Human rights lawyer and lead counsel to the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has declared that the painful memories of those who lost their lives during the Nigerian Civil War remain permanently engraved in the hearts and consciousness of the Igbo people.
Ejiofor made the remarks ahead of the May 30 remembrance ceremony which honours millions who died during the Biafran War between 1967 and 1970.
The statement issued on Monday, was titled “Monday Musings: The Approaching Days of Remembrance — A Solemn Reflection Before 30th May: Honouring the Fallen, Preserving the Truth, and Rekindling the Bonds of Alaigbo.”
The lawyer described May 30 as a sacred and emotional date in Igbo history marking a solemn moment of reflection, mourning, and historical consciousness for Ndi Igbo across the world.
He said the period calls for deep introspection and unity among Igbo people as they remember the sacrifices, pain, resilience, and courage of those who endured the devastating effects of the civil war.
Ejiofor noted that the Igbo nation is once again faced with the moral obligation of preserving historical truth while reflecting on one of the darkest moments in African history.
He described the days leading to May 30 as similar to a “Holy Week” of collective mourning, urging every son and daughter of Alaigbo to step away from distractions and divisions in order to reflect on the experiences of their forebears.
He stressed that the remembrance period should also serve as an opportunity for reconciliation, renewed brotherhood, and unity among the Igbo people.
Rebuilding solidarity
According to him, the greatest tribute that can be paid to fallen heroes and heroines of Biafra is not merely through speeches and ceremonies, but by rebuilding the values of solidarity, communal responsibility, love, and shared purpose that once defined Igbo society.
Speaking on the events that led to the Nigerian Civil War, Ejiofor recalled that millions of innocent civilians, mostly of Igbo extraction, lost their lives through violence, starvation, displacement, and mass killings during the conflict.
The lawyer said entire communities were destroyed, families wiped out, and children became enduring symbols of hunger before the eyes of the world.
He maintained that history clearly shows that the massacres of Eastern Nigerians living in different parts of the country in 1966, especially the targeted killings of innocent Igbo men, women, and children, created fear and insecurity that eventually resulted in the declaration of Biafra in May 1967.
“The memories of those atrocities remain deeply engraved in the soul of our people,” he stated.
Ejiofor also warned against what he described as attempts to distort historical facts surrounding the civil war.
He expressed concern over narratives aimed at downplaying or reconstructing the realities that led to the conflict, insisting that historical truth must be defended with honesty and courage.
Recent Gowon’s accounts
Ejiofor specifically referenced recent publications and accounts attributed to former Nigerian Head of State, Yakubu Gowon.
He said such narratives should be examined critically and objectively, especially where they fail to acknowledge the killings and political events that preceded the war.
According to him, efforts would continue in the coming weeks to carefully analyse and challenge what he termed false narratives surrounding the civil war, not out of hatred or revenge, but in pursuit of truth, justice, and accountability.
Ejiofor urged Ndi Igbo to embrace unity and avoid allowing the sacrifices of those who died during the Biafran struggle to become sources of division among the living.
He called on Igbo people everywhere to honour the memories of the dead with dignity, preserve history with honesty, and confront the future with courage and collective purpose.
“As the final days before May 30 gradually unfold, may every Igbo son and daughter embrace sobriety, wisdom, restraint, and deep reflection,” he said, while praying for the eternal repose of all victims of the Biafran genocide.
