"I am the final Biafran truth", declared the former Biafran leader, General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu. He was responding to a question from Paul Odili of Vanguard Newspaper [November 17, 2003], during an interview session marking his 70th birthday in Enugu.

n support of Ojukwu's assertion, one could state, without fear of contradiction, that as the man who made the far-reaching declaration, in May of 1967, proclaiming the birth of a new nation called Biafra, he stands the most vantage stead to tell what transpired on a broader spectrum. Indeed, as the man who made the day to day decisions on how the war was prosecuted, General Ojukwu remains the final and most comprehensive source of the history of events that unfolded in those tumultuous years. For the sake of posterity, therefore, the story needs to be told and the sooner, the better. Hear Molara Woods on her internet blog page, "� there's no point being the final truth if that truth is not told" [Molara Woods, August 29, 2005]. Her statement underscores the fact that most people are yearning for Ojukwu's perspective on the events that led to the Biafran conflict as well as a blow by blow account of what transpired during that war. It was with all the above in mind that one welcomed the news that Ojukwu's memoir may be out next year.

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This writer has presented a civilian account of the war in the book titled: Surviving in Biafra- the Story of the Nigerian Civil War. The book renders account of the war from the perspective of a six-year old boy growing up in a war-torn nation, where air raids, hunger and privation were the order of the day. Those who have read the book, though, will agree that it brought up some innocent but genuine questions about how and why certain events took place during that war. It will therefore be an understatement for me to say that I was exceedingly delighted when I read parts of the interview recently granted to the Sun News by Chief Odumegwu Ojukwu in which he confirmed that his memoir would be out next year or so. This is what Ojukwu said, "I don't want to give out what rightfully should be in my book. But you know, what I will tell you about this book is that I think it will come out in due course. If not this year, next year. It couldn't be later than that. I'm working at it [Sun News, April 30, 2006]

In that interview, Ojukwu gives some momentary but riveting glimpses into what Nigerians might expect to find in his long-awaited memoir. For instance, this is what he said about the propaganda coming from the Federal side during the war: "Throughout the war, it was difficult, but one thing that always worried me, mainly because of the Nigerian propaganda, is that they [Nigerian troops] would suddenly burst into my house wherever I was and I would be arrested, perhaps, in pajamas. I don't know any General that looked dashing in his pajamas (laughter). So, to avoid such humiliation, I would never, ever, throughout the years of the war, go to bed in pajamas". That statement is very insightful, at least to this writer. It was heartening to know that General Ojukwu also worried, as we all did during that war, about the massive propaganda that was coming from the Federal side on how they intended to run over Biafra in a short while, obliterating every thing in sight. Infact, Brigadier Adekunle was once quoted as saying that they would shoot every living thing on sight and when they exhausted that, they would shoot inanimate objects! That was frightening.

Ojukwu also touched on the issue of Col Victor Banjo and the Mid West incursion during his interview and here is how he put it: "Of course, I was betrayed by Banjo. I spent days writing out the project that will take him to Lagos, specifically mapping out where he could go. I was betrayed by his decision to take over Benin. No! He was to circumscribe Benin. That cost us a lot of men, days, weeks. I felt betrayed of course, when he thought the only way out of the difficulty he had put us into, was to make a coup in Biafra. It was a betrayal that cost them their lives. It's unfortunate".

The Midwest incursion still remains a subject of intense discussion, till this day, at least amongst the Igbo people. Many believe that if the Midwest incursion, led by Col Victor Banjo, had not failed or was not "sabotaged", perhaps, the outcome of the war may have been different. Some question the wisdom of putting Banjo in command, when his loyalty to the Biafran cause could not be categorically ascertained. I still remember the euphoria that greeted Biafra as the event unfolded. Suddenly, we heard that Biafran troops had made it through the Midwest, perhaps seized Ore and were marching towards Lagos! There was jubilation in Biafra. Momentarily, what we had heard about the dexterity and courage of Biafran commanders and the infantry, turned into an instant reality. Considering the fact that this was happening during the beginning months of the war, we started believing that the war was possibly ending very soon and in favor of the young nation. The euphoria generated by this apparent success of the Biafran soldiers was still hanging palpably over the horizon, like a rainbow, when a devastatingly painful news tumbled in: Biafran troops had retreated back into Biafra with the same lightning speed that they entered Ore. Instantly, jubilation turned into sorrow. Hope turned into despair. The disappointment did not end with the retreat of Biafran soldiers. After the debacle, rumor began to make its round that the retreat was orchestrated by saboteurs. Not long after, Col Victor Banjo, Major Ifeajuna and Col Alale were fingered as the culprits. The young nation was inexorably plunged into the pool of self doubt. Biafrans could rationalize why Victor Banjo, a non Igbo, would betray Biafra, but it was difficult to explain the treachery ascribed to Major Ifeajuna, Major Alale and one Mr. Agbaim. It was the very first time, as I noted in the book, Surviving in Biafra, that the word "saboteur" was introduced into the Biafran lexicon. From then on, this "saboteur" phenomenon continued to sweep through Biafra like an ill-wind and never abated until the last shots were fired. Some would argue that it hastened the demise of the young nation.

Thirty something odd years after that war, many are still writing about and discussing the Midwest incursion. Some try to explain, rationalize or justify the penalty meted out to Banjo and his group in September of 1967, while others maintain that the men were mere victims of circumstance. Ojukwu's categorical statement, in the Sun News interview, that he was betrayed by Banjo, seems to lend credence to the school of thought that put forth sabotage as the reason why the incursion failed. One would hope, fervently, that the Biafran leader will treat this matter exhaustively in his upcoming book. He remains the man who can set the records straight and put all conjecture, about this issue, to rest once and for all.

Anyone in Biafra, during that war, would agree with this writer, that the days, weeks, months and years were filled with all manners of highs and lows. Certain major events heightened the mercuric morale and enthusiasm of Biafran masses while others, like the Midwest incursion, dampened morale across the board. Suffice it to say, though, that in many instances, it was difficult to tell the whys and hows of what happened. Infact, sometimes, it was difficult to separate facts from fiction. A Biafra war memoir written by Ojukwu would go a long way in laying to rest the many conjectures that have been put forth. Furthermore, there are certain events that still stand out in this writer's mind but some of the whys and hows are still unclear. I would highlight some of them below and hope that Ojukwu's upcoming memoir will treat them exhaustively.

Defection of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe

The defection of Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe, to the Nigerian side, was one of the most demoralizing moments during the days of Biafra. I narrated in the book, Surviving In Biafra, how the news brought tears to my father's eyes, a man used to keeping his emotions under check. My father's reaction mirror's the feeling of most Biafrans to the news.

When the war started, the presence of heavy weights like Dr Azikiwe, M.I Okpara, Dr Akanu Ibiam, and others, provided a certain amount of moral satisfaction for Biafrans that the right thing had been done. But when Dr Azikiwe suddenly left Biafra for Nigeria, the last bastion of Biafra's locus standi was crushed to smithereens. Again, the dreaded word, "saboteur", came up, further fuelling the distrust that had taken a dangerous stranglehold on Biafra and Biafrans. As a little boy, what was etched in my mind was that Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe had joined the ranks of those that betrayed Biafra. I recall that when he came to Nnewi, in 1979, to campaign under the aegis of NPP, the defection was still on my mind. I was torn between shedding an impression that I developed during the war, as a little boy, and accepting that the Dr Nnamdi Azikiwe still had the interest of the Igbos at heart.

Dr Azikiwe has been quoted as saying that he went to Nigeria to help end the war because the suffering had gotten out of hand. Whether that was the motive and if he achieved his aim remains a subject of intense discussion till date. One is therefore interested in reading an exhaustive account, from Ojukwu, on what happened, his take on it and the probable effect, both salutary and deleterious to Biafra.

Nzeogwu:

When the Biafra war first started, there was this talk about the invincibility of Major Kaduna Nzeogwu. Of course he garnered that from his role during the 1966 coup. The fact that he was on the Biafran side was always touted as a potent reason why Biafra would prevail. Biafrans sang many songs in his honor. It was therefore a huge shock when he was reportedly killed, in the war front, during the early stages of the war. Again, this was one of those events that crushed the morale of Biafrans. The surprising thing though, is that inspite of the devastating effect of his death, no one has so far written an authoritative account of how and where he died.

Many years later, because of my unabated curiosity about Nzeogwu's death, I bought a copy of Col Achuzia's Requiem Biafra and tried to see what I could find. Surprisingly, he did not talk about it. I also read General Madiebo's book and never got anything out of it about this issue. However, when I read Obasanjo's book about Nzeogwu, I was surprised by the letters he presented as having been written to him by Major Nzeogwu, even as the war was going on. One of the letters seemed to be asking him for logistics and support to end the Biafran war. Obasanjo later stated that after Nzeogwu was killed, it was the Federal troops that found "his partially decomposed body" and gave him a burial with military rites. I am hopeful that the upcoming memoir of General Odumegwu Ojukwu would shed a lot of light on this all important issue so that it will be laid to rest once and for all.

General Ojukwu and the war fronts

Certainly, there were many stories about Ojukwu's invincibility during the war. As children, we used to compare him with General Gowon and end up asserting that he was superior to General Gowon. Ojukwu was frequently referred to as the General that routinely led troops in the war front. Well, Ojukwu was quoted, in the Sun News interview as confirming that he personally led the battle to retake Oguta from Nigerian forces. He further stated that when he got to Oguta and saw the Nigerian troops raising the Nigerian flag, after the capture of Oguta, he cried! He then added that he personally led the troops that retook Oguta. Just to satisfy my curiosity as a six year old, one would love to read more about the battle to retake Oguta, the role that Ojukwu played and what was going on in his mind as he put his life on the line.

Biafra's Ingenuity

My father used to talk about this all the time. He believed that if Biafra had survived, with all the brains that was concentrated in it, she would have had a straight ticket to technological superstardom. This includes the manufacture of the dreaded Ogbunigwe, refining of crude oil without any sophisticated technological gadgets and more. One would love to read more about this in Ojukwu's memoir.

Finally, the subject of the Biafran war remains a passion that would probably never abate in me and many others. Even though I was very young when it started and ended, I still vividly recall the events that probably altered the course of my life and that of many. Sometime, I still catch myself playing some "what-if' scenarios in my mind. What if the war never took place and I grew up in Lagos, how different would my life have been? What if all those people, near and dear to my heart, were not killed, what would they have become today? The thoughts that led me to write the book, Surviving in Biafra, still linger some. The difference, this time, is that I feel fulfilled from the perspective of the fact that I was able to put forth my thoughts for the world to read. Every time someone sends me a copy of the numerous references to the book worldwide by other writers or every time I read about a school that has adopted it as a text, that sense of fulfillment continues to rise. However, as I stated above, there are still gnawing questions that need some answers to provide eventual closure to the Biafran war. Those questions, in my humble opinion, can only be provided by the man who stepped forward to forestall the annihilation of his people. It is that man that had the most panoramic view of all during that war. All reported to him and he made many of the decisions. His memoirs, I believe, would answer a lot of these questions and hopefully close a very sad chapter in the history of Africa.

HERE I STAND