Omon-Julius Onabu in Asaba
The Asagba of Asaba, HRM Obi Prof. Epiphany Azinge (SAN), has reiterated that no force under the sun would sweep away the mindless and baseless massacre of hundreds of innocent Asaba people by the federal troops in early October 1967 during the Nigerian Civil War.
Asagba Azinge underscored the point that only a formal apology from a sitting Nigerian president could assuage the deep pain and sense of monumental injustice against the people and kingdom of Asaba, saying that it was a matter of regret that his people have received nothing but a deafening silence from successive governments in Nigeria several decades after the bloodletting in Asaba.
The monarch was speaking in Asaba, Delta State, at the 59th anniversary of the tragic incident, when the Convener of the Asaba Massacre Memorial, Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze, unfolded to stakeholders the preparations for the 60th anniversary of the massacre and plans towards the actualisation of the proposed Asaba Massacre Memorial Centre or complex.
The occasion also featured the presentation of a special audio-visual message from Nigeria’s former President, Chief Olusegun Obasanjo, who appealed for forgiveness and reconciliation while regretting the unfortunate massacre of Asaba indigenes, who were mainly men, in 1967.
Obasanjo, who was scheduled to chair the 59th anniversary of the memorial programme, described the massacre as “one of the most painful, one of the most terrible aspects” of the Nigerian Civil War.
Obasanjo said: “This marks the remembrance of one very sad aspect of the Nigerian Civil War. Of course, the war in its entirety was an unfortunate event which should never happen.
“However, the Asaba Massacre -as it is called – was one of the most painful, one of the most terrible aspects of that war.”
He admitted that he wept after receiving documents on the massacre from Chief Chuk Nduka-Eze, as the full import of the incident dawned on him.
A visibly shaken Obasanjo said: “To all of you assembled, let us keep one thing in mind: forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness again.”
On his part, the Asaba royal father emphasised that the curtains could not be drawn on the unprovoked 1967 mass killings in Asaba unconditionally, and without any expression of remorse by the country’s authorities.
Asagba Azinge said: “We may not forget, but certainly we have to forgive. Indeed, we have shown resilience and unwavering commitment to peace as a people, without any sense of animosity towards anybody.
“However, there will be no closure or healing until a sitting president-not an ex-president-publicly apologises to us.”
He acknowledged the fact that a former military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, had apologised while out of office, just as former President Olusegun Obasanjo had done at the 59th anniversary celebration.
“We need a sitting president to apologise to the Asaba people, and only that will bring closure,” the Asagba maintained.
He also picked holes in Obasanjo’s “never again” chorus, recalling that the outrageous Odi killings occurred during his reign as Nigerian president.
Obi Azinge observed that: “Coming from him, I was a bit taken aback. How long do we say ‘never again’? But it happened at Odi. Odi came years after Asaba, and he was the president when that happened.”
While acknowledging the deep sense of responsibility and uncommon courage exhibited by Major-General Ahmed Ibrahim Taiwo (retired), the son of the late Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, a top military officer allegedly involved in the military operation that culminated in the Asaba massacre, the monarch stressed the need to forgive and forge ahead as a people.
He said: “On behalf of the Asaba community, and as the prescribed authority, the Asagba of Asaba, I hereby publicly proclaim that we have forgiven the Taiwo family.
“Yes, there is every need for us to forgive them. We may not forget, but certainly, we have to forgive.”
The monarch stated that Asaba as a people “have moved on” despite the deep scarring of their hearts by the incident.
Earlier, the youthful retired army general said that he was in Asaba “to render our deepest regrets and apologise on behalf of our father and family for any act of omission or commission on his part that led to this heinous massacre.
“I know it will not right the wrong, but I believe and pray it is a start towards reconciliation.”
The Asagba responded by stressing that forgiveness was part of the community’s character, saying Asaba people had the strength “to accept that apology.”
In a solidarity message, the Delta State Governor, Sheriff Oborevwori, represented by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr Kingsley Eze Emu, said that researchers and community historians had estimated that more than 1,000 people lost their lives in the Asaba Massacre.
“Let us speak clearly: the killing of unarmed civilians can never be justified,” the governor noted.
However, he pledged continued support for the overall development of Asaba and obtaining national recognition for the massacre as well as the establishment of a fitting national memorial in Asaba.
Nduka-Eze said the 60th anniversary would be used to further tell the story to Nigerians and the world, stressing that “Nigerians live matter.”
Nduka-Eze disclosed that preparations were already underway for next year’s 60th memorial, including efforts to actualise the Memorial Centre as a permanent place for remembrance, documentation, and education.
The event also featured remarks by Mr. Enotie Ogbebor, son of the late Col. Paul Ogbebor, who is credited with intervening to save lives during the tragedy, and Chief Chike Ogieh, whose father fled with his whole family from Benin City to eastern Nigeria to escape the Asaba massacre.
“The Asaba massacre should be remembered all over the world, not just in Nigeria,” Ogbebor said, adding that the memorial would be “a reminder for humanity that no innocent lives should be lost unfairly for any reason.”
Also, the Obi of Onitsha, His Majesty, Igwe Nnaemeka Alfred Ugochukwu Achebe (Agbogidi), who was among the notable personages at the event, harped on the need for restitution, reconciliation, and forgiveness.