late Chief Awolowo and his legacies. The late sage, Fasanmi said, was a great detribalised Nigerian, who should be praised rather than condemned by anybody.
Chief Reuben Fasoranti, who spoke from Akure, said: “Prof Achebe and his people have been unfair to Awo. Awo was fair to them because he gave them jobs and other benefits of governance, especially in the West. It is not true that Awo was fighting for his selfish ends with his role during the war. In fact, Awo believed that the war was unnecessary.
“All through his life, Awo believed in the indivisible corporate existence of Nigeria, which was what informed the role he played during the war. Awo was a man who fought for, and believed firmly in, the unity of the country, even to a fault.”
Chief Ebenezer Babatope, who was the Director of Organisation of the Awo-led Unity Party of Nigeria (UPN) in the Second Republic, said the attack on the late sage by Achebe is “condemnable and uncalled for”. He said he was still trying to come to terms with the motives behind the constant attacks on Awo by the novelist.
“The attack is condemnable and uncalled for. I am still wondering what Achebe’s motives could be because 30 years ago, he wrote a book titled The trouble with Nigeria in which he attacked Papa Awo.
“I have not read the new book, but after reading it, I will give a detailed response to all the diatribe against Papa Awo. Some of Papa Awo’s associates were pro-Biafra during the war. Take the case of the late Ayo Ojewunmi, who was the Editor of Nigerian Tribune; he was arrested and detained severally on account of his stance on the war.
“But let me state that Yoruba and Igbo will not quarrel over this, but we will trash it out intellectually so that we can forge a more united country out of the present,” he said.
Mr Odia Ofeimum, a former private secretary to the late Chief Awolowo, said he was yet to read the book and so would not comment comprehensively on it. Nevertheless, he added, “the genocide in Biafra was largely created by those who insisted on going to war even when they did not have the guns to prosecute the war”.
“ It cannot be blamed on Chief Awolowo. The outcome (of the war) was predictable, “ the poet-critic said.
Senator Olufemi Lanlehin described as mischievous Achebe’s views. He said: “He has not been able to explain his role in the war. He was a Cultural Ambassador and contributed to the declaration of the war.
“Chief Awolowo’s denial of enunciating anti-Igbo policies is well-advertised. The newspapers just recently published an interview on the issues that Achebe has just raised. On the currency, the exchange of loads of Biafran pounds for 20 Nigerian Pounds, it is clear that it was for the purpose of saving the Nigerian economy. It is what any Finance Minister worth his salt would have done. I do not think that he did anything against international best practices.
“The professor has been very uncharitable to Chief Awlowo and the Yoruba by those comments. The records are, in any case, available for anybody to see.”
The spokesman of the Afenifere Renewal Group, Mr. Kunle Famoriyo, called on the Igbo to be discerning in evaluating the submission of Prof Achebe. He said: “If the Igbo are discerning enough, they should by now know their enemies, and they include Achebe. Otherwise, why is he peddling at this point in time what did not happen?”
Famoriyo said what should concern all patriots and progressives, at this juncture in the history of the country, is how to achieve a common front against reactionary forces. He said the ARG has been working towards ensuring a united front in the South just like the North has a Forum to aggregate and push its position.
“What we want now is a united Southern Forum to canvass regionalism and restructuring of the country. It is the only way forward, and throwing us back to issues that kept us divided in ages past, even when the contentions lack foundation, is quite unfortunate.”
Delving into history, the ARG spokesman said: “Anyone who has a sense of history would easily recollect that the pogrom stemmed from a contention between Ojukwu and Gowon over who should be the Head of State. Ojukwu would not accept Gowon as Commander-in-Chief and thus decided to resist the decision. What had that to do with Awolowo or the Yoruba?
“Achebe should at least have been honest enough to admit that the Yoruba were not fully drawn into the war, until an attempt was made to overrun Yorubaland through Ore. In that case, what did Achebe expect?”
Famoriyo said genuine progressives should move beyond the controversy and think of how to overcome the current challenges facing the country.
But the former President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohaneze Ndigbo, Dr Dozie Ikedife, said nobody should crucify Achebe for his comment because “the truth must be told”.
Ikedife said the genocide happened because people were hungry; children, mothers and fathers died, adding that what Ndigbo needed was for somebody to apologise to the people by saying “gentlemen, I’m sorry”.
This, according to him, would solve the matter once and for all. “Let no one fool any person,” he said, adding that the genesis of the crisis is well known.
He said some Yoruba admitted that the strongest weapon used against Igbo during the war was hunger and starvation, the rest of Nigerians owe Ndigbo an apology, Ikedife said.
“I do not see the reason why all these venoms should be pouring on Achebe for saying the truth. Let the truth be said and let the devil be damned.
A social critic and leader of Transform Nigeria Movement (TNM), Comrade Obi Ochije, said people should mind what they say against Ndigbo because of Achebe’s book, adding that they are aware that the author of the classic, Things fall apart, spoke the truth.
He said: “I believe that one day, may be not in our life time again, the truth of what happened during the evil war would be told.
“It is not only Achebe that saw that happened; all of us did, but because he is the only person who has the courage to say it has made it as if he has committed a treasonable felony.
“This attack on Achebe is improper and will not solve any problem, but let no one provoke Ndigbo again in this country; let bygone be bygone. People should apologise to Ndigbo for the genocide that happened.”
In a statement signed by its National Chairman, Edeson Samuel, the group maintained that Achebe committed no crime but just said the truth.
BZM posited: “This is the problem with Nigeria. If you ever say the truth, they will call you names and, if possible, demand for your head just like that of John the Baptist who said the truth about Herod and his brother’s wife.”
The group said instead of castigating Ndigbo for what Achebe expressed as his opinion, they should be grateful that Ndigbo are developing their place for them, adding: “If Ndigbo should leave, the entire West will collapse.”
The statement added: “God gave us (Ndigbo) wisdom, strength and intelligence and we are grateful to the Almighty. Your claim and comment against Professor Achebe and indeed Igbo should stop since it lacks merit, is unfounded and ungentlemanly.”
