I know something now that
convinces me that the actors of the 1966 coup in Nigeria were principally from
my tribe, the Igbos. I am weighed-down heavy with remorse. I also feel very
sorry to my Northern fathers and brothers.
Some hot-headed young forbearers of my tribe in the Nigerian
Army, for whatever their perceived reason, initiated the coup but, possibly as
a result of their inexperience in leadership cum politics did not give a
thought to the interpretation that would be given to their composition. Those
who reneged in executing their assigned part of the coup against people from their
region compounded the way it all appeared! Please, let the people of Nigeria
know once and for all time that it was NOT an Igbo agenda.
Now I know why my Northern compatriots seemed pissed at the
Igbos in the Civil War that ensued. It all makes sense now. I am glad that I
have not been wrong about the North with this. The Northern people to me, as I
was growing up, were the most reliable of the Nigerian people. They had a
volatile temper, but in the main were easiest to get along with if you yourself
are a reasonable person.
When I was a kid, I remember that in 1973 or 1974 my stepfather
who operated haulage van at Iddo, Lagos, after his stint with the U A C, came
home from work one night bringing an Hausa man with him. He passed the night
with us in our one-room rented home at #6, Adegbola Street, Off Anjorin,
Lawanson, Surulere. He ate our food and
slept with us. In that one night my inquisitive mind did not let go the opportunity
to ask the young traveller to teach me a few Hausa lingo, the only Hausa I know
today ‘ daya, biu, uku, hudu, biar, shida, bokwei, takwas, tara, gwoma;
gwoma-shia-daya and so on to 20 as well as ‘kadang, kadang’. He was a complete
stranger whom my father brought home from the park to share his home and family
with, offering hospitality as we did in Africa back then. He continued on his
journey with my father the following morning as he went to work and I never saw
or heard from him again. I was a kid about 12 and the Post Office was all we
had going for us back then for reaching out. Yet, if our paths have crossed
however remotely in the years that have gone since that night only God can say.
Can we all sheathe our weapons, let down our guard and begin
to trust again in Nigeria. We have a serious job to do healing and rebuilding
Nigeria to her true stature at least for us, who are from here, forget the outsiders
for the moment. Who is with me? Let us begin!
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