Award-winning author, anti-genocide and human rights advocate, Prof. Emma Okocha, was in Afaraukwu on Friday to condole with the Kanus at the burial of their parents, a few days after he was hosted by the Olubadan of Ibadan at His Majesty’s palace. Our correspondent caught up with him in Umuahia. Excerpts:
Ogbueshi, this must be your first time in this part of the country; Asaba is a long way from here.
I grew up here, precisely, in Uzuakoli, where my father was the chief accountant at the Leper Colony. I went to school at St. Anthony’s Uzuakoli. My father used to drive the family on sight-seeing trips to Lohum, Item, Ozeitem, further to Igbere, etc. During the war, I was a baby commander, a Sapper at 21 Army Engineers at Afor Ogbe, Mbaise.
It has been a refreshing memorial reunion with unforgettable families who hosted us as refugees when my family lost our parents as a result of the Asaba massacre. The Nwogas, Emeribes, Amuchies, Ezechukwu of Mbaise and the Uluochas, Okezies and Agaruwas of Umuahia.
You were not scared by the recent history of Afaraukwu? Was it worth honoring the invitation, considering the risk?
I had to be here to signal to our people that we can no longer be ruled by fear. Moreover, the Kanus are my in-laws and, traditionally, it is right to show up to pay the Igbo customary respect to the dead. We, like the Israelites, do not bury our own away from our ancestorial land and, as a recently nominated Olinzele royal chief, I have come here to pay my own “Nkpu” to a courageous family who lost their parents in defence of our people.
You were at the Olubadan’s palace a few days ago…
Yes, I was in Ibadan, Oshogbo and Ekiti and stopped by Ogbomosho. As a result of the respectful reception accorded me and my delegation, we are determined to work and unify our people, just like the Yoruba have done, to be able to face and withstand the possible collapse of this nation’s security.
What do you think of the South-East, under Ohanaeze, proposing Ogbunigwe for this region?
It is good, but that appellation is rather abrasive and open to frightening interpretations. Ohanaeze should learn and persevere to remain our apex organization and not delve into everything without preparation. Let me see serious, behind-the-scenes strategic proposals, contributed in a silent atmosphere where select intellectuals, experts, lead the field and arrive at written papers to be debated months in advance at the Imeobi, devoid of politics and politicians. Any security outfit for our people without the Biafrans, our hunters, traditionalists, churches, rain-makers, cultists, prostitutes, etc, is not a complete defense outfit.
What about now that IPOB has been proscribed?
But there is MASSOB, their leader, Uwazuruike, is the Ijele, the one anointed by Ojukwu. That gentleman moved the forgotten Biafran veterans in Oji River and provided them their own homes at Okwe. As the Ikemba designate, I am inheriting the last Ikemba leadership of the Biafran Elders Group, whose last leader was the late Dr. Ikedife. There are other Biafran groups … Billie the legal arm, and others led by a nuclear physist operating from Chicago. All these groups would be seeking rapprochement with the IPOB, which influences over 75 per cent of our people. We cannot mobilise for our people’s defense and make the mistake of not accommodating the Biafran movement. Our people have not proscribed them.
Among these groups, it is a tall order to bring them under one leadership; why can’t their leaders come under one leader?
As conflict scholars, we have no resolved assumptions. We are aware that they pursue dissimilar objectives and those freedom fighters carry colliding properties and manifest different characteristics. Whatever the present difficulties, we are intervening to seek the meeting points, compromises, so that, at the end, our people would go together, stand in solidarity against a stealthy invader whose vicious descriptions oscillate from state to state. Some call them bandits, some say kidnappers, others, herdsmen, etc.
They are usually armed and attack soft spots; how can the people defend themselves?
If we unite, our fledgling vigilance groups will stand a better chance as they prepare to join other regions to raise security outfits. But these so-called bandits, insurgents, kidnappers, herdsmen, terrorists must be defined. Who are they? Where are they coming from and why is it that we have not heard of any shoot-out between these murderous groups? How come the herdsmen have not fought for land against the Boko Haram? Why no kidnapping of herdsmen?
It is said that they are armed foreigners; how can the people stop them without firearms?
Somebody, the Nigerian Intelligence, DSS, police, etc, must define them. You cannot fight an enemy you don’t know. Our security outfit will answer those questions.
What was your mission at the Olubadan’s palace last month, do you think other Nigerian groups would benefit from the South-West’s Operation Amotekun?
I was in Ibadan and the Olubadan was very kind to receive my delegation, including Prof. Nwolise of the Political Science Department, University of Ibadan, and the Eze Ndigbo, Dr. Alex Anozie. For weeks, we have been studying and working with Yoruba intellectuals about the country’s collapsing security. The Yoruba response to the exigency that has been wrought on their people by the so called “bandits” is natural.
Why you, why are you always the one that must move at times like these?
It has been my portion since the days the Legend, Pius Okigbo, ruled the waves in Ohanaeze. In those days of Bourdillion, Ikoyi, Chukwumerijie, Oyi of Oyi, Clement Nwankwo and his brother the publisher of the Fourth Dimension, strolled in and that Philosopher King had a job for you.
But he was not an Executive of the Ohanaeze…
Quote me, he was the brain behind the formation of that apex Igbo organisation. On day one that sat the founding fathers at Umunze, I was with them holding the walking stick of Chief Dennis Osadebay, who was partially blind. Eze Akanu Ibiam was the chairman.
What was your early mission?
Many. But I remember my first trip to Calabar, in Sierra Leone, during the Liberian civil war, when Igbo were being massacred… And again when the Tiv were fighting the Jukun. And suddenly they set upon the innocent Igbo.
I am usually the kid that would rush in and get the information on the ground for him to reach his equally urbane close thinking hat, Prof. Nwabueze, who was for many years the secretary and chief executive of the Ohanaeze Ndigbo.
The Attorney-General of the Federation ahs described Amotekun as illegal; do you have any comments?
The western security has gone from a state of emergency to a state of exigency. If the people and responsible government do not react to the situation, the impending anarchy would envelop the West and the whole of the country. That is why we would organise and demand that other groups from the other parts of the country raise their own Amotekun and do not wait to be slaughtered by these vicious brigands who have suddenly taken over our forests, molesting our farmers and raping our women.
You are from Aniocha, Delta State, in the South-South, so how do your people fit into South-East security?
Anioma, parts of Rivers are Igbo. In times of exigencies, our experience with the Igbo in the East is the same. In Delta, we hope we will first organize a security outfit to be known as Ekumeku, before we get ready and join our brothers of Delta to host South-South regional outfit.
What is Ekumeku?
The Ekumeku was the first guerilla local fighting force to give the British colonial force a black eye.
This invincible fighting band of West Niger fighters operated in silence and by the turn of the next century held the British colonial army armed with the most sophisticated cannons to a standstill and prevented their control of the Niger trade in Asaba beyond to Abor.
Which outfit are your people going to join, South-South or South-East?
Both, because of our strategic position and our sad history. Anioma, like Poland, is between other cultures, between East and West. Secondly, it is in the interest of the East to keep us in confidence. Ultimately, Anioma is the glue, as we watch with excitement the possible accomplishment of the dreams of our fore fathers. If we succeed to finally shake hands across the Niger by building our own Amotekun in the South-East, the Niger Delta states, then we would have enthroned the first principle of true federalism. No entity, according to Prof Wheare, in a federation should be so dominant to decide the fate of other groups in that federation.