Nigeria yet to compensate Asaba for civil war massacre – Monarch
The Asagba of Asaba, Prof. Chike Edozien, has claimed that the Federal Republic of Nigeria has yet to compensate the people of Asaba over the massacre carried out in the community during the civil war.
The traditional ruler stated this on Thursday while conferring a posthumous title on a newspaper columnist and author of the bestseller, ‘The Blood of the Niger,’ Dr Emma Okocha.
The monarch said, “Though General Yakubu Gowon has apologised for the Asaba massacre, but Nigeria has not compensated the people of Asaba for the injury done to us.
“The posthumous tittle conferred on Emma Okocha as the Ikemba of Ahaba is the first of its kind in the history of Asaba. Ordinarily, after the burial, his family will submit the title to us, but because of Emma’s role in the community, nobody will take the title till five years after.
“His book, ‘The Blood on the Niger’, indeed opened the eyes of the world to the Asaba massacre in 1967, which gave a vivid account of the genocide. Fifty years after, Asaba has yet to recover.
“Emma was chalked on Sunday, November 22, 2020 for the title of Ikemba of Ahaba and was to be conferred with the title on Saturday, November 28, but died before completing the rites. Since he started the process before he died, the Asagba in council decided to confer the title on him posthumously in order to honour him.”
The Punch