1967-1970 BIAFRAN-NIGERIAN CIVIL WAR: The Biggest Losers On Col. Joseph Akaahan [PT 5]

By El-Ngugar Agav

This is the part 5 of the 1967-1970 Biafran civil war as in continuation of what the writer Agav, began earlier this week about the late Col. Joe Akaahan. 

If you missed the the part 4, you can read it HERE … .

1967-1970 BIAFRA-NIGERIA CIVIL WAR: The Biggest Losers pt. 4

 In the last part,the writer raised questions and gave key points one should bear in mind regarding the death of the then Army Chief. For the record, Col. Joseph Ronald Ityowua Akaahan Agbo Kpire who hailed from Mbakaange, Kunav in what was then Gboko Native Area Council (presently in Vandeikya LGA) died in a Helicopter crash somewhere close to Wannune, not so far from Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa’s hometown (mind that JS Tarkaa was another prominent Tiv song actively involved in the war, being the Federal Commissioner of Transport) in May 1968. At the time of his death, he was the Chief of Staff (Chief of Army Staff) of the Nigerian Army, and by implication, the head of the Federal Troops fighting against the Biafran fighters. In the last part I asserted that his helicopter wasn’t shot down by the Biafrans, and I asked who/what then was responsible for the helicopter crash? Going by that you must know my disposition, which it is most certain that Col. Joe Akaahan was murdered! Yes, ASSASINATED! But, by who? Lets row back a little bit to before the war, and who this man really was- his primed position in the ‘scheme’.

Joe Akaahan was one of the most brilliant minds in the whole of the Nigerian military before the war began. He belonged to the young brilliant, enlightened, idealistic and very outspoken class of the military, of which not so many soldiers from the Northern Nigeria belonged. See, at this time, the most learned soldiers were predominantly of the Southern origin: the Ojukwus, Nzeogwus, Fajuyis etc. In the whole of the Northern part of the country, barely anyone could match Akaahan, because, he wasn’t just brilliant and bold; he was both a master strategist and a good orator (the later endearing him to all he led). His influence upon the Nigerian troops was so strong that to win the war, the Biafrans had it a key point to have him killed, thus, when he got killed in that crash, celebration ran across “Biafra land” while gloomy clouds fell on Nigerian land. Most affected were the Federal troops, most of whom lost hope of winning the war. In fact, this was one of the times in the war when the Biafrans almost won the war. That was how powerful Col. Akaahan’s personality was. But, let us look at Akaahan in the mix just before the war- in the under(over) play that led to the war. Remember the first military coup that took place in Nigeria, and the sentiments which arose from it: that coup led by Maj. Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu and Maj. Emmanuel Ifeajunwa (Igbos) saw leaders of the Northen and Western extraction killed while the Eastern leaders just somehow escaped being killed- in the North, Sir Abubakar Tafawa Balewa (Prime Minister) and Sir Ahmadu Bello (Northern Premier cum Sardauna) were killed, while in the west, SL Akintola. In as much as a few Northerners and Westerners i.e. Maj. Ademoyega, Lt. Atom Kpera, Capt. Jalo, Lt. Katsina were also participants in the coup, and the Finance Minister, Festus Okotie-Eboh (south) was also killed, it couldn’t erase a feeling that it was an Igbo agenda of domination through military instrumentation.


The second military coup which took place in July of the same year was a reactionary one, purposely aimed at the Easterners. Let us understand that before the January coup, the North (Hausa/Fulani) seemed to never really care about ruling through the instrumentation of the military. The most learned and intelligent ones of their stock were primed into politics and Federal Civil Service i.e. Balewa, Bello, Kano, Maitama, Mai Bornu etc- all men of great education and foresight. Those who took to the military were seemingly “uneducated”. Why was this so? I believe the World Wars were responsible for this unwritten mindset. The January 1966 coup was therefore a rude shock to the North which called for a reactionary measure. Whatever it was that they had to do, they had better chosen their very best military men. That was where somebody in the capacity of Col. Joseph Akaahan came in. His first test was commanding the 4th Battalion which had refused obedience to Maj. Nzefili (an Igbo man) after the first coup. His ability to restore order and lead all Northern soldiers mentally proved a point. He became the Arrowhead of the North in the counter coup which saw Aguiyi-Ironsi and so many soldiers of Eastern origin killed. Col. Akaahan was the one who spoke the minds of the North in the aftermath of the coup. When Lt. Col. Yakubu Gowon (later rose to rank of Gen.) was ascended to the Head of the Supreme Military Government, the most competent person to head the Army was none other than Col. Joseph Akaahan. However, Akaahan was not appointed to this position until it had become very evident that a war was looming, and just days after his appointment, the war broke out!
Now, if Col. Joe Akaahan was of such great relevance to the North (first) and the Federal Government, why would he suddenly die in a helicopter crash and there would be no investigation into the cause of the said ‘crash’? Take to heart these key points: 1. Eye witness reports said there was a big bang in the air which erupted into a big ball of fire followed by the crash of the “helicopter parts”; 2. It is alleged that there was a bullet hole through the under ‘panel’ of the helicopter (obviously shot from inside the helicopter). 3. His kinsman, Joseph Sarwuan Tarkaa, the Federal Commissioner of transport, who was also in Gboko when Akaahan visited, had in dissuading Akaahan from flying at dusk asked him if his helicopter won't get shot down by the Biafrans, or by the Federal Anti-Aircraft missiles (if) mistaken for an enemy aircraft. 4. The Army Chief was on his way to meet with Kam Salem, the Chief of the Nigerian Police in Makurdi.
We shall look deeper into the possible reason why Col. Joseph Ronnie Ityowua Akaahan Agbo Kpire was seemingly “ASSASSINATED”. But, in the meantime, let it be known that in his death, the Tiv nation lost her rightful position in the power-flow of the Nigeria that emerged from that war!
#TivRenaissance #Back2ourRoots #TivAwakening #TivGreatness #GreaterNigeria #NoMoreWar #WarVictims
El-Ngugar Agav writes from Gboko, Nigeria (29.07.2017)