Table of Contents
Published in the Pointer Magazine, Seat of Wisdom, Owerri (vol 30 no.8), December, 2020.
Introduction
The Nigerian-Biafran war is a topic that continues to resurface in global issues and interaction. The experience during that period was what many described as severe, needing more than normal day to day activities to forget. Although so many people who experienced the war are no longer alive and the very few who are alive only witnessed it as little children, its memories continue to live on in the minds of the present generation as a significant event that continues to haunt the present.
As a way of preserving the experience of the period, many people have made effort to find out more about the war. Books have been written and so many interviews recorded on the subject of the Nigerian-Biafran war. So many authors are also willing to write and make their personal analysis of the war. However, sometimes there are mixed motives with which these writers and speakers have come forward, and these may not be patriotic.
Did the Nigeria-Biafran War Really End?
The question of whether the war really ended at the call of “no victor, no vanquish” proclamation, has continued to raise concerns as traces of the ravages of war continue to plague us in the present. It is either that there is a truism in the fact that there are lingering effects which need to be observed and controlled, or there is an inner disposition/mindset which makes everything from the supposed rivals to appear as false/manipulation. Both could also be the case. This mindset may have been the cause of the Nigeria-Biafran war fifty years ego.
The many write-ups, articles, books etc., which hinge on the topic of the Nigeria-Biafran war are wonderful and are encouraging to the writing tradition. However, some of these can be considered a continuation of the war in the literary environment. Words – written and spoken – have remained powerful over the ages. The spread of articles and writeups that raise mixed feelings of anger, hatred and envy for a particular tribe, should be discouraged because they can gradually lay the foundations for more wars in the future.
Microcosmic Wars: A Perfect Definition of the State of Nigeria
In his book “Peace of Soul”, Fulton J. Sheen speaks of microcosmic wars which are nurtured in the hearts of men. These microcosmic wars constantly develop into macrocosmic wars (physical wars). His idea is that there is a psychological aspect of war that stems from the individual. Wars do not just begin spontaneously, rather, they are nurtured in miniature forms in the hearts of men. When everyone harbours war at the same time, it develops more and more, depending on the reaction of people and the situation of the country. Finally, when the hearts of men can no longer carry it, they burst and become full-blown wars.
Obviously, so many Nigerians are dissatisfied with the situation of the country and yearn for a change in the different sectors. The majority attribute the situation of the country to the failed attempts of the Nigerian-Biafran war to separate the Northern and Southern protectorates. Despite the limited means of making the change occur, the hearts of many Nigerians continue to overflow with the thoughts, desires and feelings in line with this desired change.
When the majority of the citizens attribute the situation of the country to the Nigerian-Biafran war, their hearts and mind will continue to overflow with thoughts and desires for the satisfaction of the cause of the war (completion of the Nigerian-Biafran war) which is the separation of the Northern and Southern protectorates. Many do not care if this comes about through another war and they are walking towards this through microcosmic wars.
The Tarried Effects of the War
It would be a major loop to speak on the tarried effects of the war without referring to the sole causes of the war and the mass psychology of the period. This will help identify what the tarried effects are, and why they remain in some people but not in others. Those who fought during the Nigerian Biafran war had their reasons and some of these reasons are borne out of an inner conviction that they are fighting for a good cause. This presumption leads to a rejection of all the situations which present themselves after the war.
A total change of mindset for such individuals may seem impossible. This is because his conceptual scheme builds up counter schemes to justify every action. This is the case with the Nigerian-Biafran war and the citizens of Nigeria. Most probably, the “no victor, no vanquish” may have sounded like a win in the ears of those who envisaged victory, and may have sounded like a total failure in the ears of those who were suppressed and left with no option.
Basically, the war and its outcome should have been a lesson to the country of Nigeria on the need for peace and unity. With the loss of lives and property experienced during that period, no one should prefer war over peace in whatever circumstance. However, there is a lingering effect where it appears that the nation is still wallowing in the shambles of war. The war was fought because of a perceived rivalry between two groups, and fifty years after the war, this rivalry does not seem to be resolved.
Obviously, the war did not solve any problem, instead, it made the gap between ethnic groups and regions to grow wider and become pronounced. The friction which existed before the war and one of the reasons why the war started, is ever more present in Nigeria today. The political sector shows this friction clearly because those in power are only interested in appointing their tribesmen for other leadership positions. The citizens too are only interested in electing their tribesmen not minding the qualification and capabilities of those involved.
Healing the Tarried Effects
It will not be out of place to join some of the political analysts who posited that the war was primarily begun due to the pride and ego-feelings of the major instigators: Odumegwu Ojukwu and Yakubu Gowon. The citizens have come to a point when they begin to ask why the war was fought in the first place and what reason could justify the suffering and hardship which the war brought upon the entire country during the duration of the war.
In the hearts of so many Nigerians, there are only feelings of regret, sometimes for being part of the war and sometimes for not ending the war conclusively. This feeling of an incomplete task makes so many people yearn secretly for another war or any other means of dealing with the situations that brought the Nigerian-Biafran war.
Although the thoughts on the issue of the Biafran war vary, there is no need crying over spilt milk and reminding ourselves of our pains. The constant consideration of losses and gains will eventually lead to remembering ugly experiences that make one seek for revenge. Now that all the things encountered during the war have taken place, it is time to accept the reality, stand up on our feet and look for viable means of pushing the country forward.
The first task is the identification of the wounds of the war. Each person or group may be wounded in a way that is different from another group and that is why it is necessary to identify the specific way in which a person is pained or wounded by the war. The next focus should be the acceptance of the ‘unchangeables’ beyond our control.
These are some of our wishful thoughts which cannot happen in reality. Sometimes, we are aware of the impossibility of some of these things, but we still spend quality time thinking about them. There should be no opportunity for “if this happened, then this should have been the outcome” and all related assumptions used as consolations.
When the wishful thinking is handled properly, then there can be room for constructive criticisms. It may not do the country any good to accept the effects of the war and keep living in chaos. Therefore, it is necessary to think out systems and strategies that will aid the repair of whatever must have been damaged by the war. Whatever this strategy may be, it must be free of violence and must aim at the common good of the entire country and not a particular sect or tribe.
Conclusion
When we consider the fact that it has been over fifty years since the Nigerian-Biafran war ended, it becomes a shameful thing to be speaking of tarried effects after so many years. Even if there was no conscious effort towards the eradication of the tarried effects, time should have been enough to heal the wounds completely.
Speaking about the effects, can the present generation which may not have had any direct experience with the Nigerian-Biafran war be affected in any way? The truth is that there is no limitation to the wounds that the war caused. The present generation is affected together with those who had a direct experience of the war. Although it may be an indirect effect, it still has bearings in today’s situation.
However, this is not a time to dwell on the past errors of the country. It is time to move up and live beyond the wounds of the war. The war solved nothing and future wars will solve nothing. They can only build up more negative energy that will end up causing more problems. Our aim should be to liberate ourselves from these negative thoughts that bring setbacks in society.