Photo : General Gowon•Chinua Achebe•Obafemi Awolowo
Pan-Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Ohanaeze Ndigbo on Sunday flayed its Yoruba counterpart, Afenifere, for calling literary giant, Professor Chinua Achebe a propagandist.
In his new book, ‘There was a Country’, Achebe had accused war time Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, and late Yoruba leader, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of formulating policies that promoted genocide against Ndigbo.
Reacting, Afenifere called Achebe a propagandist for attacking Awolowo.
But National Publicity Secretary of Ohanaeze, Ralph Ndigwe, flayed Afenifere for trying to rubbish Achebe’s latest book, rather than answer the questions that were posed in it by the literary icon.
“I do not know what they meant by calling Achebe a propagandist. Is it a propaganda that Awolowo gave the Igboman 20 pounds after the war no matter what he had in the bank?
“Is it propaganda that Awolowo suggested that Igbo children should be starved to death to weaken the strength of Biafra to fight the Nigerian state.
“Is it propaganda that Awolowo as Finance Minister sold all companies owned by the Federal Government through nationalisation so that his Yoruba brothers could buy up all our national patrimony which Ndigbo contributed to build?
“Let them answer the questions raised by Achebe,” Ndigwe said.
He said Ohanaeze is behind Achebe and appreciates what he has done, adding that once again Achebe tried to tell them the truth the way it should be told, not minding who may be offended.
The Ohanaeze spokesman recalled that the Nigerian state gave Achebe national honour, “The kind of proliferated national honours that we are seeing now and he rejected it and told them that instead of giving him such national honour, they should go and put things in order and now he has told them the truth again and instead of learning from what he said, they are trying to rubbish his good book.”
He noted that there are other good people like Achebe, even among the Yoruba race, but warned that until such good people come out to speak the truth like the literary icon, the bloodletting in Nigeria would continue unabated.
“What is happening in the North today is a child’s play compared to what was done to Ndigbo in the North.
“Even in Makurdi, Ndigbo were butchered by their close door neighbours. I think South Africa is a peaceful state today because of the truth commission.
“Obasanjo tried to do that here in Nigeria but the ochestrators of the genocide did not allow him. You can see the killings going on in the North today. Tomorrow, it might be the turn of the Yoruba,” Ndigwe said.
In another development, South East political leaders rose from their meeting at the Enugu Government House on Sunday with a declaration that the creation of an additional state for the zone was not negotiable.
They spoke as Igbo leaders scolded Kano State Governor, Rabiu Musa Kwankwanso, for kicking against the creation of an additional state in the South East.
Chairman of South East Governors Forum and Anambra State Governor, Peter Obi, who briefed journalists on the outcome of the meeting, said they had only two items on the agenda, constitutional amendment and issues that bother on security in the zone.
“We discussed issues that bother on constitutional amendment and issues that bother on the security of South East.
“Those are the two items on the agenda and the only thing we can say we have a conclusion on is that creation of additional state in South East is not negotiable,” Obi said.
Former President General of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dozie Ikedife, who spoke on behalf of the South East Elders Forum, said no decision has been taken on the particular state to be created, but a decision has been taken that the state must be created and they must pursue it until it is created.
He reprimanded Kwankwanso for mounting opposition against the creation of additional state in the South East, saying, “Anybody can kick against it but Kano State Governor is not God.”
Notable among other dignitaries who attended the meeting were Governors Martin Elechi (Ebonyi), Theodore Orji (Abia), Deputy Governor of Enugu State, Sunday Onyebuchi, who represented the host Governor, Sullivan Chime, Chris Ngige, a Senator, Dozie Ikedife and Eze Ozobu, among others.
.jpg)
