2022: THE ECHOES OF ORE SECTOR

‘The Echoes of Ore Sector of the Nigerian/Biafran Civil War,’ reminds one of the encounters between the Nigerian and Biafran soldiers during the 30 month’s old civil war (1967-1970). The narratives presented by the author, disclosed how the Biafran troops ventured to liberate the Mid-West Region of Nigeria, and perhaps, capture Lagos, the then capital of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, where Dodan Barracks, which housed the Nigerian Army Headquarters, and the abode of the, then, Head of State and Commander-in-Chief of the Nigerian Armed Forces, (Lt.-Col.)General Yakubu Gowon, was situated. The Biafran Leader appointed a Military Governor for the Region, in the person of Major Albert Okonkwo, and thereafter, the Region was renamed the ‘Republic of Benin.’
The speed with which the Biafran soldiers swept across Benin and Ore within a space of two weeks, seemed to make their thoughts and strategies realisable, but the reported disagreements between the Biafran Leader, (Lt.-Col.) General Chukwuemaka Odumegwu Ojukwu, and the alleged inordinate ambitions of the war lords fighting on the Biafran side, frustrated and delayed the advance of the Biafran troops to Lagos. The Federal troops, on the other hand, capitalized on that conflict that afflicted the Biafran war planners, and launched a devastating counter attack at all the sectors in the Mid- West Region, and drove back the Biafran troops with the same speed with which they invaded the Mid-West.
One can infer from the narratives that the Biafran troops were ill-trained, ill-equipped and unprepared for such enormous and excruciating task of attempting to liberate an autonomous Region in the midst of mistrust among the warring parties. Such mistrust could not be immediately changed to earn the confidence of the Obas/Traditional Rulers and some powerful first Republic Politicians from the Mid-West Region.
Inference can also be drawn from what transpired in the Ore sector of the war to judge federal government’s favourable execution of the war in other sectors of the Nigerian/Biafran war. Though it took 30 months to achieve that feat, the blockades of Biafran territories by land, air and sea; and the use of starvation as an instrument of warfare, were, visible, veritable tools of war that played powerful roles in the achievement of that purpose.
The inevitable lesson to be learnt from the entire gory tales rendered above is that war can never be an option to resolving conflicts; instead a round-table conference whereby giving/taking from both sides on the burning issues should not be neglected. The position of the federal government of ‘No Victor, No Vanquished’ was expected to reflect on the promise of ‘Reconciliation, Reconstruction and Rehabilitation’ (the 3 Rs). Your guess on the implementation of those promises is as good as mine. Nothing is too late for the living. Total embrace of Dialogue, at all fronts, therefore, to resolve all the conflicts raging across the entire nation, can never be over-emphasized.
I quite agree with the author that CHANGE, (from negativity to positivity), which is very constant, and a very powerful tool in making or marring critical, vital and favourable decisions in conflict resolution, should be embraced by all the actors and actresses engaged in the struggle to see a peaceful, united and prosperous country like ours. Let us put the country first before self in all spheres of our daily endeavours, and everything will surely fall into place.
This book will, no doubt, afford the readers the opportunity to have sober and sincere reflections on the need to always consult and dialogue over burning issues than to plunge into unwanted and undesirable war with its woeful, destructive and regrettable consequences.