Bayelsa, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Cross River States support Gowon, berates Igbo group on Biafra apology

By Micheal Izala

Leaders of States carved out from the old Eastern Region have b have declared total support for former Nigeria’s military Head of State, Gen Yakubu Gowon.

The groups reject demands for apology by the apex Igbo group over Biafra war.

But the leaders from Bayelsa, Cross Rivers,Akwa Ibom and Rivers said Yakubu stating is their hero.

Ohanaeze Ndigbo had called on former Head of State to apologise for his role in the Biafra war.

Under the acronyn of BRAC the groups said Biafra uses them as cannon folders vowing not to allow a repeat of such

They said they are forever grateful to General Yakubu Gowon for creating BRAC states out of the former Eastern Region Government in line with the yearning and cries of their fathers and mothers.

They said Gowon saved them from affliction describing him as a hero “second only to the Holy Spirit.”

The groups said there was nothing Gowon should apologise for.

The groups also reject attempts to link them up with Biafra.

A statement issued by the General Coordinator of BRAC Coastal Aborigines and made available to Irohinoodua, Doris McDaniels said
“It has been brought to our attention on the recent insults directed at General Yakubu Gowon by Igbo apex groups Ohaneze Ndigbo and Indigenous People of Biafra.

He said “We are deeply offended by their audacity in demanding an apology from General Gowon for his divine role in leading Nigeria to a peaceful end of the war and delivering the BRAC Coastal areas and her people from the genocidal oppression of the Biafran soldiers, preventing further evacuation of the BRAC people from their ancestral homes of the oil rich coastal areas in anticipation of Biafra winning the war,” McDaniels said.

He urged Igbo groups to address the atrocities committed by Biafran soldiers against the South East minorities.

He said under the South East, BRAC states, who are the multi-ethnic minority of the former Eastern Region Government suffered affliction and terror.

“We are now known as BRAC: Bayelsa State, Rivers State, Akwa Ibom State and Cross River State.

“We believe that the people talking about Gen Gowon are not telling the truth. They should speak the truth and hold their warlord, Col Odumegu Ojukwu responsible for starting a spontaneous, ill-prepared war with no strategy and planning, conscripting the BRAC states into his imaginary political Biafra Republic without their permission and consent.

“The Igbo groups know this to be true, but they have chosen to spread falsehoods about General Yakubu Gowon’s peace mission to keep Nigeria united.

He said “We earnestly ask General Gowon to ignore and forgive the false perspective and fabricated version of the Nigerian civil war presented by the groups. We assure him that the people of the BRAC state know the truth and appreciate the timely intervention of his leadership and his war generals and veteran federal troops to usher in peace.

“We are forever grateful to General Yakubu Gowon for creating BRAC states out of the subjugation of the former Eastern Region Government in line with the yearning and cries of our fathers and mothers,” the group said.