Why Nigeria Is Still Nursing Wounds Of Civil War – Kukah

The Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese, Matthew Kukah, has revealed why the country is still nursing the wounds of the civil war 51 years after it ended.

Speaking during the second edition of the ‘Never Again Conference: 51 years after the Nigerian-Biafran civil war’ on Thursday, Kukah said the victims of the war are still full of regrets.

The cleric noted that those who fought the war are still full of resentment, anxiety, anger, and frustration.

He noted that the Oputa panel set up by former President Olusegun Obasanjo administration recommended some resolutions meant to heal the wounds of citizens.

He, however, revealed that some of those resolutions recommended by the panel have not been adopted.

He said: “I have met a lot of people who fought the war who are full of regrets. There is a lot of resentment, anxiety and frustration that we have not learnt any lessons,” he said.

“Fifty-one years after the war, we are still hearing the kind of agitations that ordinarily, with commitment, dedication, focus and the right leadership, we should have put a lot of the anxieties behind us. Unfortunately, they are still with us.”

He added: “Oputa panel managed to generate quite a lot of data and information that academicians and policymakers would have used to ensure we erect the signpost saying, ‘Never Again’, because it gave us an opportunity, a mirror to look at ourselves after hearing from all sides but we didn’t have the discipline to follow through.

“We have not been able to forgive ourselves as a people. The wounds of the civil war have not been able to heal. Coups and counter-coups that followed were more or less miniature civil wars by themselves because they threw up the same contradictions, anxieties and feeling of divisiveness across the country.”