A chieftain of the All
Progressives Congress, APC, Akwa Ibom State, Elder Enefiok Ekefre has alleged
that the Igbos abandoned former Biafra Vice President, General Philip Effiong
who eventually died a rebel.
Speaking with Vanguard in
Uyo, Ekefre blamed the Igbos for abandoning Gen. Effiong, who was second in
command to the late Odumegwu Ojukwu of the defunct Republic of Biafra.
Effiong died in 2003
without Federal Government’s recognition as was accorded Ojukwu.
He regretted that “the
Igbos are expecting support forgetting that they all looked the other way and
allowed Gen. Effiong who made the historic declaration that ended the bloody
civil war to live and die a Biafra rebel while Ojukwu died a Nigerian Army
General.
“Gen. Philip Effiong, an
Ibiono Ibom man, was the Vice President to Ojukwu. Mr. M. U. Akpan, the
Secretary to the Government of Biafra (SGB) was also from Ibiono.
“Gen. Effiong signed the
instrument of surrender but when the Igbo were talking of payment of gratuity
and pension, they only presented Gen. Ojukwu and refused to mention Gen.
Effiong.
“He lived and died a
Biafran military officer but Ojukwu’s rank was restored with salaries and
gratuity paid from 1966. Today, the Igbo are complaining of marginalization and
oppression, forgetting that justice and injustice should not be selective.”
He appealed to the Federal
Government to make adequate compensation for the family of the late Gen.
Effiong, noting that in the spirit of true reconciliation and justice, what was
done to Ojukwu should be done to Gen. Effiong.
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