The newly crowned Asagba of Asaba, Obi Epiphany Azinge, has urgently called on the federal government to establish a Federal University in Asaba as compensation for the atrocities of the Asaba massacre that occurred on October 7, 1967.
Describing the massacre as a “heinous crime against humanity,” the monarch made this demand during the 2024 Asaba Memorial Day Celebrations, an annual event dedicated to honoring the victims of the tragedy.
Azinge stated, “The painful event of October 7, 1967, would forever remain indelible in the hearts of the people of Asaba. There can never be a justification for the unwarranted killings.” He further emphasized, “We demand from Federal Government to us Asaba federal university to compensate us for the heinous crime against humanity done to us.”
Reflecting on the scale of the tragedy, he noted, “The Nigerian army massacred over one thousand people of Asaba in the heat of the civil war. The victims were innocent and unarmed family people.” He continued, “It is 57 years now the men and youths of Asaba were massacred in the most gruesome manner. It is a tragedy that we can never forget.”
Azinge highlighted the global significance of such atrocities, stating, “All over the world, the killing of innocent and defenseless people is a serious crime against humanity. Even if we forgive, we can never forget, and even in the 57 years, we still will never forget the atrocities of the Nigerian army against our people.”
He underscored that quantifying the massacre is unnecessary and that establishing a federal university in Asaba would serve as a fitting compensation for the brutal killings.
The event was held at Ogwa-Ukwu and marked the first official public function for Obi Azinge, who was crowned the 14th Asagba of Asaba just a week prior.
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In his welcome remarks, Chuck Nduka-Eze, chairman of the Asaba Memorial and Monument annual event, expressed the significance of the occasion. “We are here today to remember and honour the spirits of our people who were massacred by the Nigerian Army in 1967. This occasion is something very dear to all families in Asaba. It is an event that binds us together because it is a matter of the blood of our people.”
Nduka-Eze also pointed out that while the people of Asaba have yet to receive official apologies for the massacre, an army delegation had recently visited the Asagba palace and promised to engage in dialogue to address the grievances of those who lost loved ones during the civil war.
He encouraged support for initiatives in memory of the victims, stating, “I want to enjoin the people of Asaba both at home and in the diaspora to rally support for the actualisation of the projects initiated in memory of the victims of the massacre.”
Additionally, he announced that part of the activities for the annual remembrance day includes the planting of one thousand trees across Asaba.
