Nigerian Politics : How Gen Emeka Ojukwu Got His Political Powers
By Francis Okoye
Reading the SUN Newspaper of Tuesday
March 6, 2012, on page 6, the Apex Socio-
cultural group of the Igbo extraction,
Ohaneze Ndigbo also thanked president
Goodluck Jonathan for giving Ojukwu a state
burial.
When the history of Nigeria is being told, Gen. Emeka
Ojukwu's place in it is reserved, and also highly regarded.
This, as someone who led a pioneering and exemplary role in
every place that he set foot. In school in Britain, in the Army,
in Biafra, in politics and finally as a God father of Nigerian
politics, and Genuine democracy. No wonder, president
Goodluck Jonathan gave him the Grand commander of the
Niger (GCON) in death, one of the Nations highest Awards.
Watching the great farewell given to Gen. Emeka Ojukwu, not
only by the Igbo's living in far away countries like India, USA,
Britain, and all the Igbo speaking states of Nigeria, and the
Federal government and the generals in the Nigerian military,
one will begin to wonder, why all this?
WHY THE IGBO PEOPLE LOVE HIM
Some people believe that Ojukwu is a man out to seek for
power by all means, and that he should not have started a
war, which led to the killing of millions of persons, especially
igbos, in the Nigerian civil war. These set up people are
mistaken, Ojukwu never lusted after power or war.
To fight and defend the Igbo people in Nigeria, was trust upon
Gen Emeka Ojukwu. The Jan. 15th 1966 coup led by
Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was the catalyst, which led to
the killing of Igbos in Northern Nigeria-pogrom (which since
then is continuing), Gen. Ojukwu, then a LT Col. did not
disappoint the Igbos, so he declared Biafra independence on
30 May 1967. That marked the beginning of the love Igbo
people have for him.
He did not just declare Biafra independent, but did everything
he could to prevent the nation sliding into war. After the coup
and killing of the supreme commander general Aguiyi-ironsi
and Col Fajuyi, the most senior officer to take over was
Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe - Gen Ojukwu tried to support
him, but the coup plotters preferred Col Gowon,, a mate of Lt
Col Ojukwu. This was one of the major reasons that led to the
war.
Gen. Emeka Ojukwu tried to avoid the war, He went to Aburi
(Ghana) where an Accord was done in vain to stop war from
starting between Gen Gowon and himself. He also attended
the Niamey (Niger Republic) peace conference under president
Hamani Diori (1968) and the OAU sponsored Addis Ababa
(Ethiopia) conference (1968) under the chairmanship of
Emperor Haile Selassie, this was the final effort by Gen.
Gowon and Gen. Ojukwu to settle the conflict.
Gen. Ojukwu also consulted the Eastern Nigerian, elders and
traditional rulers at Enugu, who gave him the mandate to
declare Biafra on behalf of the Igbo people.
Still more, Ojukwu's father, sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu was
a millionaire businessman and one of the richest men in
Nigeria then. Gen. Ojukwu would have chosen the easy way
out, by taking over his fathers business, but he put his life at
stake by deciding to champion Igbo people's rights in Nigeria,
and this is one of the strongest reason why Igbo people love
him so much.
During the war, Gen. Ojukwu was allowed to lead, even those
like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Pius Okigbo, Sir Louis Mbanefo, CC
Mojekwu, Eyo ita, Jaja Nwachukwu, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe, Chief
Dennis Osadebay, Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam, Dr. A.A. Nwafor
Orizu, Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu etc, a feat no other Igbo
leaders have been able to achieve in power. This older who is
who in Eastern Nigeria, worked with Gen Ojukwu, and had high
regards for him.
In the 1980's and 1990's, when Igbo's were being killed all
over the North, the Igbo traders naturally ran to Ojukwu for
help. The advice and help he gave them, saw to their return to
the north after every periodic massacre by the North.
Speaking to newsmen, Igwe Arc Jonathan Okpalaezecha the
traditional ruler of Akpo in Aguta Anambra State, revealed that
Ojukwu was the one who established Royal fathers in
Diaspora in all Igbo communities worldwide, with such hand
work, why will the Igbo people not love him.
Finally, the Igbo people love Gen. Ojukwu for heeding their
advice to leave Biafra and hand over power to his second in
command, Chief of General Staff, Major-General Philip Effiong
on 9th Jan. 1970. As a result of these, Gen. Emeka Ojukwu
kept himself for the Igbo people.
HIS PLACE IN NIGERIAN HISTORY
Gen. Emeka Ojukwu's place in Nigerian History is one of
greatness to greatness. He was one of the first graduates to
join the Nigerian army in 1957. He was also once in charge of
the 5th Battalion of the Nigerian-Army in 1964 in Kano.
As an army leader, Ojukwu never planned a coup nor
supported any coup plot-setting an example as an exemplary
military officer, which the younger ones should emulate. In
fact he helped prevent the coup against major general Aguiyi-
Ironsi.
When in 1966, he was made a military governor of Eastern
Nigeria, Ojukwu had to do what he had to do, following events
in the country.Recently a governor in the North, told the media,
that he would have done what Gen Ojukwu did if he had been
in his place.
History remembers Ojukwu for all the efforts he made not to
destroy Nigeria, by choosing parts of peace like the Aburi
Accord, among others, to ensure that Nigeiran did not go war,
knowing by profession why war for a country is not good and
being a true master of History, in which area he had a masters
degree from Lincoln College, Oxford University.
Most European states recognized the illegitimacy of Nigerian
military rule and banned future supplies of arms, but the UK
government supported them, so the course of war was set by
the UK government.
When Gen. Ojukwu returned from a 13 years exile in C'ote
d'Ivoire, he went into active politics, and joined the NPN. He
received the title Ikemba on his return in 1982. Meaning
'strength of the Nation'. Few people saw the reason for his
joining NPN instead of the Igbo party the NPP. He was giving
a message, that the Igbo should be at the center stage again
and go to the source of the stream to get water.
After his ordeal in prison by Gen Buhari, Gen Emeka Ojukwu
began his fight for democracy in Nigeria, and said once "As a
committed democrat, every single day under an un-elected
government hurts me. The citizens of this country are mature
enough to make their own choices, just as they have the right
to make their own mistakes".
Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, now holding the power
entrusted to him,played a part in Nigerian's return to
Democracy since 1999. He contested for president three
times, under his party to APGA (All Progressive Grand
Alliance).
Dim Ojukwu's 30 months rule of Biafra, saw the Biafran,
printing bank notes that were and are still superior to that of
Nigeria, Biafra built armoured vehicles, called 'Red devil', they
produced the powerful bomb 'Ogbunigwe', Built airports and
roads, refined petroleum (feats which Nigerian cannot achieve
till today), they made share batteries and had a powerful
commando unit. History will remember Ojukwu as the man
who was instrumental in putting president Goodluck Jonathan
in power. He refused to contest against him, and his party
adopted him as their candidate, he mobilized the Igbo states,
for the first time and successfully, to vote for PDP and
Goodluck Jonathan. If he had not done this, and had
contested, PDP would not have gotten the required votes from
the South East to win the presidency. History will remember
him for this last act of courage, selfless service and guidance
of the Nation, and a way of his rewarding the South South for
its support of Biafra in the civil war.
THE REASON FOR HIS GRAND FAREWELL
There are the reasons why Dim Emeka Ojukwu received a
grand farewell, worthy of a serving of dead head of state. For
Nigeria and especially the Igbo race, Ojukwu was that head of
state that the Igbo people had loved and trusted.
In the East, since the announcement of his death on Nov. 26
2011 in UK, the Igbo people have been mourning, and love for
Igbo people has been the reason for this great farewell, as a
preacher would put it 'Ojukwu loved his neighbor as he loved
himself - his neighbor being at one point - Igbo people and in
another context, Nigeria.
As a politician and God father, Dim Ojukwu was able to grab
two states of Imo and Anambra State for APGA. These two
states and all APGA members in South East, did not fail to
grant him a befitting burial, worthy of a great member of the
party.
Gov. Peter Obi and Gov. Rochas Okorocha and Chief Victor
Umeh APGA chairman, also worked hand in hand to grant Dim
Emeka Ojukwu a special burial worthy of note.
At the end of the year, Gov. Peter Obi named the Anambra
State University, Uli, after Dim Ojukwu, to be known as
Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, and in March
2014, He got a Doctorate Degree from the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka. The Honours continue to come, even in
death.
Francis Okoye runs the blog http://
www.nigeriapoliticsmagazine.com and is author of: How to
control your sexual desire and The 15 secrets of abortion
available on http://www.amazon.com and has 20 years
experience as a freelance journalist in Nigeria covering
politics, health, entertainment, sports and religion.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?
expert=Francis_Okoye
0 Comments | Leave a Comment
Submitted On June 10, 2015
Reading the SUN Newspaper of Tuesday
March 6, 2012, on page 6, the Apex Socio-
cultural group of the Igbo extraction,
Ohaneze Ndigbo also thanked president
Goodluck Jonathan for giving Ojukwu a state
burial.
When the history of Nigeria is being told, Gen. Emeka
Ojukwu's place in it is reserved, and also highly regarded.
This, as someone who led a pioneering and exemplary role in
every place that he set foot. In school in Britain, in the Army,
in Biafra, in politics and finally as a God father of Nigerian
politics, and Genuine democracy. No wonder, president
Goodluck Jonathan gave him the Grand commander of the
Niger (GCON) in death, one of the Nations highest Awards.
Watching the great farewell given to Gen. Emeka Ojukwu, not
only by the Igbo's living in far away countries like India, USA,
Britain, and all the Igbo speaking states of Nigeria, and the
Federal government and the generals in the Nigerian military,
one will begin to wonder, why all this?
WHY THE IGBO PEOPLE LOVE HIM
Some people believe that Ojukwu is a man out to seek for
power by all means, and that he should not have started a
war, which led to the killing of millions of persons, especially
igbos, in the Nigerian civil war. These set up people are
mistaken, Ojukwu never lusted after power or war.
To fight and defend the Igbo people in Nigeria, was trust upon
Gen Emeka Ojukwu. The Jan. 15th 1966 coup led by
Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu was the catalyst, which led to
the killing of Igbos in Northern Nigeria-pogrom (which since
then is continuing), Gen. Ojukwu, then a LT Col. did not
disappoint the Igbos, so he declared Biafra independence on
30 May 1967. That marked the beginning of the love Igbo
people have for him.
He did not just declare Biafra independent, but did everything
he could to prevent the nation sliding into war. After the coup
and killing of the supreme commander general Aguiyi-ironsi
and Col Fajuyi, the most senior officer to take over was
Brigadier Babafemi Ogundipe - Gen Ojukwu tried to support
him, but the coup plotters preferred Col Gowon,, a mate of Lt
Col Ojukwu. This was one of the major reasons that led to the
war.
Gen. Emeka Ojukwu tried to avoid the war, He went to Aburi
(Ghana) where an Accord was done in vain to stop war from
starting between Gen Gowon and himself. He also attended
the Niamey (Niger Republic) peace conference under president
Hamani Diori (1968) and the OAU sponsored Addis Ababa
(Ethiopia) conference (1968) under the chairmanship of
Emperor Haile Selassie, this was the final effort by Gen.
Gowon and Gen. Ojukwu to settle the conflict.
Gen. Ojukwu also consulted the Eastern Nigerian, elders and
traditional rulers at Enugu, who gave him the mandate to
declare Biafra on behalf of the Igbo people.
Still more, Ojukwu's father, sir Louis Odumegwu Ojukwu was
a millionaire businessman and one of the richest men in
Nigeria then. Gen. Ojukwu would have chosen the easy way
out, by taking over his fathers business, but he put his life at
stake by deciding to champion Igbo people's rights in Nigeria,
and this is one of the strongest reason why Igbo people love
him so much.
During the war, Gen. Ojukwu was allowed to lead, even those
like Nnamdi Azikiwe, Pius Okigbo, Sir Louis Mbanefo, CC
Mojekwu, Eyo ita, Jaja Nwachukwu, Dr. K.O. Mbadiwe, Chief
Dennis Osadebay, Sir Francis Akanu Ibiam, Dr. A.A. Nwafor
Orizu, Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu etc, a feat no other Igbo
leaders have been able to achieve in power. This older who is
who in Eastern Nigeria, worked with Gen Ojukwu, and had high
regards for him.
In the 1980's and 1990's, when Igbo's were being killed all
over the North, the Igbo traders naturally ran to Ojukwu for
help. The advice and help he gave them, saw to their return to
the north after every periodic massacre by the North.
Speaking to newsmen, Igwe Arc Jonathan Okpalaezecha the
traditional ruler of Akpo in Aguta Anambra State, revealed that
Ojukwu was the one who established Royal fathers in
Diaspora in all Igbo communities worldwide, with such hand
work, why will the Igbo people not love him.
Finally, the Igbo people love Gen. Ojukwu for heeding their
advice to leave Biafra and hand over power to his second in
command, Chief of General Staff, Major-General Philip Effiong
on 9th Jan. 1970. As a result of these, Gen. Emeka Ojukwu
kept himself for the Igbo people.
HIS PLACE IN NIGERIAN HISTORY
Gen. Emeka Ojukwu's place in Nigerian History is one of
greatness to greatness. He was one of the first graduates to
join the Nigerian army in 1957. He was also once in charge of
the 5th Battalion of the Nigerian-Army in 1964 in Kano.
As an army leader, Ojukwu never planned a coup nor
supported any coup plot-setting an example as an exemplary
military officer, which the younger ones should emulate. In
fact he helped prevent the coup against major general Aguiyi-
Ironsi.
When in 1966, he was made a military governor of Eastern
Nigeria, Ojukwu had to do what he had to do, following events
in the country.Recently a governor in the North, told the media,
that he would have done what Gen Ojukwu did if he had been
in his place.
History remembers Ojukwu for all the efforts he made not to
destroy Nigeria, by choosing parts of peace like the Aburi
Accord, among others, to ensure that Nigeiran did not go war,
knowing by profession why war for a country is not good and
being a true master of History, in which area he had a masters
degree from Lincoln College, Oxford University.
Most European states recognized the illegitimacy of Nigerian
military rule and banned future supplies of arms, but the UK
government supported them, so the course of war was set by
the UK government.
When Gen. Ojukwu returned from a 13 years exile in C'ote
d'Ivoire, he went into active politics, and joined the NPN. He
received the title Ikemba on his return in 1982. Meaning
'strength of the Nation'. Few people saw the reason for his
joining NPN instead of the Igbo party the NPP. He was giving
a message, that the Igbo should be at the center stage again
and go to the source of the stream to get water.
After his ordeal in prison by Gen Buhari, Gen Emeka Ojukwu
began his fight for democracy in Nigeria, and said once "As a
committed democrat, every single day under an un-elected
government hurts me. The citizens of this country are mature
enough to make their own choices, just as they have the right
to make their own mistakes".
Dim Emeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, now holding the power
entrusted to him,played a part in Nigerian's return to
Democracy since 1999. He contested for president three
times, under his party to APGA (All Progressive Grand
Alliance).
Dim Ojukwu's 30 months rule of Biafra, saw the Biafran,
printing bank notes that were and are still superior to that of
Nigeria, Biafra built armoured vehicles, called 'Red devil', they
produced the powerful bomb 'Ogbunigwe', Built airports and
roads, refined petroleum (feats which Nigerian cannot achieve
till today), they made share batteries and had a powerful
commando unit. History will remember Ojukwu as the man
who was instrumental in putting president Goodluck Jonathan
in power. He refused to contest against him, and his party
adopted him as their candidate, he mobilized the Igbo states,
for the first time and successfully, to vote for PDP and
Goodluck Jonathan. If he had not done this, and had
contested, PDP would not have gotten the required votes from
the South East to win the presidency. History will remember
him for this last act of courage, selfless service and guidance
of the Nation, and a way of his rewarding the South South for
its support of Biafra in the civil war.
THE REASON FOR HIS GRAND FAREWELL
There are the reasons why Dim Emeka Ojukwu received a
grand farewell, worthy of a serving of dead head of state. For
Nigeria and especially the Igbo race, Ojukwu was that head of
state that the Igbo people had loved and trusted.
In the East, since the announcement of his death on Nov. 26
2011 in UK, the Igbo people have been mourning, and love for
Igbo people has been the reason for this great farewell, as a
preacher would put it 'Ojukwu loved his neighbor as he loved
himself - his neighbor being at one point - Igbo people and in
another context, Nigeria.
As a politician and God father, Dim Ojukwu was able to grab
two states of Imo and Anambra State for APGA. These two
states and all APGA members in South East, did not fail to
grant him a befitting burial, worthy of a great member of the
party.
Gov. Peter Obi and Gov. Rochas Okorocha and Chief Victor
Umeh APGA chairman, also worked hand in hand to grant Dim
Emeka Ojukwu a special burial worthy of note.
At the end of the year, Gov. Peter Obi named the Anambra
State University, Uli, after Dim Ojukwu, to be known as
Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu University, Uli, and in March
2014, He got a Doctorate Degree from the University of
Nigeria, Nsukka. The Honours continue to come, even in
death.
Francis Okoye runs the blog http://
www.nigeriapoliticsmagazine.com and is author of: How to
control your sexual desire and The 15 secrets of abortion
available on http://www.amazon.com and has 20 years
experience as a freelance journalist in Nigeria covering
politics, health, entertainment, sports and religion.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?
expert=Francis_Okoye
0 Comments | Leave a Comment
Submitted On June 10, 2015
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