…The birth of the proverb “O leku, Ìjà Ọọrẹ”
Needless to repeat events of Nigerian-Biafran civil war of 1967-1970, Oore town, currently in the present-day Ondo state, Nigeria is the gateway to South-West Nigeria, which is mostly occupy by the Yoruba. After records of successes in the first part of the war, secessionists-Biafrans felt motivated to capture the then capital of Nigeria, Lagos.
Their intentions known to all, Nigerian soldiers mostly Hausa waylaid them Biafran troops. But the Hausas soldiers gave themselves away, even before they were sighted.
Igbo people till date are a very sensitive people. They are sensitive to words, expressions, gestures; communication generally. Let me save words on the Igbo for another day and occasion. Hausa soldiers laying in the bush wouldn’t stop talkimg, splitting phlegm and Spittles. Igbo being sensitive fired shots at wherever they heard a sound. By that single act, Igbos killed half of the Hausas laying in-waiting.
Why did I say “Hausa soldiers”? It’s generally believed till date that The Biafran war isn’t between the Nigerian Army and the Biafrans; it’s between the Hausa and the Igbo (which is true). Yoruba wouldn’t interfere, at least at initial stages. Not until Nigerian-Biafran ‘meeting’ and Awolowo’s appointment as Vice Minister of Finance.
Now, the Yorubas felt challenged; they weren’t against Biafrans showing their grievances nor their succession plans, they wouldn’t just be looking watching the Biafran Army marching their towns, cities, villages Because once troops march upon your territories, you can’t predict what they can do. Lastly, Lagos (the then capital territory) is a Yoruba city. Couple with these three reasons I could identify and maybe many more unknown to me, the Igbos have not only Husas waiting for them, but the Allied Forces of the Yorubas also. Thus, the Igbo, Hausa and Yoruba clashed in Oore. It was a turge of wars. Bigger than the wars Yoruba fought for 160 years.
I wouldn’t exaggerate, or write less descriptive words. For history, psychological and time’s sake. The Igbo fought gallantly, proudly as known of them, but there’s too much water than yam flour.
The Igbos were expectedly defeated, of course the two other major tribes were upon them, and one of them have Federal power and international backup.
But, I give it to the Biafrans, for they didn’t lost cheaply. At least they surprised both tribes, beyong expectations. They have my whole heart respects.
Looking back to the clash, Yoruba people say, “Oleku, Ija Oore (literal, it’s hard till death, war fought at Oore).
Jimoh Taofik Adekunle, alias Jimson Jaat Taofik is a part time lecturer at the Polytechnic, Ojoku, Kwara State.
He is a trained journalist, blogger, author and writer.
