The Apex Igbo socio-cultural organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has praised former Military President General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida (IBB) for his courageous and significant declaration that the Igbo people did not orchestrate the January 1966 Coup d’état.
Ohanaeze said it had forgiven the former military leader following his recent revelations, which are considered pivotal moments in reshaping the narrative that has unfairly depicted the Igbo as adversaries within Nigeria’s complex political history.
The organization asserted that IBB’s insights regarding the 1966 coup may herald an end to the longstanding animosity, harshness, and entrenched grievances directed at the Igbo Nation over the last fifty years.
In his book titled ‘A Journey in Service’, the former Military President clarified that the responsibility for the 1966 coup should not be placed on the Igbo people. His position, particularly his exclusion of the Igbo from the unjust characterization of being “enemies of the North,” is praiseworthy, even if it comes after a significant delay.
In a statement released on Sunday by the factional Deputy President-General of Ohanaeze, and shared with newsmens, Okechukwu Isiguzoro, the organization remarked that the consequences of the mistaken identification of the January 1966 Coup as an Igbo uprising have been severely damaging, resulting in catastrophic outcomes not only during that chaotic era but also continuing into the present.
The statement further noted that this misrepresentation incited the July 1966 Counter-Coup against the then Military Head of State of Igbo origin and triggered violent attacks against Igbo individuals living in northern Nigeria, fostering divisions that ultimately led to the tragic Biafra War, which claimed the lives of three million Igbos, predominantly women and children.
The statement read: “In the wake of this tragic history, the Igbo people continue to suffer from systemic injustices and marginalization. Our demographic representation, in terms of the number of states within the federation, remains the least of any ethnic group. The political conspiracies to deny Igbos the opportunity to ascend to Nigeria’s Presidency persist, and we face deliberate omissions of Federal Government presence in the Southeast.
“The tragic closure of the Eastern Economic Corridor, characterized by the permanent shutdown of the Calabar seaport and other critical infrastructure, underscores the extent of our exclusion.
“Additionally, the implementation of the federal government’s discriminatory policies, exemplified by the quota system and the absence of functional international airports in the Southeast, serves to reinforce the barriers to our equitable participation in the socio-political fabric of Nigeria.”
Tinubu Need To Apologize
Ohanaeze, however, demanded an unreserved apology from President Bola Tinubu‘s administration on behalf of past military regimes, particularly that of General Yakubu Gowon, “who orchestrated unprovoked bombardments and shellings over Igbo territory during the Nigeria-Biafra War.”
“In light of these grievous injustices, Ohanaeze Ndigbo reiterates our demands articulated during the 1999 Justice Oputa-led Judicial Commission for the Investigation of Human Rights Violation Panel.
“It is imperative that the current federal government, under the leadership of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, confronts the shadows of our historical traumas.
“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 shellings over Igbo territory during the Nigeria-Biafra War, resulting in immense human suffering and loss.
“Furthermore, we maintain our resolute stance that the Nigerian federal government must dispel the longstanding inequities perpetrated against the Igbo nation by paying reparations amounting to 10 trillion naira.
“This demand is not merely for financial restitution; it is a necessary acknowledgement of the value of human lives lost and the cultural and infrastructural devastation endured by our people, which remains evident even 55 years post-conflict.
“In an ideal society, the implications of General Babangida’s confession would prompt accountability among those who endorsed the odious actions against the Igbo. However, embodying the spirit of forgiveness that defines our identity, the Igbo people have extended our pardon to General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida and others for the grievous sins committed against our community during the Biafra War spanning from 1966 to 1970.
“We earnestly call upon President Tinubu to embrace this opportune 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.”
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