[Naijanet] Re: Haruna said further....
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Egwu:
You should not continue - we get the point - but you are free to if you
wish. And condolences on all who died.
1. I do NOT recall you writing about any ITEM village killings before
now, so I cannot understand why you write that "I made light of it." I
recall you writing proudly to tell about the geography of ITEM - I wrote
about Ekiti geography too - and how it is composed of a number of
villages, but that was not in connection with ANY war issue, if I recall
rightly. You and I have met FACE TO FACE in Washington DC since then,
sharing a very good time on a professional basis, and for me to have "made
light" of such killings without you mentioning it to me sounds quite odd.
2. If you wrote about Item killings, did you write then: "On this day,
Haruna and his boys shot a very powerful weapon that boomed all over the
village." - or is the insertion of Haruna's name a case of a-posteriori
reconstruction? For example, is Item near Asaba?
3. Egwu Kalu, how old were you when this particular Item killing
happened?
In your zeal to recount old wounds, you should not libel others and spread
calumny. It merely makes people pull punches.
Bolaji Aluko
On Thu, 11 Oct 2001, Egwu Kalu wrote:
> Adey, sometime ago on this forum I brought about the
> massacre at Ameke-Item & Amaokwe-Item on January
> 10, 1970. Bolaji in his characteristic way tried to make
> light of it. Good enough that Haruna did not deny it. I rmember
> that day as yesterday ....
> It was a beautiful sunny day - about 11:00 O'clock or a
> little past the time when they struck. On approah to Amaokwe
> Item from "ugu rubber" road, one can see major parts of the
> village from "ugu amautu" (amautu is one of the seven
> villages that make-up amaokwe item). On this day, Haruna
> and his boys shot a very powerful weapon that boomed
> all over the village. That shot, used to destroy their (nigerian
> army) appointed "sariki's" house was what saved many of us. On hearing
> the loud noise, many took to their heels through short cuts into the bushes.
> [We have repeated this run several times since we came out from the bush --
> read on] Unfortunately,
> the "ugu rubber road" meets with the "Okoko road" at the center
> of the town. The army on that day just settled at this junction and
> apprehended any and all that attempted to pass through.
> All caught were lined-up and shot. My 10 year old friend - Chika
> Aja was amongst the dead. Blessing, my cousin was lucky
> because she was at the rear of the line and fell into a very deep
> gully that channels run-off water in my village. [The shooting & killing
> was at "ogo Amafo" (where those "green trees" used to be) just behind
> okom george Ikoro's house]
>
> After Amaokwe Item, the massacre in Amaeke was different. There was no warning
> shot (as we heard later the early shot at amaokwe was a warning shot by
> a soldier that did not like what was planned to be done to us). At
> ameke, the village announcer was first conscripted to announce to
> to the whole village to appear at the town's square for an important
> meeting with the occupying force representatives. Note that this was
> two days before the official end of the war. Biafran radio was off the air
> by then
> and most people knew something important such as the end of the war was
> brewing. Thus, all men trooped to the square including women, children
> and all passersby that were detained. Unlike in amaokwe, the people
> were lined-up asked to move into homes that were set on fire. As they
> were trooping in they were being mowed down with gun. Many bodies were
> burnt beyond recognition. Okom Okorafor (nke dibia) nke amukabi - narrated
> the event becuase he narrowly escaped the mayhem. It was pure luck on his side.
>
> Note that Item as a whole fell to the feds sometime in march of 1969
> (march 30th 1969). .... Let me stop here because I don't want to start
> recalling the humiliations, cold blooded murders of innocent people that
> nigeria soldiers committed on my people until the last hurray of January
> 10, 1970. Note that I witnessed all these - this is not a second hand
> knowledge.
> I was there when they bombed our market, the maternity home, Mr. Okoronkwo's
> house where a bank was located during the war, my elementary school. etc.
> Those bombings were done in the name of "softening" the area before the feds
> came in.. .. Many women were killed in the market place; the daughter of
> the maternity's matron was killed hiding under her bed. On one occasion, my
> late
> grandmother and many others (it was afo-nta day - day for harvesting
> cassava in my
> village) had to throw away the load of cassava tubers they were carrying on
> their way
> back from farm ... because the bombs fell on the road nearby .... should i
> continue?
>
> Egwu
>
> At 12:45 PM 10/11/01 -0700, Adey Oyenuga wrote:
> >Hello Mazi Otasco,
> >
> >On the contrary. For, deep inside, this self-proclaimed "massacrer"
> >may have had a more "personal beef" to settle with his inlaws. The
> >infamous war was probably a needed vehicle for the likes of Haruna
> >to strike....and make their notorious marks.
> >
> >Now, they have Haruna on record. His own words may be used against
> >him. And I dare say that this dope has provided enough rope to the
> >NdiIgbo.
> >
> >I say, forget about the Oputa show, whereby, at the end, a few may
> >be settled, here or there. Today, Ibrahim Haruna should be sharing
> >a cell with Slobodon Milosovich, the slaughterer.
> >
> >
> >Adey Oyenuga.
> >
> >
> >otasco otanda wrote:
> >>
> >> Chief,
> >> Pray, how does this butcher Haruna's marriage to an
> >> igbo woman justify his committing genocide against
> >> igbos? If it proved anything positive, it is that
> >> nigerian government completely sanctioned, suppervised
> >> and "supremely" empowered him to commit genocide
> >> against igbos, without regard to his marital
> >> relationship to them. I would be surprised if the
> >> woman is still married to him; and what type of woman
> >> is she, anyway?
> >> -K.O.
> >>
> >> --- Adey Oyenuga <oye...@chapman.edu> wrote:
> >> >
> >> > Haruna said further: "I have fought a war to unite
> >> > Nigeria and I will
> >> > do anything for Nigeria. I married an Ibo lady as a
> >> > wife on 1962. My
> >> > son is married to a Tiv lady. We are building
> >> > Nigeria. You know the
> >> > people that are marginalising you. You sit down and
> >> > drink with them.
> >> > You get million naira briefs from them. I don't get
> >> > any brief from
> >> > them."
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > The Guardian Online-http://ngrguardiannews.com
> >> >
> >> > Thursday, October 11, 2001
> >> > Arewa faults govt's restoration of ex-soldiers ranks
> >> >
> >> > From Mustapha Ogunsakin, Abuja
> >> >
> >> > IT was a day of accusations and counter-accusations
> >> > at the Human
> >> > Rights Violation Investigation Commission, with
> >> > Ohaneze Ndigbo
> >> > accusing the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) of being
> >> > "busy bodies and
> >> > interlopers that put their nose in what does not
> >> > concern them."
> >> >
> >> > ACF spokesperson, Gen. Ibrahim Haruna (rtd) who was
> >> > a witness before
> >> > the commission also accused President Olusegun
> >> > Obasanjo of restoring
> >> > the ranks of those who fought on both sides during
> >> > the Biafran war.
> >> >
> >> > Haruna said that Obasanjo was encouraging "the kind
> >> > of thing that
> >> > happened in the east " and that he (Obasanjo) may be
> >> > doing that in
> >> > order to get votes."
> >> >
> >> > It was also a day filled with emotions as two
> >> > people, Mr. Yesufu Pam,
> >> > the chairman of Jos branch of the Nigerian Bar
> >> > Association (NBA)
> >> > defended his father's honour before the commission.
> >> > His father, the
> >> > late Lt. Col. Yakubu Pam was the Adjutant-General of
> >> > the Nigerian
> >> > Army that was killed in the January 15, 1966 coup.
> >> > Yesufu was then a
> >> > young boy of four years and seven months. As he
> >> > recounted the ordeal,
> >> > his mother, Margaret, a member of the Oputa Panel
> >> > looked on. She
> >> > wiped off a tear with her handkerchief as her son
> >> > addressed the
> >> > commission; but was carefully calm.
> >> >
> >> > The other person, Hajiya Maria Aliyu recounted how
> >> > she lost her son
> >> > when Igbo people attacked the train Northerners were
> >> > travelling in
> >> > at Imo River during the war, killing almost
> >> > everybody on board.
> >> >
> >> > Tuesday's tone was set by one of the leading counsel
> >> > to Ohaneze,
> >> > Chief Anthony Mogboh (SAN) when he accused ACF of
> >> > interfering with
> >> > that which did not concern them. He called them
> >> > interlopers and
> >> > busybodies.
> >> >
> >> > Mogboh was actually referring to the Ohaneze
> >> > petition. The group
> >> > had only accused the Federal Government in its
> >> > petition and not
> >> > the ACF.
> >> >
> >> > The Arewa Congress had, however, reacted to the Igbo
> >> > petition after
> >> > the commission's sitting in Enugu, which culminated
> >> > in its filing a
> >> > response to the Igbo petition in Abuja. Up till now,
> >> > the Federal
> >> > Government, whom the petition is against has not
> >> > appeared, whether
> >> > through the office of the Attorney-General of the
> >> > Federation, or any
> >> > lawyer, to defend the petition.
> >> >
> >> > Not a few people believed that the Federal
> >> > Government staged a non-
> >> > appearance, thereby allowing ACF to react to the
> >> > Ohaneze petition.
> >> >
> >> > However, when Mogboh referred to ACF as interlopers,
> >> > Haruna replied
> >> > that ACF "has a democratic right to participate in
> >> > whatever concerns
> >> > our interest."
> >> >
> >> > Haruna in answer to a question on the speech of
> >> > President Obasanjo of
> >> > May 25, 1999 where he promised to return the rank of
> >> > soldiers that
> >> > fought in the two sides and commute their dismissals
> >> > to retirements
> >> > said: "May be he has just realised that the
> >> > reconciliation process
> >> > is not complete. He (Obasanjo) is encouraging the
> >> > type of thing that
> >> > happened in the east or may be he is doing that in
> >> > order to get
> >> > votes."
> >> >
> >> > When told that other participants in the war,
> >> > including his commander-
> >> > in-chief, Gen. Yakubu Gowon, and Gen. Adeyinka
> >> > Adebayo had apologised
> >> > to the Ibo people on the war, General Haruna
> >> > replied: "I have no
> >> > apology for fighting and protecting the unity of
> >> > Nigeria. If the
> >> > C-In-C has apologised that is his own but as a
> >> > commander who commanded ,
> >> > I acted within the cofines of my professional
> >> > ethics. I have no apology
> >> > whatsoever."
> >> >
> >> > Haruna said further: "I have fought a war to unite
> >> > Nigeria and I will
> >> > do anything for Nigeria. I married an Ibo lady as a
> >> > wife on 1962. My
> >> > son is married to a Tiv lady. We are building
> >> > Nigeria. You know the
> >> > people that are marginalising you. You sit down and
> >> > drink with them.
> >> > You get million naira briefs from them. I don't get
> >> > any brief from
> >> > them." Pam who said that Captain Ben Gbulie accused
> >> > his father of
> >> > getting a house as a bribe from the Northern Peoples
> >> > Congress in 1965.
> >> > Pam maintained that the story published by Gbulie
> >> > was not true.
> >> >
> >> > He explained that his father took a loan then from
> >> > the staff scheme
> >> > of the Northern Nigerian staff housing scheme. The
> >> > loan then was four
> >> > thousand, six hundred pounds, he maintained, showing
> >> > documents that
> >> > the loan, which was given in two instalments was
> >> > later paid back by
> >> > the family. He said that the family finished paying
> >> > the loan in 1978.
> >> >
> >> > He therefore urged the commission to recommend a ban
> >> > on Gbulie's book
> >> > in its present form so that it would not continue to
> >> > malign his
> >> > fathers integrity and memory.
> >> >
> >> > ..
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > otasco otanda wrote:
> >> > >
> >> > > Article II of the U.N. Convention on the
> >> > Prevention
> >> > > and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide adopted
> >> > on
> >> > > 9th December 1948 stipulates that: "genocide
> >> > means
> >> > > any of the following acts committed with intent to
> >> > > destroy in whole or in part, a national, ethnic,
> >> > > racial or religious group, as
> >> > >
> >> > > a. Killing members of the group;
> >> > > b. Causing serious bodily or mental harm to
> >> > members
> >> > > of the group;
> >> > > c. Deliberately inflicting on the group
> >> > conditions of
> >> > > life calculated to bring about its physical
> >> > > destruction in whole or in part;
> >> > > d. Imposing measures intended to prevent births
> >> > > within the group;
> >> > > e. Forcibly transferring children of the group to
> >> > > another group.”
> >> > >
> >> > > Provisions of the international law on genocide
> >> > and
> >> > > incitement to genocide, enacted by Resolution 260
> >> > (A)
> >> >
> >> === message truncated ===
> >>
> >> __________________________________________________
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Ama Nwa
bolaji nwa aluko,
You are a very funny guy. I see that you and your army of mischief-makers
are still stuck in your old ways - playing GOTCHA !
Oh well, what do I expect from you and your fellow gangsters? Not much.
Put this at the back of your mind. WE SHALL RISE AGAIN ! All your
evil-designs MUST FAIL, for I have no doubt in my mind that your
latest antics, which is intended to split our rank and file would bring our
people together. God works in a mysterious way.
Shall the SUN RISE AGAIN(Biafra that is)? You bet !
Nwanuka
>From: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>
>Reply-To: mal...@scs.howard.edu
>To: Egwu Kalu <ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu>
>CC: Adey Oyenuga <oye...@chapman.edu>, otasco otanda <ota...@yahoo.com>,
> OKQu...@aol.com, exe...@hotmail.com, Hamza...@aol.com,
>she...@hotmail.com, wmo...@juno.com, Rogu...@aol.com,
>mza...@pol.net, naij...@yahoogroups.com, wazo...@yahoo.com,
>okeke...@yahoo.com, arewa...@hotmail.com, waz...@yahoogroups.com,
> black...@usa.net, Da...@aol.com, ibn...@yahoo.com,
>In...@yorubanation.org, genera...@freedom98.org, FSOru...@aol.com,
> uka...@yahoo.com, oda...@eudoramail.com, aaki...@acme.highpoint.edu,
> aog...@ix.netcom.com, AOr...@aol.com, Bad...@aol.com,
>Bol...@erols.com, Fela...@aol.com, koye...@morehouse.edu,
>LEK...@aol.com, Lod...@aol.com, ndug...@naijanet.com,
>akwa-cr...@lists.stanford.edu, igbo...@lists.cc.utexas.edu,
>RIV...@siue.edu, yorub...@onelist.com, Nowa Omoigui
><now...@yahoo.com>, oko...@usafricaonline.com,
>oola...@dcsmserver.med.sc.edu, o...@randomc.com, Tajol...@aol.com,
>egur...@yahoo.com, Tun...@aol.com, Walea...@aol.com,
>JJAU...@aol.com
>Subject: Re: [Naijanet] Re: Haruna said further....
>Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 07:21:39 -0400 (EDT)
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Nowa Omoigui
The exigencies of war aside, apart from the
brazenness/insensitivity of his comments (assuming he
was quoted correctly), coming at that from a trained
lawyer, what I found most amazing about the whole
General Haruna testimony at Oputa is that he was not
even the GOC of the 2nd Div at the time of the Asaba
shootings in October 1967.
He was openly taking responsibility for other people's
commands and actions/inactions - which makes me wonder
what the agenda is and what his intent was.
As a matter of fact he was not even in the Asaba area
as either a brigade or battalion commander in October
1967 - unless he somehow slipped in as a temporary
fill-in for one of three Brigade Commanders who may
have been on leave. I do know he did not take over the
2nd Division until early/mid 1968 after the Abagana
debacle, when Murtala Mohammed basically left AWOL and
went to rest in London.
Haruna's main command role in the war from 1968 to
1969 was the 2Div linkage with the 1st Div along the
Onitsha Enugu road and the repeated failed efforts to
capture Nnewi and Uli. He was GOC 2Div (main) until
May 1969 when he was redeployed back to AHQ in Lagos
as the QMG, at least in part because Gowon felt the
progress of the war on his front was too slow. Jalo,
who was until then in command of 2Div (rear) became
the main GOC of 2Div in May 1969.
[Adekunle of 3Div was replaced by Obasanjo at this
time too. Obasanjo was until then CO Ibadan Garrison
Organization. Bissala replaced Shuwa at the 1 Div]
Owerri (which fell to Adekunle and was retaken by
Biafran units before being retaken again by federal
forces was in the 3rd division area of operations
(under Adekunle), so Haruna could not have been in
command of the troops there either before or after the
Biafran recapture of the town. Why, therefore, did he
take responsibility for alleged massacres at Owerri?
Makes me wonder what game is going on. I shall
investigate the matter further
NAO
otasco otanda
short memory. Mz Egwu did narrate to this forum the
Item massacre about 12-20 months ago. He did also
narrate the stuff that you talked about below. I
remember all of them vividly.
About Item massacre, the three of you, viz, OKQuincy,
Bolaji and IBK, as well as Olatoye, Yinka, Seyi, and a
host of other yorubas, featured quite prominently at
ridiculing or making a child's play of the whole pain,
like it was a fairy tale. I can pull all of your
comments out if you all continue to go on denying.
May God help all of you.
Bolaji, may I ask what Kalu's age at the time of Item
massacre that he witnessed, and crisply narrated again
today, got to do with his narration? See, you are
already making light of the Item massacre again.
-K.O.
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 07:21:39 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>
Egwu:
Bolaji Aluko
__________________________________________________
Uche Gwam
No. You got it wrong. The idea, in my mind is not to re-open old wounds but
to remind Nigerians of our past. To use our "worst" past to forge a greater
integrated Nigeria. This is also the beauty of the Oputa Panel and all Truth
and Reconciations Bodies (such as South Africa, El Salvador, Argentina,
etc).
For adding sake: are you aware that the jews are still "going after" the
Nazi "war crime criminals"? Asaba is near Item.
ug
----Original Message Follows----
From: otasco otanda <ota...@yahoo.com>
To: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>, Egwu Kalu
<ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu>
CC: Adey Oyenuga <oye...@chapman.edu>, otasco otanda <ota...@yahoo.com>,
OKQu...@aol.com, exe...@hotmail.com, Hamza...@aol.com,
she...@hotmail.com, wmo...@juno.com, Rogu...@aol.com, mza...@pol.net,
naij...@yahoogroups.com, wazo...@yahoo.com, okeke...@yahoo.com,
arewa...@hotmail.com, waz...@yahoogroups.com, black...@usa.net,
Da...@aol.com, ibn...@yahoo.com, In...@yorubanation.org,
genera...@freedom98.org, FSOru...@aol.com, uka...@yahoo.com,
oda...@eudoramail.com, aaki...@acme.highpoint.edu, aog...@ix.netcom.com,
AOr...@aol.com, Bad...@aol.com, Bol...@erols.com, Fela...@aol.com,
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Nowa Omoigui <now...@yahoo.com>, oko...@usafricaonline.com,
oola...@dcsmserver.med.sc.edu, o...@randomc.com, Tajol...@aol.com,
egur...@yahoo.com, Tun...@aol.com, Walea...@aol.com, JJAU...@aol.com
Subject: Re: [Naijanet] Re: Haruna said further....
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 07:54:05 -0700 (PDT)
Egwu:
Bolaji Aluko
_/_/_/__/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_/_
Naijanet Ezboard is up:
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Adey Oyenuga
Indeed, like I stated yesterday, "deep inside, this self-proclaimed
'massacrer' may have had a more 'personal beef' to settle with his
inlaws. The infamous war was probably a needed vehicle for the likes
of Haruna to strike....and make their notorious marks.
Now, they have Haruna on record. His own words may be used against
him. And I dare say that this dope has provided enough rope to the
NdiIgbo.
I say, forget about the Oputa show, whereby, at the end, a few may
be settled, here or there. Today, Ibrahim Haruna should be sharing
a cell with Slobodon Milosovich, the slaughterer."
Then again, the same Haruna was reported to have said that: "It is
only Allah that speaks the truth."
Adey Oyenuga.
otasco otanda
To: "Nowa Omoigui" <now...@yahoo.com>,
OKQu...@aol.com, ota...@yahoo.com,
oye...@chapman.edu, CIVILRIGHT...@excite.com
From: "Egwu Kalu" <ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu> | Block
Address | Add to Address Book
Subject: Re: Group Wants Murtala Tried for massacre of
over 5000 u...
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amael...@smartisp.com, aog...@ix.netcom.com,
AOr...@aol.com, Bad...@aol.com, Bimb...@erols.com,
Bo...@aol.com, BOk...@aol.com, Bol...@erols.com,
bsa...@hotmail.com, cic...@hotmail.com,
Da...@aol.com, ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu,
Fela...@aol.com, ibn...@yahoo.com, IG...@aol.com,
Ikh...@aol.com, In...@yorubanation.org,
JAJ...@aol.com, jmc...@sprint.ca,
kkos...@hotmail.com, koye...@morehouse.edu,
Lase...@aol.com, LEK...@aol.com, Lod...@aol.com,
ndug...@naijanet.com, igbo...@lists.cc.utexas.edu,
RIV...@siue.edu, yorub...@onelist.com,
now...@yahoo.com, oko...@usafricaonline.com,
OKQu...@aol.com, olur...@altsvista.com,
oola...@dcsmserver.med.sc.edu, o...@randomc.com,
riyi...@yahoo.com, Tajol...@aol.com,
to...@chem-eng.utoronto.ca, Tun...@aol.com,
Walea...@aol.com, yorubas-...@yahoogroups.com
Reply-to: ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu
Nowa:
Why am I not surprised by your comments below? Because
of your past precedents on Igbo affair. We don't want
to rehearse them but let it be known that no
compassionate human being will under any circumstance
be keeping scores where human lives are in question.
It is not improbable that retreating Biafran soldiers
killed innocent civilians in Bendel State. That must
be condemned. However, to belittle what happened at
Asaba and Obegu strongly suggests that you will not
believe several other massacres that were not
publicised.
Take for instance, the massacre of innocent men, women
and children that took place in Amaokwe and Ameke Item
on January 10, 1970 (two days before the offcial
end of the war). You may want to know that by the time
of these killings that Item clan had already been
under the control of the vandals (army of Nigeria)
since March 30, 1969. You may also want to know that
I have purposefully left out the killings that
occurred on the day that Item fell into the hands of
nigeria, nor the subsequent killings, humiliations
(rapes - wives & children raped in presence of their
husbands or parents, abduction of women as sex slaves,
confiscation of personal properties etc) from March
30, 1969 - Jan. 12, 1970.
I have not talked about the bombing of Amaokwe Item
market (Afo Amaokwe), maternity, women returning from
farms ... etc. UNLIKE YOU, I DID NOT READ ANY OF
THESE FROM ANY BOOK. I WITNESSED THEM AND LOST SOME
LOVED ONES. I do not think that what happened in Item
on January 10, 1970 was different from several other
massacres committed by nigerian army in other Igbo
areas during the war. By the way, Item is 25 miles NE
of Umuahia, 64 miles south of Enugu and 16 miles away
from Ohafia & 15 miles from Uzuakoli.
If Ndiigbo do not want to forget about their
experiences, it is exactly because of the type of
comments you made below. It is clear that given the
chance, that you and your nigerian cohorts will do
worse than before. No, Nowa. Biafra did not start
bombing of civilian targets - nigerian army did.
Probably, if Enahoro and Awo were not on record about
their starvation policies, you might have come up with
examples of how the Biafran Army starved Bendelites
hence the starvation of innocent children as a
weapon of war ...... And these are being justified by
a physician!!
My prayer is that may the extra wickedness visited on
Ndiigbo between 1967- 1970 by other nigerians never be
visited on any group in the world nor even the hatred
of the past 31 years, I do not wish it on any group.
By your statements below and in the past about Igbo
affairs, I wonder what about Ndiigbo as a group
bothers your mind so much. Live and let live.
Egwu Kalu
Egwu Kalu
Bolaji, here is the discussion that was referred to in my
post.
Egwu Kalu
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Egwu Kalu:
Please look CLOSELY at the email list supplied below by Otasco Otanda in
reproducing his archives: DO YOU SEE ANY OF MY EMAIL ADDRESSES ON THAT
LIST? I remember one time appealing to Quincy and a few others to take my
name off the list, and I was obliged.
For example, I have NEVER read that:
"By the way, Item is 25 miles NE of Umuahia, 64 miles south of Enugu and
16 miles away from Ohafia & 15 miles from Uzuakoli. "
Never! Or else why should I be asking whether Item is near Asaba, when in
fact it is only 25 miles NE of Umuahia? And I NEVER participated in this
particular thread, and will give $100 to a charity of your choice if
Otasco Otanda or yourself or anyone else can show any of my contributions
to this particular thread.
Look - I fear NOT if I make a statement, and I will be prepared to own up
to it. But I will not OWN up to a statement that I did not make. I find
it offensive.
Quite frankly, I feel vindicated on this particular score.
Bolaji Aluko
otasco otanda
Before you go further, let me quickly advise that this
was not the only instance that Mz Egwu narrated the
Item massacre and the subsequent reactions of some
folks. I only flashed the one below (and named it
part 1 appropriately) because it was the most recent
and so was easily left available in my small yahoo mem
space, which I was only able to pull from my mobile
notepad in my car. You are right about your asking
many folks to remove you from the CC-lists sometime
ago, but I think you never asked to be unsubscribed
from naijanet also where many of these exchanges go
through nonetheless.
-K.O.
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 15:35:59 -0400 (EDT)
From: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>
Egwu Kalu:
Bolaji Aluko
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 12:26:14 -0700
From: "Adey Oyenuga" <oye...@chapman.edu>
Hello Mazi Egwu,
Your item number 5 (below) is an intriguing stance....
In my book, a right is a right. Likewise, a wrong is a
wrong. Thus, I believe that, according to your stance,
no one can be "open-minded" if an end to a premise has
already been decided.
Thus, when I read that Pa "Awo's position regarding
his roles during the war, 20 pounds ... His advise and
subsequent policies were aimed at optimizing the
chances of his people (unfortunately at expense of
my own people) in the nigerian unfederation", I have a
funny feeling in my stomach. I may have misread your
statement....
I mean, it's one thing to state that Pa Awo's policies
were aimed at optimizing the chances of Nigeria over
Biafra. It's quite another to state that Pa Awo's
policies were aimed at optimizing the chances of
the Yorubas over the Igbo.
Over the past couple of decades, I have been trying to
put my finger on WHY NdiIgbo would rather cast their
votes for the North, than the South-West. Today, I
believe that NdiIgbo felt - probably still feel
that - Pa Awo is more to be blamed (or maybe solely
responsible) for the "demise of the Biafran Dream".
This may just be my understanding.
Oh, by the way, I don't think that Prof. MEA is "a
core Awoist". But, then again, I may be wrong....
Adey Oyenuga.
Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 14:26:00 -0400
From: "Egwu Kalu" <ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu>
Bolaji:
1. I do not archive all my mails, hence I couldn't
find your mail that may
help you recall. In essence, your statement regarding
my account of
unwarranted murder of innocent civilians by nigerian
army officers was something
to the effect that " if it were true, that we should
take it to the Oputa Panel" (or something close to
that). Can you search your archives (since you have a
deep one :-)) - about the
time the post-humous trial of Murtala etc was
discussed on Igbo--net. I also
remember that Quincy and Nowa were on your team during
the discussion. I have libeled you.
2. The issue about which you recall below was when you
posted some extracts
of late Nelson Ota's (Ottah) writing in the Drum
Magazine (1965 & 58). I told you that
Nelson Ota was from Ameke-Item (one of the nine
villages that make up Item) and that
his name was not properly spelt. I think I went on to
talk about Item - including
Amaokwe-Item (my own village).
3. Regarding my use of "Haruna and his boys ..", I
used it in my narration to point out the culpability
of the high ranking army officers of the nigerian army
in the massacres. After all
such claims made by a general of nigerian army
suggests that such massacres
were authorized by high military officers. I do not
know the person that lead the
"expedition" - if I had waited to know, I wouldn't be
here telling you about it. However, they are
many in my village that interacted with the military
after this incident that can
provide the names of the perpetrators. Again, your
statement suggests that
you doubt the truth. You wanted to know if Item is
near Asaba? That question
suggests to me that you did not read the published
exchange between Haruna
and Mazi Mogbo (Ohaneze attorney). Asaba was not the
only place innocent
civilians were lined-up and killed by the nigerian
army. Many other villages
suffered the same - it is a question of cover-up. The
army was able to cover-up
many but for some they couldn't because people
survived and also such survivors
were adamant in letting the world know about it.
4. Bolaji, on the question of my age - it is a public
information. I have never claimed to
be young. What I take pride in is that if any person
wants to, my date of birth as recorded
in Methodist School Amaokwe-Item, Methodist College
Uzuakoli, University of Lagos,
University of British Columbia and Texas A&M
University was same. This quite unlike what
I have seen where people's age decrease with time. As
far as life is concerned, age is an
irrelevant number. If you
wish to know how old I was, Unilag has the record, ask
any of your friends there to provide that to you.
However, I will oblige you somehow and tell you that I
was old enough to remember a lot of things that
was happening on the ground in my VILLAGE from 1966
onwards. By the way, unlike you I was born in the
village,
grew up in the village and only moved into the bushes
(6 - 8 months) because of the war. In any case, the
whole
village moved into the bushes together. I was never
resident outside my village, hence I know the in and
out of my
village until I left for high school.
5. Finally, our collegiate professional relationship
will never be affected because of our political
differences. I do not even think you as differing
politically from me - except that you are a core
Awoist and I am not. You will defend Yoruba till death
just as I will defend Igbo. I don't see anything
wrong with that. Our differences (and with many
others) arise when you want me to accept Yoruba
view of Igbo issues. No. I'd rather you see Igbo
issues from Igbo point of view, understand, analyze
and compare with your Yoruba view of such issues.
There are bound to be areas of disagreement.
It is such areas that great work is needed for a
consensus to be reached. The same applies to any
Igbo person viewing Yoruba issues. Let us respect our
differences. From time to time, I may call you
anti-Igbo etc, it doesn't mean that I see you as
hating Ndiigbo. It because you view Igbo issues from
the Yoruba points of interest. If you want to
understand a people, abandon your biases, have an open
mind and attempt to understand them. Understanding a
people does not mean agreeing with them. Let me
offer you an example. I understand Awo's position (but
vehemently disagree with him) regarding his roles
during the war, 20 pounds and indigenisation issues.
His advise and subsequent policies were aimed at
optimizing
the chances of his people (unfortunately at expense of
my own people) in the nigerian unfederation. Your
effort at
exonerating Awo from his roles etc will not change my
mind but i will understand where you are coming from
- Awoist camp!
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Otasco Otanda:
I am no longer interested in this issue. I have told you that I NEVER
heard about the Item massacre before, either from Egwu Kalu or from
anywhere else. Take it or leave it. Please yourself.
Listen: Even if I had heard of it before, and I admitted what Egwu said
that I said before, there is nothing either you or Egwu would do to me.
It would not change your opinion of me - or who I have been since I said
it.
So what is the problem?
Have a good week-end.
Bolaji Aluko
Nc...@aol.com
So what is the problem?
The problem is, as our people say, those who start a fight and then turn around to play peace maker.
You wrote eloquently about how Egwu Kalu had never written about the Item massacre. You read everything he wrote about the geography of Item, by your eloquent account, but never read what he wrote about the massacre. Then someone was kind enough to remind you (through an archived email) that Egwu had discussed the massacre at the same time he discussed the geography of Item.
Instead of doing, for once, the respectable thing of apologizing and walking away, you put fort the argument that you were never copied on Egwu's email. Let me ask you prof: You even offered to donate $100 (an equivalent of Awolowo's 20 pounds), God only knows to whom.
How were you able to read Egwu's discussion of Item geography if you did not read his discussion of the massacre which was contained in the thead, and in same email?
Igbophobia sends people to the funny farm. In these last 24 hours, I have seen people make complete asses of themselves trying to defend their positions that Igbos were not massacred in Nigeria. I have read a confessed jihadist give a SWORN statement that he was part of the massacre. I have also read a past coupist, British backed dictator confess to the massacre. Now I am treated to the insult of reading contrary accounts from people named Omoigui, Oyenuga and Mobolaji.
Igbophobia does really make people go crazy.
Take care,
Mazi Obiora
Racists___Religions
1.Church is "two bodies, one Black Christian, one white
Christian-separate and divided.
2.Sudras (Untouchables Hindus)
Hindu Church is "two bodies, one Brahmin Hindu , one Untouchable Hindu
separate and divided.
The holocaust was sponsored by "Christians".
American slavery was "justified" by "Christians".
Please visit:
Sudras (Untouchables Hindus) Holocaust Museum
http://www.dalitstan.org/holocaust/
Fight White Power
Fight Brahmin Hindu Power
Fight Imperialism
Fight Racism
Mobolaji E. Aluko
Dear kind Readers:
I am waiting for Obiora, Otasco Otanda and Egwu Kalu to comment on my
archival clarifications.
Bolaji Aluko
On Sat, 13 Oct 2001, Mobolaji E. Aluko wrote:
>
>
> Obiora:
>
>
> Get this into your head, Obiora: I NEVER deny what I write or say! I may
> wish I did not say it or write it, but if I have said and written it, I
> will not deny. I am not a coward like those who hide behind fake
> neo-Biafran handles and rain abuses at others.
>
> And since you are not my eyes, you can NEVER prove that I read a
> particular item EVEN if my email address is on it!
>
> So this present insistence of yours is quite silly and obnoxious.
>
> But I have now checked archives: while my discussion of Item village
> geography with Eric Egwu Kalu was in October 2000, his discussion about
> Item's massacre (that did not include me at all) was in February 2001,
> according to Otasco Otanda's archive!
>
> So I offer the excerpts below.
>
> After reading them, please please yourself what you believe. Water off my
> back. I have no more to add.
>
> Okwu agu!
>
>
> Bolaji Aluko
>
>
> --------------
>
> EXHIBIT ONE: EGWU KALU'S DISCUSSION OF ITEM MASSACRE
> >Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001
>
> Date: Fri, 12 Oct 2001 14:52:25 -0400
> From: Egwu Kalu <ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu>
> To: otasco otanda <ota...@yahoo.com>,
> "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>,
> Egwu Kalu <ek...@wombat.eng.fsu.edu>
> Cc: Adey Oyenuga <oye...@chapman.edu>, otasco otanda <ota...@yahoo.com>,
> OKQu...@aol.com, exe...@hotmail.com, Hamza...@aol.com, -- other
> emails omitted
>
> Subject: Re: [FROM THE ARCHIVES]: Mz Egwu Kalu narrates the Item
> Massacre
> [Part 1]
>
> Thanks Otasco for retrieving the info.
>
> Bolaji, here is the discussion that was referred to in my
> post.
>
> Egwu Kalu
>
> At 10:09 AM 10/12/01 -0700, otasco otanda wrote:
> >Date: Wed, 14 Feb 2001 20:00:58 -0500
> >To: "Nowa Omoigui" <now...@yahoo.com>,
> >OKQu...@aol.com, ota...@yahoo.com,
> >oye...@chapman.edu, CIVILRIGHT...@excite.com
> >Subject: Re: Group Wants Murtala Tried for massacre of
> >over 5000 u...
> >CC: mar...@interlog.com, aaki...@acme.highpoint.edu,
> >amael...@smartisp.com, aog...@ix.netcom.com,
> >AOr...@aol.com, Bad...@aol.com, Bimb...@erols.com, - other emails
> omitted
>
> >Nowa:
> >
> >Why am I not surprised by your comments below? Because
> >of your past precedents on Igbo affair. We don't want
> >to rehearse them but let it be known that no.. [materials deleted]
>
> >Take for instance, the massacre of innocent men, women
> >and children that took place in Amaokwe and Ameke Item
> >on January 10, 1970 (two days before the offcial
> >end of the war). You may want to know that by the time
> >of these killings that Item clan had already been
> >under the control of the vandals (army of Nigeria)
> >since March 30, 1969.
>
> Materials deleted
>
>
> >By your statements below and in the past about Igbo
> >affairs, I wonder what about Ndiigbo as a group
> >bothers your mind so much. Live and let live.
> >
> >Egwu Kalu
>
> -----------------------
>
>
> EXHIBIT 2: BOLAJI's DISCUSSION ABOUT ITEM GEOGRAPHY BEGINS WITH A
> DISCUSSION OF KILLINGS OF NIGERIANS IN LIBYA, KALU'S HIGHLIGHTING OF IGBO
> KILLINGS THERE, BOLAJI'S MENTION OF THE NAME "NELSON OTTAH" OF DRUM
> MAGAZINE, AND KALU'S INDICATION THAT NELSON "OTA" IS FROM HIS ITEM CLAN
>
> Date: Sun, 8 Oct 2000 14:58:59 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>
> To: Eric Kalu <ek...@dingo.eng.fsu.edu>
> Cc: OKQu...@aol.com, ota...@yahoo.com, Roya...@aol.com,
> african...@hotmail.com, ad...@africamail.com,. And many other
> email addresses
> Subject: Re: Tales of Torture in Tripoli: Igbo casualties continue to
> rise?
>
> Eric Kalu:
>
> (1) First, let me congratulate you for coming from Nelson Ottah's clan -
> it seems to mean a lot to you, and I can understand why - and for
> attending those fine schools - from your clan to Uzuaioli to Akoka to BC
> to the Aggies (?). With an education like that, it is frightening to
> contemplate how you would have been without.
>
> .. materials deleted ..
>
> Have a good Sunday.
>
>
> Bolaji Aluko
>
> On Sun, 8 Oct 2000, Eric Kalu wrote:
>
> > Bolaji Aluko:
> > Your lack of comprehension (not to talk about statistics) disgraces your
> > person, the institutions that ever awarded you any certification for
> > anything. Else, tell me how you couldn't figure out the
> > following:
> n some materials deleted -
>
> E. Kalu
> > N/B By the way Bolaji, have you found Nelson Otah's place? If you care
> to
> > know, the 10/06/2000 edition of Post Expresswired caried an article on
> > the celeberation of of new yam festival in Otah's Clan (my place).
> > If you have problems getting it, let me know, Iwill send it to you. As
> for.. materials deleted
>
> Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 09:20:06 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>
> To: Eric Kalu <ek...@dingo.eng.fsu.edu>
> Cc: Reginald Iyizoba <im...@nscorp.com>, Adey Oyenuga
> <ad...@africamail.com>,
> Ibukunolu Alao Babajide <i...@usa.net>, and many other URLs
>
> Subject: ITEM, IGBO, EKITI, YORUBA [Re: Uncle Sege Plans To Beat A Few To
> ,
> The Punch, Again]
>
> Maazi Eric:
>
> Apologies if the New Yam celebration was observed by Ndi Item at Item.
> Post Express surely did not report it, and a tree that falls in a forest
> in the absence of anybody for all practical purposes did not fall.
>
> By the way, I know Item. Item is not a village - it is a clan of nine
> villages. You come from there as did late Mr. Nelson Ottah and several
> distinguished Ndi Item. You both are from different ones of the nine
> villages of the clan - Amaokwe, Okoko, Akanu, Ameke, Akwanu, Okagwo,
> Umuakpa, Okai and Amaekpu - the boundary between the two would be
> Item is 25 miles north east of Umuahaia and about 64 miles south of Enugu,
> and not too far from Arochukwu, Amaigbo and Ohafia. It is in the Bende
> local government of Abia state.
>
> Abi na lie? You told me some of this yourself! I have learnt some things
> from this cross-cultural interaction.
> I should also leave you with one cross-cultural knowledge: about my
> Ekiti.
>
> n materials deleted --
>
> On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, Eric Kalu wrote:
>
> > Bolaji Aluko: Where did you get your information that Ndi Item did not
> > celeberate the new Yam festival in Item? You complain of
> > misrepresentation of facts about your Ekiti in the papers and then turn
> > around to do worse about my people! You do not know where Item is
> X located. How many indigenes of Item live in Lagos that will make "Item
> X > isi ogo tolu" to abandon their custom and tradition in the home land?
> X > Please, exaggeration is a form of being untruthful. New yam festival
> was
> X > celeberated in all the nine villages of Item - Amaokwe, Okoko, Akanu,
> X > Ameke, Akwanu, Okagwo, Umuakpa, Okai and Amaekpu. Take note. They are
> X > over 300 times more Ndi Item at Aba than in Lagos and the celeberation
> X > of our traditions in any town outside Item does not mean that those at
> X > home (and several others that travel home for the occasion) do not
> X > celeberate or observe the tradition.
>
> >ndewo
>
>
> > Egwu Kalu
> >
>
> ---------------
>
> EXHIBIT 3: OTASCO JUMPS INTO THE FRAY, AND SHOULD BE ABLE TO CONFIRM FROM
> HIS ARCHIVES!
>
> Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2000 12:30:14 -0400 (EDT)
> From: "Mobolaji E. Aluko" <mal...@scs.howard.edu>
> To: otasco otanda <ota...@yahoo.com>
>
> Cc: Eric Kalu <ek...@dingo.eng.fsu.edu>, Reginald Iyizoba
> <im...@nscorp.com>,
> Adey Oyenuga <ad...@africamail.com>,
> Ibukunolu Alao Babajide <i...@usa.net>, - and other email addressess
>
> Subject: Re: ITEM, IGBO, EKITI, YORUBA [Re: Uncle Sege Plans To Beat A
> Few To
> , The Punch, Again]
>
>
> Otasco Otando:
>
> Prof. E. Bolaji Idowu was a professor of Divinity at the University of
> Ibadan for many years. His acclaimed book - "Olodumare: God in Yoruba
> Belief" - was based on his PhD Thesis (in 1951 or so), and shows the
> Yoruba in all their indigenous religious glory, and explains why religion
>
> On Thu, 12 Oct 2000, otasco otanda wrote:
>
> > Bolaji Aluko:
> > You sure have been reading a lot of satanic stuff,
> X don't you?. materials deleted
>
> By the sound of
> > the Name of Jesus, every satan shall flee!
> > -K.O.
> >
> > Note: Amaigbo is not near Item, at least that is what
> > I gather from Orlu people here.
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
otasco otanda
Did you not tell me that you are no longer interested
in this the other day? Look, I can flash out the rest
of the stuffs that went on 12-20 months ago, for all
to see. -K.O.
=== message truncated ===