By George Mbah
“OJUKWU: Exile, Diplomacy And Survival” is a 156-page book recently published by Kanayo Esinulo, former aide to General Chukwuemeka Odumegwu Ojukwu, president of the defunct Republic of Biafra.The book in the writer’s words ‘’is essentially about the national effort to bring the ex-Biafran leader and General of the People’s Army, back to Nigeria from exile, and the infinite possibilities for genuine national reconciliation in it.
“It chronicles the individuals involved in the international ‘Return-Ojukwu-From-Exile’ move and their individual and collective efforts. ’’Esinulo, a committed electronic and print media journalist, did justice to achieve his goal in the book which has what every great book needs: action, adventure, surprises, and a touch of magic.
In reading the book one could see into Esinulo’s mindset and read exactly what he was feeling when he thought out situations. Recounting the final hours of the Biafra Republic and the inevitable decision forOjukwu to leave to Abidjan, capital of Cote d’ Ivoire, in search of peace, Esinulo writes “Back to State House at Madonna One…conversations were held in hushed tones….As consultations among the high and mighty went on, those of us young and lowly staff members hardly knew what was going on. But the tension that was self-evident was thick enough to blunt the blow of a strong knife.”
His thoughts flowed well and moved the book along very quickly. And his narrative voice is wonderful. He is serious at times, but also witty, which makes for an engaging read. But his account of Ojukwu’s flight from Biafra in the face of imminent collapse of the republic was scanty. Esinulo said ‘’ in the meantime a nationwide broadcast to the people was being planned, so also a compilation of the names of those to undertake the trip abroad with General Ojukwu…[when he] …. “eventually succumbed to the pressure to leave Biafra to enable Sir Justice Mbanefo and a few others to handle the imminent collapse with honor and dignity. It was a painful and sorrowful assignment.”
The author did not state names of those who escaped with Ojukwu nor did he showcase contents of that last broadcast to the people. But the book is not diminished in anyway by that omission as it is about Ojukwu’s life in exile and the deft moves that led to his return to Nigeria in 1982. Captain August Okpe, an active Air Commander in the Biafra Airforce, writes in his autobiography, “The Last Flights From Biafra” about Ojukwu’s escape.
He said “In the morning of 9th January 1970, the Biafran leader, President Ojukwu, summoned Ian Carpenter, a Rhodesian Major who was training Biafran saboteurs. He informed the Special Forces Commander that Biafran armed resistance had collapsed and defeat was imminent. He wanted the major and his team to evacuate that night before they were caught by the Nigerians who were no less than ten kilometers away advancing…
“As darkness fell that evening, Ian Carpenter and his men…joined the tens of thousands of people converging on the bombed-out airstrip just outside the village of Uli….Ian disappeared into the crowd to try to find someone who could get his message to President Ojukwu. He found a senior ranking officer who instead of taking the message quickly led him to a small collection of vehicles at the side of the runway, where to his astonishment he found Ojukwu himself with some of his senior staff…
“The President was surprised to see the white South African…and was somewhat touched by this ‘Boer’, sincerely encouraging him to escape while he still could…Ojukwu shook Ian’s hand and thanked him for his concern, assuring him that sadly he was about to leave. His Super Constellation was already lined up on the runway with its props turning ready to fly to Abidjan.’’
The book is a throve of information. For instance Esinulo revealed that the important decision for Ojukwu to leave Biafra was taken at Ogwa in today’s Mbaitoli LGA of Imo state with the support of Mbanefo. And how Biafra was stripped of its funds and assets by President Omar Bongo of Gabon, some Biafran top officials soon after the civil war to the disappointment of Ojukwu.
We now knowthrough the book the hidden meaning of BIAFRA: ‘’Born In Agony Fighting To Remain Alive. The patriotic roles of ethnic mix of Nigerians in ensuring that Ojukwu was pardoned. And why KingDappaPepple of Bonny kingdom in Rivers state was disallowed from entering his state of origin nearly one year after the civil war.
The author captures his encounter with the Nobel Laureate, Wole Soyinka, and his visit to Abidjan on Ojukwu’s invitation.
And he tells the story of his more than 30 months in detention inside Kirikiri Maximum Security Prison for been ‘’in- charge of all the anti-Gowon propaganda abroad.’’ He flashed light on the sad role Chief Edwin Clark who was the Federal Commissioner of Information then played in his incarceration.
Esinulo paid tribute to Gani Fawehinmi, Olu Onagoruwa, Tai Solarin and Wole Soyinka for protesting against his detention even before Amnesty International intervention. “One can now see clearly why l detest and condemn tribalism and any form of ethno-sectionalism in all ramifications and shapes,” he writes “Just take a look at the personages- all critical intellectuals and professionals that assembled themselves without any financial promptings or payments or inducements, in my defense, not minding, as it were, the obvious risks that the brutal Lagos regime was capable of unleashing on them.”
The book was well written and adds to the corpus of available literature on the Nigeria-Biafra civil war.It has black and white photos along with descriptions of the photos and appendices of Ojukwu’s messages to the author. He affirms that his book is “a celebration of friendship, human empathy, loyalty, commitment, selflessness, universal love of freedom,and most importantly, the fairness of human nature.”