GUN VIOLENCE IN AMERICA: FOR WHO THE BELL TOLLS NEXT.

Just five people shy of Sandy Hook elementary school mass shooting incident that claimed 26 lives, the Uvalde Texas Robb elementary school mass shooting at 21 victims, now ranks among the highest grossing gun carnage in America. It is sad that such frequent blood spilling has tragically become part of our culture as a society. May the souls of the killed now rest.

25th AMENDMENT: ITS NOW ALL CRICKET.

Madam Speaker Nancy Pelosi once questioned former President Donald John Trump's fitness to remain in office due to what she claimed was his declining mental capacity. Does anyone know what Madam Speaker presently thinks about the incontrovertible case which America is now saddled with? Just curious!

WHO WILL REBUILD UKRAINE?

The West should convert frozen Russian assets, both state's and oligarchs' owned, into a full seizure and set them aside for the future rebuilding of Ukraine. Like the Marshal Plan, call it the Putin Plan.

A HERO IS BORN.

I am staying put. I will not run away and abandon my people. The fight is here in Ukraine. What I need are weapons and ammunitions, not a ride out of town like former Afghanistan President Ashraf Ghani - President Volodymyr Zelensky.

IT IS WHAT IT IS.

"There is too much hate in America because there is too much anger in America." - Trevor Noah.

WORD!

A life without challenges is not a life lived at all. A life lived is a life that has problems, confronts problems, solves problems and then learns from problems. - Tunde Fashola.

NOW, YOU KNOW.

When fishing for love, bait with your heart and not your brain, because you cannot rationalize love. - Mark Twain.

JUST THE FACT.

In our country, you can shoot and kill a nigger, but you better not hurt a gay person’s feelings - Dave Chappelle

DO YOU?.

“What you believe in can only be defined by what you’re willing to risk for it." - Stuart Scheller.

HEDGE YOUR CRISIS.

Never get in bed with a woman whose problems are worse than yours. - Chicago PD.

PROBLEM SOLVED.

'The best way to keep peace is to be ready to destroy evil. If you Pearl Harbor me, I Nagasaki you.' - Ted Nugent.

OUR SHARED HUMANITY.

Empathy is at the heart of who we are as human beings. - Cardinal Matthew Kukah.

WORDS ON MARBLE.

"Birth is agony. Life is hard. Death is cruel." - Japanese pithy.

REPENT OR PERISH - POPE.

Homosexuality is a sin. It is not ordained by God, therefore same sex marriage cannot be blessed by the church - Pope Francis.

CANCEL CULTURE IS CORROSIVE.


FOR SAKE OF COUNTRY.


MAGA LIVES ON: NO RETREAT, NO SURRENDER!

TWITTER IS BORING WITHOUT HIS TWEETS. #RestorePresidentTrump'sTwitterHandle.


WORD.

"If you cannot speak the truth when it matters, then nothing else you says matters.” - Tucker Carlson.

#MeToo MOVEMENT: A BAD NEWS GONE CRAZY.

"To all the women who testified, we may have different truth, but I have a great remorse for all of you. I have great remorse for all of the men and women going through this crisis right now in our country. You know, the movement started basically with me, and I think what happened, you know, I was the first example, and now there are thousands of men who are being accused and a regeneration of things that I think none of us understood. I’m not going to say these aren’t great people. I had wonderful times with these people. I’m just genuinely confused. Men are confused about this issue. We are going through this #MeToo movement crisis right now in this country." - Harvey Weinstein.


RON DELLUMS: UNAPOLOGETICALLY RADICAL.

"If it’s radical to oppose the insanity and cruelty of the Vietnam War, if it’s radical to oppose racism and sexism and all other forms of oppression, if it’s radical to want to alleviate poverty, hunger, disease, homelessness, and other forms of human misery, then I’m proud to be called a radical.” - Ron Vernie Dellums.


WHAT REALLY MATTERS IN LIFE - STEVE JOBS

“I reached the pinnacle of success in the business world. In others’ eyes, my life is an epitome of success. However, aside from work, I have little joy. Non-stop pursuing of wealth will only turn a person into a twisted being, just like me. God gave us the senses to let us feel the love in everyone’s heart, not the illusions brought about by wealth. Memories precipitated by love is the only true riches which will follow you, accompany you, giving you strength and light to go on. The most expensive bed in the world is the sick bed. You can employ someone to drive the car for you, make money for you but you cannot have someone to bear sickness for you. Material things lost can be found. But there is one thing that can never be found when it is lost – Life. Treasure Love for your family, love for your spouse, love for your friends. Treat yourself well. Cherish others.” - SJ

EVIL CANNOT BE TRULY DESTROYED.

"The threat of evil is ever present. We can contain it as long as we stay vigilant, but it can never truly be destroyed. - Lorraine Warren (Annabelle, the movie)


ONLY THE POOR WISH THEY HAD STUFF?

“I’m not that interested in material things. As long as I find a good bed that I can sleep in, that’s enough.” - Nicolas Berggruem, the homeless billionaire.

Showing posts with label biafra failed because of ojukwu's attitude. Show all posts
Showing posts with label biafra failed because of ojukwu's attitude. Show all posts

Friday, December 2, 2011

OJUKWU WAS GIVEN NO OPTION - SENATOR GANIYU SOLOMON.

“The Ikemba was a source of pride for those who had the opportunity to experience him, and he stood tall against elements of injustice, segregation and oppression, his death is “a monumental loss not only to his family, the Igbo land and Nigeria but also to the entire African continent at large. Ojukwu took up the responsibility as a leader of his region at the time he did, when it was necessary to do so, and it was the only option at the time he could have taken." -  Senator Ganiyu Solomon (ACN, Lagos), Senate Minority Whip. 

Icheoku says 'bee~eni' and only hopes that other Nigerians could be this courageous to speak up and admit that the Biafran war was forced on the peoples of the former Eastern region and that Chief Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu only stood up like a real man to answer the challenge. Icheoku says thank you Senator Ganiyu Solomon for pointing out this much glossed over fact that Ojukwu was not the rouble-rouser some elements in Nigeria paint him to be, but a real patriot who said to the feudalistic north, ENOUGH, NO MORE SLAUGHTER OF MY PEOPLE. 

What a sad commentary it is that several decades after the Biafran genocide, that the same genocidal Yakubu Gowon's people of Jos Plateau State, who led the onslaught against the people of Biafra, are today at the receiving end of the butcher's knife; it is now their turn to taste the bloody dish they served on peoples of Biafra. A GOOD KARMA one may say? Anyway, may the restless fighting soul of the peoples warrior and real hero, Chief Odumegwu Chukwuemeka Ojukwu, now find rest in the bosom of the Lord. Ikemba was what every man should be or at least aspire to be. He was simply a giant and a selfless one indeed.

Monday, October 26, 2009

OJUKWU OR UWECHUE, WHO IS THE BIAFRAN-WAR VILLAIN?

It is not quite very often that Nigerians hear such 'frank' assessment of what transpired in Nigeria, especially coming from one of the poker-players of Nigeria; a man who should know? Just recently, Mobolaji Johnson fired a salvo at Ojukwu accusing him of causing the Nigerian civil war; now shortly after, Chief Raphael Uwechue has thrown another below-the-belt punch at Ojukwu, blaming him for losing the war? What a double whamy, bilateral attack on a man who is widely regarded by many Igbo folks for stepping in when every other person was no where to be found, in defense of the Igbo nation? According to the Ogwashi-Ukwu, Delta State high chief, former Nigeria ambassador to Mali and President General of Oha-n-eze Ndigbo, 'Ojukwu's over-bearing attitude botched the attempted secession of Biafra from Nigeria!' In other words, Chief Raphael Uwechue said, 'but for Ojukwu Biafra would have succeeded;' or better still, 'blame Ojukwu for the failure of the Biafran struggle?'
Icheoku says, for Chief Uwechue to make such disparaging remarks about and concerning the person of Generalissimo Ikemba Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and in such a public way, chronicled in a published book and questioning his war efforts leaves so much to be desired; as it could exacerbate the disunity among the Igbo nation. Ojukwu to so many Igbo sons and daughters is a war hero, who when duty called, showed up and answered the call to stop an orchestrated extermination of Igbo people in Nigeria. They revere him as the man who stood between them and an assured annihiliation; telling them to their face, ENOUGH! It is Ojukwu who said to Igbo sons and daughters throughout Nigeria, come home and I will guarrantee you safety! To so many Igbo sons and daughters, Chief Raph Uwechue is the President General of Oha-n-eze Ndigbo; prior which his fame or acclaim is limited to only the many who are knowledgeable in the politics of Nigeria and may be his local community of Ogwashi-Ukwu and environs? Now the million dollar question is, who will the Igbos believe in this war tales or who would they follow into battle, assuming duty called again? Icheoku asks, who between Ojukwu and Uwechue is the villain here; and whose effort or lack thereof caused Biafra to capitulate?
Should Chief Ralph Uwuche be forced to recant his written statement or resign the office of Oha-n-eze Ndigbo President General, which he holds in sacred trust for the Igbos, now that he has denigrated an Igbo idol, a war-hero? What is the best way out of this woods which Chief Uwechue's suppposedly letting the cat of the box, had placed the Igbo unity? Icheoku does not fully know the logistics of the Bafran war or the other subterranean reasons why it was 'the only war of survival to fail' in recent recorded history? Who did what and how did it impact the effort so negatively that it compromised an otherwise worthy cause? Should the Igbos or other participants in that war of survival now regurgitate what transpired over forty years ago and not just leave it for history to judge? But should the story be told now, then it requires accounts from both sides of the divide - that is the only way for the Igbo nation to truly know and understand what sabotaged the Biafran war efforts. The chief protagonists of the war and its alter-ego, Ikemba Odumegwu Ojukwu should therefore shed more light on the war effort and tell the listening world how such an oportunity was let go; so that the Igbos could know how their war of survival was really managed and what or who caused their defeat therein which ripples they stilll suffer from in today's Nigeria? Added that the three Rs of reconcilliation, rehabilitation and reconstruction were never fully implemented after the war which continues till today?

If what Ralph Uwechue has started, being himself a solid Igbo son is not checkmated forthwith, it may give rise to other vicious attacks, especially from the other side of the war-divide; which will now feel empowered and licensed to start piling-down on Ikemba Nnewi and who knows how it will end? Only Ojukwu's forceful rebuttal of the vituperation of Uwechue, is capable of putting the fire out, otherwise the present skirmish may linger for so on without a foreseeable resolution? But will Ojukwu accept the gauntlet from Uwechue for a fight of the century, who knows? According to Chief Uwechue, "ego and quest for absolute control by Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu ruined Biafra." It was his assesment that Ojukwu assumed the cloak of a maximum ruler and no one else mattered to him and before him. In the words of the high chief, By keeping Ojukwu constantly enveloped in an atmosphere of superiority, it made him, as a matter of habit, distrustful and disdainful of other people’s judgment, impatient with their opinions and finally simply authoritarian.” Continuing, the President General of the Pan-Igbo socio-cultural organization, Oha-n-eze Ndigbo said, “It is a sad but instructive irony that Lt. Col Odumegwu Ojukwu, one of Africa’s one-time most brilliant political promises, was the man that led his own people with such a lack of ingenuity into what was clearly a foreseeable disaster.”
Some of the other charges Chief Uwechue levelled against Ojukwu include, alienating so many talented Igbo, using iron hand to establish his authority; missing out on numerous opportunities to use diplomatic front to market the cause of Biafra, shunned so many wise counsel and advice on the way forward especially on the need for a compromise? Also that Ojukwu shunned the second best option to a total seccession, confederacy; which was earlier agreed upon at Ghana's Aburi accord; and which arrangement is more agreeable to majority of other African states! Instead Ojukwu demanded the resignation of the Igbo think-tank who had counselled such action. For him, 'Ojukwu lacked tact, never took advice, suffered what could pass for inferiority complex and was simply power drunk.' His verdict, "Biafra could have survived if only Ojukwu were smart enough to understand the politics of alliances in the country?" But who had the magical crystal ball to know what would have happened in any event? Not Icheoku and sure not this Ogwashi-Ukwu high chief, who took over forty years to now tell the world how Ojukwu dropped the ball on Biafra? But is anyone listening and should we believe what he is saying concerning Ojukwu's handling the Biafran war?
Icheoku says, whether Ojukwu would have gone for a more tactical route of settling for what is available or most likely to succeed, a confederation; is now irrelevant as the cause of Biafra is stagnated and in a suspended abeyance. Who knows whether the same parties with interest who strafed Biafra-land and killed millions of women and children with their MIGs, F-14s, including Britain, Russia, Egypt etc would have allowed even a confederating Biafra to stand? We understand the politics of the war was as religious as it was economics; so not even Chief Raphael Uwechue was in a position to read the minds of these soldiers of fortune to know what was motivating them? Mercenaries who waged a war of attrition against the people of Biafra, causing them the humiliating defeat which they suffered and which psychologically still affect them still today, in a Nigeria, still smarting from their so called war-victory against the Biafrans? Our position is that Chief Uwechue should tread cautiously as his present trajectory might only succeed in widening the gap of mistrust amongst the Igbos of west River Niger and those on the eastern side. Let the house of Igbo not be divided to forestall a collapse, as disunity among the Igbo has already deprived them a lot so far, of what they were ordinarily entitled as a matter of right, being part of the entity called Nigeria.
Whether Biafran war effort fell victim to youthful exuberance or lack of a clear vision and a determinate war-campaign strategy, which questions the rational of the campagin west of river Niger to Ore and the rest of the Midwest; will be a matter for another day's discussion? Why didn't Biafra saturate the Biafran nation with their troops and not dissipate their energy adventuring into the Midwest; were they trying to conquer Nigeria rather than securing their territory? What was the objective, both short and long term of the incursion into Midwest? There are simply too many 'whys', 'if' and 'buts'; but now is time to look forward and not be yoked down in what has since become an un-salvageable part of the Igbo man's history. Icheoku says, the way forward is how to manage the Igbo nation's unity, preparatory to their full re-intergration back into Nigeria with a Nigerian presidency of Igbo extraction come 2016.
The Hausa-Fulani north as well as the Yoruba west are more deft in politics as they reconcile divisions to achieve a common objective or interest more easily than the Igbos. This saw the Yorubas supporting one of their most derisive sons, Olusegun Obasanjo throughout his eight ignominous years in office? The Hausa-Fulani have also since forgotten that Buhari's coup was against their Shagari; that Babangida moved against one of their own Buhari; even the slaughters of the Middle Belters during the failed coup against Muritala and again during Orkar's failed coup seem to have been put in the back burner? Therefore, if these other disparate groups could understand the permanency of interest and not necessarily who did what, in politics, Icheoku asks, why not the Igbos? Also the names dropped by Chief Uwechue including Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe, Dr, Kenneth Dike and Dr. Mike Opara are all dead with no one to either collaborate or rebut the assertion that Ojukwu bungled Biafra; this begs the question, why now, Ralph?
The only plausible explanation may be just to join issues with the peoples' Ikemba Nnewi Odumegwu Ojukwu and instigate another tussle for supremacy among the Igbos of the west and the east of the Niger! Our opinion is that Chief Raph Uwechue would have let the sleeping dog lie and let matters concerning who did or did not do what in Biafra rest; in order to allow the Igbo nation to galvanize, move forward and strategize for their emerging political rebirth in Nigeria. Only a united Igbo can get into Aso Rock in 2016 and this divisive allocation of fault about a defunct Biafra will not cut it. Such is what the detractors and antagonists of the Igbo nation crave for, so that they can find a crack through which to come in and botch the seeming unity coming back to Igboland. Our dear Ojukwu, please ignore joining issues over this matter so that it might die a natural death in the interest of the greater Igbo unity. The Igbo's pre-occupation now should be how to support one of their own march into Aso Rock come 2016 and any other thing should be seen for what it is - a DISTRACTION!
FYI:- For more 'earth-shattering', 'unbelievable' and somewhat 'outlandish' claims and assertions, please read Chief Ralph Uwechue's book titled "Reflections on the Nigerian Civil War – Facing the Future."