Posted by The Ohanaeze Ndigbo refuted Tuesday that the Ndigbo were planning to apologize to the Fulani people for the 1966 Nigerian coup, as furious reactions followed recordings that had gone viral and claimed that the Ndigbo were about to do so.
The leading Igbo socio-cultural group characterized the recording that went viral as evil, deceitful, and harmful.
Former Prime Minister Tafawa Balewa, along with numerous other prominent politicians, senior Army officers of northern descent, and their wives, were among the 22 casualties of the January 15, 1966, coup d’état orchestrated by Major Kaduna Nzeogwu and dubbed the “Igbo coup” by some due to the majority of its participants hailing from Eastern Nigeria.
Northern soldiers, commanded by Lieutenant Colonels Murtala Muhammed and T.Y. Danjuma, were not pleased with the coup and conducted a counter-revolution in July 1966.
General Johnson Aguiyi-Ironsi, Nigeria’s first military head of state, and Lt. Colonel Adekunle Fajuyi, who was welcoming Aguiyi-Ironsi as governor of the Western Region in Ibadan, were both killed in the counter-coup.
Responding to the voice note in Owerri, the capital of Imo State, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, President General of Ohanaeze, argued that the Igbo should not apologize because they were not involved in the 1966 coup.
In addition, Iwuanyanwu stated that every governor of the Igbo state was demanding the release of IPoB leader Nnamdi Kanu from prison.
In Abuja’s Federal High Court, Kanu is on trial for secession and treason charges.
I was taken aback by a voice message that claimed we had a retreat in Enugu State, but it was under-attended.
The message also claimed that we had planned to visit the Sultan of Sokoto to express our regrets for the 1966 coup and the assassination of Ahmad Bello. The voice message was deceitful, hostile, and evil, according to Iwuanyanwu.
Since we did not murder anyone, how can we now go groveling for help? That coup was completely unrelated to us.
Anyone who is profiling Igbos is opposed to us, Ohanaeze. Therefore, it is a lie to imply that we will apologize. Nobody was ever despatched on the coup, even in my writings. As a result, it hurts me when people say false things about us apologizing for the coup in an effort to tarnish my reputation.
“The story is false, therefore. That was not the case. Mr. Ugwuh and Obasi were the ones who made up this story.
My likeness was being used in their caricatures. Good thing that most people who phoned at the time recognized it was bogus; the next day, another recording with the same Ugwuh became viral, reiterating that what they had claimed previously was incorrect.
The purpose of the retreat in Enugu, I should clarify, was to establish development committees for Igboland.
The support of the governor of Enugu State in hosting the gathering is greatly appreciated. More over 200 people showed up, even though we were just inviting committees—not governors. Governor Peter Mba was the sole visitor. Since it was a gathering of committees, we did not see the need to invite any other governors to attend.
We decided to publish a book titled “This is our story” as part of our agreement at that retreat. Beginning with the war and continuing up to the present day, it will recount our tale. Fatherly love compels me to pardon the evildoers responsible for the horrific voicemail. Ugwuh has sent an apology, and I’ve already forgiven him.
“I have done a lot. I am the one who started the move to free Kanu. Many were bold to join me because they have respect for me,” the Ohanaeze leader stated of Nnamdi Kanu. A unanimous demand for Kanu’s release has been made by all of our governors.
At the same time, the Igbo-Biafra Nationalists have made it clear that they will not join any effort to apologise for the problems caused by the coup.
Uche Mefor, the group’s convener, strongly opposed any effort to apologize to the Fulani people.
According to him, there is talk of certain dishonest people in the South-East considering reaching out to the Fulani people in an effort to make up for what happened during the 1966 military coup. But such thoughts must be confronted with thunderous disapproval and an obstinate rejection to follow such a shameful, horrible road to ruin.
Apologies to the Fulani people are absolutely rejected by the Igbo-Biafra Nationalists and the Indigenous People of the Igbo Nation for Self-Determination, regardless of how sincere or deceitful they may be. If this plan goes through, it will be a shameful affront to the memories of the horrific crimes done against the Igbo people throughout the tumultuous political evolution of Nigeria.
The Fulani people must apologise to the Igbo people for their role in planning and carrying out the genocide that they helped orchestrate. Praying to the ones responsible for these crimes for pardon is the pinnacle of collective forgetfulness and a ridiculous notion.