Former Nigeria Head of State, Yakubu Gowon, don release im autobiography, ‘My Life of Duty and Allegiance’, wey don bring back old matter about di Aburi meeting wey happen for Ghana for January 1967.
Di meeting, wey Ghana leader Joseph Ankrah host, na attempt to settle di crisis between federal government and Eastern Region wey Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu lead. But di peace talk no work, and di country later enter three-year civil war.
For im book, Gowon say no agreement reach for Aburi to allow Eastern Region secede and create Biafra. But Ojukwu, wey die for 2011, don talk for old NTA interview wey resurface for social media, say records and transcripts show both sides reach partitioning agreements.
For dat interview, Ojukwu say, ‘Di tapes dey available, di records dey dia. Di transcripts dey available but we dey talk about Nigerian situation and at di end, everybody say, You tell dem dis, you do dat.’
Ojukwu argue say di disagreements after Aburi na because of external pressures, not between am and Gowon. ‘Di fact na our case clear sotey I believe at di end of Aburi say di problem no be Gowon but di ambassadors for Lagos wey dey press for something else because we understand each other, we agree on every single point,’ e talk.
E also recall say dem draft di minutes of di meeting joint, and both delegations agree on di final document. ‘Di drafting na with my chief secretary with two other chief secretaries from di other side. I say No and draft, we look am and we agree. General Ankrah read over di whole report to us again, ask us if we want amend anything. We say No.’
Ojukwu claim say di atmosphere after di meeting na cordial and optimistic. ‘At di end of all dat, di position good sotey Ankrah drive Jack Gowon and myself to di airport. Jack dey sit for left and I dey sit for right. For di journey, at a point Ankrah shake im head and say, Thank you, thank you.’
‘Suddenly, I pick up Gowon hand, put am for Ankrah lap, bring my other hand, place am for top and I say, General sir, hold us together, I want say something. So, General Ankrah put im hand for top of di two hands and I say, General, I want assure you say I totally satisfied with everything we say. I go even go further and say something I no talk for di conference, say once we implement everything we say, I go ask you for one favour, to be di one to propose Jack Gowon as Head of State of Nigeria.’
Gowon book also touch di 1966 coup, how e become Head of State, and di civil war. E talk about di role of UK, US, France, and Soviet Union. Gowon say Biafra last long because of propaganda machine wey continue till today.
E write, ‘Although di war end more dan half century ago, remnants of Biafran propaganda still pop up for plenty literature wey writers from Eastern Nigeria write, especially by di late Chinua Achebe. Im stories dey easy to digest because dem appear palatable, yet dem far from di truth.’
Gowon also talk about di coup wey remove am, and e accuse Joe Garba and Abdullahi Mohammed of betrayal. E describe late Murtala Muhammed as ‘temperamental, contentious and highly impulsive individual’.
Despite di different accounts, di Aburi meeting remain controversial for Nigeria history. Di old interview wey resurface add new layer to di debate about wetin actually happen for dat meeting.
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