Civil War: How Our Isheagu Community Was Massacred by Soldiers

 

Civil War:  How Our Isheagu Community Was Massacred by Soldiers

 

-       Great Anioma People’s Forum Leader, Peter Oshagwu

 

The Media Practitioner, History graduate from the University of Benin and one of the founders of Great Anioma People’s Forum relieves experience on old Asaba Division massacres, suffered by his Isheagu community, efforts of Great Anioma People’s Forum towards achieving the Anioma agenda and the Anioma political class. These and more, Peter Oshagwu tells PEN MASTER (EMEKA ESOGBUE) in this hot interview. Excerpts:     

 

Pen Master: You are Mr. Peter Oshagwu. Please tell us more about yourself.

 

Oshagwu: Thank you, Pen Master, for the privilege to speak to my Anioma brothers and sisters through this medium. My name is Peter Ikechukwuka Oshagwu. I hail from Umugbe kindred, Ogbeonicha-Ogbetiti quarters in Isheagwu, a notable Anioma community in Aniocha-South Local Government Area of Delta State. My parents are late Chief Dominic Oshagwu and late Mrs. Magdalene Diana Oshagwu (nee Uwafili) of Umuenelichi quarters, Isheagu. I would say that I appreciate the qualities of truth, love, humility, justice, integrity and decency and dissociates myself from lies, hypocrisy, injustice, oppression, selfishness and greed.

 

Pen Master: Are there any more things you will like us to know?

 

Oshagwu: Yes, of course. I want to proudly say that to God's glory, I am a new creation in Christ. I attended Saint Dominic's Primary School, Isheagu, Aniocha-South Local Government Area, Saint Paul's Grammar School, Ebu, Oshimili-North LGA both in Delta State and a graduate of History from the University of Benin, Benin-City, Edo State. I am a media practitioner but I do other things complementarily. I am married to one of Anioma born black beauties and we are blessed with awesome children. Above all, like most Anioma patriots, I am a lover of my Anioma people because of my appreciation for them.

 

Pen Master: Mr. Oshagwu, thankfully, you are from Isheagu, an Aniocha Community of Anioma. Tell us something about the history of this community.

 

Oshagwu: (Smiling) Thank you very much, Pen Master. As I said earlier, Isheagu community is geographically located in Aniocha-South Local Government Area, with Ogwashi-Uku as the Local Government Area Headquarters. Neighboring communities are Ewulu, Abah-Unor, Adonte, Ukwu-Oba, Umute and Nsukwa. The community consists of seven distinct quarters or what we also call villages, namely Ogbetiti, Ogbeonishe, Umueze, Umuoma, Umuenelichi, Isikiti and Onuiyi. It is a town with a growing population that runs in thousands. The Isheagu community is naturally endowed with sprawling portions of arable land, untapped crude oil deposits and other viable economic resources with various large fresh rivers running across its territories with diverse kinds of fishes and aquatic habitats. Major occupations of our people include agricultural activities like fish farming, cultivation/production of cassava, yam, garri processing, hunting, clay pot making, etcetera. Isheagu has a retinue of reputable intellectuals who are greatly doing exploits in their various fields of endeavors not only in Nigeria but across the world. Our average Isheagu indigene is exceptionally outstanding in hospitality, peaceful co-existing with non-indigenes and strongly abhorrent to all shades of injustice and oppression. 

 

Pen Master: …but like Asaba and other affected communities of Anioma, you suffered the civil war massacre. Is this not part of your history?

 

Oshagwu: …Yes! Prior to the Nigerian civil war between 1967-1970, Isheagu used to be a beehive of activities socially, economically and politically. These thriving experiences were however dastardly truncated on the 2nd of May 1968, when the community was murderously invaded by a contingent of the Nigerian Army under the guise that it was serving as a safe haven for the Biafran troops. They clinically rounded up our traditional ruler, His Royal Highness late Agbogidi Obi John Onyema I, and all members of his Council-in-Chief and summarily got them executed. It was a gruesome war carried out against a relatively innocent and peace-loving people. Other indigenes especially men were also randomly picked up and murdered even at the full glare of their loved ones. The reckless killings which continued from the dawn of 3rd of May of the same year, 1968, being Afor day, a major market day of Isheagu, goes down in history as the most horrendous day that the blood and tears of Isheagu people uncontrollably flowed. It was indeed the most agonizing experience of the people both old and young. The rampaging Nigerian troops shot sporadically at every moving object which claimed the lives of a number of the indigenes including women and children who were cut down by bullets, bombs and grenades. Over five hundred Isheagu citizens were gruesomely murdered with men as predominant victims. When the war eventually ended in the month of January 1970, survivors who managed to return home from across different hideouts, were meant to bury their dead, rebuild the community and also survive all on their own.

 

Pen Master: This is so gruesome but let us talk about post-civil war Isheagu

 

Oshagwu: …The only government presence ever since is the General Hospital beside the recent road rehabilitation project embarked on by the present State Governor, His Excellency Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

 

Pen Master: We will return to the activities of your political representatives but how rich are your people in culture?

 

Oshagwu: …Okay but like many traditional societies, Isheagu culture stands knowledge-based which is passed from generations to generations. Isheagu culture passes the totality of knowledge, values, beliefs, arts, morals, laws, tangible and non-tangible things acquired by men and transmitted amongst generations. The community is really outstanding in her annual festival amongst other remarkable traditional festivities. This annual festival is called Uzeh Festival. This is being celebrated every August before the New Yam Festival, with enormously alluring fanfare that reflects an insightful interest and respect attached to it by the indigenes. The festival attracts Isheagu sons and daughters, both home and abroad and non-indigenes including government functionaries and captains of industries. The Uzeh Festival is a reminder of the killing of the monster that traumatized our people in ancient times. It is the best celebrated festival in the community.

 

Pen Master: Mr. Oshagwu, back to Isheagu Massacre, you have touched one ‘interesting’ aspect of your people’s history. Why hasn't your people done much to create awareness on this as much as we hear of Asaba community?

 

Oshagwu: Well, What I can say about this is that either my people who came before us didn't see the need to publicize this glaring horrific incident due to ignorance, or it was born out of a general lackluster disposition. However, one popular adage says that whenever one awakens from sleep, is his morning. Myself and other Isheagu patriots will consistently strive to ensure that what our people suffered is documented for posterity. We just have to tell our stories ourselves.

 

Pen Master: Alright, you are one of the leaders of Great Anioma Peoples Forum. What is this group really all about?

 

Oshagwu: Great Anioma Peoples Forum was birthed by some young Anioma men and women to give our Anioma people the unity of voice and unity of purpose. The founders of this Group reside across the world. You see, these Anioma patriots on discovering one another, decided to passionately float an organization that will fully give expression to their aversion to the prevalent abysmal developments in Aniomaland. There are challenges of development, identity crises, non-promotion of our rich cultural heritage and history, poor coordination of united voice. As such, we are being relegated to the background despite the best of intellectuals we are endowed with. Great Anioma People’s Forum is carefully created to pull Anioma people together whether they domicile at home or abroad. We synergize with other purposeful sister bodies of Anioma origin, to work for the promotion, defence and overall interest of our people and membership cuts across the entire nine local government areas that make up Anioma and is freely open to interested indigenes. 

 

Pen Master: How did you manage to come together in the name of Anioma and who is behind the movement?

 

Oshagwu: This Organization came to limelight in the first quarter of 2019 after series of proactive consultations. Those behind the movement are: Chukwuemeke Onyibe, Awele Oranye, Ezimechina Maduaka, Peter Oshagwu, George Emeke, Ebele Eboh, Bruno Francis, Isaac Success, Ikechukwu Daniel and Nicholas Ubaka. To broaden our visions and operations, we have capable and effectively functional leadership that drive this mandate. Overall, we seek enduring sensitization of our people aimed at promoting Anioma culture and identity for the enhancement of our socio-economic growth and political conviviality. We also speak openly and responsibly against violations of Anioma people’s right and promote peace, security and wellbeing of our people.

 

Pen Master: …How far have you realized objectives of this Organization? Mr. Peter Oshagwu, please, answer this question.

 

Oshagwu: As a young, vibrant and focused organization, we have successfully set up representative bodies across Anioma. We have our constituted executives domiciled in our local government areas, sensitizing and mobilizing our people. We have strategically paid courtesy visits to our notable traditional rulers, spreading our vision and mission to them. Such efforts have equally received remarkable encouragements and blessings from the Anioma Royal Fathers. We have equally consulted with some very renowned Anioma dignitaries. We have had interactive forums with our Anioma students for the purpose of achieving these objectives for our people. We run online radio broadcasts that commands global reach and activities which is quite commendable. This is geared towards reaching our people with veritable Anioma concerns like the publication of our culture, tradition, music, traditional attire and delicacies.

 

Pen Master: …but despite your alluring objectives, some Anioma critics often hold that no sooner organizations of this nature are established than they quickly vanish. Is it any different with yours?

 

Oshagwu: (Smiles) this question is very critical so my answer hinges on the presumption that those other docile Anioma organizations may have either allowed their genuine intent to be beclouded or compromised with ulterior motives or had no clear agenda of positive intent right from onset. Great Anioma Peoples Forum was conceptualized and birthed into existence to effectively curb this anomaly. We are out to synergize with other Anioma purpose-driven sister organizations with our well-mapped out agenda, visions and mission. Following exhaustive evaluation of those floated Anioma organizations that have gone into limbo, Great Anioma Peoples Forum with its foundation built on purposefulness and pragmatism. We have firmly resolved to toe a different path by maintaining a leadership that is selfless and disciplined. We are non-political, non-governmental and non-religious. We run our course on an appropriately defined constitution. It is a divine mandate and we cannot afford to disappoint or fail our people.

 

Pen Master: Any assistance from your Anioma people yet?

 

Oshagwu: The assistance so far received or being received is both divine from God Almighty. It is in form of moral, advisory and customary from our Matron, Her Royal Majesty, Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu, Omu of Anioma amongst other notable Royal Fathers. We remain unrepentantly grateful to them for their immense support and sacrifices. We have the wherewithal to rally round one another, in writing our names on the sands of time through our undivided commitments to the cause. Anioma is blessed and we must not allow the status quo mentality to deny us our esteemed right of place amongst the comity of other ethnic nationalities. We, as Anioma people do not have any other option than to heed this clarion call. I must not fail to tell our people about our courtesy visit to the Omu of Anioma, HRM, Obi Dr. Martha Dunkwu in the year 2019. Our delegation comprising Obi Mokogwu and Chief Francis Ezeugbor was accorded exceptional reception. We also had positive discussions as we were accorded unreserved consent and counsel as a mother.

 

Pen Master ......Are you satisfied with your Anioma political representation? How much developments have they delivered to the people of Anioma region?

 

Oshagwu: (Raises his voice and smiles) Honestly speaking, I am grossly dissatisfied and disappointed with what Anioma politicians are doing. Right from the inception of this present political dispensation, these people have totally failed us and seem to only gun for political offices for their own selfish interests, that of their families and cronies and nothing more. We are presently witnessing some measures of spotted developments within a couple of locations in Aniomaland because Governor Ifeanyi Okowa lately realized the need. Most local government areas and communities have remained the way they have been since the old Midwest or better still, Bendel State days. Our politicians are not doing well and I am personally encouraging our people via this medium to ensure that they have their Personal Voters Cards, to wisely and consciously elect result-oriented, purposeful and proactive Anioma political representatives, party divide notwithstanding. They should vote in individuals that will make their lives worth living and not those that will entice them with peanuts for the purposes of election and selfish political positions. We need selfless service delivery Anioma men and women that will drive development, capacity building/ with empowerment projects for the wellbeing of our people and particularly, the teaming unemployed youths. It is only through this that the growing wave of insecurity can be mitigated and even totally eradicated.

 

Pen Master: What is your advice for Anioma youths in particular?

 

My advice to the youths of Anioma is for them to shun crime and criminality especially in this electioneering season when desperate politicians employ and arm them for thuggery and other related nefarious activities. Anioma youths should discountenance any involvement in cultism, internet fraud, terrorism, drug trade and usage and armed robbery and such other vices. They should join Anioma development-purpose driven forums like the Great Anioma Peoples Forum that can help enhance their lives. They should give us good name. “Eziafa ka ego”, that how our people say it.

 

Pen Master: Thank you for speaking to me.

 

Oshagwu: The pleasure is all mine sir. Thanks a great deal, Pen Master for having me.