The Apex Igbo Socio-cultural Organization, Ohanaeze Ndigbo, has refuted the recent statements made by the former Military Head of State, General Yakubu Gowon that the Nigerian, Biafran civil war was not targeted at the Igbo people.

Gowon stated that rather it was instead the secessionists who revolted against the Nigerian government in 1966.

Ohanaeze said such claims are not only gross misinformation but also a blatant misrepresentation of historical fact while describing the representation as an affront to the collective memory and dignity of the Igbo nation.

The lgbo group noted that it is a moral obligation to address the pervasive biases and distorted narratives perpetuated by General Gowon, who, as a 91-year-old former military head of state, was tragically manipulated by colonial powers and the Fulani oligarchy.

In a statement issued on Sunday by a factional Deputy President-General, Mazi Okechukwu Isiguzoro, Ohanaeze accused General Gowon of failure to protect the lives of Nigerians, especially the Igbos residing in the North during the crisis which led to the civil war.

The statement pointed out that unimaginable atrocities were committed against the Igbo people following the 1966 Northern riots, which pushed them into a position of strategic self-defence, a response to a war they did not initiate against the Nigerian government.

The statement partly read, “The grievous narrative that General Gowon has chosen to propagate must be corrected. History will judge Gowon harshly if he neglects this final opportunity to redeem himself by discarding the military mentality and outdated rhetoric of national unity.

“He must have the courage to disclose the truth about the influences that led him to abandon the Aburi Accord, a peace agreement that could have averted the tragic escalation of the Nigeria/Biafra War.

“Gowon’s military aggression toward the Igbo was not merely a reaction to secessionist desires but a strategically calculated action driven by British economic interests in the oil-rich Eastern region of Biafra and the retaliatory motives of the Fulani oligarchy.

The Igbo body added that God Almighty has granted General Gowon continued life for two significant purposes, first, to surrender to his conscience and seek God’s forgiveness, summoning his moral courage to openly confess his misdeeds and provide an accurate account of the Nigerian Biafran War; second, to facilitate healing by leading efforts toward reconciliation and reconstruction for the Igbo people.

Ohaneze, however, said, “It is indeed lamentable that Gowon’s recent self-aggrandizing statements, possibly designed to sanitize his image, instead continue to perpetuate a façade that insults the deeply felt grievances of the Igbo nation.

”Rather than embrace this moment for personal and national healing, he has insulted the memories of the three million innocent Igbo civilians who lost their lives during the civil war.

“His military pride and an oath of silence have tormented him for over five decades, leading to a deeply personal struggle that he must now confront.

”Ohanaeze’s unwavering advice to General Gowon is straightforward and urgent; as time passes, he must cease his evasive tactics, confront his conscience, and abandon the falsehoods surrounding this grave chapter of Nigeria’s history.

“With only limited time remaining, it is imperative that he speaks the unvarnished truth and seeks forgiveness from the Igbo people and Nigerians at large.

“The curses resulting from the atrocities committed, such as the Asaba massacre, and the tragic toll of three million lives must be lifted.

“The painful repercussions of Gowon’s actions continue to resonate today, affecting even communities in the Middle Belt, where violence perpetrated by Fulani militias persists.

“This is a poignant moment for his associates to create yet another opportunity for him to come forward, unburden himself, and speak the truth.

“The world is watching and waiting for General Gowon to rise to the occasion for the sake of posterity, the statement said.