For all intents and purposes, Nigeria
collapsed as a functioning state with few prospects or possibilities on Sunday 29
May 1966 – the day it launched the Igbo genocide, the foundational genocide of
post-(European)conquest Africa. Nigeria murdered 3.1 million Igbo or one-quarter
of this nation’s population during 44 months (29 May 1966-12 January 1970) of indescribable
savagery not seen in Africa since the genocide of the Herero, Nama and Berg
Damara peoples, carried out by Germany in the early 1900s. Despite Nigeria’s subsequent
seizure and looting of Biafra’s gargantuan wealth including sales from oil
reserves since 13 January 1970 worth US$1000 billion, this genocide-state has
cascaded into a frighteningly degenerative slump politically, economically,
intellectually, socially, morally, spiritually. And this terminal status,
surely, remains Nigeria’s epitaph.
(John Coltrane Quartet, “Consequences” – 4th movement from First Meditations {for Quartet} [personnel: Coltrane, tenor saxophone; McCoy Tyner, piano; Jimmy Garrison, bass; Elvin Jones, drums; recorded: Van Gelder Studio, Englewood Cliffs, NJ, US, 2 November 1965])
Twitter @HerbertEkweEkwe
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