• How my father died –Son
• South East, South South leaders, others mourn
Chukwudi Nweje; Paul Osuyi, Asaba; huks Onuoha, Umuahia
A civil war veteran and Biafran hero, Colonel Joseph ‘Hannibal’ Achuzia, is dead.
He died at 89, yesterday at the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Asaba, Delta State, during a brief illness, according to one of his sons, Benedict Onyeka.
Already, a 21-gun salute has been shot to traditionally announce the demise of the Ikemba of Asaba to indigenes of the town.
At his residence at Idumujei quarters of Asaba, it was an atmosphere of grief as Asaba natives trooped in to sympathise with the bereaved family. A condolence register has already be opened for him.
Onyeka said his father passed on at about 8:00a.m.
“He died around 8:00 this morning. It was something we never expected but it happened. He was 89 years old. It’s just a sad incident.
“My father was the best dad ever. I was so sad when he gave up, and I cannot help it. Even when he was being taken to the mortuary, I could not believe it,” Onyeka said.
Revealing his last moment with his dad, Onyeka said: “He was smiling but we never knew he was going.”
The late Achuzia was born in 1929. He was a major in the Biafran army during the Nigeria civil war of 1967 to 1970.
Meanwhile, Chairman of the South East Governors’ Forum and Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi has described the death of Achuzia as great loss to Ndigbo and Nigeria in general.
Umahi in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Emmanuel Uzor, described the late Biafran hero as one of the last Igbo figures who lived and conquered their fears and stood for the liberation of his people.
Umahi said by the death of Achuzia, Ndigbo has lost another great unifying factor, a great man of high intellect and warlord who put in everything to ensure safety of his people.
“Achuzia during the unfortunate civil war was to Ndigbo a stronghold and dependable hero who sacrificed personal interests for the people of Biafra. He has since the ugly civil war put everything behind him and continued to play his advisory role in the politics of Nigeria. By his death, we have lost another great man whose impact and love transcends Igbo extraction and Nigeria.
“His death saddens us as a people because Ndigbo at this moment need such persons who have seen it all to continue to give direction on how to avoid incipient and divisive politics that tend to divide us more along ethnic and religious lines. I therefore, commiserate with the government and people of Delta State and, indeed, the family of Achuzia on the death of this great icon and centre of Igbo unity.”
Achuzia was a Biafran soldier from Delta state who fought on the side of Biafra during the Nigerian civil war. His exploits earned him the popular name, Hannabal.
Also, Chief of General Staff Supreme Headquarters, Commodore Ebitu Ukiwe, said: “He has done his beat and done it well. I remember Achuzie as a warrior during the civil war. He was a thorough and focused man and you can’t doubt what he stands for, he knows what he wants and he goes for it.”
On his part, former president general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, Dozie Ikedife, described Achuzie as a great man who fought for justice and would be greatly missed because he could have played advisory role to Nigeria if he had lived on.
“People like him could have been consulted from time to time on contemporary issues,” he said.
To the Founder of the Igbo Youth Movement, Evangelist Elliot Ugochukwu-Ukoh, Achuzie was a courageous man and a strong voice that spoke for self-determination and restructuring Nigeria and will be greatly missed.
“In his younger days he was also a fearless man and stood against injustice and oppression of every kind,” he said.
‘‘Achuzia was a traditional stakeholder in the affairs of Asaba as he held the title of Ikemba of Asaba till his death.
‘‘He demonstrated sympathetic posture towards the agitation for the secession of Biafra but never supported the approach adopted by the leader of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Mr. Nnamdi Kanu.
‘‘Achuzia rather advocated the country to be properly restructured, while also insisting that the agitation for Biafra as championed by the Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB, was a call for unique identity for the Igbo like the Yoruba nation has an identity of Afenifere while Hausa has Arewa’’.
As chairman of the Supreme Council of Elders of IPOB, Achuzia in his last interview with Daily Sun in Asaba last September, condemned the military operations code-named “Operation Python Dance” in the South-East.
Meanwhile, Ohanaeze Youths Council (OYC) has declared a four-day mourning for Achuzie.
In a statement in Umuahia and signed by National President and Secretary, Okechukwu Isiguzoro and Okwu Nnabuike, the youths said Achuzie is one of Biafra’s indomitable commanders.
“Achuzie led several Biafran units during the war; he fought gallantly at Oguta, Abagana, Okigwe and Port Harcourt sectors of the war.
Ohanaeze youths will always remember that Ajuzie was fearless and instilled fear on his opponents.
“His bravery and suicidal features at war fronts earned him the title of ‘Air Raid’. With maternal root at Ezza in Ebonyi State and paternal root at Asaba in Delta state, Achuzie died defending Igbo cause and seeking a just, equitable and fair Nigeria state.
“He was a onetime secretary general of Ohanaeze Ndigbo, leader of Igbozurume, founding member of All Progressives Grand Alliance and at his latter days, the secretary general of the Indigenous Peoples of Biafra. He believed Ndigbo should be freed to answer Biafrans within a just Nigeria.
“Achuzie died as a role model and a mentor to millions of Igbo youths and Biafrans. When some Igbo leaders recently denounced Biafra self-determination in Lagos, he stood with the position of Ohanaeze youths and cautioned those elders.”