What is wrong with todays Nigerians, particularly those who were not born during the civil war and who have refused to avail themselves history books on our political evolution? I read on a particular thread, the hate speeches being spewed forth by some Igbo and Yoruba youngsters over the the death of Brigadier Benjamin Adekunle on his role in the Nigerias civil war. If we have to apportion blame, all the major tribes-yorubas, igbos, Hausa/Fulanis are guilty one way or the other and we should learn from our previous mistakes and move on. Many of my close friends are Igbos. So why all these hate speeches by those who are even poor students of Nigerian history. Yoruba/Igbo cordial relationship has been on for decades. How many of these tribal irredentists are aware that when my oga, Kanayo Esinulo was detained for several months at Kirikiri prison, Lagos in the 70s by General Yakubu Gowon, no Igbo lawyer was prepared to defend him. It took Gani Fawehinmi to take up his battle and free him from prison. Wole Soyinka was imprisoned by Gowon during the Civil war for supporting Biafra. Tai Solarin risked his life to go to Biafra during the war because he was against the war. Col. Victor Banjo fought on the side of Biafra against Nigeria, though he was eventually executed along with Major Ifeajuna and Agbam by Ojukwu during the war for allegedly plotting a coup against him. Lt-Col. Adekunle Fajuyi sacrificed his life when army mutineers led by Captain T.Y. Danjuma wanted to arrest the Head if State, General Aguiyi Ironsi at the Government House, Ibadan on July 29, 1966. Fajuyi insisted that they should arrest him along with the Head of State, saying he would not allow his guest to be arrested alone. They were both taken away and killed. I would not say because one of the January 15, 1966 coup leaders, Major Onwatuegwu, who was the second in command to Major Kaduna Nzeogwu, murdered Brigadier Sam Ademulegun and his wife in their bedroom in the presence of their daughter, Sholape, in the night of the coup, l should hate or dislike the Igbos. No. Despite the fact that the Ademuleguns came from my home town. That was a war situation and anything could have happened. We should stop all these hate speeches- Igbo against Yoruba, Yoruba against Igbo, Igbo against Hausa/Fulani. If the Igbos have not ostracized Arthur Nzeribe, who as a major arms dealer then based in Ghana, was supplying arms to Nigeria to kill his kinsmen, why are we then insulting each other on the Facebook over the supposed roles played by some people during the war. In an interview years later, Nzeribe justified his actions by saying he was just a businessman and that there was no morality in business. So, enough of all these hate speeches. Most of my best friends are Igbos. I dont know how honouring Benjamin Adekunle or not should lead to this kind of intemperate outbursts. How does that pay your students school fees or buy fuel for your car? When Kayode, Emeka and Shehu commit fraud together, they dont talk of tribe but they come on facebook over what they know nothing about to start insulting each other. We must stop this nonsense. -Richard Akinnola II
Posted on: Wed, 17 Sep 2014 12:44:50 +0000
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