Peter Obi Has Reduced The Value Of Igbo And Eastern Lives By Honouring Gowon, The Genocider.
Ndidi Uwechue, 22 October 2024
On the recent 90th birthday of former Military Head of State Yakubu Gowon, Labour Party’s 2023 presidential candidate and former Anambra State governor, Mr Peter Obi went ahead to congratulate Gowon! It is this Gowon who presided over the Biafra Genocide of 1967-1970 that killed up to 5 million Easterners including Igbo, of whom Peter Obi and I belong. By his words, many believe that Peter Obi has belittled and downgraded the lives of Igbo and of other indigenous Ethnic Nations of the East even to the hearing of the international community. Firstly, the EFFECTS of that Biafra Genocide are still ongoing because they are carried on in the 1999 Constitution, a FORGERY foisted upon all Nigerians. Also, many of the survivors of that Genocide are still around and suffering. We have those who are now physically maimed, having lost a limb or more and who are yet till today to be compensated. We have others with emotional and mental scars from not just only one, but several traumas they suffered and who to date have had no counselling etc. It is important that when some elders like Peter Obi say things that are confused and even downright wrong, there are other elders (and Umuada Igbo) like myself who come out to challenge his words, and to show the younger generations that Igbo lives matter and Easterner lives matter.
From news reports, Peter Obi wrote about: “moving forward in the spirit of reconciliation”.
My response: Ndi Igbo and Easterners are not uncivilised and stupid. There can be no “spirit of reconciliation” without a Truth And Reconciliation Commission (or similar) for the victims and survivors of that Genocide. It is not for an individual to wake up in the morning and start talking about “reconciliation” in a matter as serious as Genocide, when the proper processes for reconciliation have not been followed.
From news reports, Peter Obi wrote about: “the tragedy of revenge”.
My response: It is not about “revenge” and we know that VENGEANCE is reserved for Yahuwah Chukwu (God). However, Justice is reserved for man to carry out. That is why in countries where citizens’ lives matter there is robust Law Enforcement and a purposeful Criminal Justice System. Therefore, there must be Justice for the Biafra Genocide.
From news reports, Peter Obi wrote about: forgiveness for one’s enemies, and forgiveness for each other. He went on to quote Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:31,32.
My response: In Colossians 3:13 and Ephesians 4:31,32 Paul the Apostle was talking specifically to Messiah’s Community. He was not talking to the (evil) world! Paul was simply telling the believers ie people who had repented of their sins, to bear with one another in love. That is very different from telling victims and survivors of Genocide to forgive their rapists just like that, forgive those who brutalised and maimed them, and forgive those who killed their family members and destroyed their communities. (Perhaps Mr Peter Obi should try quoting those Scriptures to Israel or America after a terrorist strike on those countries and see the response.)
To young people reading this so you do not get misled by wrong interpretation of the Gospel message, when Master Yeshua in Matthew 5: 43-45 said to love our enemies and pray for them, what did He mean? The Messiah was talking to His people the Israelites who already had the Ten Commandments and Precepts so the "enemy" He was talking about was one who was a member of their own community, so a brother Israelite. Master Yeshua was telling His people that if one of them was acting like an enemy towards them they all being brethren should still love him and pray for him, (but that could still mean putting the person in prison to keep others safe). At no time was Master Yeshua saying we should love those who kill us and want to wipe out and exterminate our Nation/Race!
From news reports, Peter Obi wrote about: a New Nigeria being possible.
My response: The same Gowon the Genocider had unilaterally reneged on the Aburi Accord which would have fixed the Nigeria Union, and the massacres of Easterners that followed made having a Biafra Republic necessary. The issues that led to the Declaration of Biafra Republic in 1967 remain UNRESOLVED to date, and need to be resolved before any functional and safe “New Nigeria” can be built. (It is the National Question.) We are not little children who do not know the way forward. Peter Obi had previously said that Nigeria is like a vehicle with a knocked engine, meaning that no driver can make Nigeria work. So a new engine or a new vehicle is required, therefore “leadership” is NOT Nigeria’s core and foundational problem, rather, it is the dysfunctional constitutional arrangement codified by the illegitimate 1999 Constitution. Therefore, no “New Nigeria” is possible without Constitutional Renegotiation for a fresh constitutional order. Fortunately for Igbo and Easterners, plus all Nigerians, the door is open to get it done. It is the NINAS Transitioning Template which means Rejecting the 1999 Constitution thus involves Shutting down all preparations for national elections in 2027 to instead have a time-bound Transitioning for Constitutional Reconstruction. The final outcome can be a Federation, or a Confederation, or if no agreement is reached, then independent Successor Countries.
Igbo lives, Eastern Nigeria lives, and all Black African lives matter to me – and we shall make it matter to the whole world. The matter of the horrendous Biafra Genocide has not been dealt with and will not be ignored and swept under the carpet. We shall keep on remembering it, and we shall keep on pointing fingers at the Genociders.
Ndidi Uwechue is a British citizen with Igbo heritage from the Lower Niger Bloc. She is a retired Metropolitan (London) Police Officer, she is a signatory to the Constitutional Force Majeure, and she writes from Abuja.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
Here is a message from someone worthy of being addressed as Odogwu, who has also made his displeasure at Peter Obi’s homily to Gowon public, showing that the lives of the victims of the Biafra Genocide matter a great deal.
Tony Nnadi: Responding To The Torrents Of Lies, Eulogies And Homilies On ‘Forgiving And Forgetting’ That Accompanied Gowon’s 90th Birthday.
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Truth never dies. Truth is the only true and sure foundation upon which we must NOW build on.
God bless you my dear sister.
I beg to differ.
That Mr. Obi congratulated Gowon on his birthday does not in any way belittle the Igbos.
I am from Enugwu-Ukwu in Anambra State and I am of the opinion that by congratulating Gowon, Peter Obi was not trying to give kudos to Gowon for overseeing the pogrom of 1966-1970.
Gowon and yes, Ojukwu shall forever be held accountable for their near juvenile misconduct- the war. Their actions to me were born out of sheer youthful exuberance . The duo were both young and naive.They both read about wars during their education in the UK and then went ahead to bring one upon us. The war was as unnecessary as it was sinful.
Please let us not crucify Mr. Peter Obi for merely congratulating Gowon on his birthday for we cannot be that myopic.
Folks, remember that Obasanjo was also a principal actor in that war, but we still wine and dine with him every time the occasion warrants.
Thanks.
Law Okonkwo