“Zaki Biam was the pride of the tiv nation earning for Benue state the appellation of the food basket of the nation. Today, Zaki Biam, that precious name has been decimated and genocide is Zaki Biam. The cherished status of that name is today a source of concern for Tiv students and authors all over the world. The bones of our fore fathers remain restless in their graves as the new generation fail to sustain, and betray the spirit of the AYATUTU’’.
-See Aondosuwe Tyoakaa, President Community of Tiv Students at the launch of a Collection of Poems on Zaki Biam, by Kukwa Yanor, also see Daily Independent Dec. 13, 2010.
Before the Convenant Universities, Afe Babalola University, Atiku’s American University, Igbenidion, Gregory’s and many other private Nigerian universities, Dr. Basil Ukegbu is the pioneer educationist who conceived the idea of private university operating in the country. As early as the late 70’s he had struggled very hard and in fact built all the required structures and was enrolling his first intakes at the Emerienwe Campus, when the military government maliciously stopped the admission exercise. That military government denied him the license to operate the first private university in Nigeria.
Faced with the crumbling condominium, catacombs of that academic monument at Emerienwe, I was not sure of the type of reception the former honorable member of the first Republic Parliament would be extending to me.
Before long the old man was at the door ‘’ You are Emma Okocha and you are here on the matter of Major Christian Anuforo’’.
That was the second shock for the octogenarian is blind and that was the first time we were meeting in my life. Without any more promptings he stated…. ‘’Christian Anuforo, Kaduna Nzeogwu and Nwobisi were all my boys. I taught Chemistry, Biology and Science at St John ’s College, Kaduna on my return from overseas, I known those boys especially Chris Anuforo. They were the best of their generation. As you may be aware; I’m naturally against the Jan 15 coup. We are dismissed from our job as Federal Representatives but we all in that House knew the West was boiling and the Tivs were being wiped out. Go to the Hansard, I had on record declared on the floor and warned the Prime Minister to wake up and restore civility also in the other parts of violent north.’’
“We ran back home to our villages when the military sacked the First Republic and now my wife will take you to the other room. That’s the room that kept Major Chris Anuforo when their Jan 15 Lagos operations was derailed’’.
‘’As in his character he did not disappear or run for safety to his village Ngor Okpala. He was here to explain to his teacher why he and his colleagues embarked on the revolution. He was very emotional on his Gboko tour of duty; he joined the revolutionaries, as a result of his experiences during his command as the recce commander, Nigeria army mission to Tiv land 1964. Whatever was the final outcome of the Jan 15 Revolution he was vehement that the Revolution was a necessary consequence of using the Nigerian army against its embattled and Justice hungry Tiv patriots. Throughout the two nights he stayed with me he was on his toes and rejected my plea and advice ‘’ to stay under cover with me until the situation was clear.’’
At that point I asked the Eastern Nigerian Governor to intervene and protect Major Anuforo. The military Governor to my dismay made arrangements and ordered his hand over to G.O.C Aguiyi Ironsi in Lagos.
Elsewhere, according to the Headlines, The Historical Newspaper, Vol 1111, No. 94, March 17, 2002
‘’The Nigerian Parliament was in full session in Lagos that Monday morning, April 4, 1960 and the Members of Parliament had taken their seats. Among the new faces was Nigeria’s leading mathematician and leader of the Dynamic Party, Dr. Chike Obi, better known to his friends in political circles as Okunagba Ozala. Obi criticised the Nigerianisation policy of the government and demanded the dismissal of all expatriate permanent secretaries. He described ‘’the government economic measures as ‘puerile’, charging that the common man labored to fill the pockets of Ministers. He called for the establishment of a new Ministry of Science and Industrial Research.’’
As a further cure of Nigeria’s ills, the NCNC legislator asked the Prime Minister to do a number of things:
Cut the salaries of all his Ministers and legislators;
Appoint a judicial inquiry into the activities of all Ministers;
Explain the issue of Lombard (Nigeria) Limited and the United Dominion Trust Company which were invited to take over car advances to legislators and civil servants;
Recover Nigeria’s N439 million invested in gilt-edged securities overseas.
“Yes, if the Prime Minister does these thingsb ”, he concluded, “our misgivings will vanish and he would have proved to us that he is one of us. For, from October 2, 1960, certain forces consciously dormant will be unleashed to the consternation and confusion of the international money lenders and their local avaricious stooges and dupes.’’
“Then will those who are making us sign one-sided treaties because our Ministers are naïve or innocent or ignorant, then will these international parasites know that there are young men who will take over the duty of running the Fatherland- young men who are not bound by “unjust treaties; young men who as the day follows the night, will repudiate all unjust treaties or pacts or agreements signed before October 1, 1960; young men who will preserve with their blood, if need be, the freedom which Nnamdi Azikiwe has so dearly won for us…. Long live the Fatherland”.
As the Tiv Genocide is presently being repeated it is worthwhile to remember the glittering Majors of our Jan 15, Revolution, Operation Damissa.
While Major Emma Ifeajuna officially regarded as the leader of the putsch, he was primarily influenced to act as a result of what he encountered on the streets of Ibadan, Shagamu, Ondo e.t.c.
Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu the most successful operator on that night was motivated into action by primarily his experience in the Congo, the death of Patrice Lumumba, the jailing of Chief Obafemi Awolowo and finally the corruption at federal level and the tyranny of the northern NPC Government.
Others have their motivations. Major Chris Anuforo probably would have focused on his bright career in the army, and taken more time to cater for his ample family if not for his traumatic command at Gboko 1964. His heroic and stoic personal bravado to retake Lagos when the G.O.C escaped and when his colleagues retreated from the mission established his name on the honour roll, as history continues before our hapless eyes to chronicle more horrific chapters of the 60 years of the Tiv Genocide. Imprisoned by the G.O.C Major Chris Anuforo during the Gowon led coup of July 29 1966 was cornered by blood thirsty Benue Plateau Officers. Captain M. Remawa NA389, Captain Donkat Bali NA453. He was on handcuffs when he was tortured and shot in prison. He was never brought before any court, or military Tribunal. He died a hero of the Tiv 60 years of Tiv Genocide.