Goodbye Ikemba!

Following the commencement of interment rites for the late Nigerian nationalist and Igbo leader, Dim Chukwuemeka Odimegwu Ojukwu, the Ikemba Nnewi and Eze Igbo Gburugburu, Nigerians have been entertained by men and women of zero conscience and integrity in their effort to outdo one another in showering praises on the legacy of the departed warrior.

It is more agonizing to see those who would have given an arm to obliterate his name from Nigeria’s history and deny him a seat in the conclave of Nigeria departed legends. They contrive unverifiable quotes attributable to Ikemba and in most bizarre circumstances gloat in imaginary discussions they had with him while he was the Commander in Chief of the defunct Biafran Republic. Some even claimed to have dined at his feet. What a generation! 

I am a proud Igbo man and Ojukwu was one the reasons for that. I grew up admiring the man and his politics based essentially on what I was told by parents and relatives. The post war decimation of Igbo land was an undisputable confirmation of the war tales I was exposed to. The best legacy you can leave as a human is to be loved by your people after serving them in one capacity or another.  The conclusions of others are basically immaterial in this instance. The voice of the people is the sole determinant of the quality of service you rendered to them. On this Ikemba Ojukwu towers above the rest of his peers. The challenge is for the future generation of leaders to appreciate what made him thick and strive to imbibe same in their quest to serve humanity. 

As a human, the Ikemba was fallible in the ways of all mortals. This we must recognize and constructively analyze as a guide for present and future leaders. One of his failures was the non-publication of his civil war memoirs (I stand to be corrected on this). This has been the bane of our political leaders since independence. Only the great Zik of Africa and Chif Obafemi Awolowo did something meaningful in this regard. I call on Gen.Gowon, OBJ, Shagari, Buhari ,IBB, Shonekan and Abdulsalami to publish their presidential memoirs in the interest of the country. Their failure in this disregard is a disservice to the country and its people which they led in the past. I also maintain that he made fundamental mistakes as leader of Biafra. This I attributed to human failures. His sincerity and selflessness was never in doubt. 

It smacks of hypocrisy to see Igbos and other Nigerians eulogize his greatness not withstanding that some of them betrayed him at certain crucial stages of his life. One of such was the 1983 Onitsha senatorial election which he lost to obscure Edwin Onwudiwe. I have heard some fallacious moonlight tales of how NPN rigged him out of that contest. Such tales are merely fit for the marines. NPN was so unpopular in the South East at the time that it could have been a wonder had Ojukwu won that seat. The primary factor most tale bearers forgot to mention was the importance of that seat to both NPN and NPP. That was the senatorial district of the great Owelle of Onitsha, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe and NPN was keen to humiliate him. Zik paid more attention to that seat than his presidential contest in 1983 and considering his experience in politics, the outcome was a fait accompli. The people did not reject Ojukwu because they stopped loving him, rather it was their desire to hand NPN a bloody nose that contributed to the outcome. 

Before I conclude, I must not fail to refer lovers of Ojukwu and history to read the account of the era as presented by the erudite Dr. Okechukwu Mezu, a distinguished intellectual of international repute and polyglot per excellence. His new book titled: “Nigeria Ojukwu Azikiwe Biafra Beyond the Rising Sun” is a veritable tool for researchers in this regard. Secondly, the eminent Prof. S.G. Cookey’s account of that period must be sought by all. They were both part of the Biafran nucleus and presented a vivid account that is balanced and designed to enrich our understanding of the real factors that led us to the inglorious years and the aftermath consequences. 

Ikemba, we know you are already resting in the bosom of the almighty God.  We shall meet you to part no more. Amen.