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Maazị Ogbonnaya

4 Jun, 15 tweets, 3 min read

I have never seen a grown up man cry this way. A man in his 50s, crying like a baby. I can't also remember the last time tears rolled down my cheeks in the public, not even in the public transport. But it happened to me today.

He lost his two sons.

Two sons. One 16, the second one 13. Just today. Just this morning. Just in Kaduna. Just in Kaduna South. In Kafanchan...

In...

"They killed my two sons! My only hope. All I got in this world. I am finished. I am gone", he roared in the vehicle.

It was around Nicon Park Junction someone waved our vehicle on his behalf. He was going towards Bwari to connect Kaduna from there. I was to make a stop at Gwarinpa to tidy up few things for the day. The man first pleaded with the driver to remind this fellow his bag.

He might forget. He whispered to the driver that this man lost his two sons.

"Jesus!" Everyone screamed.

He hopped into the car. He couldn't control himself, he screamed with the highest volume as the veins on his neck stretched forward, so long and stiff and...

"I will kill him today and kill myself. I heard police caught him, I will kill him. I can't take this. What am I living for? I am not getting any younger. Where will I start from. My two sons. My crowns. You expect me to bury them? They should be the ones to bury me".

I had nothing to say to my fellow man. Tears stood on the verge of my eyes. Words left me. I had none to convey.

"I bought a new car, my first car in this life. When? Last two weeks. I only enjoyed the car just a week, it was stolen. They stole my car. Just last Sunday.

Few days ago. As you are seeing me now, I left hospital where my BP rose. I have been bedridden. In my hospital bed, I was told my kids are gone. What am I living for? I will join them. I'll join my boys. I'll follow them. Let me just end it. The journey has come to an end.

But before then, I'll kill. I'll kill who killed them. Both of us will die. Except I don't see him. How do I bury my boys, in one day? How? How?"

So emotional. I had a place. A chance. I wiped my eyes. Strength came. Some consolational words came.

Not a time for inspirational quote. Not a time for expire to perspire in November to remember. It's time to face reality. Console him. It's only thing he needed. I was talking to him. How and where I got the words from, I don't know. But his spirit was calming.

He was listening to me. Nodding his head in conformity of my words. It's not a time to tell him to take it easy. Take what easy? People should be allowed to express their grievances.

"I don't wish my enemy this, not even the devil. Why me?

At least one should have gone while one stay"

So bad....

I got to my destination. I left few words with him, for the sake of humanity. He said to me:

"My brother thank you very much. May you never experience anything closer to my life predicaments".

With this man's condition, it appears committing mur.der sometimes is justifiable. Why killing his two sons and expect to live?

Oh damn!

What a world! A wicked world. A dangerous world.

The kids are gone. He is left childless in his 50s.

It's not a time to pause, but my brains paused. It wasn't thinking straight. I am worried. I am worried about him. A man who openly wished at least one should die let the other live. Why dying the same time?

Damn!

"I will buy sharp knives and give them... while they are fighting, I will be fighting. They shouldn't rest. No way they should rest in peace until they are done taking vengeance".

The last word I heard. My eyes turned red. I bade him farewell as they continued their journey.

I then wished I could resurrect the dead. I wished I had the power. Let those innocent boys born into use.less society stay with their parents now. How can parents bury their children? O wrong naw!

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Maazị Ogbonnaya

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His name is Ebitu Ukiwe, the first Nigerian politician, Igbo& first Chief of General Staff to resign honourably because he couldn't give in to intimidation neither could he compromise his dignity. He was a Vice President under IBB regime, he resigned. Couldn't allow him box him

He served as Vice President from 1985—1986.

He served as Governor of Lagos State, July 1978—October 1979. He also served as Governor of Niger State December 1977—July 1978.

He joined the Nigerian Navy in 1960 as a cadet officer. He was commissioned sub-lieutenant in 1966.

In 1966, he defected into Nigerian Army. He fought on the Biafran side in 1967—1970. He was one of the few Igbo officers to be readmitted to Navy in 1972.

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ASABA MASSACRE

This happened between 5-7 October 1967. The main name of Asaba is Ahaba.

The Federal troops entered Asaba and claimed to be Biafran sympathisers. They were ransacking houses and killing civilians.

RT this thread for another historical reach

Several hundred were killed individually and in groups at various locations in the town. Community leaders summoned the people to assemble on the morning of 7th October 1967, hoping to end the violence through a show of support for "One Nigeria."

Hundreds of men, women, and children, many wearing the ceremonial akwa ọcha dress paraded along the main street, singing, dancing, and chanting "One Nigeria."

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Maazị Ogbonnaya

@maazi_ogbonnaya

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7th Oct. 1966 Time Magazine wrote:

"The massacre began at the airport near the Fifth Battalion’s home city of Kano. A Lagos-bound jet had just arrived from London, and as the Kano passengers were escorted into the customs shed a wild-eyed soldier stormed in,

brandishing a rifle and demanding ‘Ina Nyamiri?’ – the Hausa for ‘Where are the damned Ibos?’.

There were Ibos among the customs officers, and they dropped their chalk and fled, only to be shot down in the main terminal by other soldiers.

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Maazị Ogbonnaya

@maazi_ogbonnaya

1 Jun

This man is Okoko Ndem. The second most wanted person by Nigerian government after Ojukwu.

Who was Okoko Ndem?

Okoko Ndem was from Ikoneto in Odukpani Local Government Area of Cross River State. He was in charge of media— Radio Biafra between 1967—1970.

The manner and how he reported cases got the federal troops and outsiders more confused. He was a strength to the Biafrans during the war. After speaking for length he would say: "onye ndị iro gbara gburugburu na-eche ndụ ya nche mgbe niile". He who is surrounded by his enemies

watch after his life all the time.

Nobody knew where he was broadcasting from. But the frequency of Radio Biafra was everywhere. Radio Biafra then was located at the Bunker, now called Ojukwu Bunker in Ụmụahịa. Okoko Ndem was a fluent Igbo speaker. He switched anytime too.

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Maazị Ogbonnaya

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1 Jun

Headtie or headgear in Igbo is called ịchafu, right?

Yes.

But do you know that ịchafu is okwumbite? It is a loan word or borrowed word from French language.

Let's look at the etymology of ịchafụ. It is derived from the French word "chiffon" or "couvre-chef"

which means headgear or scarf. The "couvre-chef" or "chiffon" from the French word gave our people the domestication of the word "ịchafu". To show more emphasis on this, some regard it as "ịchafu isi".

Do you know what our forebears called such? It is not gele.

Gele is a Yoruba word, not Igbo word. It is not ịchafu— a domestication from French.

Now the original and old names for it is:

Ụnarị

or

Ụnalị

or

Ụlarị

I am sure this might be the first time you are hearing this.

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Maazị Ogbonnaya

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1 Jun

Infinitive Verbs in Igbo Language: a Grammatical Perspective

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Infinitive is the basic form of a verb, without an inflection binding it to a particular subject or tense.

In Igbo language, infinitive comes in form of prefix attached before a verb root. The letters used to represent infinitive in Igbo language are:

* i and

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These two letters are attached as a prefix before a verb root (isingwaa) and vowel harmony known as ndakọrịta ụdaume must be observed. So, "i" or "ị" must follow vowel harmony thereby corresponding with the same class as any vowel making up the verb root. Example.

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