By Richard Akinnola II
(Continuation of Col. Banjo's testimony)
"These considerations were primary in my mind when he was offered to me as a commanding officer for the Western operations. Instead, l chose to make him my Chief of Staff. As Chief of Staff, he discharged himself with such confidence that constituted in no small measure to the success of that operation.
"These considerations were primary in my mind when he was offered to me as a commanding officer for the Western operations. Instead, l chose to make him my Chief of Staff. As Chief of Staff, he discharged himself with such confidence that constituted in no small measure to the success of that operation.
Lt-Col. Ifeajuna joined the group of young
men who have been in the habit of giving advice to His Excellency on
State matters. During my short disagreement with his Excellency on the
MidWest political policy, he was himself personally instrumental in
bringing to His Excellency, my point of view on the Mid-West operation. I
am aware that he subsequently became a frequent member of this group.
My stay in Biafra, after having been released from prison, has been due to my friendship with Col. Ojukwu. I clearly remember once telling him that l would return to the West.
He told me that he needed me here
because he felt he needed someone who could ta to hi without ceremony;
someone in a position to give blame t him for his mistakes.
Most of the
political manoeuvres that Col. Ojukwu planned early this year in
connection with achieving Southern solidarity against the North, were
planned with me.
When he decided to declare an Independent
Republic of Biafra, l pleaded with him to postpone it as both the people
West and Mid-West wee not ready or at that stage, sufficiently strong
militarily to take the same stand, even though they would wish it.
I pointed out to him his declaration of Biafra at the time was not consistent with our plans and agreements. I told him that the people of the West who were acting on the basis of the fact that l would bring assistance to them from here, would consider the decision to declare Biafra at that time a betrayal of our arrangements.
I tod the military
Governor that l would leave Biafra for the West or for the outside world
after his declaration of Independence.
However, when l
discovered the emerging trend that followed the declaration of
Independence of Biafra, it became clear to me that a war with the North
was imminent.
I decided to stay behind and assist in the prosecution of
the war, both for the sake of my friendship with Colonel Ojukwu and in
the hope that having assisted to fight back the Northern threat to
Biafra, he would assist me with troops to rid the Mid-West and Lagos of
the same menace.
I came into the war at a moment of temporary
collapse of the Biafran fighting effort, when it became quite clear to
me that the fighting effort of the Biafran Army was not only being
incompetently handled, but also being sabotaged. Since then, it has been
my fortune to command the Biafran troops on their success full
exploits.
On the whole, l had in private, told Col Ojukwu that l
could never be made to stand charged for having plotted against his
office and his person. There was no plot against him."
The Tribunal was not impressed with his defence.
The Tribunal found all the four of them guilty and sentenced them to death by firing squad. On September 25, 1967, they were all executed after Ojukwu refused to commute their sentences.
Interestingly on the day of execution, it was Col. Banjo who didn't die after the first set of volley of shots. He shouted "l am not dead yet..".
The other
marks men then concentrated on him. Yet, he shouted " l am not dead
yet..". They continued to pump the hot lead on him till he slumped and
died.
(Concluded)
(Concluded)
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