ASABA MASSACRE; NBC RADIO ATTACK AND WHEN SLAVES FORGIVE THEIR MASTERS

Did I hear that a radio broadcast was cut-off air by Nigerian Broadcast Cooperation for telling the story of Asaba Massacre on the Remembrance Day? Nawao! This thing no suppose make news; abi we no know say a slave forgiving the master that whipped and continued whipping him must consider choice of words? The slave no go say wetin happen because the master get a visitor and no go like his visitor to know him na wicked master. Wetin dey even worry una? Slave wan beg forgiveness when the master no even show or tellam say him dey sorry or make him forgive am for wetin him do in 1967.

That is what you get when you play inferior and submit to slavery. The inquisitiveness of a slave to please his master is the very factor that keeps a slave in perpetual slavery and not essentially the affliction by his master. When one is in slavery; he loses his sense of judgment and everything he does seeks the approval or to the pleasure of his master. You wouldn’t often blame such slave; fear has rendered him useful but to only his master. I don’t know what it takes to break the chain of fear but one that saw what the people of Biafra experienced between 1967 and 1970 would not today talk about Biafra once more. Let me respectfully say that- even though the people of Biafra in Asaba are slaves- they have shown rare bravery by standing for their emancipation through the agitation for the restoration of the sovereign state of Biafra.

When it came to my notice that Asaba Massacre Remembrance Day was around the corner; I anticipated a focus but sadly, they focused on using the Remembrance Day to forgive and forget their slave masters. I have nothing against forgiveness and forgetfulness; after all, the Bible told us to forgive and forget but in most cases, I get just disappointed that my people failed to embrace nature. In nature; every action and reaction is simultaneously balanced and equal, something leads to another and in the case of forgiveness- plea is made before forgiveness is done. Your offender must say “please forgive and forget” then in reaction, you forgive and forget but in the issue of Asaba Massacre Remembrance Day, even while Asaba people are still being killed, they are forgiving and forgetting their masters and oppressors.

The failure to cuddle dignity and come out of slavish life subsequently led to being put off the air by the Nigerian Broadcast Cooperation (NBC) while telling the story of the massacre. If the offenders had asked for forgiveness, there is no way they would cut us off the air for telling our story.

The insincerity of the Nigerian state is the reason there would never be forgiveness or the people of Biafra forget the massacre of their loved ones in 1967. There is no way they would continue to hide and shy away from the truth and expect forgiveness or forgetfulness. We have the right to know what happened and forgive from the bottom of our heart. The more they keep frustrating us and forcing us into silence is the more we keep shouting and demanding a safe state. There is nothing to forgive if they would eventually take away our voices; because for forgiveness to be complete, each must say his own side of the story for all to know where it pains more and then the offenders admit and ask forgiveness.

Nigeria is not ready to hear our story or this generation to hear the story; they want everything to be swept under the carpet, this is why a broadcast on Asaba Massacre was cut off air simply because the presenter was sincere. This goes to show that Nigeria have not admitted that they really massacred our people. They have not admitted that they really did anything wrong and this is why the wound of the 1967 genocide can never be healed. This is why there can never be forgiveness and this is finally why Biafra is the only option to saving the people of Biafra from further massacre.

Meanwhile; I was not in 1967 to know what massacre is all about even though I have watched it in series of fictional films. I have heard of massacre in recent time; when a group of former MASSOB members visited me and discussed Okigwe massacre but no longer in a story, I saw massacre at Onitsha Bridge Head. Biafrans from Delta and Onitsha had majorly stormed Bridge head in a protest only to be massacred once more. As they continue to massacre the people of Biafra from Asaba and other places, what is the need of remembrance when this massacre is in chain and ongoing. Where is forgiveness and where is forgetfulness? For how long must we act the script of inferiority while they play sophisticated game? For how long will their money continue to ride us and dictate for us; could we be this foolish, to remember; forgive and forget even in the bit of continued massacre. To forget and forgive even while they kept massacring us is the height of slavery.

NBC to have stopped a broadcast on the Remembrance Day of Asaba Massacre is simply an act of disrespect to the hundreds of Biafrans that were gathered like weed and taken away on that very day. It is a gross neglect on the entire people of Biafra and even to the families of those murdered. It is a clear indication that Nigeria regrets nothing and pities not the families of the Biafrans that were killed. It is a sort of mockery to our collective tradition and culture that the offender dare attack the offended even on so-called table of forgiveness.

I have said my own; if Biafrans like, make them learn, if Asaba leaders like, make them learn that nothing except freedom will make us equal to the oppressors and not loyalty and shoe licking. Not taking millions of Naira from them to organize remembrances which its aim is to embezzle.

Authored by Ifeanyi Chijioke - TBP

Editor/Publisher: Chinwe Korie