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<p>By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa</p><div class="ftzNAUM5" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has described the 1967 Asaba Massacre as one of the most painful and terrible episodes of the Nigerian Civil War.</p>
<p>Obasanjo spoke virtually on Wednesday as chairman of the 59th anniversary memorial held in Asaba, the Delta State capital.</p>
<p>He said the occasion marked the remembrance of “one very sad aspect” of the civil war, adding that the war itself was an unfortunate event that should never have happened.</p><div class="AX6VzlnB" style="clear:both;float:left;width:100%;margin:0 0 20px 0;"><script async src="https://pagead2.googlesyndication.com/pagead/js/adsbygoogle.js"></script>

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<p>“But the Asaba Massacre, as it is called, was one of the most painful, one of the most terrible aspects of that war,” he said.</p>
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<p>Obasanjo said he was moved to tears after receiving documents on the massacre from Chuks Nduka-Eze, convener of the Asaba Massacre Memorial. He added that he was saddened such an event occurred “in my own country, in my lifetime.”</p>
<p>The former military head of state urged survivors and victims’ families to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation. “To all of you assembled: let us keep one thing in mind — forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness again,” he said. He also called for the tragedy to be remembered as part of efforts to prevent a recurrence.</p>
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<p>In response, Epiphany Azinge, the Asagba of Asaba, said the community could forgive without forgetting the massacre or abandoning its demand for accountability. “We may not forget, but certainly, we have to forgive,” he said.</p>
<p>The monarch, however, said there could be no closure or healing until a sitting Nigerian president publicly apologised to the people of Asaba. “There will be no closure, there will be no healing until a sitting President — not an ex-President, but a sitting President — publicly apologises to us,” he said. He noted that former military Head of State Yakubu Gowon had apologised while out of office.</p>
<p>Azinge also questioned Obasanjo’s appeal for Nigerians to say “never again,” recalling the Odi killings during Obasanjo’s administration. “Coming from him, I was a bit taken aback. How long do we say ‘never again’? But it happened at Odi,” he said.</p>
<p>Despite his demand for a presidential apology, Azinge publicly proclaimed forgiveness for the family of Colonel Ibrahim Taiwo, who was associated with the military operation during the massacre. “On behalf of the Asaba community, and as the prescribed authority — the Asagba of Asaba — I hereby publicly proclaim that we have forgiven the Taiwo family,” he said.</p>
<p>The monarch said the community had accepted the apology offered by retired Major General Ahmed Taiwo, son of Colonel Taiwo. Taiwo had expressed regret and apologised on behalf of his father and family for any act, omission or commission that contributed to the massacre. “I know it will not right the wrong, but I believe and pray it is a start towards reconciliation,” he said.</p>
<p>The 59th anniversary memorial also called for national recognition of the massacre and the establishment of a permanent memorial centre ahead of next year’s 60th anniversary.</p>
<p>The Asaba Massacre occurred between October 5 and 7, 1967, in Asaba, present-day Delta State, during the Nigerian Civil War. It targeted civilians in Asaba, most of them Igbo, and was carried out by the Nigerian Army’s Second Infantry Division.</p>
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