Nigerian Civil War was a Necessary Evil

Nigerian Civil War was a Necessary Evil; Ojukwu and Gowon, the Chief Protagonists, Kaduna Nzeogwu the Producer, Created by the British and engineered by  the Nigerian politicians.

Like the America civil war, Nigeria civil war was meant to be if the nation was to attain greatness. The crucifixion of Christ, the wretchedness and orphanage of Prophet Mohamed from infant and the Nigerian civil war were necessary evils. One common outcome from these necessary evils is that the characters or the protagonists and the institutions involved become larger than life after the relatively short period of the evils.

It is without doubt that Nigeria was fashioned for greatness and Nigeria civil war is but a precursor for this great of a nation that Nigeria is yet to become. In the history of man and of nation states, of kingdoms and empires no people have attained greatness without either external or internal conflict or both.  So when Zik of Africa during the civil war spoke from United Kingdom and asserted that Nigeria secured independence without the spill of blood he spoke wisely though too early and factually incorrect. The Nigeria civil war is in every sense the Nigeria war of independence or blood scarifies made posterior. So about seven years after dubious and pseudo transfer of power from the Queen of England to her puppets in Nigeria, Patriotic Nigerians lead by Gowon and Ojukwu though on opposite sides of the divide embarked on the true struggle or war of independence. Yes, like in any real struggle or conflict for freedom, many Nigerians regrettably died in this war of independence; but the true casualties of this independence war ought to be the British and western influence in Nigeria. The civil war thought Nigerians the lesson of respect for one another and the aloofness of the West when Africans kill one another.

The chief protagonists of the Nigeria war of greatness and of oneness General Gowon and Colonel Ojukwu were and may as well be the best two military officers Nigeria will ever have. These two without doubt are great Nigerians. They were positioned by the divine providence. These two had the same idea of Nigeria but different language or approach. One, General Gowon loves the nation and wants to keep it and the other colonel Ojukwu loves the people and wants to protect them; two distinct approach for the same idea.  These two distinct approaches for great Nigeria was very manifest in the speeches, declarations and rule for military engagement observed by these two great Nigerians in the prosecution and resolution of the civil conflict.

With the death of Ojukwu pundits, friends and foes have speculated on the appropriate rights to accord him at death, some have suggested and called the federal government to give him a state burial, others want federal facility named after him. Yes, these are good ideas but neither will define Ojukwu correctly nor what he stood for, appropriately. None of these suggestions can correctly define Ojukwu as one who went to war and staked his very existence to protect we the people. There cannot be a better way to immortalize this Icon than to build a national civil war museum with the statue of General Gowon at the first gate looking over the nation and that of Ojukwu at the inner gate looking over the people. This national civil war museum should be built at the theatre of the civil war, somewhere in the south east. The federal government can nationalize the civil war museum at Umuahia as a joint venture, expand and   stock it with important war memorabilia. Not only will this civil war museum eternalize Ojukwu and Gowon it will give understanding of the two conflicting approaches to one idea that put these two great Nigerians on opposite sides of the same  coin. Above all, the museum will remind Nigerians and future generations of Nigerians the price paid to keep Nigerian one and in mutual respect between the groups.  

Bawomanh