All’s well that ends well. This could sum up the life and times of Chief Chukwuemeka Odumegwu-Ojukwu, the late Commander-in-Chief of the Biafran Armed Forces. He is remembered by many as the man who led the30-month Biafran secession bid. The man cannot be reduced to the attempted breakaway. He was a military man, a military governor and a leader of the people. Towards the end of his life, Ojukwu tried to carve a niche for himself on the political field.
The political journey started in 1982. Following pardon by former President Shehu Shagari, he was received in Lagos on June 18, 1982, about 12 and a half years after he fled Nigeria just before the civil war ended. Immediately he returned, Ojukwu plunged into the murky waters of partisan politics. He was enrolled in the National Party of Nigeria (NPN) and obtained the ticket to contest the 1983 senatorial election.
Nnewi where he hails from was part of old Anambra State, a stronghold of the Nigerian Peoples Party, (NPP). In power in the state was Chief Jim Nwobodo, while the legendary Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe, from Onitsha, was not just the leader but the moving spirit behind the party. Dr. Edwin Onwudiwe who was Nwobodo’s Commissioner for Health, was the NPP candidate, thus the man nominated to do political battle with Ojukwu.
A lot happened in the period between Ojukwu’s return from exile and the 1983 election. Efforts were made to build up his profile by the award of traditional titles. He was installed the Ikemba Nnewi by his immediate community. He acquired another title, Dikedioramma Ndigbo. The result of the election showed that polls are not won by the number of titles. Onwudiwe trounced the former warlord at the poll even when the NPN overran Anambra State in the general elections. Some political historians have said that NPN deliberately sacrificed Ojukwu because they could not fathom how to handle Ojukwu if he ended in the senate of the Second Republic.
Shortly after the Third Republic journey was terminated, Ojukwu emerged one of those sent to the General Abacha Constitutional Conference. There, he made his mark. He spoke for the Igbo, stood for restructuring of the federation. Alongside Dr. Alex Ekwueme, the Second Republic Vice President, Ojukwu sought a return of Nigeria to a true federation. He argued for restoration of the pride of Nigerians. His contributions were forthright, courageous and deep.
At the inception of the Fourth Republic, the late Chief Ojukwu teamed up with like-minded men to start the All peoples Party. He found in Dr. Olusola Saraki, Chief Tom Ikimi, the late Lamidi Adedibu, Chief Emmanuel Iwuanyanwu, Dr. Ezekiel Izuogu, the late Chief Sam Mbakwe political soul mates who could change Nigeria along defined lines. The experiment failed when the party was defeated at the 1999 polls. Most of the men moved into the winning party.
But Ojukwu soldiered on. The first indication that the man who had been made the chairman of the Board of Trustees of the APP would be fighting an unorthodox battle came when he was purportedly expelled from the party by the Senator Mahmud Waziri-led National Executive Committe shortly after the 1999 election. He, saraki and IKimi were said to be involved in anti-party activities. Ojukwu merely had a hearty laughter since Waziri, by the APP constitution, lacked the power to do so. He tagged along until 2002 when he joined others to found the All progressives Grand Alliance (APGA). He was rewarded with the presidential election ticket and ended up in the sixth position with a paltry 155,000 votes, trailing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) even in Igbo land.
However, in his Anambra State, his party won the governorship election. The General in Ojukwu came to the fore when he encouraged Obi to fight the injustice of being denied hard-won victory. It took three years to finally reclaim the seat, but it was sweet. The credit went to Obi, Ojukwu and APGA.
The old soldier, at 74 in 2007, was not tired. He was again presented with the party’s flag to fight the presidential election. At the time, it was obvious that APGA was not really in the race. Ojukwu’s health was already failing and his political voice was no more so audible. Predictably, he lost, thus finally sealing all hope that he could ever rule Nigeria. He, however, continued as the National Leader and Symbol of APGA. He retained his official position as Chairman of the Board of Trustees and signified that he would back Obi to the hilt in the 2010 governorship election. APGA won.
Giving reasons for the establishment of APGA, Ojukwu told a television audience in 2007: “If you are ever going to be the president of Nigeria and are an Igbo man, your chances would be better in an Igbo party. The point is that APGA was formed to protect Igbo interest and pursue it.”
History has not been kind to people who have such narrow conception of power or the path to the great office of the Chief Executive of Nigeria. The presidency can only be attained by partnership between at least two of the major ethnic groups. Even the formidable Northern Peoples Congress (NPC) of the First Republic was unable to form government all by itself.
Before he took ill and was flown out in December last year, Ojukwu had entreated the Anambra electorate to do him the last favour of voting in Obi for a second term. He campaigned despite the debilitating factors of old age and ill health.
Yesterday, the curtains were drawn, Ojukwu’s deeds were frozen. The man, born in Zungeru, Niger State in 1933 bowed out of the earthly stage. Long after his death, his marks on the Nigerian political wall would remain indelible.
Later, in 1996, he moved for another, Ezeigbo gburugburu. That was to stir controversy as other Igbo leaders kicked. It has always been said that Igbo nweze (that is the Igbo have no kings). The title had no precedence. It was custom made for the enigmatic Ojukwu.
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The man and his politics