Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged survivors and families of victims of the 1967 Asaba Massacre to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation.
Obasanjo made the call on Wednesday while participating virtually as chairman of the occasion at the 59th anniversary commemoration of the massacre in Asaba, Delta State.
He described the massacre as one of the most painful and tragic episodes of the Nigerian Civil War, saying the war itself was an unfortunate event that should never have happened.
Obasanjo said he was moved to tears after receiving documents on the massacre from Chief Chuck Nduka-Eze.
He appealed to the people of Asaba and other Nigerians affected by the tragedy to forgive while working towards reconciliation.
“To all of you assembled: let us keep one thing in mind, forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness again,” Obasanjo said.
The former President also stressed the need to ensure that the events that led to the massacre were not repeated.
Responding to the appeal, the Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Epiphany Azinge, said the people could forgive but would not forget the tragedy.
Azinge, however, said there would be no complete closure or healing until a sitting President publicly apologised to the people of Asaba.
“We may not forget, but certainly, we have to forgive,” the traditional ruler said.
He noted that former military Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, had apologised while out of office, but maintained that the people wanted an apology from a sitting President.
“We need a sitting President to apologise to the people of Asaba; that will bring closure,” Azinge said.
The Asagba also questioned Obasanjo’s appeal for a commitment to ensure that such tragedies never happened again, recalling the killing of people in Odi during Obasanjo’s administration as President.
“Coming from him, I was a bit taken aback. How long do we say ‘never again’? But it happened at Odi,” he said.
Azinge nevertheless urged Nigerians to continue remembering the victims of the Asaba Massacre, stressing that remembrance remained important as the community prepared for the 60th anniversary of the tragedy.
“From the going down of the sun till the morning, we will always remember them,” he said.
He said the people of Asaba had moved on but maintained that remembrance, justice and reconciliation remained necessary.
Despite his demand for a presidential apology, Azinge made a significant gesture of reconciliation by publicly declaring that the Asaba community had forgiven the family of Col. Ibrahim Taiwo.
“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 traditional ruler said the community had accepted an apology offered by retired Maj.-Gen. Ahmed Taiwo, son of Col. Ibrahim Taiwo.
Ahmed Taiwo had expressed regret and apologised on behalf of his father and family for any act, omission or commission that contributed to the massacre.
The development marked a significant moment in the ongoing efforts to preserve the memory of the victims while pursuing forgiveness, reconciliation and calls for official acknowledgement of the tragedy.
