Former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, took a swipe at Chinua Achebe over his book on the Nigeria Civil War, describing him as “ignorant” and not knowledgable in the whole Biafra War saga.
“What role did Achebe play in the secessionist plans? Achebe must have been outside the country during the war and probably did not know what happened during the period otherwise he would not have written on what he was not sure of “, he remarked.
The former Head of State said that the massive deaths recorded by the Igbo during the civil war was caused by their own propaganda machine which claimed that the northern invaders were coming to their camps in the South East.
Gowon yesterday said he and late Chief Obafemi Awolowo have no regrets in the roles they played during the war and would be prepared to appear at the International Criminal Court, ICC, The Hague to defend the prosecution of the civil war.
“It was the Igbo that objected to the creation of corridor for movements of medical aid and food supplies to the civilian population at the period; on this, I am ready to face the International Criminal Court of Justice at the Hague for prosecution over the role played by me during the war and, fortunately, some Nigerians are still alive to bear witness to the roles played by both the leadership of the secessionist group and the then Federal Military Government under my leadership, “the war-time leader stated.
“In fact , if there was no secession by the south eastern part of the country, there would have been no civil war because right from the beginning of the crises, the war would have been averted if not for the secession . It was something I believed we could have stopped,” he stressed.
The former leader spoke to journalists during a courtesy, visit to Governor Mu’azu Babangida Aliyu of Niger State at the Presidential Lodge, Minna, Niger state
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