Genocide confession: You’re never too slow, the resilient spirit of Biafrans overwhelmed you, analyst slams Gowon

A Social commentator based in Lagos, Nigeria, Mr. Ike Ezeobi, has lambasted former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon over his recent statement, perceived in some quarters as a confession of attempted genocide against Biafrans.

General Gowon had, during a recent visit to President Bola Tinubu at the State House in Abuja on Thursday, February 22, 2024, claimed that he was criticised for being too slow crushing Biafrans during civil war.

He also admitted that he started the Nigerian-Biafran Civil War, which claimed an estimated three million lives.

According to sources, the victims were reportedly rounded up by Nigerian soldiers and shot at close range, while other hundreds of thousands were starved to death.

Speaking about the war, Gowon, who was encouraging Tinubu to ignore the cries of Nigerian amidst debilitating hunger and hardship, said:

“If I remembered, I was told that I was too slow fighting the war and that probably Nigeria would not make it and that we should seek for discussion.”

General Gowon, who ruled Nigeria between 1966 and 1975, told President Bola Tinubu not to be worried about the criticisms of Nigerians on his performance since he assumed office in May 2023.

He said: “With Nigerians, don’t you worry; you will get criticised; but people who get there know better than you know.

“I think all one can say to Nigerians is that they have to give the President time to get things really done and it is too early to sort of say perfect result will be achieved.”

Read the full story below:

Biafra: after 54 years, Gen. Gowon makes a shocking confession

Reacting to the statement respecting “crushing Biafrans”, Mr. Ezeobi lambasted Gowon, saying: “What is this man talking about?

“Who are those that criticized you for being too slow crushing Biafrans, your co genociders?

“You were never too slow; you deed everything as best as you could but the resilient spirit of the Biafrans overwhelmed you guys.

“If you were what you want to paint yourself to be you would have abided by the Aburi accord.

“God kept you alive to witness the evil you and your partners in genocide committed against Biafrans being meted to your own people today.

“I thought by now you would have learnt a good lesson and begin to plead for forgiveness and mercy from the Biafrans whenever opportunities like this present itself.

“I know that deep inside your heart, you do not have peace, and instead of you to say the truth and beg for forgiveness, you’re still trying to justify the evil of that period and I don’t know who is it you still want to please.

“Nigeria would have been a better place today if you have implemented the Aburi accord but you failed.

“The blood of the innocent women and children you killed during that war will never allow you and Nigeria to have peace until the truth is being told and justice is served.

“You ask Nigerians to be patience with Tinubu so that he will continue from where you and your colleagues stopped in making policies that are keeping the south easterns down.

“As long as Nigerian leaders believe that southeast should be in perpetual bondage politically and economically, Nigeria as a country will never move forward.

“Whoever holds someone down will never be free because he will always be down with the person he is holding.

“The least I expected from you at this stage of your life and what is happening with your people is to accept your mistakes in waging that avoidable war by reneging in the Aburi accord.”

Ezeobi further chided Gowon and urged him to, rather that making false claims and assertions, speak truth to power and apologize to the Igbos.

He continued: “Speak truth to power, apologize to the Igbos and stop justifying that evil so that this country will be free.

“But as long as the destruction of the igbos is the only criteria to be a leader in this country the country will continue to suffer.

“Imagine what Nigerians are going through today at all fronts and the best this administration can do is to keep hiking the custom duties and giving customs targets of trillions of naira to raise for them to embezzle.

“In a sane society where policies are made for the good of all, the government should have bring down to zero the cost of clearing most of the essential goods in other to cushion the effect of high cost of living.”

Ezeobi placed the blame of the untold suffering and hardship on Nigerians squarely on Gowon, former President Muhammadu Buhari, and that of Tinubu.

He said: “Gowon knows very well that the policies of the past government of Buhari and that of the current Tinubu administration can not get Nigeria anywhere because it’s wickedness of the highest order and the blood is still flowing in every part of the country.

“This was my response to that Gowon’s comment last week.

“Now even former president Obasanjo is confirming what many of us knew that is the major problem of Nigeria.

“There is still time to make amends because our leaders and Nigerians know the truth and only the truth will set us free.

“But if they choose to continue to deceive themselves then we will continue to go in cycles and keep on lamenting,” he concluded.