FW: STAR INTERVIEW: Brigadier Anthony Eze in PostExpress
Chuck Okere
Subject: Re: STAR INTERVIEW: Brigadier Anthony Eze in PostExpress
Dear Uzo & Ik
Thanks for the flawless rebuttal, Bolaji's overheated diatribe apart, his
writings will always reflect what Boliji does best "putting his worst foot
forward or in his mouth".
I greatly enjoyed Bolaji's writings despite my guilty knowledge as to the
reason: the attraction of his writings (to his SW crowd) lies in their
ability to believe that they are reading history while, infact they are
getting a mean and unworthy pleasure from the disasters of people they don't
know but know they don't like.
His position comes from his conviction that if he could persuade himself
that something was virtuous or legitimate, he could persuade almost
everybody else. His is not only a master of convoluted thought, but he
appreciates it in others.
I'm firm in the belief, a majority view of long standing, that anyone who
was shut up by Bolaji Aluko has nothing to say.
Jisike
Emeka Okere
IG...@aol.com
chu...@genexswinegroup.ca writes:
<< Subj: FW: STAR INTERVIEW: Brigadier Anthony Eze in PostExpress
Date: 5/5/00 5:21:51 PM US Eastern Standard Time
From: chu...@genexswinegroup.ca (Chuck Okere)
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From: Chuck Okere <chu...@genexswinegroup.ca>
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Subject: FW: STAR INTERVIEW: Brigadier Anthony Eze in PostExpress
Date: Fri, 5 May 2000 16:22:37 -0600
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>>
CLOSURE TO THE STORY OF Brigadier Anthony Eze.
Ndi Igbo Ibem, Ndewo nu!
Let me cease this opportunity to put closure to the story of Brigadier Tony
Eze.
I am sure there is no onye Igbo who was not affected by the cataclysm that
befell Ndi Igbo during the Biafra War.
Now for us to put closure to this recurrent nightmare, let us attempt to
put responsibilities where they are truly deserved and put praise where they
are due.
Last week Comrade (Dr.) Madunagu asked the Igbos to go back and see why the
Biafra war was lost so that we do not make the same mistake twice.
Like Casius to Brutus in Shakespeare's Julius Caesar : "It is not in our
stars, but in ourselves that we are but little underlines .....,"
As a living witness to the catastrophe, let me make my points clear. Like we
say in Igbo, If you are not careful, what destroyed your fathers will destroy
you too.
To those who cannot comprehend how we were totally annihilated by the
Nigerian Side let me make my point again that Leadership was essentially the
bane and doom of the Biafran Revolution
It is unwise to go on a campaign of calumny against any gallant Biafran
Commander who fought till the end without running away in search of peace.
These people are veritable source of the knowledge of the little intrigues
that eventually doomed the Biafra revolution.
Brigadier Eze was GOC of 12 Div that covered the Okigwe/ Aba Sector and
was at his post till the bitterest surrender by General Philip Effiong and
Sir Louis Mbanefo at the end of the war. By that time the peoples General had
scampered of on the last flight from Biafra in search of peace. In fact one
of Brigadier Eze's unit was still fighting in the early morning of Jan 16th
1970 after the war has been essentially over. That was his commitment to the
Igbo cause.
With due respect to Kevin and the doctor cum Historian, they are not true
sources of the internal inequities that put an unbearable burden on the
people of Biafra. In fact, the likes of Col. Joe Achuzia, General Madiebo,
Brigaider Eze, N. U Akpan and others who have put their memoirs together have
either directly or indirectly put the blame where it belongs. Bolaji Aluko
also put a perspective on the life of C Odumegwu-Ojukwu too which many Igbo
people choose to ignore. Jerome Udoji did not attempt to deal with the Biafra
situation in his memoir, choosing to ignore Ojukwu who prior to joining the
army was a District Officer under him. It is said of Chief Jerome Udoji, that
he remained in Nigeria instead of being in a nation governed by General
Ojukwu.
An essential but relevant antecedent to the Biafran debacle was the nature of
the Officers corps in the Nigerian Army.
Prior to the civil war there were few university graduates in the Nigerian
Army, viz, General Ojukwu, Emmanuel Ifajunna, Victor Banjo, Henry Adefope,
Elechi Amadi, Ndiomu and a handful of others. The university graduate cadre
thus regarded themselves as something very special.
C odumegwu-Ojukwu was a special godlike class by himself, Not only was he a
son of the richest Igbo at the time (although mother was Non Igbo speaking
Midwest), he was also educated in a public school in England. He treated
every other person with disdain and contempt. In Biafra the only person who
felt he had enough pedigree to talk or advise Ojukwu was Col Emmanuel
Ifajunna. Ifajunna, not only was he a graduate of the University of Ibadan,
was the first Nigerian gold medalist in the commonwealth games. He won a gold
medal in high jump in the 58 commonwealth games.
It is said that during the collapse of the Biafra excursion into the Mid
west, Emmanuel Ifajuna had an audience with Colonel Ojukwu in which he
pleaded, in fact requested strongly that alternatives be found for the
cessation of hostilities since it was clear to any military person that the
war has been lost and won. The next few days Ifajuna, Banjo and two other
Ibadan graduates who were civiilains were tried for treason and shot.
Was it any wonder then that although millions were killed, there was no
person bold enough to tell General Ojukwu that the war was lost till the
bitterest end. All mature and influential people left on sick visit to Europe
and never came back.
So my fellow Ndi Igbo, let us listen to all the key players of the civil
conflict and learn from them what it took to loose the war. Let us not snear
at them Those whose primary objective after march 1968, when it was clear the
war was essentially over was to preserve young lives should be praised.
Brigadier Eze must be commended for carrying out his military duty till
the end of the war. I salute him.