Permit me to begin by quoting the words and sharing the research of Mr. Anayo Johnpaul. He wrote:
"Shocking revelations of the hatred for Igbos and how the north used the Nigerian Federal troops and locals in the South-West and
North to commit genocide with the help of Great Britain and America during the civil war.
Here are some excerpts from the confessions of the PERPETRATORS:
“I want to see no Red Cross, no Caritas, no World Council of Churches, no Pope, no missionary, no UN delegation. I want to prevent even one Ibo from having even one piece to eat before their capitulation. We shoot at everything that moves and when our troops march into the centre of Ibo territory, we shoot at everything, even things that do not move” (Benjamin Adekunle, Commander, 3rd Marine Commander Division, Nigerian Army to French Radio Reporter).
“All is fair in war, and starvation is one of the weapons of war. I don’t see why we should feed our enemies fat in order for them to fight harder”, (Chief Obafemi Awolowo, Nigerian Minister of Finance, July 28, 1969)
“Until now efforts to relieve the Biafran people have been thwarted by the desire of the central government to pursue total and unconditional victory and by the fear of the Ibo people that surrender means wholesale atrocities and genocide. But genocide is what is taking place right now and starvation is the grim reaper. This is not the time to stand on ceremony, or go through channels or to observe diplomatic niceties. The destruction of an entire people is immoral objective, even in the most moral of wars. It can never be condoned”, (Richard Nixon, during the presidential campaign, September 9, 1968)
“Federal troops killed, or stood while mobs killed, more than 5000 Ibos in Warri, Sapele, Agbor” (New York Times, 10th January, 1968).
“Its (mass starvation) is a legitimate aspect of war (Anthony Enahoro, Nigerian Commissioner for Information at a press conference in New York, July 1968)
“Starvation is a weapon of war, and we have every intention of using it against the rebels” (Mr Alison Ayida, Head of Nigerian delegation, Niamey Peace talks, July 1968.)
“The Igbos must be considerably reduced in number”, Lagos Policeman quoted in New York Review 21 December, 1967)
“One word now describes the policy of the Nigerian military government towards secessionist Biafra: genocide. It is ugly and extreme but it is the only word which fits Nigeria’s decision to stop international Red Cross and other relief agencies from flying food to Biafra ( Washington Post editorial, July 2, 1969).
“In some areas in the East, Igbos were killed by local people with at least the acquiescence of the Federal forces, 1000 Igbo civilians perished in Benin in this way” (Max Edward Reporter, reporter on the ground - New York Review, 21 December 1967).
“After federal forces take over Benin, troops killed about 500 Igbo civilians after a house to house search with the aid of willing locals” (Washington Morning Post, 27 September, 1967)
“The greatest single massacre occurred in the Igbo town of Asaba where 700 Igbo male were lined up and shot as terrified women/children were forced to watch” (London Observer, 21 January,1968)
“Federal troops killed or stood by while mobs killed more than 5000 Ibos in Warri, Sapele, Agbor (New York Times, 10th January, 1968).
“There has been genocide on the occasion of the 1966 massacres, the region between the towns of Benin and Asaba where only widows and orphans remain, federal troops having, for unknown reasons, massacred all the men” (Paris Le Monde, 5th April, 1968)
“In Calabar, federal forces shot at least 1000 and perhaps 2000 Igbos, most of them civilians” (New York Times, 18th January,1968)
“Bestialities and indignities of all kinds were visited on the Biafrans in 1966. In Ikeja Barracks (Western Nigeria) Biafrans were forcibly fed on a mixture of human urine and faeces. In Northern Nigeria numerous housewives and nursing mothers were violated before their husbands and children. Young girls were abducted from their homes, walking places and schools and forced into intercourse with sick, demented and leprous men” (Mr Eric Spiff, German War Correspondent, eyewitness, 1967)
“650 refugee camps, contained about 700,000 haggard bundles of human flotsam waiting hopelessly for a meal, outside the camps, was the reminder of an estimated four and half to five million displaced Kwashiokor scourge, a million and half children, suffer(ed) from it during January; that put the forecast death toll at another 300,000 children. More than the pogroms of 1966, more than the war casualties, than the terror bombings, it was the experience of watching helplessly their children waste away and die that gave birth to, a deep and unrelenting loathing. It is a feeling that will one day reap bitter harvest unless” (Frederick Forsyth, British Writer, January 21st 1969)
“The Nazis had resurrected just here as Nigerian forces” (Washington Post, editorial, July 2, 1969).
“The loss of life from starvation continues at more than 10,000 persons per day over 1,000,000 lives in recent months. Without emergency measures now, the number will climb to 25,000 per day, within a month and 2,000,000 deaths by the end of the year. The new year will only bring greater disaster to people caught in the passion of fratricidal war, we cant allow this to continue or those responsible to go free” (Senator Kennedy appeals to Americans Sunday November 17, 1968)
“Myself and the same UNICEF representatives went on to convey something of what lay behind this intransigence: Among the large majority hailing from that tribe who are the most vocal in inciting the complete extermination of the Igbos. I often heard remarks that all Nigeria’s ills will be cured once the Igbos have been exterminated from the human map.” (Dr Conor Cruise O’Bien, 21 December, 1967, New York Review". (CONCLUDED).
MR. JOHNPAUL HAS DONE THE NIGERIAN PEOPLE GENERALLY AND THE IGBO IN PARTICULAR A GREAT SERVICE BY DOING THE RESEARCH AND UNEARTHING THESE QOUTATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS.
AS HARROWING AS THEY ARE THESE WORDS ACCURATELY CAPTURE THE MOOD AND ESSENCE OF THR CIVIL WAR AND THAT HORRIFIC CHAPTER IN OUR HISTORY.
I CAN CONFIRM THAT EVERYTHING THAT HE HAS WRITTEN IS AN AUTHENTIC AND ACCURATE QUOTATION FROM THE SOURCES THAT HE HAS ATTRIBUTED THEM TO.
NOW MY TAKE ON ALL THIS IS AS FOLLOWS.
CAN OFFERING THE IGBO "MORE CAKE" AS SOME HAVE SUGGESTED MAKE UP FOR ALL WE HAVE DONE TO THEM AND SUBJECTED THEM TO?
CAN THE THE DREAM OF BIAFRA BE SHATTERED AND OBLITERATED BY PROMISES OF CRUMBS FROM THE MASTERS TABLE, ATTEMPTS TO BREAK THEIR SPIRITS AND WIPE THEM OFF THE FACE OF THE EARTH OR THREATS OF ANNIHILATION AND DEATH FROM THEIR OPPRESSORS?
I THINK NOT.
I AM A MAN OF PEACE AND I BELIEVE THAT WAR IS EVIL. IT IS UTTERLY REPUGNANT AND MANIFESTLY DESTRUCTIVE.
IT IS A COMPLETE AND TOTAL DESCENT INTO MADNESS, BARBARISM AND INHUMANITY AND THOSE THAT GLORIFY IT OR ENCOURAGE IT IN ANY SHAPE OR FORM ARE EITHER SHALLOW, NAIVE OR SIMPLY INSANE.
YET DESPITE THAT ONE THING THAT I KNOW IS THIS: IF, GOD FORBID, THERE WERE EVER TO BE ANY MAJOR CONFLICT OR WAR IN NIGERIA AGAIN THE IGBO WOULD NOT BE LEFT TO FIGHT IT ON THEIR OWN.
IF, GOD FORBID, THERE WERE TO EVER BE ROUND TWO I HAVE LITTLE DOUBT THAT THIS TIME AROUND THE ENTIRE SOUTH AND THE MIDDLE BELT WOULD STAND TOGETHER AS ONE AGAINST OUR COMMON OPPRESSORS AND THOSE THAT KILL AND SLAUGHTER OUR PEOPLE AT WILL IN THE NAME OF ETHNIC SUPREMACY AND FAITH.
I PRAY IT NEVER HAPPENS AND I PRAY THAT WE EITHER RESTRUCTURE THIS COUNTRY OR PEACEFULLY GO OUR SEPARATE WAYS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE.
THOSE THAT RESIST THAT COURSE ARE PLAYING WITH FIRE AND ARE SITTING ON A KEG OF GUNPOWDER.
WHEN IT IGNITES NO-ONE WILL BE LEFT STANDING, NO-ONE WILL COME OUT WHOLE AND NO-ONE WILL ESCAPE BEING AMONGST THE VICTIMS OF THE CATACLYSMIC AND HORRENDOUS EVENTS THAT WILL FOLLOW.
AS A MATTER OF URGENCY WE MUST ALL PRAY FERVENTLY FOR PEACE IN THIS COUNTRY. WE MUST COUNSEL AND ENCOURAGE RESTRAINT, UNDERSTANDING AND PATIENCE FROM ALL SIDES.
MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL WE MUST FIND IT IN OUR HEARTS TO DISPLAY AND EXPRESS A HIGH DEGREE OF REGRET AND CONTRITION FOR WHAT WE DID TO THE IGBO AND PAY COMPENSATION AND MAKE RESTITUTION FOR WHAT WE SUBJECTED THEM TO BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE CIVIL WAR.
GOD DEMANDS IT AND JUSTICE REQUIRES IT.
Femi Fady-Kayode
