Four months into the biafra civil war nigeria troops massacred innocent civilians. Close this message to accept cookies or find out how to manage your cookie settings. In 1967, during the nigerian civil war, which was fought over the secession of biafra, formerly known as the eastern region of. Killing was permitted only during war, but combatants made every. The south had been divided into the yorubadominated western region, separated by the niger river from the igbodominated eastern region. Nov 01, 2015 four months into the biafra civil war nigeria troops massacred innocent civilians.
On august 9, 1967, sydney was in asaba, and preparing to depart nigeria when the biafran invasion of the midwest cut him off. Igboland probably because the sites could not be merged with. 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. However, during the civil war, biafra conquered asaba on their return from benin at orile. The killing of igbo and easterners spread rapidly across the country. Combining anthropology and history, liz bird and fraser ottanelli present a littleknown microhistory of a massacre in the nigeriabiafra conflict that tells a. Asaba massacre of 1967 finds poetic expression in last dance.
Asaba massacre of 1967 finds poetic expression in last dance on the niger. The british acquired asaba and its environs when asaba leaders and those of the hinterland signed the british treaty of friendship and peace in 1884. Ahaba is a city located at the western bank of the niger river. Between 500 and 700 townspeople died in a massacre that was carried out by nigerian governement troops. Drawing on archival sources on both sides of the atlantic and interviews with survivors of the killing, pillaging and rape, as well as with highranking nigerian military and political leaders, s. In short, the asaba massacre is a work that resonates far beyond just the confines of african history. Before the massacre, most residents favoured nigerian unity. The history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres s.
Soyinka, duke, kukah, nwodo, others for 50th memorial of. Pdf the history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres. Diviser des fichiers pdf en pages individuelles, supprimer ou faire pivoter des pages, fusionner facilement des fichiers. Written by kovich october 7, 2017 october 14, 2017. Geographically, nothing seems to connect the igalas in kogi state with the ibos of asaba in delta state and the ibos of nteje in anambra state, except perhaps networks of interstate and intercity roads. The history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres 3 christian in the south and muslim in the north. While ethnically igbo, asaba was not part of the igbodominated biafra. British imperialists merged the desperate kingdoms together to form a federal union. The history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres by. Brief history of nigerian civil war global history blog. 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. Purpose of the war was to quell the secession of biafra from the original nigeria.
We use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. Victims of the asaba massacre the polynational war memorial. In nigeria, on the west coast of africa, civil war raged. Through the reconstruction of this event, the article fills a significant gap in the historical record and contributes to the discussion on the impact of traumatic memory at the local and national levels. Ethnic and cultural differences fueled the fighting, which followed the secession of the mostly igbo region to the east of the niger river, an area renamed biafra. Ofiliokonkwo explained that the primary objective of the asaba october memorial is to signal the rebirth of asaba from the psychological and emotional devastation of the massacre.
The asaba massacre bookreading madukovichs cogitations. Half of a yellow sun is a work of postcolonial literature, which explores identity, hope, tradition, and change prior to and during the war that followed biafras secession from nigeria, which was newly independent from britain traditional igbo culture most of the nigerian characters in half of a yellow sun are members of the igbo ethnic group, a diverse group of peoples united by language. Oct 12, 2017 please join us for a book presentation and discussion of the asaba massacre. Dec 03, 2011 bien quayant une majorite ethnique igbo, asaba nappartient pas geographiquement au biafra, domine par les igbos. Asaba massacre victims 7th october 1967 journal entry, uncategorized october 5, 2017 august 31, 2018 red 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 paper concludes that for nigeria to experience sustainable socioeconomic. Mar 27, 2016 asaba massacre of 1967 finds poetic expression in last dance on the niger. The anniversary of the dastardly asaba massacre is today. Women and conflict in the nigerian civil war mafiadoc. Asaba forms a connector between western, eastern and northern nigeria through the niger river from the north and via the asaba niger bridge, an eastwest link and a nigerian landmark.
Skip to main content accessibility help we use cookies to distinguish you from other users and to provide you with a better experience on our websites. While ethnically igbo, asaba was not part of the igbodominated biafra, remaining part of the ethnically diverse midwest region. It was fought between 6 th of july 1967 to 15 th of january 1970. Muritala mohammed, assisted by major ibrahim taiwo, and their men of the second division of the nigerian army, during the genocide called civil war, were so callous and evil to massacre unarmed asaba civilians even when they declared they were for peace.
Project muse the history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria. Ottanelli offer an interdisciplinary reconstruction of the history of the asaba massacre, redefining it as a pivotal. Asaba, although ethnically related to the eastern igbo, remained part of nigeria, and supported the governments ideal of a multiethnic one nigeria. During the war against the secessionist biafra republic, mr. Political leadership and corruption in nigeria since 1960. The asaba massacre would work quite well in the classroom. Use the link below to share a fulltext version of this article with your friends and colleagues.
When biafra went through mid west, biafran soldiers did not commit any attrocities. Asaba massacre 1967 newest article politics nigeria. By closing this message, you are consenting to our use of cookies. If you want to know about execution, read up on asaba massacre. Oct 14, 2017 bishop hassan kukah, who also spoke in the same vain, described the asaba massacre as a black spot in the nations history, stressing the need for nigerians to embark on the process of healing. 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 zakari on the cable news network cnn. Asaba massacre victims 7th october 1967 the red confidential. Ify uraih describes how the massacre of hundreds of innocent civilians began in asaba more than 40 years ago. 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. Weve heard a tale of survival, weve listened to cheta nwanze.
Dialogues on the participatory promise of contemporary. Fusionner pdf combinez des fichiers pdf gratuitement en ligne. When one of the guests at the book reading i attended the evening of wednesday the 4th of october at quintessence, ikoyi, lagos, mentioned that his friends dissuaded him from attending because of the present. Trauma, identity, memorialization, and justice chapter 6. 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. Pdf this article explores the consequences of a massacre of civilians in. Oct 05, 2017 asaba massacre victims 7th october 1967 journal entry, uncategorized october 5, 2017 august 31, 2018 red 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. In october 1967, early in the nigerian civil war, government troops ent. When we came closer, we could hear someone sobbing and the people were trying to console her. Murtala muhammed, the commanding officer in asaba during the massacre. The first black on black genocide, the untold story of the asaba massacre in the nigerian civil war by emmanuel emma okocha blood on the niger.
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. Read the asaba massacre trauma, memory, and the nigerian civil war by s. When nigeria achieved independence in 1960, it was a threeregion federal state. The history and legacy of the asaba, nigeria, massacres. A long history and tradition august 23, 2009 june 9, 2018 by asaba 16 comments. The asaba massacre is not only a significant contribution to the scholarship on the shortlived republic of biafra and nigeria, but also a well written study that lends itself to use in undergraduate and graduate courses on oral history and violence writ large. The road to war and massacre chapter 1 the asaba massacre. To learn about our use of cookies and how you can manage your cookie settings, please see our cookie policy.
The asaba massacre took place in the nigerian town of asaba during the biafran war 710 of october 1967. Asaba to mark civil war massacre the guardian nigeria news. After reading azuka onwukas heartrending masterpiece on the asaba massacre link below, i started soliloquizing, wondering why lt. Une fois vos fichiers pdf charges dans notre systeme, vous pouvez en changer l ordre. While ethnically igbo, asaba was not part of igbodominated biafra. Nigerian civil war and refugee crisis iosr journal. Academiaedu is a platform for academics to share research papers. Dec 03, 2011 through the reconstruction of this event, the article fills a significant gap in the historical record and contributes to the discussion on the impact of traumatic memory at the local and national levels. However, the eruption of bestial massacre of thousands of peoples of. 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. In 1967, during the nigerian civil war, which was fought over the secession of biafra. We were slaughtering igbos on the pretext of fighting to. The asaba massacre occurred in early october 1967, during the biafran war, fought over the. Thus it was that when my mother, who lost her father, and some of her brothers, on the same rainy day in october 1967, asked my dad to do a memorial to them, he obliged and did the memorial on his fence.
Oct 07, 2017 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. Im pleased to let everyone know that our book is now available for sale. Elizabeth bird and fraser ottanelli cambridge university press, 2017. But like i said earlier, when there had not yet been a country named nigeria, asaba was the civil headquarters of the royal niger company. Oct 07, 2017 the book reading i attended was of a new book titled, the asaba massacre by elizabeth bird and fraser ottanelli, british and american historian respectively, in a week that started with an unpresidential speech, characterized by a talk down by president muhammadu buhari on igbo leaders for not calling hotheaded youths, with. In the wars opening weeks, biafran forces actually struck out from their homeland and into nigeria proper, crossing the niger river. Infact after reading what you posted, you should hide your head in shame and regret because most of you would wish that you have your republic of benin today. First scenario, two states can merge to become one nationstate, example, east and.
Bishop hassan kukah, who also spoke in the same vain, described the asaba massacre as a black spot in the nations history, stressing the need for nigerians to. Reply to chinua achebes there was a country chief dr chinua achebe wrote a book titled hr was a cor hich had spard a o of discussion on the pages of many of our national newspapers of the resent. Reclaiming hidden history article pdf available in journal of genocide research 1623. It has often been said that when an igbo mans wife makes a request of him, he will move mountains to achieve it. Pastor fails miserably when interviewed by court about how he spends the ministrys funds. The asaba massacre and the nigerian question by charles ogbu. Asaba massacre of 1967 finds poetic expression in last. Our latest journey to nigeria started in lagos, with a book reading at quintessence, a wonderful bookstore and art gallery in ikoyi. After the killings, asaba became a town of just women, with no men gwam.
It also suggests that the asaba massacres speak to larger issues of potential reconciliation that extend beyond asaba and nigeria. 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. It requires no previous background in the nigerian civil war or oral methodology to comprehend the main arguments. The asaba massacre and the nigerian question by charles. Asaba to mark civil war massacre the guardian nigeria. 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. 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. The first black on black genocide, the untold story of the asaba massacre in the nigerian civil war by emmanuel emma okocha. Jul 31, 2017 the asaba massacre would work quite well in the classroom. Asaba is ethnically and linguistically igbo, but was never part of biafra. Oct 07, 2017 the anniversary of the dastardly asaba massacre is today. Reclaiming hidden history, journal of genocide research, special issue on nigerian civil war, vol. 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.
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