RE: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}

Thank you Ken for your questions.

There is public international law which includes the laws of war. These laws are very clear about proportionality of actions of violence and legitimate  weapons and other instruments of war so as not to inflict avoidable and unnecessary hardship and suffering on especially non-combatants (women, children, the old and infirm).

Awolowo is on record to have said that starvation is a legitimate weapon of war? Should it be?  No it should not. Does international law say it should be? No, It does not. Is the  bombing of civilians in war legal? No it is not.

One understands that in times of war, each protagonist wants to win . One understands also that blockades may be put in place. Blockades are intended  to stop military shipments and assistance. They are not and should not be intended to stop the shipment of food and other humanitarian assistance. The blockade-land, sea, and air of Biafra by Nigeria was total.

The international Committee of the Red Cross (I.C.R.C.), the World Council of Churches (W.C.C.), the Catholic Churches’ Caritas, and other humanitarian organizations were rightly concerned about the humanitarian conditions in Biafra. The choose to help. They could only ship food and humanitarian aid to Biafra by air through clandestine night flights only. They were jointly and severally condemned by the Nigerian Government for their charity assistance.  Nigeria’s militarily forces did all in their power to prevent them from assisting Biafra with food and humanitarian aid. Nigeria’s Air Force planes ceaselessly attacked the airplanes of the humanitarian agencies knowing fully well what planes they were. The agencies were undeterred. They knew better. They persisted and persevered.  

I might add that at the end of the war, expatriate (European) Catholic priests who ministered to the faithful in Biafra were required to leave the country. The Nigerian Government believed that the Catholic church supported and aided Biafra’s resistance. The Church of England (Awolowo’s Church) was treated differently.

Awolowo continued his war against the Igbo well after that war ended. He relentless did. He crafted and implemented scorch-the-Igbo economic policies immediately the war ended. He was a powerful member of the Nigerian government. He was the Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Federal Commissioner of Finance. He also supervised Nigeria’s Central Bank because the bank was not independent at the time. Awolowo’s policies without any doubt delayed the economic integration of the Igbo into Nigeria’s economic system and made it more unnecessarily difficult.  Government policies are usually not rigorously implemented in Nigeria. Awolowo’s economic policies against the Igbo were. Relief came to the Igbo after Awolowo left government.

Now, why is it important to have this conversation? All should learn from history. Awolowo’s policies during the war were harsh, even brutal on the Igbo. His policies after the war delayed the economic integration of the Igbo after the war. It however did not and could not prevent it. Was is wise to for him to have tried? Everyone must answer for themselves. The wise know that individuals and groups break up and make up. This is why the Igbo caution that “it is important to always remember during a conflict situation, not do things or speak words that are likely to make reconciliation more difficult or impossible .  

 

 

From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [mailto:usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of kenneth harrow
Sent: Monday, October 08, 2012 8:05 AM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}

 

dear ogugua
what are the limits of acceptable tactics in war. ogugua you speak of starvation as necesssary and chilling, but was it legal? are bombings of civilians in wartime legal? and where is the line where they become crimes against humanity? even if the concept were not enshrined into law in 1970 or 1945, what about now?
ken
 

On 10/7/12 10:14 PM, Anunoby, Ogugua wrote:

"The Awolowo invocation and the claim of a plan to kill all Igbos, stated in the bald way he did, are disappointing to say the least."

 

Disappointing"?  Why so? What is the evidence to support this assertion? Awolowo himself claimed ownership of the "starvation as a legitimate weapon of war" policy. At the end of the war, he should have publicly acknowledged that as effective as the policy was, it was regrettable that the policy was necessary.

The United States of America (U.S.A.) dropped the atom bomb on two Japanese cities. The actions promptly led to Japan’s surrender and practically ending that war in Asia and the pacific theaters. The U.S.A. at the end of that war publicly expressed regret that it had to drop the bombs. She went all ways to help to rebuild Japan. She did not seek to stifle Japan's economy by continuing with the war against Japan on the economic front.

Awolowo's starvation policy was the closest he came to an atom bomb. The policy killed many Biafrans, especially women, children, and the old and infirm. At the end of the war, an enlightened, humane, and moral, national leader and initiator of the policy would have known to express regret about the imperative of the policy's necessity and the heavy toll it took on innocent victims and their families. Awolowo did not. He was triumphant. He took every opportunity to justify that policy. It was and still is blatantly arrogant and extremely chilling and outrageous that he insinuated on some occasions that the policy did in fact help Biafrans. If that position was not the position of an evil man, what else is? If Awolowo had expressed regret at the end of the war, albeit before he passed, we might not have been having this conversation today. If he had done, he might not have replaced his starvation policy with his scorch-the-Igbo economic policies he crafted and implemented after that war as the Vice-Chairman of the Federal Executive Council and Commissioner of Finance.

The war is part of Nigeria's history. Mistakes were made. Wrongs were done. All Nigerians and especially so-called leaders and those who consider themselves to be members of the thinking and rational classes should learn necessary lessons and help to right wrongs of the past. The lessons of that war have clearly not been learned. They are unlikely to be learned if facts about the war are stealthily misrepresented and in many cases denied.

Achebe's is his new book has done Nigeria and the world a great favor. He has tackled head-on, some "untouchable" facts about Nigeria's recent history. All are advised to read and appreciate the book with an open mind. It is always unwise to mistake or misunderstand factual commentary for/as criticism. Nigeria’s situation today is elegant and irrefutable evidence that the important lessons of Nigeria’s history have not been learned.

 

oa

 

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From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of OLUWATOYIN ADEPOJU [toyinvincentadepoju@gmail.com]
Sent: Sunday, October 07, 2012 5:11 PM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}

There exist serious issues to be addressed on the conduct of the war and its the management of its aftermath.

I get the impression that Achebe's style of presenting the issues, his mode of contextualization of the subject  in that Guardian essay,  are unhelpful.

Actually, I see the debates on the issues his comments inspired as more helpful than his style of presentation.

The Awolowo invocation and the claim of a plan to kill all Igbos, stated in the bald way he did, are disappointing to say the least.

The thrashing out of the issues on  Nigerian listserves, in particular,  creates a situation where various perspectives are expressed and those who share various views are able to refine, modify or even change their perspectives.

That is much better than some who struggle to avoid contending with views that disagree with theirs.

thanks

toyin

On Sun, Oct 7, 2012 at 10:10 PM, OLUWATOYIN ADEPOJU <toyinvincentadepoju@gmail.com> wrote:

Okeke,

I await your detailed response since all you have done so far is make accusations.

toyin

 

On Sun, Oct 7, 2012 at 7:38 PM, Godwin Okeke <sol10ng@yahoo.com> wrote:

Dear All,
I wish to remind Adepoju that his arrogant and unrepentant disposition whenever the Biafran issue is mentioned is unfortunate. I have also read with serious disbelief the invectives of the Yoruba elders and beneficiaries of the Awo legacies on the personality of our revered Achebe. The distortion of evident historical facts and the linkage of Achebe's 'frustrations' to failure to win the Nobel price because of Soyinka is not only laughable but childish. The claim of innocence about the abandoned property issue by the Yoruba is not true. We have authentic records of the first Igbos who came to the West (Lagos) after the civil war and how some of them had ropes tied around their necks and tied to a block/stone and thrown into the Lagoon, for daring to ask to be given back their property. So many others disappeared without traces. And an Adepoju is here talking rubbish. Well this is only my preliminary response.
We're watching!!!
Mmaduabuchi  

 

 

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From: OLUWATOYIN ADEPOJU <toyinvincentadepoju@gmail.com>
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Sent: Saturday, October 6, 2012 11:53 PM

Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}

 

Ogugua Anunoby,

Allow me to say all that is hot air.

Blocking of food from entering Biafra does not preclude the surrender of Biafra.

Why did the Biafran leadership not go out of their way to pursue a negotiated surrender but chose to barter the suffering of their people for a propaganda campaign in which the image of the starving Biafran became a global symbol?

Right from the closing of all exit routes and the endangering of supply lines by the fall of of Port Harcourt and Enugu by 1968, starvation was imminent.

Yet, Biafra continued the struggle till 1970. Efiong reports that Ojukwu even expected fighting to continue after he had fled into exile in 1970.

Efiong tells a poignant story of how he and the commanders on the ground came to the sober conclusion that the fight was over. He paints a powerfully poignant picture of the sight that met him as he went to make the surrender announcement, of the hordes of civilians fleeing from the advancing front lines, describing them as the 'true heroes of the war'.

We need to ask-what was being fought for that necessitated the sacrifice of those civilians?

thanks

toyin

On Sun, Oct 7, 2012 at 2:45 AM, Anunoby, Ogugua <AnunobyO@lincolnu.edu> wrote:

"Biafran political and military strategy can be described as self defeating. Awo saw clearly the fault lines in this strategy and exploited them."

 

 

If the above statement is correct, it must be concluded that Awolowo believed that the end, however costly to whoever, justifies the means.

A man, who claims to love a people, will not meticulously craft and assiduously implement a relentless policy of mass starvation of the innocent, including non combatant women and children, even in a war that they are desperate to win. It was worse still that Awolowo, was arrogant, unrepentant, and shamefully triumphant in his justification of his crafting and enforcement of his starvation policy, even well after the war was over. He claimed ownership of that policy. It was okay for him to look back in anger. It is not for his victims and their survivors to. The question may be asked whether he ever truly supported national reconciliation, and was faithful to its successful implementation, as the Federal Commissioner of Finance, and Vice Chairman of the Federal Executive Council.

The toll of Awolowo's starvation policy was heavy on Biafra. His policy killed more people than guns and bombs did. He knew that the policy’s effect was roundly on other than Biafra's leadership. Did it matter to him? Did he sincerely regret the misery and deaths that were consequent on that policy? His many discussions and justifications of the policy suggest otherwise. The end as far as he was concerned justified the means. This by the way was his general attitude to life. You ask his political opponents and those who knew him well. Was he a “good” leader of his people? Even his many opponents and enemies would say that he was.

Awolowo apologists would not in good conscience deny that Ojukwu, the Biafran Leader, was an admirer of the man. Ojukwu was complementary of, kind to, and respectful of Chief Awolowo at every opportunity while Awolowo lived, and after Awolowo passed. Ojukwu was one of the few non-Yoruba who was sincerely good to him. Many Awolowo apologists acknowledge that the best complement paid to Awolowo after his passing was arguably by Ojukwu. Ojukwu denied all requests and rebuffed all attempts by the Gowon government to move Awolowo from Calabar prison where he was interned for the federal crime of treason after his conviction in the court of a Yoruba Judge, to some prison in Northern Nigeria. Ojukwu ensured that Awolowo was well cared for in Calabar prison. Ojukwu released him from prison without prompting or other pressure. Ojukwu ensured his safe, secure, and dignified return to his home in Western Nigeria of that time. It says a lot about Awolowo that he was unable to reciprocate to any extent, Ojukwu's kindness to him at his most helpless and lowest point (a convicted prisoner in a federal prison) even well after the war was over. All who knew him well, friends and opponents alike, were and are still not surprised. Awolowo was always the victim. He always saw himself as a victim.   

It may be argued too that Ojukwu has himself to blame for what became of Awolowo. He more than anyone else helped to create the post 1966 Awolowo. Ojukwu could have kept Awolowo in Biafra as a hostage and bargaining chip. He did not. That singular act for many, is an eternal testament to the fairness, integrity, and humanity of the man.

 

oa

 

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From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of OLUWATOYIN ADEPOJU [toyinvincentadepoju@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2012 3:25 PM

To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com
Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}

 

I am not able to see why Awolowo should be vilified because of his role in the Civil War.

 

Achebe's shallow summation looks to me like another attempt to avoid examining the contradictions of Biafra.

 

 Biafran  political and military strategy can be described as  self defeating. Awo saw clearly the fault lines in this strategy and exploited them. 

 

Ojukwu and his inner circle are described by some sources as closed to reality. I suspect that Achebe may have been part of that caucus around Ojukwu that treated the war in a quixotic spirit, hence the best he can offer us, decades after the war, is a claim of anti-Igbo genocidal aspirations on Awo's part. 

 

Achebe is not quoted as  referring  to any effort on his part to confront claims by fellow Igbos that Biafra was led astray by the leadership.

 

He does not seem to have been able to put the war into perspective in all these decades.

 

Also, its about time we dropped this starvation policy grievance.  

 

Anybody who cannot ensure food for his people in war needs to re-examine the logic of  his place in that war. 

 

Was it morally wrong to try to starve Biafra into submission?

 

Does starvation preclude the possibility of surrender? 

 

Since Biafra was free to surrender but did not till Ojukwu had fled into exile in 1970, the starvation policy  cannot be described as a genocidal initiative. 

 

We need to know why Biafra  failed to pursue decisively opportunities for an honourable and humane surrender with the aid of the various international bodies mediating in the crisis  even in the  in the face of almost certain starvation after she was surrounded by 1968, well before the advent of the infamous starvation  policy.

 

toyin

On Sat, Oct 6, 2012 at 6:05 PM, Anunoby, Ogugua <AnunobyO@lincolnu.edu> wrote:

Just as the flag is the refuse of the scoundrel, the trumpeting of a belief in God is the refuge of guilt-ridden politicians. Chief Awolowo's avid and unforgiving hatred of many who disagreed with him must,  in the minds of some ofhis apologists, speak to his reliance on "providence and vindication of Almighty God". The man was very clear about who he sought and tried to lead, and therefore fought for in his public life. He knew his people. He also knew those who were not his people. He was obligated to the former. He was not obligated to the latter. He said that he was Yoruba before he was Nigerian. He meant it. He lived it everyday of his public life. He was admirable as a successful parochial and divisive leader. He chose to be such a leader. people respect that choice. Choices have their cost. 

It is always difficult to white-wash recent history. All Nigerians must fully acknowledge the facts and truths about their country's past, if they are to collectively make peaceful progress in the future. 

 

oa 

 

 

 

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From: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com [usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Kolawole Onifade [kol_onif@yahoo.com]
Sent: Saturday, October 06, 2012 6:18 AM
To: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com

Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}

 

Ikhide,   Who cares whether you respect the sage or not? You are admittedly, a beneficiary of his wisdom as manifested in the UBE, yet like most of your people, continue to disparage him and the Yorubas who magnanimously expose you to the enlightenment of western education, hospitably hosted you and continuously overlook your duplicitousness and ingratitude.     Kola. --- On Sat, 10/6/12, Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com> wrote: From: Ikhide <xokigbo@yahoo.com> Subject: Re: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"} To: "USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com" <USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com> Date: Saturday, October 6, 2012, 2:25 AM Prof, I can understand why Awoists would be excited by this cassetter (!) from Pa Awolowo's grave. I am not; It actually pours. some cold water on my regard for him. He comes across as just another parochial paramount chief deified by fawning lesser mortals. In this long rambling speech one learns where some of his latter day followers learned their evil cunning ways. It is ultimately all about him. I am disappointed that 42 years after, we are still trying to rationalize our own holocaust, Biafra, the needless death of possibly millions in a turkey shoot,many of them children. Awolowo in this awful interview cannot deny that he (and his sidekick Pa Enahoro) trumpeted the use of starvation as a legitimate instrument of war. He cannot deny the 20 pounds issue, etc. Instead he launches into long loopy delusionary and patronizing rationalizations of his actions. What happened in Biafra was a state-sanctioned annihilation of a people and the Nigerian state bears much of the blame. With this awful cassette that people are waving all over the place, no one needs Achebe to place the blame squarely where it belongs - on the head of the Nigerian state with leaders like Gowon, Awolowo, Enahoro, etc unleashing dogs like Obasanjo, Adekunle, Murtala Muhammed on poor children. Today, many of these people would be war criminals. I of course am a grateful graduate of Universal Primary Education and I always thought credit for that went to the vision of Pa Awo. But reading this transcript tones down my respect for him. 42 years later and we are still here. Wow. - Ikhide From: Mobolaji Aluko <alukome@gmail.com> Sender: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com Date: Sat, 6 Oct 2012 06:28:09 +0100 To: USAAfrica Dialogue<USAAfricaDialogue@googlegroups.com>; NaijaPolitics e-Group<NaijaPolitics@yahoogroups.com>; nigerianid@yahoogroups.com<nigerianID@yahoogroups.com>; naijaintellects<naijaintellects@googlegroups.com>; OmoOdua<OmoOdua@yahoogroups.com>; ekiti ekitigroups<ekitipanupo@yahoogroups.com>; Ra'ayi<Raayiriga@yahoogroups.com> ReplyTo: usaafricadialogue@googlegroups.com Subject: USA Africa Dialogue Series - STAR EXCLUSIVE HISTORY: Chief Obafemi Awolowo - In His Own Words (including On the Civil War/Biafra) {Re: OBAFEMI AWOLOWO SPEAKS FROM THE GRAVE: "I am a friend of the Ndigbo"}       QUOTE   I’ve learnt to rely completely on the providence and vindication of Almighty God in some of these things. I’ve tried to explain myself in the past, but these liars persist. .... What’s the point in correcting lies when people are determined to persist in telling lies against you, what’s the point. I know that someday the Ibos, the masses of the Ibo people will realize who their friends are, and who their real enemies are. And the day that happens woe betide those enemies. The Ibos will deal with them very roughly, very roughly.   UNQUOTE   Dear All:   As an avid afficionado of Chief Obafemi Awolowo's political life, I simply cannot believe that I missed this historical gem - both written and aural - now made indelible in the sands of time, and posted (to my knowledge) first by NVS (Nigerian Village Square) back on November 28, 2011, with the audio tape made available there - and you should listen to it -  courtesy one Dr. Olu Akinremi.    See:  http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/newsflash/exclusive-chief-obafemi-awolowo-on-biafra-in-his-own-words.html EXCLUSIVE - Chief Obafemi Awolowo On Biafra (In His Own Words)   In fact, I had NEVER read or heard Awolowo defend himself such extensively over such a broad range of issues, particularly over the Civil War, which I re-excerpt below with some expansion.  More interestingly,  this is the LONGEST time I have heard to listen to Chief Obafemi Awolowo's voice, and I was completely fascinated by his enunciations and careful explanation of himself.  As if that were possible, his image has enlarged in my mind, and this is a good a time as any when again he is being villified.   Had  an excerpt on it not been posted recently that focused narrowly on Awo's role in Gowon's war-time government and therefore on pre-, during- and post-Biafra - whether to bolster or counter Prof. Chinua Achebe's book-form broadside against Awo and others of that period, I do not know - this gem would not have become re-instituted at this time.  For that, the poster - and the un-intended consequences of his or her posting - should be praised to high heavens.  But he is not actually speaking from his grave - he spoke live and personal back in 1983, just that some of us merely missed it.   As to Chief Obafemi Awolowo's careful explanation of his role in Gowon's government with respect to the Nigerian Civil War, I can only write:                                    Res ipas Loquitor - The Facts Speak for themselves.     Which is another way of stating "And there you have it."   Have a good weekend...I am off to "head-master."     Bolaji Aluko   _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________   http://www.nigeriavillagesquare.com/newsflash/exclusive-chief-obafemi-awolowo-on-biafra-in-his-own-words.html   CHIEF OBAFEMI AWOLOWO IN HIS OWN WORDS   Introduction At the age of 11, he struggled through primary school here at Wesleyan School Imo, Abeokuta. He then became a teacher, he was a trader, he was a school clerk, he was a stenographer, he was a transporter, he was a produce buyer, a unionist, name it, he has experienced it all. He even knows the problems of the police, the warders and the prisoners, because he was there. When he was sentenced to 10 years imprisonment in 1963, and he predicted a glorious dawn many did not believe that he will live to see the glorious morn which we are having today in Ogun, Ondo, Oyo, Bendel and Lagos states. That at 74, he’s here today is a testimony to the fact that the great good Lord and Allah needs him to save Nigeria. Ladies and gentlemen, here is a self made man, who battled all the institutes of life to rise to the highest peak of his calling as Senior Advocate of Nigeria. He was first leader of government business, and first premier of the old western region. The first leader of opposition in the federal republic of Nigeria, the first chancellor of the University of Ife, first civilian deputy chairman in any military government in Africa, the first man ever to win the highest honor from an opponent as the Grand Commander of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. Ladies and gentlemen, this is the greatest moment of my life as I present to you the next president of the federal republic of Nigeria. At this point I’ll hand you over to the moderator.   Moderator: Papa Chief Obafemi Awolowo, the Governor of the state- Chief Bisi Onabanjo, the deputy governor- Chief Sesan Soluade, distinguished ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the interview panel, I’m welcoming our distinguished guest - Chief Obafemi Awolowo to this program. Its going to be a 90 minutes program during which one hour of the period will be spent by the interview panel to ask various questions on various issues from Papa Chief Obafemi Awolowo. The following 30 minutes will be devoted to the audience to ask questions either English language or in Yoruba. And I want to appeal to the audience to keep very quiet throughout the program because this is an important program which we are having today, we want to use the program to get as much information as possible from Papa Chief Obafemi Awolowo and to enable us determine who to vote for in the presidential election.   -- materials deleted --- Expanding  the Base Beyond the West Question (Sina Bamgbose): I have a follow up question - Chief Obafemi Awolowo, there is no doubt that you are full of talents, and that you are one of the idols in the realm of politics in this continent, but it seems that …..today needs leaders with national outlooks and it seems your problem and political party is acceptability by the other ethnic groups in this country, what do you say to that? Moderator: Can you repeat the question please. Question: There is no doubt as I said earlier, that you are a man of talents, but the problem you seem to face is that other, although among the Yorubas your very person and your party are very popular, among the Yorubas. But it seems that the problem you have is breaking the frontiers, that is reaching into other ethnic groups in Nigeria. That seems to be your problem. What do you say to that?   Awolowo: Well, that’s a very good and fair question. He’s been pointing out to me, if I heard him properly, that whilst am accepted in the old western region, among the Yorubas mainly, my problem is acceptability among the other ethnic groups in the country. Well, in the old days of the Action Group, I was well accepted among the so-called middle belt people, that is, among the people of Plateau, Benue, Gongola, and Kwara. Then, in the eastern side of the country, I was well accepted by the people of what is now known as Cross River, Calabar province at that time and also by the people of Rivers state which we then know as Rivers province. And also I was accepted in Borno I’m being reminded. But then something happened, and I don’t like to go into that long history. Some leaders in the north thought I was too much of a threat to them and they went all out to fight back, first of all, by imprisoning me, and wherever they thought they could get away with it.. even killing some of my followers. And then of course they turned their attention to me and then got me out of circulation for some time in the hope that once I was out of circulation, it will be possible in the meantime to pass a preventive detention act which will then keep me in prison for the rest of my life. But man proposes, God disposes. That went on, until 1979 or 78 when ban on political activities was lifted. Then I went all out to campaign among the people of non-Yoruba areas. It has been suggested that I didn’t make efforts enough to widen my base. Since 1952 I made strenuous, strenuous and relentless effort to widen the base of the Action Group, and I succeeded to the extent that the Action Group at that time was the only party that control the regional government and have opposition members in all the other regions, in the other two regions, the only party that did, no any other party did. Anyway, now the position is that, as a result of perseverance and preaching the same doctrines, doctrine which when implemented will benefit all the people without exemption. I’ve persisted in preaching free education since 1942. The first memorial that we submitted to the secretary of state on the subject was written in 1942. And since then I’ve openly advocated free education at all levels, and mass education for the adults so that they too can become literates, and I still advocate these things up till now. Because of this persistence in advocating what is good for the people, the people now realize that they have no other friend or they have no better friend than UPN under my, by the grace of God, my leadership. The result is that today, and it use to be the case that wherever I walk the masses use to hail me but when it came to voting they will vote differently, because they were under very great stress and duress to vote differently. But today, the position is completely different, whether we go to Sokoto, or to Borno, or to Bauchi, or to Kano, or to Kaduna or Benue or Plateau, wherever you go, the school master is already abroad. Everyone wants to be educated, everyone wants his children to be educated, and for these reasons, the masses throughout the country are prepared to vote for the UPN. I shall not be surprised if at the conclusion of the election, the UPN gets more votes, so you should beware, the UPN gets more votes, in percentage terms, in the northern region- the old northern region, than in the southern part.   --- materials deleted -----   CIVIL WAR Moderator: Yes Mr…….Mr. Oparadike. Question: Chief Awolowo, your stand on the civil war, however unpopular it may have been to the Biafran people…Your stand on the civil war, however unpopular it may have been to the Biafrans or Ibo people, helped to shorten the war. Today, you’re being cast as the sole enemy of the Ibo people because of that stand, by among others, some of the people who as members of the federal military government at that time, were party to that decision and are today, in some cases, inheritors of power in one Nigeria which that decision of yours helped to save. How do you feel being cast in this role, and what steps are you taking to endear yourself once again to that large chunk of Nigerians who feels embittered. Awolowo: As far as I know, the Ibo masses are friendly to me, towards me. In fact, whenever I visit Iboland, either Anambra or Imo, and there’s no campaigning for elections on, the Ibo people receive me warmly and affectionately. But there are some elements in Iboland who believe that they can maintain their popularity only by denigrating me, and so they keep on telling lies against me. Ojukwu is one of them. I don’t want to mention the names of the others because they are still redeemable, but ….Ojukwu is irredeemable so I mention his name, and my attitude to these lies is one of indifference, I must confess to you. I’ve learnt to rely completely on the providence and vindication of Almighty God in some of these things. I’ve tried to explain myself in the past, but these liars persist. Ojukwu had only recently told the same lie against me. What’s the point in correcting lies when people are determined to persist in telling lies against you, what’s the point. I know that someday the Ibos, the masses of the Ibo people will realize who their friends are, and who their real enemies are. And the day that happens woe betide those enemies. The Ibos will deal with them very roughly, very roughly. That has happened in my life. I have a nickname now, if you see my letterhead you’ll find something on top, you’ll find a fish done on the letterhead. Some people put Lion on theirs, some people put Tiger, but mine is Fish. And Fish represents my zodiac sign, those of you who read the stars and so on in the newspapers; you’ll find out that there’s a zodiac sign known as pieces, in Latin pieces mean Fish. So I put pieces on top, that’s my zodiac sign being born on the 6th of March,….er well, the year doesn’t matter, it’s the day that matter. And then on top of it I write Eebudola. All of you know the meaning of that. You know I don’t want to tell a long story but………………Awolowo school, omo Awolowo, the…… started in Urobo land, in mid-west in those days. They were ridiculing my schools, I was building schools –brick and cement, to dpc level, block to dpc level and mud thereafter. And so the big shots in the place..”ah what kind of school is this? is this Awolowo school? Useless school” and when they saw the children..”ah this Awolowo children, they can’t read and write, Awolowo children” that’s how it started, with ridicule, and it became blessing, and now they say “Awolowo children, they are good people” no more ridicule about it, that’s how it started, so the Eebu becomes honor, the abuse became honor. And so when I look back to all my life, treasonable felony, jail, all the abuses that were heaped on me, to Coker Inquiry, all sorts, and I see what has happened to the people who led, who led all these denigration campaign, where are they today? Those that are alive are what I call Homo Mortuus- dead living, oku eniyan, that’s what they are, those that their lives have gone. So when I look back, I come to the conclusion that all these abuses which have been heaped on me all my life for doing nothing, for doing good, they have become honor, and so Eebudola is one of my nicknames. So I’ve cultivated an attitude of indifference, I’ve done no evil to the Ibos. During the war I saw to it that the revenue which was due to the Iboland- South Eastern states they call it, at that time..East Central State, I kept it, I saved the money for them. And when they ….was liberated I handed over the money to them- millions. If I’d decided to do so, I could have kept the money away from them and then when they took over I saw to it that subvention was given to them at the rate of 990,000 pounds every month. I didn’t go to the executive council to ask for support, or for approval because I knew if I went to the Executive Council at that time the subvention would not be approved because there were more enemies in the Executive Council for the Ibos than friends. And since I wasn’t going to take a percentage from what I was going to give them, and I knew I was doing what was right, I wanted the state to survive, I kept on giving the subvention - 990,000 almost a million, every month, and I did that for other states of course- South eastern state, North central state, Kwara and so on. But I did that for the Ibos, and when the war was over, I saw to it that the ACB got three and a half million pounds to start with. This was distributed  immediately and I gave another sum of money. The attitude of the experts, officials at the time of the ACB was that ACB should be closed down, and I held the view you couldn’t close the ACB down because that is the bank that gives finance to the Ibo traders, and if you close it down they’ll find it difficult to revive or to survive. So it was given. I did the same thing for the Cooperative Bank of Eastern Nigeria, to rehabilitate all these places, and I saw to it as commissioner for finance that no obstacle was placed in the way of the ministry of economic planning in planning for rehabilitation of the war affected areas. TWENTY POUNDS POLICY That’s what I did, and the case of the money they said was not given back to them, you know during the war all the pounds were looted, they printed Biafran currency notes, which they circulated, at the close of the war some people wanted their Biafran notes to be exchanged for them. Of course I couldn’t do that, if I did that the whole country would be bankrupt. We didn’t know about Biafran notes and we didn’t know on what basis they have printed them, so we refused the Biafran note, but I laid down the principle that all those who had savings in the banks on the eve of the declaration of the Biafran war or Biafra, will get their money back if they could satisfy us that they had the savings there, or the money there. Unfortunately, all the banks’s books had been burnt, and many of the people who had savings there didn’t have their saving books or their last statement of account, so a panel had to be set up. I didn’t take part in setting up the panel, it was done by the Central bank and the pertinent officials of the ministry of finance, to look into the matter, and they went carefully into the matter, they took some months to do so, and then make some recommendation which I approved. Go to the archives, all I did was approve, I didn’t write anything more than that, I don’t even remember the name of any of them who took part. So I did everything in this world to assist our Ibo brothers and sisters during and after the war. And anyone who goes back to look at my broadcast in August 1967, which dealt with post-war reconstruction would see what I said there. STARVATION POLICY Then, but above all, the ending of the war itself that I’m accused of, accused of starving the Ibos, I did nothing of the sort. You know, shortly after the liberation of these places, Calabar, Enugu and Port Harcourt, I decided to pay a visit. There are certain things which I knew which you don’t know, which I don’t want to say here now, when I write my reminisces in the future I will do so. Some of the soldiers were not truthful with us, they didn’t tell us correct stories and so on. I wanted to be there and see things for myself, bear in mind that Gowon himself did not go there at that time, it was after the war was over that he dorn himself up in various military dresses- Air force dress, Army dress and so on, and went to the war torn areas. But I went and some people tried to frighten me out of my goal by saying that Adekunle was my enemy and he was going to see to it that I never return from the place, so I went. But when I went what did I see? I saw the kwashiorkor victims. If you see a kwashiorkor victim you’ll never like war to be waged. Terrible sight, in Enugu, in Port Harcourt, not many in Calabar, but mainly in Enugu and Port Harcourt. Then I enquired what happened to the food we are sending to the civilians. We were sending food through the Red Cross, and CARITAS to them, but what happen was that the vehicles carrying the food were always ambushed by the soldiers. That’s what I discovered, and the food would then be taken to the soldiers to feed them, and so they were able to continue to fight. And I said that was a very dangerous policy, we didn’t intend the food for soldiers. But who will go behind the line to stop the soldiers from ambushing the vehicles that were carrying the food? And as long as soldiers were fed, the war will continue, and who’ll continue to suffer? and those who didn’t go to the place to see things as I did, you remember that all the big guns, all the soldiers in the Biafran army looked all well fed after the war, its only the mass of the people that suffered kwashiorkor. You won't hear of a single lawyer, a single doctor, a single architect, who suffered from kwashiorkor? None of their children either, so they waylaid the foods, they ambush the vehicles and took the foods to their friends and to their collaborators and to their children and the masses were suffering. So I decided to stop sending the food there. In the process the civilians would suffer, but the soldiers will suffer most. CHANGE OF CURRENCY And it is on record that Ojukwu admitted that two things defeated him in this war, that’s as at the day he left Biafra. He said one, the change of currency, he said that was the first thing that defeated him, and we did that to prevent Ojukwu taking the money which his soldiers has stolen from our Central bank for sale abroad to buy arms. We discovered he looted our Central bank in Benin, he looted the one in Port Harcourt, looted the one in Calabar and he was taking the currency notes abroad to sell to earn foreign exchange to buy arms. So I decided to change the currency, and for your benefit, it can now be told the whole world, only Gowon knew the day before, the day before the change took place. I decided, only three of us knew before then- Isong now governor of Cross River, Attah and myself. It was a closely guarded secret, if any commissioner at the time say that he knew about it, he’s only boosting his own ego. Because once you tell someone, he’ll tell another person. So we refused to tell them and we changed the currency notes. So Ojukwu said the change in currency defeated him, and starvation of his soldiers also defeated him. These were the two things that defeated Ojukwu. And, he reminds me, when you saw Ojukwu’s picture after the war, did he look like someone who’s not well fed? But he has been taking the food which we send to civilians, and so we stopped the food.   ABANDONED PROPERTY And then finally, I saw to it that the houses owned by the Ibos in Lagos and on this side, were kept for them. I had an estate agent friend who told me that one of them collected half a million pounds rent which has been kept for him. All his rent were collected, but since we didn’t seize their houses, he came back and collected half a million pounds. So that is the position. I’m a friend of the Ibos and the mass of the Ibos are my friends, but there are certain elements who want to continue to deceive the Ibos by telling lies against me, and one day, they’ll discover and then that day will be terrible for those who have been telling the lies. -- materials deleted --- __________________________________________________________________________________________________   -- -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the "USA-Africa Dialogue Series" moderated by Toyin Falola, University of Texas at Austin. 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