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LET THE BOOK BE!

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The book and the writer

Ever since Professor Chinua Achebe’s new book (There was a country: A personal history of Biafra) came out, the dust it has generated for both Nigerians at home and in diaspora has become too thick for one to see through. Reactions from various corners has been pouring in and the truth is, most of these reactions are drawn based on tribal lines. Those who are backing the good Professor do so because he is Igbo and those backing the good Late idealist (Chief Obafemi Awolowo) do so because he is Yoruba, not because they are Nigerians that saw or did things to keep the country growing together.

Last week, daughter of the Late Chief Awolowo, Dr (Mrs) Tokunbo Awolowo-Dosunmu has come up to say how disappointed she is in the Professor’s claim and how the family is going back into the house to draw up a formal and well structured response as regards the claim. On the other hand, former Anambra State governor, Dr Chinwoke Mbadinuju, same last week said whatever Achebe says as regards the war, be taken seriously. Other notable Yoruba leaders has as well aired their views on the subject matter. Who knows who or what group will be lighting up the next candle on the same issue. Maybe its MASSOB or OPC, or maybe the AREWA Forum.

The thing baffles me so much is that most of the people who have spoken on the said book have not yet read through this book. They have not even seen the book in question to find out for themselves whether or not what the media says is true or not. None of the media houses here in Nigeria have prove as to having a copy of the book, reading it. More so, you can’t just single out a paragraph and draw up reasonable conclusion base on what it says without knowing what the previous or the preceding paragraph says. How is it possible that one can tell the content of a book just by mere looking at the cover?
I have read many online comments concerning this topic and its like the war is about starting all over again (only that this time around is just between the Igbos and the Yorubas). The cyber part of the war has already began, how soon before the real physical part sets in? I say enough of this, let the book be…

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While it is natural to defend your person or your father on what you may consider wrong and public ridicule of his personality, do not also forget that you could be serving his death no respect by fighting a battle he felt he was done with.

The more the leaders of the contesting groups elaborate on the issue, the more it becomes an “open invitation to battle”, for their young ones who will take it to the bank. We have lived for far too long in a world where most parents only teach their children about what’s wrong with other person’s children, leaving out the things that makes them good, its time they allow us find the difference (if any) ourselves.

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Jeff Okoroafor is a leading member of a new generation of civic advocates for government accountability and democratic change in Nigeria. The Citizen Affairs Initiative is a citizen-driven governance initiative that enhances public awareness on critical issues of service quality in Nigeria. It encourages citizens to proactively seek higher standards from governments and service providers and further establishes new discussions in communities about the standards that citizens should expect and deserve from those they have given their mandates. Jeff is the Managing Director of SetFron Limited, a multimedia development company that is focused on creative and results-driven web, mobile app, and ERP software solutions. He is the co-founder of the African Youths Advancement and Support Initiative (AfriYasi), a non-governmental not-for-profit organisation that provides tertiary education scholarship for young people from low-income homes in Nigeria. He is a Fellow of the Young African Leaders Initiative and the United Nations World Summit Awards. A Strategic Team member of the Bring Back Our Girls movement, and a member of the National Technical Committee on the Establishment and Management of Missing Persons Database in Nigeria. Jeff holds a Bachelor and Postgraduate diploma degrees in Computer Science, and a Certificate in Public Administration from Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration, GIMPA.

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