At last, the
missing link that gives insight into the historical events that led to the
extrajudicial killing of thousands of Nigerian soldiers and civilians of
south-eastern origin between January and July 1966 has been brought to light.
In this 339
pages of documented history published recently by Strive Books limited and
titled ‘A Guided Life’, one of Nigeria’s brilliant, fearless and most resilient
Army Officers, Retired Colonel Lambert Ihenacho narrates the story of his life
beginning from the period he joined the Nigerian Army in 1957 till he retired
from active service in 1990.
The book
which can better be described as an autobiography chronicled the events that
led to Nigeria’s Civil War, life in Biafra during the said war and later, the
successive coup d`etats that took place in Nigeria.
In chapter
six of this book, Ihenacho eulogized the past Emir of Kano, the late Alhaji Ado
Bayero for taking heroic steps which saved the lives of thousands of Igbos in
Kano during the July 1966 counter-coup and condemned the bigotry and gross leadership
failure exhibited by the then Head Of State, General Yakubu Gowon, who
deliberately failed to stop the mass execution of Igbos living in the North and
South-West by men of the Nigerian Armed Forces in July 1966.
Further in
chapter seven, he described the attempt by the Igbos to secede from Nigeria as
a welcome development, adding that it was better for them to have fought the
battle than sit at home waiting to be slaughtered like fowls by the Federal
Armed Forces. From chapter eight to chapter twelve, the author who commanded
the famous 63 Infantry Brigade that recaptured Owerri from the Federal troops
in 1969, gives a detailed account of the war chronologically from the beginning
to the end.
Towards the
end of the masterpiece, the author narrates the circumstances that led to his
re-absorption into the Nigerian Army after the Civil War, his travails in the
post-civil war Nigerian Army and his brief but unforgettable encounter with
General Muhamadu Buhari during a high profile meeting of three Army Generals at
the Command Staff College (CSC) Ibadan in 1984.
He recalled
how he was interrogated by the Military high command concerning a plot to
overthrow the Nigerian Military government on 22 April 1990 and highlighted his
exploits in the military service when he commanded the Nigerian troops in
Lebanon from 1980-1981, his unceremonious retirement from the army in 1990, his
contact with the ‘Grail Message’ and his sojourn in Nigerian politics.
In the last
chapter, Ihenacho highlighted the role played by former President Olusegun
Obasanjo in the destabilization of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo
State and ex-rayed the events that led to the failure of Senator Ifeanyi
Araraume to win the governorship election in 2007 and 2011. He also disclosed
the major reasons why the then incumbent Governor, Chief Ikedi Ohakim was voted
out of office by the people of Imo State during the May 6th
supplementary election in Imo State. ***
***
The book cost two N3.000 (three thousand naira only) and it is available
at Strive Books Limited, no. 1 Strive
street extension, Prefab estate, Owerri, Imo state.
To obtain a copy of ‘A Guided Life’,
call +2348071263491 (or) +2348035536901 (or) +2348034004306. If you are living within Owerri metropolis, the
book will be delivered at your doorstep without any extra charges but you will
pay the sum of N3.000 (three thousand naira only) at the point of delivery. But
if you are living outside Owerri but within Nigeria, pay the sum of N3.000
(three thousand naira only) to Strive Nigeria Ltd ., account number 4011088146, Fidelity bank PLC and the book will be mailed to you through any courier
company of your choice provided that that you are willing to pay for the
courier services.
If you are living outside Nigeria,
pay the sum of N3.000 (three thousand naira only) or its equivalence in
dollars, pounds or euro via Moneygram or Western Union Money Transfer plus the fee for courier service and the book
will be mailed to you.
The soft copy of the book will be
available online in due course.
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