Few days to his death, Col. Air Raid Achuzia returned from Calabar. In my last discussions with him he revealed to me that the final edition of his Requiem Biafra would encounter the battle field activities of Biafra greatest fighter of the civil war. This war leatherneck from Akwa Ibom carries bullet scars from the crown of his head down to the neck. His face is not spared. You could count his healed wounds mostly due to the injuries caused by explosions or artillery mortar bombs released in rapid sessions by the Federal army as they advanced into the Biafran territories. Down to his body, his stomach, hands and the rest of the torso, Col. Nsudo body is lacerated with bayonet, sabre and knife stabs. This time injuries he had sustained during his hand to hand combat with enemies anytime his battalion had no more ammunition to sustain their operations. In the Uzuakoli Umuahia Armageddon, Col. Nsudo was in hospital undergoing surgery following shrapnels that cut into his intestines. The doctors and the nurses could not believe their eyes when their patient struggled out after tying his intestines back and the next moment after ordering out his ADC dashed towards the sound of the machine guns!
The Hannibal had also revealed that most of the additional war materials documents and files are in a confidential bunk and they are locked up to the room adjacent to his bedroom!
Hannibal’s association with me reached a climax when he returned from his seven years incarcerations in Katsina prison. While in that prison under the close supervision of the “Gestapo’’ Federal Intelligence master, and former Kaduna Commissioner of Police Alhaji Yusuf, Hannibal was advised to convert to a Muslim to avoid death. It was that incarceration for his ‘Sadistic Activities’ and for all his stand in Biafra that led us to write the classic “Requiem Biafra.’’ ‘’Requiem Biafra’’ is primarily the story of an electrical engineer who volunteered to join the Biafran Militia to defend a wounded people. He fought his way and from every theatre the dying morale of our people and the offensive was restored. At the end, the aggressive, brutal commander put the Colonel peep on his shoulders and the army headquarters did not question his audacity. When the commander in Chief and all the top Biafran command abandoned the Biafran revolution, the Hannibal decided to stay behind. When General Effiong thought that the Biafrans had suffered enough and he was ready to surrender unconditionally and call off the resistance. Hannibal in his Requiem Biafra records, rejected the surrender and as the last officer standing in command of the 11th Army Division, the Hannibal, if you all would recall was the commander who made the first broadcast on the 12th, 1970, before Effiong’s appeal to the Biafran people. The 11th Army at Onitsha was poised for the final offensive after derailing Nigeria’s First Division and the drowning the Second Division armada on the Niger! The 11th Army had saved Nnewi, held Onitsha but was not aware that the Third Nigerian Marine Commandos had reentered Owerri and Brigadier Amadi the commander of Biafra’s 12 Division had lost the Biafra war!
Whatever, the Air Raid aware of the Sitrep, courageously stepped out, confronted the Commandos GS01, Brigadier Alani Akinrinade and guided him to Amichi where Obasanjo the Commander of the Third Commandos signed the final papers signaling the end of the war. On his part in his own authoritative book, Biafra’s CJ Justice Mbanefo before Gowon advised that Biafra would never sign any unconditional surrender terms as nobody had defeated Biafra. In the same Requiem Biafra the Hannibal questioned the representation of the of officers who slipped into civilian wears throwing away their Biafran army officers uniform.
Last week Ejiofor Onyia as the Chairman of the local burial committee announced an April date for the burial of the icon. In his naked program it is clear some are in a hurry to bury the Air Raid with all fanfare and the Governors and the men of big stuff in attendance.
As I told the wieldy meeting we will bury the Hannibal to make sure his philosophies live forever. I was surprised that Mr. Onyia and sycophants never read the book. Requiem Biafra.
Hope Waddell is the premier and the best
The history of O.A.U can’t be in order without the pioneering role of its former General Secretary Nzo Ekangaki of Cameroon an Alumnus of the revered Hope Waddell. Chief Adeniran Ogunsaya started off at Hope Waddell and ended up at Kings College, Lagos. Hope Waddell’s role in the educational, economic, social and sporting development of Nigeria is unique and the most productive of all. Dr. Alvan Ikoku educationist par excellence and the only candidate that made distinction in London, Cambridge in 1924 went through Hope Waddell. Dr. Alvan and Zik’s bursts adorn Nigeria’s N500 and N10 notes. Hope Waddell proudly owns the one and only man of timbre and caliber of Nigeria’s politics- Dr kingsley Ozuma Mbadiwe, Dr Eni Njoku the first Vice Chancellor of the prestigious Unilag, Prof Eyo Ita, founder of WAPI, Sir Odumegwu Ojukwu – Emeka Ojukwu’s dad and first millionaire in eastern Nigeria. Late Supreme Court Justice Andrew Obaseki, Sir Kalu Idika Kalu, Sir Abimbola Olaiya the music icon.
Established on 8th March 1895 named after Hope Masterton Waddell who arrived Calabar 1846. He had an intimidating array of old students whose names are synonymous with the evolution of modern, and a unique history of introduction of games of football and cricket in Nigeria as far back as 1902. The school boasts of old boys in the like of Dr. Nnamdi Azikwe – Nigeria’s – first president, the one and the only Zik of Africa who discovered Dr. Kwame Nkrumah. Other old boys are: Sir Dr. Francis Akanu Ibiam – first African Principal of Hope Waddell and Premier of Eastern region, Chief Dennis Osadebey – first Premier of Mid-west.
Mr. Emma Okocha you are right that a school’s name is further projected by the activities and contributions of its former students and with particular emphasis on Government Colleges and Rimi College as the anchor of your story on Nigeria’s elite secondary schools. Your poser, where do we place Barewa, Kings College, Government College, Stella Maris, and CMS? Take notice that a compilation of elite secondary schools in Nigeria and their eminent products that do not include names of the makers, movers, and shakers of pre/post-Independence Nigeria amounts to an unpardonable mistake.
Incidentally Barrister Steve O. Mpi, Prof. Obasi Igwe-Pol. Science, U.N.N have all indicated their interest in giving more light to their Hope Waddell.
‘On the Niger’ is an irresistible and arresting platform of history and knowledge: I can imagine the avalanche of reactions that your illustrative Column attracts! May god bless n protect the shaft of your wondrous pen.
To be continued