By: Amaechi K. U.
Am just wondering why should Ojukwu belittle himself to visit Buhari in a little known town of Duara to discuss Nigerian unity. Buhari lied against Ojukwu, the truth has been vindicated, Ojukwu and Buhari are not on the same academic pedestal.
Ojukwu was an Oxford trained graduate, Buhari is not. Ojukwu was a graduate soldier, Buhari was not. Ojukwu like Azikiwe, Nelson Mandela, mahatma Ghandi etc was a charismatic leader, Buhari is not. Ojukwu growing up enjoyed life as a silver spoon kid, Buhari did not. During the war, while Ojukwu was a general, Buhari was a lieutenant. If Buhari claimed that he had an agreement with Ojukwu that Nigeria will one, why was there no press release after the so called meeting?
Did Ojukwu secretly travel to Duara without informing members of his family? How can the two of them discuss issues bothering on Nigeria’s unity without involving other ethnic groups that made up Nigeria?
At the time he (Buhari) claimed to have had the meeting with Ojukwu both of them were not leaders of any of the two ethnic groups of igbo and hausa. Simply put,Ojukwu was one of the opinion leaders of the East and Buhari represents same in the North. Non of them can take decision for their regions without involvement or support of other leaders or the masses.
So Buhari goofed to have claimed that he had agreement with Ojukwu that Nigeria will remain one, with obvious reference to the fact that Igbos will remain part of Nigeria. This is a clear case of me an igbo man inviting Alhaji Umaru my hausa friend or leader as the case may be to my home town and after a lengthy discussion on Nigeria’s way forward, we agreed that federalism is the best system for Nigeria.
Some years later i became the president of Nigeria, as a result of my bad policies that put the north in a disadvantaged position they started to protest against it and calling for division of the country and i quickly reminded them of the private meeting i had with the late umaru,one of their own, which they are not aware of, that they must remain part of Nigeria.
Amaechi writes from Lagos
