Rethinking Africa is a forward looking blog dedicated to the exchange of innovative thinking on issues affecting the advancement of African peoples wherever they are. We provide rigorous and insightful analyses on the issues affecting Africans and their vision of the world.
Wednesday 14 March 2018
81st birthday of Michael Echeruo
(Born 14 March 1937, Umunumo, Biafra)
POET, literary critic, academic, university president (vice-chancellor/rector), offers selfless and distinguished service as head of the crucial Biafran resistance government communication directorate during phases I-III of the Igbo genocide, 29 May 1966-12 January 1970, foundational genocide of post-(European)conquest Africa, carried out by Nigeria and its suzerain state Britain who murder 3.1 million Igbo people or 25 per cent of this nation’s population; in phase-IV of the genocide, 13 January 1970-present day, the dual genocidists have murdered an additional tally of tens of thousands of Igbo people
(Charles Mingus Sextet – with Eric Dolphy, Cornell University 1964, “Meditations” [personnel: Mingus, bass; Johnny Coles, trumpet; Dolphy, flute, bass clarinet; Clifford Jordan, tenor saxophone; Jaki Byard, piano; Dannie Richmond, drums; recorded: live, Cornell University, 18 March 1964])
Hello Prof Ekwe Ekwe, First of all I have to commend you for speaking out for the speechless and writing for those of us that can't write. But I always wonder where you got the information that only 3.1 million Igbo were slaughtered in the nigeria genocidal war. The Biafra official count is 3.5 million. Maybe you are some how correct because over 400000 non-Igbo Biafrans were also killed during the same period by the same nigerian vandal forces. We should include non-Igbo Biafrans in our counts. Shouldn't Dr. Echeruo you write about here have more accurate figure? He has been quoted in several instances as putting our losses at 3.5 millions. The second statement you should correct is that nigerian government gave every Igbo 20 pound. That is absolutely false. My village of about 1000 only about 10 received the coveted 20 pounds. Even the most excellent Biafran writers make these same mistakes. Do please correct your records appropriately. I always appreciate your contribution. Thanks a lot and May God bless you. Livinus DiMuna
Herbert Ekwe-Ekwe is specialist on the state and on genocide & wars in Africa in the post-1966 epoch – beginning with the Igbo genocide, 29 May 1966-present day, the foundational and most gruesome genocide of post-(European)conquest Africa. 3.1 million Igbo or 25 per cent of this nation’s population were murdered by Nigeria and its allies, principally Britain. Africa and the rest of the world largely stood by and watched as the perpetrators enacted this horror most ruthlessly. The world could have stopped this genocide; the world should have stopped this genocide. This genocide inaugurated Africa’s current age of pestilence. During the period, 12 million additional Africans have been murdered in further genocide in Rwanda (1994), Zaïre/DRCongo (variously, since the late 1990s) and Darfur – west of the Sudan – (since 2004) and in other wars in Africa. African peoples have, presently, no other choice but exit/dismantle the extant genocide-state (the bane of their existence & progress) & construct own nation-centred states that serve their interests. He is author of several books & papers on the subject and his new book is entitled The longest genocide – since 29 May 1966 (2019).
Hello Prof Ekwe Ekwe, First of all I have to commend you for speaking out for the speechless and writing for those of us that can't write. But I always wonder where you got the information that only 3.1 million Igbo were slaughtered in the nigeria genocidal war. The Biafra official count is 3.5 million. Maybe you are some how correct because over 400000 non-Igbo Biafrans were also killed during the same period by the same nigerian vandal forces. We should include non-Igbo Biafrans in our counts. Shouldn't Dr. Echeruo you write about here have more accurate figure? He has been quoted in several instances as putting our losses at 3.5 millions. The second statement you should correct is that nigerian government gave every Igbo 20 pound. That is absolutely false. My village of about 1000 only about 10 received the coveted 20 pounds. Even the most excellent Biafran writers make these same mistakes. Do please correct your records appropriately. I always appreciate your contribution.
ReplyDeleteThanks a lot and May God bless you.
Livinus DiMuna