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OjukwuFormer Lagos State Governor Asiwaju Bola Tinubu yesterday said the late Emeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu was forced by circumstances to defend his people.
Tinubu, who spoke at a funeral for the former Biafran leader in Lagos, said besides the three founding fathers of Nigeria- Obafemi Awolowo, Nnamdi Azikiwe and Ahmadu Bello- no other Nigerian has altered the course of history than Odumegwu-Ojukwu.
He said: “After the contributions of our great nationalists such as Nnamdi Azikwe, Chief Obafemi Awolowo and Sir Ahmadu Bello, no single Nigerian has altered the course of Nigeria’s history as the late Ikemba Ojukwu. He was forced by the circumstance of history to defend his people when he believed they faced physical and political annihilation. His reasons were clear to his people and his voice and strong determination reverberated across Nigeria. Ultimately, he altered the course of Nigerian political history in profound ways.”
Tinubu said though the late Ojukwu meant different things to different people, there was no doubt that he cemented his place in history by dint of hard work and commitment.
He said: “Ojukwu was truly a product of the flawed attempt to be a good Nigerian without first being good Igbo man, Hausa woman or Yoruba child. It makes more pragmatic sense to build Nigerian patriotism on those common values and virtues that are not in any way against the values of Nigerian patriotism. If Ojukwu is viewed from that new prism, it would be clear that he was both a worthy Igboman as well as a worthy Nigerian.”
Quoting the words of Robert Green Ingersoll at this brother’s grave, Asiwaju Tinubu said of Ojukwu and his differing perceptions: “This brave and tender man in every storm of life was oak and rock, but in the sunshine he was vine and flower. He was a friend of all heroic souls.”
The former governor of Lagos said Ojukwu was a man of courage who made his voice heard no matter what.
The former governor of Lagos said Ojukwu was a man of courage who made his voice heard no matter what.
He added: “Ojukwu carried on, no matter the situation. His voice was never drowned or silenced on the issues that mattered to him, even in the face of adversity.
“He was rather defined by Igbo nationalism, if not irredentism. But given the turn of events in Nigeria, with its continuous crisis of nationhood and identity, neither Igbo nationalism nor Igbo irredentism would appear illegitimate.
“His exploits both on the battle and political fields portray him as a restless soul, constantly engaged with the processes aimed at birthing an egalitarian society. He was a man with a most powerful narrative. An essential Nigerian story, with a career compelling in several respects. Ikemba Nnewi was a brave soldier and great thinker!
“Here was a man born with a silver spoon into the luxury of a high pedestal; given the best education of his time and had the world at his feet, but chose the road less travelled. He immersed himself in the service of the people. A man of scholastic brilliance from Oxford, Ojukwu chose to serve in the Nigerian military. He will be remembered as a fine officer and a gentleman.
“ Here was a man who was in step with the passion for his people and love for country. Today we say goodbye to someone who rode several storms of life and was never consumed except by the cold hands of death. The words of Robert Green Ingersoll at his brother’s grave are here appropriate, “This brave and tender man in every storm of life was oak and rock, but in the sunshine he was vine and flower. He was the friend of all heroic souls. He climbed the heights and left all superstitions far below, while on his forehead fell the golden dawning of the grander day”. Ojukwu carried on, no matter the situation. His voice was never drowned or silenced on the issues that matter to him even in the face of adversity. A General’s delight, Ojukwu was courageous and smart enough to know when to compromise, when to negotiate and when to silence the guns and exit. For the sake of his people he entered politics. His foray into politics, which though often controversial, was in tune with the spirit of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
”Indeed, the life and times of Ojukwu, in a way, is a metaphor for Nigeria’s unfulfilled nationhood. No matter how Ojukwu tried, history would remember him as an iconic Ndigbo than it would as an iconic Nigerian – and it is doubtful if history would remember any member of his generation for iconic ‘Nigerianness’; or even any from this present generation.
”We all have shortcomings and Ojukwu was no different. Despite Ojukwu’s personal short-comings which by the way cannot be glossed over, he was indeed a great man. His life and travails revealed a nation constantly at war with its constituent parts. Ojukwu is truly a product of the flawed attempt to be a good Nigerian without first being good Igboman, Hausa woman or Yoruba child.”
“His exploits both on the battle and political fields portray him as a restless soul, constantly engaged with the processes aimed at birthing an egalitarian society. He was a man with a most powerful narrative. An essential Nigerian story, with a career compelling in several respects. Ikemba Nnewi was a brave soldier and great thinker!
“Here was a man born with a silver spoon into the luxury of a high pedestal; given the best education of his time and had the world at his feet, but chose the road less travelled. He immersed himself in the service of the people. A man of scholastic brilliance from Oxford, Ojukwu chose to serve in the Nigerian military. He will be remembered as a fine officer and a gentleman.
“ Here was a man who was in step with the passion for his people and love for country. Today we say goodbye to someone who rode several storms of life and was never consumed except by the cold hands of death. The words of Robert Green Ingersoll at his brother’s grave are here appropriate, “This brave and tender man in every storm of life was oak and rock, but in the sunshine he was vine and flower. He was the friend of all heroic souls. He climbed the heights and left all superstitions far below, while on his forehead fell the golden dawning of the grander day”. Ojukwu carried on, no matter the situation. His voice was never drowned or silenced on the issues that matter to him even in the face of adversity. A General’s delight, Ojukwu was courageous and smart enough to know when to compromise, when to negotiate and when to silence the guns and exit. For the sake of his people he entered politics. His foray into politics, which though often controversial, was in tune with the spirit of Nigeria’s multi-party democracy.
”Indeed, the life and times of Ojukwu, in a way, is a metaphor for Nigeria’s unfulfilled nationhood. No matter how Ojukwu tried, history would remember him as an iconic Ndigbo than it would as an iconic Nigerian – and it is doubtful if history would remember any member of his generation for iconic ‘Nigerianness’; or even any from this present generation.
”We all have shortcomings and Ojukwu was no different. Despite Ojukwu’s personal short-comings which by the way cannot be glossed over, he was indeed a great man. His life and travails revealed a nation constantly at war with its constituent parts. Ojukwu is truly a product of the flawed attempt to be a good Nigerian without first being good Igboman, Hausa woman or Yoruba child.”
SOURCE: The Nation, 24 February 2012. http://www.thenationonlineng.net/2011/
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