Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the 1967 Asaba massacre as one of the most painful episodes of the Nigerian Civil War, saying he wept after reading documents detailing the tragedy.
Obasanjo spoke virtually on Wednesday as chairman of the occasion at the 59th anniversary memorial of the massacre in Asaba, the Delta State capital.
“This marks the remembrance of one very sad aspect of the Nigerian civil war. Of course, the war in its entirety was an unfortunate event which should never happen,” he said.
“But the Asaba Massacre, as it is called, was one of the most painful, one of the most terrible aspects of that war.”
‘I Wept After Reading Documents’
Obasanjo said he was moved to tears after receiving documents on the massacre from Chuks Nduka-Eze, convener of the Asaba Massacre Memorial.
He said he was saddened that such an event had occurred “in my own country, in my lifetime”.
The former president urged survivors and victims’ families to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation.
“To all of you assembled: let us keep one thing in mind — forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness again,” he said.
He also called for the tragedy to remain part of Nigeria’s national memory to help prevent a recurrence.
Asagba Demands Presidential Apology
Responding to Obasanjo’s appeal, the Asagba of Asaba, Epiphany Azinge, said the community could forgive without forgetting the massacre or abandoning its demand for accountability.
“We may not forget, but certainly, we have to forgive,” Azinge said.
However, the monarch insisted that the community would not achieve closure or healing until a sitting Nigerian president publicly apologised to the people of Asaba.
“There will be no closure, there will be no healing until a sitting President — not an ex-President, but a sitting President — publicly apologises to us,” he said.
Azinge noted that former military Head of State Yakubu Gowon had apologised after leaving office.
The monarch also questioned Obasanjo’s appeal for Nigerians to say “never again”, citing the killings in Odi, Bayelsa State, during Obasanjo’s administration.
“Coming from him, I was a bit taken aback. How long do we say ‘never again’? But it happened at Odi,” he said.
Asagba Forgives Taiwo Family
Despite his demand for a presidential apology, Azinge publicly declared forgiveness for the family of Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, who was associated with the military operation during the massacre.
“On behalf of the Asaba community, and as the prescribed authority — the Asagba of Asaba — I hereby publicly proclaim that we have forgiven the Taiwo family,” he said.
The monarch said the community had accepted an apology from retired Major General Ahmed Taiwo, Colonel Taiwo’s son.
Taiwo had expressed regret and apologised on behalf of his father and family for any act, omission or commission that contributed to the massacre.
“I know it will not right the wrong, but I believe and pray it is a start towards reconciliation,” he said.
Calls for National Recognition
The 59th anniversary memorial also featured calls for national recognition of the Asaba massacre and the establishment of a permanent memorial centre ahead of the 60th anniversary in 2027.
The Asaba massacre occurred between October 5 and 7, 1967, during the Nigerian Civil War.
Civilians in Asaba, most of them Igbo, were targeted during the killings, which were carried out by the Nigerian Army’s Second Infantry Division.
Chronicle NG reports that the anniversary renewed calls for remembrance, accountability and reconciliation, with the Asagba insisting that forgiveness must not replace the demand for an official presidential apology.
