Nigerians’ll never forget Ojukwu – Uzoh
By SAM ANOKAM
Saturday February 25, 2012
Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu
As the body of the late Biafran leader and Ikemba Nnewi, Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, arrives the country on Monday, February 27, a politician and chieftain of the Peoples Democratic party (PDP), Dr. Obinna Uzoh, has said that Nigeria, as country and Nigerians, as a people would not forget him in a hurry.
He told Saturday Sun that Ojukwu not only played a role in the country’s history, which nobody would wish way, but also made history himself. He said that the best way to immortalise Ojukwu was to support the good things he stood and fought for.
Uzoh spoke on these and other things.
On Monday, Ojukwu’s body would arrive Nigeria. What do you expect?
This is history in the making and everybody should be part of the history. You could remember that Dim Ojukwu’s burial was earlier fixed for this month before it was rescheduled for March. If you consider the way we hold Ojukwu in very high esteem and the massive arrangement already made towards his burial, you will agree with me that it is worthwhile being part of this history. The burial of a great man is not something to miss. When I think about the arrival of his corpse, I remember the day he returned from exile in the 1980s. I have no doubt in my mind that as it was in the 1980s, when he returned home from exile, so shall it be on Monday when his corpse arrives the country from London and the other days when programmes for his burial would hold.
What do I expect? I expect Nigerians from all walks of life to come out en masse to receive Ojukwu. I expect Ijaw, Igbo, Hausa, Yoruba, Idoma, Efik, Ibibio and others to join in giving Ojukwu a hero’s burial. I expect the Federal Government to give him a hero’s burial. It gladdens my heart that the Federal Government is playing a big role in the burial. You know that the body is arriving Abuja first. Abuja is the seat of the Federal Government. For me, this is tantamount to a state burial. I am happy for this.
But Ojukwu levied war against the Federal Government. What’s the justification for such arrangement?
We all know the circumstances that led to the war. Ojukwu stood for justice, equity and fairness. He insisted that the Federal Government must protect Nigerians, no matter where they lived and where they came from. He was against the mass killing of Igbo. He wanted all Nigerians to get their due and fair share of the commonwealth. He was in Aburi conference and made his position known. When all these failed, the war broke out. The Igbo territory Ojukwu led was attacked and he was forced to defend it. So, nobody would blame him for what happened.
However, with the war fought, the Federal Government, led, at that time by General Yakubu Gowon, in 1970, stated that there was no victor, no vanquished when hostilities ended. The government also declared reconciliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction, the three Rs. This shows that whatever happened in the three years of the crisis was taken as one of the challenges of development. The military government at that time did not hold it against Ojukwu. Also, the fact that the President Shehu Shagari government granted Ojukwu amnesty, which made it possible for him to return from exile, means that whatever that happened between 1966 and 1970 was forgotten. Therefore, today’s government is doing what it should, by participating in the burial of Ojukwu. Even if the Federal Government does nothing else, in the burial, the fact that his body would be received in Abuja is enough national honour.
Having said that, I will add that the history of Nigeria will not be complete without the mention of Ojukwu. This is not because he led Biafra. No. It’s because, at the time of the political crisis in the country, he stood for what was right. He was one of the elite in the army and a nationalist at that. When the then head of state, General JTU Aguiyi-Ironsi, was assassinated with host Lt-Col Adekunle Fajuyi, and the new government said he was missing, Ojukwu declared that the country cannot talk about a new head of state until the whereabouts of Ironsi was determined. He did not say this because Ironsi was an Igbo man. He said it because Ironsi was a Nigerian, the highest military officer in the land and the head of state. Ojukwu also said that even if there was going to be another head of state, the most senior officer, who happened to be Ogundipe, a Yoruba man, should assume the mantle of leadership. It was a principled stand, devoid of selfishness.
What would you say about Ojukwu’s role in the Aburi conference?
As I said earlier, Ojukwu was at Aburi conference, in Ghana to discuss how the country would have peace, be better governed and make progress. If Ojukwu did not believe in one Nigeria, probably, he would have shunned the Aburi conference. He wanted the crisis to end and at Aburi, he made suggestions that would have helped the realisation of the objective. Nigerians should go and read the minutes and communiqué of the meeting. The solutions that Ojukwu put on the table were things that would have brought about peaceful coexistence. I dare say that if the agreement were implemented the war could have been averted. The problem that Ojukwu identified at that time are still rearing their ugly heads today. He saw them ahead and started shouting. He was like the biblical lone voice in the wilderness. The people that were in power did not listen to him and Nigeria paid dearly for it. I pray that the Federal Government would look at those issues Ojukwu raised at Aburi, which are still very much with us as a country, and take measures to address them. This will help the country greatly.
Back to Ojukwu, what do you think about his burial arrangement?
We should give kudos to members of the burial committee. They are eminent, respected and committed Nigerians, who have put in everything to ensure that Ojukwu is given an outstanding burial. I am satisfied with the arrangement made. I am particularly happy about the fact that his body would lie in state in some key Igbo cities, after being received in Abuja. This would tell you how Nigerians and the Igbo nation take Ojukwu. I was touched to hear that Ojukwu requested that his body be taken to Aba before burial. For a man to say, ahead of his death, that his body should be taken to a particular place shows how dearly he held that place and the people. I think this is a rare privilege for Aba, as a city and Aba residents, as a people. I envy them, because for an icon to so love them is something to cheer.
Also, I am happy that Ojukwu would get military burial. I learnt that when his body arrives Abuja, the military would honour him at the airport. Also, I learnt that the pallbearers would be military men and that the military would be involved from February 27 till March 2, when Ojukwu would be buried. There is no national burial or honour greater than that.
Why do you think the military would want to play such role?
I believe it’s on merit. Ojukwu was an officer. He left the Nigerian Army as a Colonel, an officer. He was a General in the Biafran Army and the commander-in-chief at that. He was not an ordinary soldier. Remember that he was a graduate before he enlisted in the army. He was well-schooled and came from a rich background. He held key positions in the military, to the extent that he was a military governor of a whole region. In his various assignments, he did a lot to lift the military. He believed in hierarchy in the military, which made him to say that succession to the office of head of state, when General Ironsi was killed, should be by seniority. There’s no military that will not like such virtue.
Did you ever meet Ojukwu and what kind of man do you think he was?
I met the great man severally. Remember that he was from my senatorial zone, in Anambra State. As a growing child, we all heard stories about Ojukwu and we loved him. When I finally met him and interacted with him, my love for him increased. His life is an inspiration, in the sense that it gave some of us courage to face challenges of life. The last time I met him was last year. He was full of life at that time. I consider myself privileged to have met him.
What kind of man do I think Ojukwu is? I consider him to be a great man, an icon. He was intelligent, courageous and his Nigerianess is exceptional. One columnist, Onuoha Ukeh, in his article called him the greatest of all Nigerians. I can’t agree more. He will be remembered and greatly missed. He fought for the oppressed and was ready to lay down his life. This is rare among leaders.
Talking about remembering Ojukwu. How best do you think he should be remembered?
There’s no better way to remember Ojukwu than to magnify and respect the things he stood for. He wanted a Nigerian were there’s no Igbo, Hausa or Yoruba. He believed that Nigerians are citizens and not Igbo, Yoruba or Hausa. This is why he hated indigeneship. We should adopt that. Ojukwu stood for justice, equity and fairness. This explains why he always cried out when he felt that the Igbo or any particular group in the country were marginalised. He wanted a Nigerian, where the components units develop, using their resources and talents. He wanted a country that would be great. When he led Biafra, he always said that no power would be greater than Biafra. This showed that he wanted the best of his country. Ojukwu loathed laziness. Those who worked closely with him said that he worked tirelessly. As head of state of a country in war, he went to the war front, despite the risk involved. He could have been killed, but he never minded. He went to war front to ginger soldiers and help them. I have never seen such courage, such commitment and such sacrifice.
What do you expect on March 2, when Ojukwu will be buried?
It is obvious that the event will be a celebration of a big masquerade, which is going home, figuratively speaking. I expect that Nnewi, Anambra, South East and indeed, Nigeria would stand still on that day. The burial of Ojukwu goes beyond tribes. It’s a Nigerian burial, the burial of a great Nigerian. I expect every Nigerian to be involved. It may interest you that South South leaders and people are together with South East on this. The South South governors have lined up various programmes, as part of Ojukwu’s burial. The South South leaders and people are coming to Enugu in grand style, to attend what could pass for the Eastern Region burial of Ojukwu. That will tell you that Ojukwu is dear to many people, tribes and religion.
There are fears that after March 2, Ojukwu will be forgotten. What do you think?
I don’t think so. Ojukwu will never be forgotten. Go to the street and mention his name and see how people would react. He will remain evergreen in the memory of Nigerians. Of course, in the South East, his name will be indelible. As long as people will remember the civil war, they will remember Ojukwu. As long as people remember Biafra, they will remember Ojukwu. As long as the struggle for justice, which Ojukwu stood for, continues we will remember Ojukwu. As long as we remember Nigerians, who made sacrifices and suffered for the growth of the country we will remember Ojukwu.
We all know how Ojukwu suffered because he stood for justice. Some of his assets were confiscated because of the civil war. It took agitation and compassion, on the part of General Ibrahim Babangida, before one of his property in Lagos, on Queens Drives, Ikoyi, was returned. These deprivations and suffering did not deter Ojukwu from speaking his mind and fighting for the oppressed in the society. There’s no way Nigerians will forget such a man.
