Nigerian Civil War: What Ibusa Suffered and Indigenes That Defended the Community
By Emeka Esogbue
During the Nigerian Civil War (1967-1970), Ibusa was a fierce battleground. Like the rest of the Anioma communities located within the capital territory, Ibusa suffered Biafran agitation.
Several factors contributed to this. First, the community is a border town, lying close to Asaba that has since colonial history attracted foreign incursion due to the presence of the majestic River Niger. Second, Ibusa contributed the highest number of soldiers in the war, all of who fought on the side of Biafra.
It was not therefore surprising that soldiers of the community extraction played tragic-heroic roles in the war.
Major (Dr.) Albert Onweazu Okonkwo, from Umuodafe, Ibusa, a trained physician in America who was also married to an American was announced the Military Administrator of the Republic of Benin from August 17, 1967, to August 20, 1967. His choice was though a surprise to many, he was a leading Biafran Commander during the war.
Okonkwo could pass for the shortest reigning leader of a declared Republic, having stayed in office for a mere three days.
The choice of Major Okonkwo, an Ibusa indigene following the takeover of the Midwest Region by a force of 3,000 Biafran soldiers, put the Ibusa community in bad light. Benin indigenes started to consider Ibusa and other Anioma communities as enemies who invited their kinsmen from the Southeast to take over their territory.
Col Murtala Mohammed who mobilized to take over the Region on September 20, 1967, appeared to have stormed the Region with repugnance without any conscious reasoning, which accounted for the various massacres carried out by his troop under his clear watch.
Like the first factor mentioned here, Ibusa provided Biafra very many intelligent and gallant soldiers who sacrificed so much for Biafra. Like the rest of the Anioma people, Ibusa stood for Biafra till the end and if there is any single community, the Southeast should pay regard, it is Ibusa.
One thing stands out in the community. Historically, wars are never strange to the Ibusa community and she has often produced warriors. In ancient times, the community was nicknamed. “Isunamborgu” and “Isu Fu Ogu Ju Nni,” Warriors from Isu who preferred battles to eat food.
Alexander Madiebo in his famous book, “The Nigerian Revolution and the Biafran War,” reported Col Kalu to have led the 63 Brigade of Biafra to move northwards and westwards, invading and taking Asaba, Ogwashi-Uku, Ibusa, and Oku (Oko). Many enemy equipment were captured according to him.
It was Kunirum Osia in “Anioma in Contemporary Nigeria: Issues of Identity and Development” who gave a broader account of the Biafran invasion of Ibusa and consequently, efforts of the Nigerian side to retake the community.
It was on Easter Monday of 1967 that Biafran soldiers infiltrated into Ibusa, Ogwashi-Uku, and Asaba simultaneously to attack the federal troops. Fighting in the community was bitter until Col Godwin Ally retook her from Biafra which she had fallen to.
On a mission separate from the mission of Nigerian and Biafran missions perhaps, was Capt Onwuenweoyi Uwaechue fearfully known on the warfront as “Oliewunaji.” Biafran Commander, Oliewunaji, an Ibusa son from Umuodafe was by far the most popular Ibusa soldier during the war. The fear of the Oliewunaji was the beginning of wisdom for soldiers and civilians.
A mere scream of “Oliewunaji” could send soldiers and civilians running for their dear lives yet, he was a lover and defender of Ibusa. Although his mission was unclear to the minds, his resolve was that the land of Ibusa must never be settled by either Nigeria or Biafra and he fought to sustain it.
Writing on the contribution of Oliewunaji, renowned Historian and former Senior Lecturer with the University of Nsukka, Dr. Anthony Nwaezeigwe captured him. He wrote:
“Oliewunaji, assisted by another brave Biafran Officer of Ibusa, Lt Col Anikamgbolu Okolichi from Ogbeowele led the Biafran Army company of mainly Ibusa origin to make Ibusa unsettled for the 70 Battalion of the federal troop stationed there till the end of the Civil War.”
Nwaezeigwe further wrote that indeed, Ibusa elders had to send emissaries to the bush to inform them to drop their arms and stop fighting.
There was Emma Nwosu, a non-indigene but he laid his life down for the Ibusa community. The Ngbotukpe forest was their home from where they ensured that foreign troops never settled in Ibusa.
Ably, Luke Ashinze identified Sgt Nmadu Agwo-Okonkwo who fought in Nbrini part of the defunct Biafra. Sgt Agwo-Okonkwo who hails from Umuobiuya-Uwuwor in Ogbeowele Quarters of Ibusa was in the troop of Oliewunaji, stationed in Ibusa to defend the community.
An eye-witness, Luke Ashinze confirmed his wartime experience of Sgt Agwo-Okonkwo issuing a military order to another young Biafran soldier. He doggedly restrained him from retreating and abandoning Ibusa to the enemy. He was one of the soldiers that defended Ibusa from attack and from falling to the enemy.
Obi Okocha Mordi, the wartime Diokpa of Igbuzo was a harmless and civilian defender of the community during the Civil War. Caught by Nigerian forces that had arrived to battle their Biafran counterparts in the community, this Diokpa was ordered by the forces to hit the traditional gong which would invitingly gather the Ibusa indigenes. As suspected, the soldiers had hoped to mete out the similar massacre earlier witnessed in Asaba and Isheagu but craftily, the smart and extremely patriotic Diokpa gave his Ibusa people a sign that enabled them to remain in the bush where they were.
Ultimately, the massacre of Asaba and Isheagu magnitude was avoided courtesy of Obi Okocha Mordi, the Diokpa of Ibusa.
Unfortunately, Obi Mordi became one of the thousands of Ibusa refugees forcibly moved into the St Patrick’s College refugee camp where they remained for nine months.
This defender of Ibusa, the Diokpa of Ibusa was the 50th person who would have died in camp but he was returned to Ibusa by Kunirum Osia, the camp supervisor, where he died on October 9, 1968, at the approximate age of 108 years.
Unfortunately, the Ibusa community rarely honours her deserving indigenes whose sacrifices are generally accepted. Beyond money bags and politicians who have money to throw in the air, the community could find her true legends in those heroes that unconditionally defended her; poor though but they stood for the people. For instance, monuments and roads in the community could be named after those who defended the community, and of who was Kunifum Osia who saved the community during the war, and others. However, the community thinks more of politicians, honouring and naming monuments and roads in the community after politicians and former Military Administrators who do not even hail from the community and contributed nothing at all.
Although major roads in the community bear Useni and Kefas, the testimonies of these individuals in Ibusa could scarcely be accounted for by the people which makes their Ibusa landmark questionable. The people can do without naming institutions and monuments in the community after political strangers without any touch with the community.
Once the community starts to look beyond wealthy men and women, she will find more indigenes ready to sacrifice for her.
More importantly, Ibusa should learn about the civilization of identifying and honouring their achievers who are not considered wealthy since society is not for only the wealthy. In this way, the names of dying legends can be preserved.
