Asaba to mark civil war massacre the guardian nigeria. Rethinking the writing and teaching of the war can contribute to. Pdf this article explores the consequences of a massacre of civilians in asaba, a town on the. Asaba is easily one of nigerias most historic and greatest towns. I acted as a soldier maintaining the peace and unity of nigeria, majgen ibrahim haruna, speaking at the oputa panel on 9 october, 2001. I was on air discussing the asaba massacre and a call came. A source claimed that younger girls were forcibly married and the recalcitrant ones were shot dead.
The victims had trooped out to welcome nigerian soldiers that had reclaimed the vital town of asaba in midwestern nigeria from biafran troops. Often termed as a brothers war, the asaba massacre began with the military campaign on the midwestern region on august 9, 1967. When we came closer, we could hear someone sobbing and the people were trying to console her. In this video, witnesses of the asaba massacre recounted their. Ify uraih describes how the massacre of hundreds of innocent civilians began in.
Even though the event happened 50 years ago, it was hard for dr ify uraih to recount without being weighed down by. This article explores the consequences of a massacre of civilians in asaba, a town on the west bank of the river niger, during the early stages of the nigerian civil war. Many citizens of asaba fled their homes and did not return until the nigerian civil war ended in 1970. We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Sequel to my previous post on the asaba massacre memorial day, below are a list of some 374 people, less than half the number of civilians murdered on the 7th of october, 1967. The history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres s. The asaba massacre occurred during the nigerian civil war. More than 50 years after the civil war, two retired army generals, lt. The road to war and massacre chapter 1 the asaba massacre.
The asaba massacre is the story of sorrow, tears and blood which happened on october 7, 1967 in asaba town, which was part of the defunct midwestern state during the nigerian civil war. Introducing the new lens of african military history in. While ethnically igbo, asaba was not part of the igbodominated biafra. Our approach is to embark on enhancing and preserving asaba culture and tradition, providing educational resources for underprivileged communities, with particular emphasis on asaba communities, and increasing awareness of asabas needs in the diaspora. The asaba october 7 memorial group has decided to mark this years landmark anniversary of the sad event.
This offensive led by colonel victor banjo, in a surprise move, crossed the niger bridge from onitsha into asaba, delta state. The asaba massacre occurred in early october, 1967 during the civil war, fought. Asaba is well known for social activities due to the presence of large people and social amenities such as hotels, clubs, cinemas. Asaba stank with blood and dead bodies which were later pilled up and buried in a mass grave. Pastor fails miserably when interviewed by court about how he spends the ministrys funds. The asaba massacre of 7th october, 1967 and other incidents of killings of civilians in asaba division mr. The role of the writer in africa 1966 poem january 15, 1966, coup the dark days.
Trauma, memory, and the nigerian civil war in october 1967, early in the nigerian civil war, government troops entered asaba in pursuit of the retreating. This article explores the consequences of a massacre of civilians in asaba. A fast developing urban area, asaba had a population of 149,603 as at the 2006 census, and a metropolitan population of over half a million people. This list is in grouped by villages and in alphabetical order, surnames first, and was complied by sir. After the killings, asaba became a town of just women, with no men gwam.
While ethnically igbo, asaba was not part of igbodominated biafra. The asaba massacre is the story of sorrow, tears and blood which happened on october 7, 1967 in asaba town, which was part of the defunct midwestern state during the nigerian civil war in 1967, during the nigerian civil war, which was fought over the secession of biafra, formerly known as the eastern region of nigeria, biafran troops invaded the midwestern region of nigeria, to the west of. In october 1967, early in the nigerian civil war, government troops entered asaba in pursuit of the retreating biafran army, slaughtering thousands of civilians and leaving the town in ruins. Activities have been lined up to mark the 50th anniversary of the massacre of unarmed asaba people during nigeria, biafra civil war on october 5, 1967. Reclaiming hidden history article pdf available in journal of genocide research 1623. About 700 lives were reportedly lost in the incident. Soyinka opined that to glorify the perpetrators of the asaba massacre with streets and important public infrastructure desecrates the memory of the innocent people killed by federal troops in 1967. Asaba indigenes under the auspices of asaba october 7 memorial group have lined up a series of activities to celebrate the victims of the massacre with a focus on forgiveness. Below is a video documenting the asaba massacre by s.
Troops had invaded the houses of civilians, who they claimed were biafran sympathisers. The asaba massacre occurred in early october 1967, during the biafran war, fought over the secession of biafra the predominantlyigbo, former eastern region of nigeria. Read the asaba massacre trauma, memory, and the nigerian civil war by s. The asaba massacre and the nigerian question by charles ogbu for the people of asaba, delta state, october 7, 1967 remains a day they will forever rue, for that was the day the nigerian state. In early october 1967, four months into the nigerian civil war, federal troops massacred hundreds in asaba, a town in southeast nigeria on the west bank of the niger. Asaba and shuzenji have witnessed the steady passage of more than 510 years, continuing to introduce our customers to the changing face of the seasons. Elizabeth bird university of south florida academia. Chairman of the memorial group, alban ofiliokonkwo, affirmed that since the sordid. So far, from 2009 to 2011, we have fostered these objectives in the following ways.
As i stepped into our compound with my little brother nnamdi we had just come back from boys scout, there were several people gathered in our house inside the parlor. Group marks 50th anniversary of asaba civil war massacre. It requires no previous background in the nigerian civil war or oral methodology to comprehend the main arguments. The asaba massacre would work quite well in the classroom. Victims of the asaba massacre the polynational war memorial. Social commentator and researcher, cheta nwanze says he was on radio nigeria info fm to be precise dicussing the infamous asaba massacre and suddenly a call came in from nbc to shut him off and the program went off air. The writer comments here about the paucity of civic knowledge regarding topics as germane now as the asaba massacre and even the little known onitsha cathedral massacre by people whos names adorn streets we drive on, is the reason why they say history is written by the victors. The asaba massacre occurred in early october 1967, during the biafran war, fought over the. None of the dead victims could be given a proper burial with necessary funeral rites.
Ibrahim haruna said yesterday that he had no regret for the asaba massacre in which over 500 igbo men were killed by his. Ordinarily, asaba has gifted nigeria some of her greatest sons and daughters. The asaba massacre was a crime against humanity killing innocent armless civilians who surrendered to the army was a huge crime against humanity. Asaba massacre on global stage november 11, 2017 january 16, 2018 by asaba leave a comment global attention was recently drawn to the october 1967 carnage, the asaba massacre in midwestern nigeria via a oneminute informercial placed strategically midway into the highly informative global public square gps anchored by the erudite fareed. Four months into the biafra civil war nigeria troops massacred innocent civilians.
Many dead remain unidentified and are likely to have been buried in mass graves. Trauma, memory, and the nigerian civil war in october 1967, early in the nigerian civil war, government troops entered. University of south florida usf has made extensive research about this event. Between 500 and 700 townspeople died in a massacre that was carried out by nigerian governement troops. The asaba massacre took place in the nigerian town of asaba during the biafran war 710 of october 1967.
Asaba massacre of 1967 finds poetic expression in last. Azuka onwuka it is not a good sight watching an adult fight tears. Emma okocha in his book blood on the niger has with great skill and painstaking research told the story in some detail of the terrible and horrendous premeditated massacre of hundreds of ablebodied male citizens of asaba on 7th. The killing of igbo and easterners spread rapidly across the country. Asaba massacre of 1967 finds poetic expression in last dance on the niger. On the 50th anniversary of the asaba massacre, i cant keep my words to myself but say it in the way my daddy fondly tells the story. In this chat with osa amadi, the author recounts bloodchilling events of the asaba massacre which forms the thesis of his book, blood on the niger. Nigerias most definitive first lady, maryam babangida, is asaban. While ethnically igbo, asaba was not part of the igbodominated biafra, remaining part of the ethnically diverse midwest region.
Dirk moses, university of sydney, coeditor of postcolonial conflict and the question of genocide. On the 27th of may, 1967, general yakubu gowon promulgated decree no. According to the group, the landmark memorial is expected to symbolise remembrance and forgiveness as the ultimate healer as encapsulated in our phrase asaba, obodo. Ike nwachukwu, have denied the allegation making round that they were part of the federal troops who carried out the bloody execution that took place in asaba. There was a country a personal history of biafra chinua achebe the penguin press new york 2012. The asaba massacre and the nigerian question by charles. Igbo, asaba was not part of the igbodominated biafra, remaining part of the ethnically. In this gripping video, the searchlight is beamed at the asaba massacre in the early months of the civil war. Soyinka, duke, kukah, nwodo, others for 50th memorial of. According to a statement by alban ofiliokonkwo, chairman of the asaba october 7 memorial group, the. The history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres. The asaba massacre biafran repercussions blood, blood, everywhere the calabar massacre. In a concerted effort to overcome the psychological and emotional devastation of the october 7, 1967, massacre in asaba, the present day capital of delta state, indigenes of the town have organised a threeday event to celebrate the victims of the horrific event with a focus on forgiveness and rebirth.
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