Senator representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, Victor Umeh, has called on former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to tender an unreserved apology to the Igbo people over his role in the Nigerian Civil War.
By Emma Ogbuehi
Senator representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, Victor Umeh, has called on former Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon, to tender an unreserved apology to the Igbo people over his role in the Nigerian Civil War.
Umeh who made the demand while reacting to comments made by General Gowon in a recent interview, expressed deep disappointment and described the former leader’s remarks as a distortion of historical truth. The senator stated that Gowon’s refusal to implement the Aburi Accord, which was reached with the late Dim Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, directly triggered the devastating civil war that claimed millions of lives, most of whom were Igbos.
“General Gowon continues to insist that the war was not against the Igbos, yet Igbo soldiers were specifically targeted, Igbo-owned businesses were destroyed, and the people of the South East were subjected to intense suffering and deliberate marginalization during and after the war,” Senator Umeh said.
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He added that such narratives, which attempt to whitewash the past, only serve to deepen wounds rather than heal them. “If we truly want Nigeria to move forward and achieve genuine reconciliation, we must first acknowledge the truth. Gowon must stop telling white lies and instead own up to his role in the conflict by apologizing to Ndigbo and the entire nation,” he said.
Senator Umeh, who enjoyed a close personal relationship with the late Ojukwu, emphasized that he had access to firsthand accounts of events leading up to and during the civil war. This, he said, makes it impossible for him to remain silent when history is being distorted.
According to Umeh, a sincere apology from Gowon would not only be a mark of statesmanship but would also help set the stage for national healing and unity.
Gowon had in a recent television interview claimed that the reason for the collapse of the Aburi Accord, the last major attempt to prevent Nigeria’s civil war, was a fundamental disagreement with Ojukwu over who should control military forces in the country’s regions.
