The Deal

Our grandfather is not known for story telling he is just a man that likes given order and never expected to take one from any. Anyways that was the unique thing grandpa is always ready for war as he put on a warring outlook at any point in time. One night he decided to tell us a story not just because he feels like but because occasion demands for such. Grandpa began his story like this

" History doesn't have to repeat itself what is cooking now has been cooked some years ago and the dish wasn't palatable at all and the aroma riched all walks of the world.

It happened three years after the republic of our Country Nigeria. We the Esthern part otherwise known as the Igbos felt that we were maginalise and that arouse a great uprising in our state.

The Igbos are not known for war and war was never mentioned in our history we had lived a peaceful life and had enjoyed it, we weren't trained in the warring ways and war was never part of us.

I was on my varandah on a sunny day and my wives had gone to farm work that was the bases of survival those days. The sun was shining but the brightness was not showing forth. I had layed down on my local cushion that was made with bamboo stick. This is far different to what you guys have now as a cushion that is soft and cozy.

Meanwhile as I lay down on my chair and was relaxt and waiting t the evening when I could go and tap the raffia palms that I did everyday in order to get a freshwine for marketing. The only I opportunity I had to rest was the afternoon or middays.

As I lay down with my face facing forward and my eyes looking up the sky though I was up strucked by the the tatched roof. I was seeing some openings on the roof and hopping to get new tatch from the raffia when I go on the evening tapping. But things downed down unfriendly to me.

I had an unusual sound which sound victorious. It was as if our hope has been restored.. the hope of Biafra. Our new nation. I was perplexed, there was nothing I could do. I fixed my eyes towards the direction of the song. The song was indeed herioc. I was trying to go out and speculate what was happening but as I move forward I saw many able bodied men there were looking terrible and action oriented. I brought out my matchet for defense but I had a voice that sounds like that of the commander. He ordered me e follow them immediately if am not a coward. Indeed I wasn't a coward and am not still a coward. I hate war but in this case I was forced to join without my consent I became an Army. A Biafran soldiers. I wasn't trained for war but I learned to war in a battle front. I thought we were going to surrender when I saw gun and war materials from our opponent, Nigeria.

I had wanted Biafra, I had wanted liberation but I didn't expect it that way. I didn't expect myself to fight a trainded soldier talkless to face batallion.

We deviced various armulations we were made to protect our territory and had never allowed any foreigner but our opponent were not tired of striking. As our weapons gets outdated, it seems as if our opponent were acquring new weapons everyday.

At a point we became tired on seeing victory running away from us. Most of our men died through various means including hunger and starvation. Some were captured alive while others were meant to surrender but our captins always advise us to fight till end.

Our leader was barely seen but heard I believed he was at peace where ever he was. Our children suffered from malnutrition, others suffered from total starvation, our farms were neglected, our raffia farms dried up and because of the hunger we the soldiers were thought to eat whatever we see even though it wasn't planted by us or our relatives.

We were fighting for them and we needed to take anything we want because they were cowards and never wanted to war. They preferred fake peace and marginalization but we warriors deserve the best of what we want. We were freedom fighters. We fought but never won because success was never on our side. We prayed to God everyday and we never heard from God for once. Though some people claims to hear but had it been we heard from God and know his plan maybe he didn't want the Biafran movement.

We were encouraged to fight with empty stomach. Our weapons were wearing and tearing but surrender was our last resort not by our own thoughts but through the orientation and order we received.

Our prayer was answered after 30 months of struggling and furtile fighting. Our leader surrendered. There was need for understanding and harmonising with our nation. This was more hazardous on we soldiers. The cowards tend to be more sensitive than us. They enjoyed some night rest that we did enjoy. They fend and cared for their family that we didn't do.i saw more reasons to be coward than brave though I am ever proud of being brave because cowards dies for nothing.

When we came back from the war front. To locate our houses was not an easy task some people got displaced up till this day. But thank God I found mine.

When I returned home my case was different. There was a great joy in my family. Nobody knew my way about expect my follow soldiers. I discovered that my wives has grown thinner and the 2nd and the youngest has remarried out of hunger and frustration.

My beautiful daughters had been taken for marriage without doing what I did on their mother's head. It wasn't easy for me to bear but to see there husband wasn't easy with physical eyes. They were taken far away by our then opponent as captives and not even wives.

Some of them came back not only my children but other similar cases that weren't comfortable with the said marriage but before they came back those beings had take away their real beauty. They were dwelling under the mercy of God.

This story I told you guys is just a fifty to sixty years old and want to repeat itself with it's usual spices. The uprising has started again but my advice is that you guys should be the cowards that I wasn't. Least I forgot to tell you that the war claimed my second son as he didn't return from the battle field till date.

The story of grandpa touched me so much because I too don't need to be a coward. I have planned on joining the freedom fighters but with this I am going to teach the use of diplomacy. Indeed history will never repeat itself.

I had advised myself and still need to advise other people. The event took place years ago when the Igbos which is the Eastern part of Nigeria saw a need to disintegrate from the economy. There was an outbreak of war. Nigeria was under chaiotic movement for roughly 3 years. The out break of war was not friendly and the crisis was quite disastrous.

Grand pa is urging is to calm down and pray for national peace