Former President Olusegun Obasanjo has urged survivors and families of victims of the 1967 Asaba Massacre to embrace forgiveness and reconciliation.
He urged the people of Asaba to forgive and work towards reconciliation, emphasising the need to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
This online medium reports that Obasanjo spoke on Wednesday while participating virtually as chairman of the occasion at the 59th anniversary memorial of the massacre in Asaba.
He described the massacre as one of the most painful and terrible aspects of the Nigerian Civil War.
Obasanjo said the war was an unfortunate event that should never happen, adding that he wept after receiving documents on the massacre from Chief Chuks Nduka-Eze.
“To all of you assembled: let us keep one thing in mind, forgiveness, forgiveness, and forgiveness again,” Obasanjo said.
He urged the people of Asaba to forgive and work towards reconciliation, emphasising the need to prevent such tragedies from recurring.
Responding to the appeal, the Asagba of Asaba, Epiphany Azinge, said the people could forgive but would not forget the tragedy.
Azinge said there would be no closure or healing until a sitting president publicly apologised to the people of Asaba.
“We may not forget, but certainly, we have to forgive,” Azinge said, adding that former military Head of State, retired Gen. Yakubu Gowon, had apologised while out of office.
“We need a sitting president to apologise to Asaba people; that will bring closure,” the traditional ruler said.
He also questioned Obasanjo’s “never again” appeal, recalling that the Odi killings occurred during Obasanjo’s administration as president.
“Coming from him, I was a bit taken aback. How long do we say ‘never again’? But it happened at Odi,” he said.
