Asaba Massacre; Lest We Forget

General Yakubu Gowon, Nigeria's former head of state.

By Tony Eluemunor

I know that Gen Yakubu Gowon (rtd), the Head of State during the Civil War

apologised for the Asaba massacre in 2002

Unfortunately, all through the war Gowon said not a word about the Asaba

massacre. He did not punish the perpetrators. When the war ended in 1970, he

toured the Eastern states and passed through Asaba to Benin (I was in the Boys

Brigade then and helped in controlling my fellow primary school pupils who

lined the road at Ubulu-Uku to welcome him) and though he stopped at Asaba,

he failed to apologise then. He remained Head of State for five years after the

war until his administration was kicked out in the coup of 1975. Still, he did not

acknowledge the massacre.

Gowon cannot claim ignorance of the massacre while he was in power. THE

LONDON OBSERVER commented on it on 21 January 1968, LE MONDE, the

French evening newspaper wrote about it on 5 th April 1968, LOOK, the British

magazine did same and even a Canadian Member of Parliament, who served as

the UN Observer, Stephen Lewis, was mentioned in the LONDON OBSERVER

on 11 th October 1968. So, Gowon missed a golden opportunity when he visited

Asaba in 1970. It just happened that the Nigerian press considered it a patriotic

duty to deny or overlook it. Things changed when a former Rangers of Enugu

football team former star, Mr. Emma Okocha published a well-acclaimed book.

I had searched for the book without success until someone brought it to me at

1am on Wednesday night. I took a cursory leafing through the pages and was

dazed by the amount of nastiness the Federal troops exhibited, and with

inhuman ferocity too. I had by then concluded the trajectory of this piece and I

had decided to read the book afterwards or I might not even be able to complete

the article. Blood flowed all through the well-researched pages. Okocha piled

relevant facts upon valuable facts.

Please compare Nigeria’s reaction (or non-reaction really) to Asaba Massacre

with the American reaction to the Mai Lai Massacre in Vietnam on 16 th March

1968 where American soldiers brutally extinguished a Vietnamese village of

non-combatants just as the Federal troops killed Asaba non-combatants. The

My Lai Massacre was kept secret for nearly a year; later Ron Ridenhour an

American soldier, sent multiple letters to the President and the Secretary of

Defense about the incident. Ultimately, he shared the story with the press in

1969. Other individuals also spoke out against the My Lai Massacre, including

Hugh Thompson, a helicopter Pilot. Thompson saw what was happening from

the air and landed his helicopter in My Lai, threatening to shoot at his own

countrymen if they did not stop the carnage.

Unlike the Nigerian Army, the US military, which had tried to cover up the My

Lai Massacre, charged First Lt. William L. Calley with murdering 109 civilians.

But Nigeria charged no one.

The My Lai massacre made the US public to oppose the war, but Nigerians

never shuddered about the Asaba genocide. Yet 500 people died in both places.

As the mother of one of the soldiers accused of killing civilians at My Lai

asserted: "I sent them (the US army) a good boy, and they made him a

murderer." Even she condemned her son and the Army in which he served!

From 4pm to 7pm on Wednesday 2 nd October 2019, I stood at the Memorial

Arcade in honour of the casualties. Umuagu quarters lost 43 souls. Umuaji, 112,

Umuezei, 69, etc; about 500 died. But my heart bled when I saw on the plaque

Oyana Uwaegbeum, Oyana Akaeze, Oyana Nwabueze (from Umuagu)

–perhaps brothers. Or Nwosa Chike, Nwosa James, Nwosa Joseph, Nwosa

Nwokocha – four likely brothers or a father and his children from Umuaji

quarters. Or Onyemenam Kafondi, Onyemenam Uzor, Onyemenam Azubuike,

Onyemenam Okafor. Or Ojogwu Chukwuji, Ojogwu E.O, Ojogwu Moses,

Ojogwu Nnaji, Ojogwo Oliver, Ojogwu O. Mike, Ojowgu Samuel, Ojogwu

Simon. Or Ezedife Patrick, Ezedife Ojei, Ezedife Michael, Ezedife Chukwurah

of Ugbomanta. How would those who survived them have taken such sudden

disasters?

And in what way did the Asaba people err? The Federal troops rumbled into

Asaba on the 5 th. The Biafrans had melted away as the immediate commander,

the late Col. Joe Achizia (a son of Asaba) opted to retreat to Onitsha as a lorry

load of cutlass was all he was given to defend Asaba with. He blew up the Niger

Bridge. Then the indiscriminate killing started. It turned horrendous on the 6 th

and became hellish on the 7 th . My fellow ex-students of St. Anthony’s College,

Ubulu-Uku recalled:

Mr. Chiedu “Cassy” Juwah: “people were dancing in a welcome party at Ogbe

Ilo field. Then soldiers stopped the music and a grim business began. A man

would be made to dig a grave, get into it and he would be shot. A second man

would cover that grave, dig his own, and be shot too. That was how Asaba

became a town of landladies. My cousin who had survived the pogrom at Kano,

his Dad and two elder brothers were shot. I hid and returned home. The

following day, 7 th , we were rounded up and shepherded to Oma opposite today’s

Grand Hotel, that’s where we were separated. At Ogbe Osowe, the men were

separated from the boys and the women, and I, a boy, joined the women in

going to the Convent, now St. John Bosco’s Church at Nnebisi Rd, and Ogbe

Osowe became a killing field. My brother, Augustine Juwah who passed out of

St. Anthony’s College in 1964 pretended to be dead and hid among dead bodies

there as a machine gun belched fire and death. By 8pm he made his way home

and we started our flight; first to Achala, and from there to Ubulu-Uku. Some

people returned home days later and were still killed in the house to house

combing by the military.”

From Joe Obi, my classmate at St. Anthony’s College came this: “I was in

Asaba during that massacre. You can't imagine the psychological trauma I've

been through from the horrors of that event over the years. Imagine a boy

(around age seven) walking past over 100 bodies of your town's dead in one

day! Exactly my experience. My family's home was razed with bombs from …

the Nigerian army. My family was forced into a concentration camp at SPC

Asaba. Dad had to run to safety in some forest somewhere and died from lack of

medical care, thereafter. Most of my childhood friends grew up with their Dads

living in their households, I didn't. Ordinarily, it should be the sole justification

for anyone to become a monster.

I'm a patriotic Nigerian, but, reluctantly so, and who'd blame me”?

From Dr. Patrick Anyafulu: “Most of us have harrowing stories to tell about our

civil war experiences. In 1969, a company of Federal troops was ambushed and

decimated by Biafran troops on the road leading to Asaba from Oko. That

incident brought the horrors of war to my sleepy, rustic village. The whole

village was razed to the ground. We all escaped death through Providence...a

heavy rainstorm the previous night delayed their advance from Asaba, and

fishermen who had gone to check their nets saw them and alerted the whole

village. Shells were already landing in the village and the air was filled with the

whine of bullets. We escaped into the forest and lived there until 1970, before

we were encouraged to come out of the bush. We ended up at the refugee (not

concentration, Joe) camp at Asaba!”

Yes, other Anioma towns experienced genocide too. Ishiagwu lost over 400

people when the Federal troops struck at night. Ibusa suffered genocide,

Ogwashi too did to some extent. As the lives of Juwah, Obi and Anyfulu show,

the resilient Anioma people have not just survived but flourished. Juwah is a

PDP member from inception. He has the party’s history in his palm. Yet, no

appointment has come his way. I wish this can change. Mr. Joe Obi entered St.

Anthony’s College at around age 10. He sleep-walked through, showing a

flicker of brightness now and then, and even engaged in cultural displays but we

didn’t know the memory demons that were tormenting him. He really exploded

when he got into St. Gregory’s, Obalende, Lagos for his HSC. On arriving the

US immediately after serving his Youth Corps, he threw away his Nigerian

degree and obtained a fresh first degree to become relevant in the US. He is

doing well and visits home regularly. He hates corruption and raves against it.

He wants a good leader for Nigeria –whether from the East, North, West or

South! Patrick Anyafulu is an all- round athlete and polyvalent student (was

among the class leaders in both English and Maths, History and Physics, BK

and Geography. He was with me on the School Magazine’s Editorial Board. He

is a medical doctor now! They beat the odds!

The entire Anioma suffered that genocide. So the entire Anioma should build a

real Remembrance Arcade in Asaba. The houses around the present Arcade

should be demolished and a magnificent edifice should be built, the story should

be provided in video format so that visitors could live out the gruesome event.

Pictures of the casualties should be linked with their names. Survivors and eye

witnesses should recount the stories for the coming generations. The one I saw

in Asaba is stone dead!!!

500 people were dastardly massacred in Asaba; we must say NEVER AGAIN

as Anioma takes its place in this Nigeria that belongs to us by divine right!!!

Assembly Service Commission staff to Oborevwori: End bias against us, affirm Commission as part of legislature; Speaker gets 5-day ultimatum

Sherif Oborevwori, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly.

All is not well in the Delta State House of Assembly Service Commission (DTHSC) where palpable indignation, discontent, dejection and dissatisfaction has formed in the psyche of the workers who feel discriminated against, ill-treated, sidelined and unrecognized by the leadership of the State House of Assembly.

In a desperate move to redress the situation, the workers today gave a five-day ultimatum to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori within which to take immediate steps to address issues of concern to the workers.  

Workers in the HASC are demanding that the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Oborevwori take urgent steps to ease the discrimination against the Commission and the staff working in the Commission by ensuring that the commission is part and parcel of the Financial Autonomy of the Legislature.

That he should eliminate and put an end to all policies and actions that tend to promote discrimination, inferiority complex and distinction between the staff of the Assembly and the Commission, within the same Legislative service.

This state of affairs was made known in a Press Release entitled “A Passionate Appeal to Redress Identified Anomalies in the Legislative Service,” issued by the workers of the Assembly Service Commission at an emergency meeting held today in the commission’s hall in Asaba.

In the resolution, the workers demanded of the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff oborevwori to respond and take immediate steps as the head of the legislature to address the issues raised by the staff within one week to avoid downing tools avoid downing tools at the Commission.

Full text of the Press Release reads:

The staff of the Delta State House of assembly Service Commission held an emergency meeting Monday, Tuesday 7^th October, 2019, and resolved as follows:

i.                    That despite the provisions of the House of Assembly Law 2013, Section 10, sub-section 1-11, and Section 19, sun-section 1-3, which makes all staff, whether working in the Assembly or the Commission, staff of the Commission, being the statutory body empowered by the Law to employ staff to service the legislative bureaucratic apparatus. It is now evident that either by omission or commission, there are now two services, the Assembly service and the Commission Service, a situation not envisaged by the law.

ii.                  There is a wide gulf of difference between the staff and the enabling working environment of the Assembly and the Commission, the two statutory organs of the Legislature.

iii.                There is differential imprest regime operational and enjoyed by staff of coordinate status of the Assembly and the Commission.

iv.                The unexpected exclusion of the Commission from the House of Assembly Fund management Law 2018, even though the Commission is part of the Legislature.

v.                  The unclear place of the Commission in the Financial Autonomy regime for the Legislature.

vi.                That the cumulative effects of these observations have created acrimony, disaffection, frustration, ill feeling, demoralization, bad blood, low esteem and complaints. The totality of these issues, is epitomized by the feeling of staff viewing posting to the Commission as place to serve punishment for real or imagined offence and not a place to work.

RESOLUTION

At the meeting, it was resolved that the Rt. Hon. Speaker should without delay urgently correct and address these anomalies to forestall breakdown of law and order.

i.                    Take steps to ensure the Commission is part and parcel of the financial autonomy of the Legislature.

ii.                  That the 2020 budget of the Commission be subsumed into the budget of the Assembly to form one line 2020 Budget of the Legislature in line with best practices.

iii.                The relocation of the Commission’s office to more secure and befitting environment.

iv.                Harmonization of the imprest accruable to all staff of coordinate status whether in the Assembly or Commission.

v.                  To eliminate and put an end to all policies and actions that tend to promote discrimination, inferiority complex and distinction between the staff of the Assembly and the Commission, within the same Legislative service.

vi.                A clear policy statement affirming that the Commission is part of the Legislature and therefore covered by the relevant institutional laws, policies and benefits as it affects the Legislature.

DEMAND

The meeting resolved and demanded that the Rt. Hon. Speaker respond and take immediate steps as the Head of the Legislature to address the issues raised within one week to avoid downing tools at the Commission.

CONCLUSION

The meeting resolved and noted that the Rt. Hon. Speaker has the capacity and the ability to reposition the legislature, the Service  and the Coordinate organs of the Legislature, the assembly and the Commission to attain an enviable height in the community of Assemblies and Commissions in Nigeria, and he is therefore, humbly urged to do the needful for posterity and write his name in the sands of time.

Status of House of Assembly Service Commission: PASAN frowns, gives DTHA leadership 2-week ultimatum to address 8-point demand

Rt. Hon. Sherif Oborevwori, Speaker, Delta State House of Assembly.

The Delta State House of Assembly (DTHA) is in the throes of a major labour crisis following a two-week ultimatum handed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sherif Oborevwori, Principal Officers of the Assembly, the members and management of the Assembly within which to address issues of serious concern raised by the workers.

The workers’ ultimatum is contained in a communiqué dated October 4^th, 2019 and issued by the Delta State chapter of the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) arising from its Congress meeting held at the Press Centre, DTHA, Okpanam Road, Asaba.

The communiqué signed by the PASAN Chairman, Comrade Emmanuel Edozie and Secretary, Comrade Emmanuel Osubor expressed displeasure at leadership lapses at the Assembly, that has among other things, culminated in the “poor working relationship existing between the leadership/ management of DTHA and the Delta State House of Assembly Service Commission (HASC), stating that it is dissatisfied with the inability of the leadership of theHouse to include the HASC in the autonomy law.

The PASAN communiqué addressed to the Speaker, Rt. Hon. Sheriff Oborevwori, with copies to all principal officers of the Assembly, all members of the House of Assembly reads in full:

COMMUNIQUE

Arising from the Parliamentary Staff Association of Nigeria (PASAN) General Meeting which held October 3^rd, 2019, at the Press Centre, DTHA, Asaba, Congress made the following observations and resolutions:

1.      Congress expresses displeasure over the poor state of most facilities in the complex (toilet facilities, leaking roof in all the buildings, lack of adequate furniture and equipment for staff, etc).

2.      Congress is displeased with the poor sanitary condition within and outside the Assembly complex which have led to influx of mosquitoes, rodents, scorpions and other reptiles thereby making the office environment unhealthy. Congress therefore requests for immediate cleaning and evacuation of all debris and fumigation of the entire Assembly complex.

3.      Congress observed and frowns at the poor state of the Assembly‘s Clinic and the inconsistency on the part of management to provide funds for the purchase of drugs despite its yearly budgetary provision.

4.      Congress notes and is highly displeased with the poor working relationship existing between the leadership/management of DTHA and HASC.

5.      Congress is dissatisfied with the inability of the leadership of the House to include HASC in the autonomy law.

6.      Congress expresses displeasure over the non-impact of the autonomy on staff of the Legislature since inception.

7.      Congress notes that the present office accommodation of the HASC is not spacious, remote and not conducive for staff. Hence, Congress demands that the HASC should be relocated and given a better accommodation to allow for conducive working environment.

8.      Congress calls on Mr. Speaker and the Leadership of the House to take responsibility by not allowing or subjecting the HASC Budget to the scrutiny and confirmation of the Ministry of Economic Planning while that of the DTHA is not, as this amounts to double standard, a situation which negates the principle of autonomy as enshrined in the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, as amended.

Resolution

In view of the above observations, Congress calls on the leadership of the House to, as a matter of urgency, address the matters contained in this communiqué within two weeks from the date of receipt, else Congress will resort to other legal means to press home her demands.

Make teaching profession attractive, NUT urges govt., raises alarm over teacher shortage problem; govt. committed to education, says Okowa

Commemorating World Teachers' Day in Asaba, Delta State.

The Nigeria union of Teachers (NUT) has called for policy redirection that will make the teaching profession more attractive to young persons in order to meet the manpower needs of schools in the country.

The National President of NUT, Dr. Mohammed N. Idris made the call yesterday Saturday (05/10/2019) on the occasion of the commemoration of World Teachers’ Day.

The well attended Delta State event, which held at the Cenotaph, Asaba was attended by the Commissioner for Basic and Secondary Education, Chief Patrick Ukah who represented the State Governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa.

Idris said that the theme of the World Teachers’ Day this year: “Young Teachers: The future of the Profession,” seeks to draw attention to the issues of attrition, teachers shortage and the challenge of attracting and retaining young motivated and dedicated teachers into the teaching profession.

He called attention to UNESCO Institute of Statistic (2016) which stated that over 69 million teachers are needed for primary and secondary education to meet the targets of the Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) around the world by 2030. Out of this UIS indicated that 48.6 million new recruits were needed to replace those traders who are to leave the profession either through retirement or voluntarily.

On the situation in Nigeria, Dr. Idris said: “In Nigeria, the issue of shortage of teachers has remained a major challenge in the education system. Reports from practitioners indicate an alarming rate of retirement of teachers without a corresponding recruitment to fill the gap. This has resulted in acute shortage of teachers especially in rural areas. The theme therefore brings to the fore the need for a policy redirection that would enhance the occupational and social status of teachers and engender a more fulfilling teaching career that would make the profession more attractive to young persons with a view to meeting the manpower needs of our schools.”

Idris also called on President Muhammadu Buhari to sign into law the bill passed by the 8^th National Assembly for the review of the retirement age of teachers/education officers from 60 to 65 years. “As the bill awaits presidential assent, we look forward with great expectations that His Excellency, President Muhammadu Buhari will not hesitate to sign it into law, as an extension of the good gesture of the Federal Government to teachers of primary and secondary schools as it was done to their colleagues at the tertiary level in the past.,” he said.  

Meanwhile, the Governor of Delta State, Senator Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa, has said that the present administration in the state is committed to education as the key to the future of not just the state, but of any society.

Governor Okowa, in a goodwill message at the 2019 World Teachers Day in Asaba yesterday, Saturday (05/10/2019), stated that this explains why the education sector is taken seriously in the state.

The governor disclosed that incentive packages have been put in place to encourage the pursuit of higher education by Deltans, particularly in science, information and communication technology.

He called on teachers at all levels to pay attention to Information Communication Technology, as it is increasingly becoming the pivot around which the future inevitably revolves.

The Governor noted that the responsibility for making teaching desirable is on government, unions and teachers and as stakeholders in the development of education, it is incumbent on them to excel in what they do in meeting the challenge.

In his address, the National President of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Nadir Idris, represented by the 3rd National Vice Chairman, Comrade Bashiu Oyewo, said that the issue of shortage of teachers has remained a major challenge in the education system, adding that reports from practitioners indicate an alarming rate of retirement of teachers without a corresponding recruitment to fill the gap.

The Chairman of Delta State wing of the union, Comrade Titus Okotie, said that the theme of this year's celebration 'Young Teachers, The Future of The Profession' is very apt as it is a clarion call on government at all levels to save the teaching profession from imminent collapse by recruiting young teachers into public schools.

 The state Head of Service, Mr. Reginald Bayoko, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Labour Matters, Comrade Mike Okeme, and the Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Delta State Council, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, delivered goodwill messages during the ceremony.

Teachers from the 25 Local Government Areas in the state participated in the march past that was a highlight of the occasion.

Traditional rulers are African pride, says Okowa, commissions magnific new palace of Agbon monarch

New palace of Ovie of Agbon Kingdom.

Delta State Governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa has described monarchs as symbols of African pride and that the traditional institution deserves reverence.

He spoke on Saturday while commissioning an ultra-Mmdern palace of the Ovie of Agbon Kingdom, Ogunrimerime, Ukori 1, at Isiokolo, Ethiope East Local Government Area of the state. 

The governor said  respect for traditional rulers is very important and, it is also Biblical for such to be done.

“We must respect the traditional stools; we must respect our traditional rulers. They are the symbols of our pride, and it also biblical to support traditional rulers," he said.

Governor Okowa commissions the new palace. 

He congratulated the Ovie for the edifice and thanked the people of Agbon for erecting a palace of essence for their king.

The governor observed that the structure “is a wonderful palace which will stand the test of time", adding that it was not just a palace, but could be a tourism centre in the state.

“We are proud of the king, we are proud of Agbon Kingdom,” Governor Okowa said, assuring that his administration will continue to execute developmental projects in the area.

Earlier in his remarks, former governor of the state, Chief James Ibori, said that the manner with which the project was delivered depicted the leadership style of Governor Okowa.

He said: “There are some people who are in politics and belong to the extreme; our governor is not one of those. 

"He works for all; we thank him and all those who contributed to the building of this palace.

“This is indeed, a stamp of the authority of the Ovie on the kingdom and it is worthy of emulation; we thank you (the Ovie) for your selfless efforts in seeing that this palace was delivered."

Chairman of Delta State Traditional Rulers Council, and the Obi of Owa, Obi (Dr.) Emmanuel Efeizomor II, commended the people of Agbon Kingdom for their unity and cooperation.

He stated that at a time when some subjects derived joy in burning down palaces across the country, "Agbon people came together to erect a befitting structure for their king."

He observed that with the cooperation and peaceful disposition of the people, the kingdom would witness tremendous development. 

Welcoming the guests, the Ovie, Ukori I, recalled that his first pronouncement immediately after his coronation in 2013 was the constitution of a building committee for the palace.

The monarch said that it was selflessness on his part that made it possible for the palace to be built.

"Nobody embezzled money and if government officials engage in selfless service, there will be development, and projects will come to fruition.”

Make law returning history to schools, Historical Society of Nigeria urges NASS, holds confab in Asaba

Historical Sosiety of Nigeria (HSN) President, Prof. Okpeh O. Okpeh jnr,
(middle), Prof. Sam Aghalino, left, and Dr. Dave Imbua.

The Historical Society of Nigeria (HSN) has called on the National Assembly to make a legislation without further delay to return history as a subject taught in Nigerian schools.

The society made the call today, Friday, October 04, 2019, at a press briefing to announce that it will be holding its 64^th conference in Asaba, Delta State capital from Sunday,  October 6^th, 2019 to Wednesday, October 9^th, 2019, with the theme “Building the Nigerian Nation Since 1914: Motion, Movement and Actors.”

HSN President, Prof. Okpeh O. Okpeh, flanked by the Vice President Prof. Sam. Aghalino, who is also the chairman, conference planning committee, and Dr. Dave Imbua, assistant secretary, told journalists that it was greatly to the disadvantage of the country that history was removed from the schools’ curriculum.

He hinted however, that the effort of HSN which fought a long battle has paid off with an executive policy statement directing the return of history to schools in Nigeria.

He said: “We are saying that in addition to a policy statement directing that history be returned to the schools’ curriculum, we want a legislation to back up that policy statement and make history compulsory all through our educational system.”

He lamented that for three decades when history was removed from the curriculum of schools, thereby raising concern that a generation of Nigerians passed through the educational system without the knowledge of their own history.

Prof. Okpeh said the Asaba conference of HSN was important because it is the first time the society will hold its conference outside the ivory tower, pointing out that the decision was well placed. “we want to use this conference to bring to the fore the burning issues affecting Nigeria. We know that all is not well with this country. We want to throw our weight on the debate about Nigeria, and we are interested in interrogating the history of Nigeria, because they way the country has been managed, it cannot continue that way,” Okpeh said.

He announced that about 400 scholars will be attending the conference and that at the end of the debates, a communiqué will be issued to point to the way that the country must take in order to understand her present predicament and find lasting solution to it.

“Our people need to know how Nigeria came about. You want to look at the issues affecting this nation without putting into the picture the body that has in its custody the history of Nigeria. We are trying to get the National Assembly to make a law returning history to the schools. Everybody needs a deep sense of history in order to understand how we came to be, and where we are,” Prof. Okpeh said.

Contributing, the HSN Vice President, Prof. Sam Aghalino hinted that the group was holding its conference outside the university system because it decided that it was time it stopped talking to itself, but to reach out to engage the public and tell them about the past. “We need the media to help in this campaign because a nation without history is a rudderless ship,” Aghalino said.

Answering Reporters’ questions, the HSN executives stated that as Nigerians “we need to understand our differences. Nigeria is almost six decades going; we need to know how we have related; how we can anchor our contemporary challenges.”

On whether there are contemporary history books for the students should a law be made soon, Prof. Okpeh said: A crack team of historians across the geo-political zones have produced history books based on the approved syllabus of the government.”

In his contribution, Prof Aghalino said: “The history that we teach is history for nation building. And this professional history is guided by facts and evidence before us.”