3 hours ago
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Ohanaeze Ndigbo commended Babangida for his bold and historic assertion that the January 1966 coup d’état was unequivocally not an Igbo coup.
The organisation, therefore, demanded a public and unreserved apology from President Bola Tinubu on behalf of past military regimes, particularly that of General Yakubu Gowon, for levying war against Igbos and shelling the Igbo territory during the Nigeria-Biafra Civil War that resulted in huge human suffering and losses.
In a statement by Deputy President General of the apex Igbo socio-cultural organisation, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze Ndigbo said the latest revelation signalled a potential cessation of the entrenched vindictiveness, cruelty, and deep-seated animosities directed towards the Igbo nation over the past five decades.
Isiguzoro reiterated their resolve that the Nigerian government must dispel the long-standing inequities perpetrated against the Igbo by paying reparations amounting to N10 trillion as an acknowledgement of the value of human lives lost and the cultural and infrastructural devastation endured by the people, which remained evident even 55 years after the war.
According to Isiguzoro, “We demand a public and unreserved apology from the president on behalf of past military regimes, particularly that of General Yakubu Gowon, who orchestrated unprovoked bombardments and shelling over Igbo territory during the Nigeria-Biafra War that resulted in immense human suffering and loss.
“During his recent book launch, titled, ‘A Journey in Service,’ General Babangida’s clarity regarding the 1966 coup, notably his exemption of the Igbo people from the unjust label of being ‘enemies of the North’, is, indeed, commendable – albeit belated.
“The ramifications of the erroneous classification of the 1966 January coup as an Igbo insurrection have been profoundly detrimental, leading to catastrophic consequences, not only during that tumultuous period but extending into the present day.
“Specifically, this mischaracterisation incited the July 1966 counter coup against the then military Head of State of Igbo descent and precipitated violent uprisings targeting Igbo citizens residing in northern Nigeria, sowing seeds of discord that ultimately contributed to the tragic Biafra War, in which three million Igbos, predominantly women and children, lost their lives.”
Ohanaeze lamented that in the wake of the tragic history, Igbo people continued to suffer from systemic injustices and marginalisation characterised by the permanent shutdown of the Calabar seaport and other critical infrastructure.
The group also called on Tinubu to embrace the moment for genuine reconciliation and restorative justice, thereby laying the foundation for a united and harmonious Nigeria, where the scars of the past give way to a brighter future for all citizens.
Emmanuel Addeh and Benjamin Nworie
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