Achebe is suffering from incurable Yorubaphobia -- Chief Ayo Adebanjo

FOR his comments on the late Premier of the Western Region , Chief Obafemi Awolowo, over his role during the 1967-70 Civil War, Prof. Chinua Achebe has drawn the ire of a leader of the pan-Yoruba socio-cultural group, Afenifere, Chief Ayo Adebanjo.

He described Achebe as someone suffering from incurable Yorubaphobia.

Achebe had, in his recent book, There was a country: A Personal History of Biafra, among other claims, said that Chief Awolowo hated the Igbo and promoted policies that were meant to exterminate the Igbo – when he served in Gen. Gowon’s government during the war.

Adebanjo, one of Awolowo’s close lieutenants  told  The Guardian  that he and his colleagues in Afenifere were  not surprised at the way Achebe tried to portray the late Awolowo.

“We know Achebe as somebody who has some hatred for Yoruba, and the late sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, in particular. Many of us who were around during the war are already familiar with (Achebe’s) styles and actions. He has a pathological hatred for Awolowo and the Yoruba race.  He’s suffering from Yorubaphobia; and he needs help.”

Adebanjo said if indeed Awolowo, who was Federal Commissioner (Minister) of Finance during the conflict, played  an ignoble role, the leader of  the then Eastern Nigeria and  of the secessionists, Chief Chukwuemeka Odumekwu-Ojukwu, would not have described him (Awolowo), upon his death, as the best president Nigeria never had? More

who is achebe n wat is yourbaphobia

FOR accusing the sage, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, of responsibility for the mass killings of Igbos during the country’s civil war, a member of the Oyo State House of Assembly, Honourable Fatai Salam, has slammed Professor Chinua Achebe, accusing him of committing historical fallacy.

Honourable Salam of the Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), representing Itesiwaju/Iseyin constituency, spoke in reaction to Achebe’s comments on Chief Awolowo on the floor of the assembly at plenary, on Tuesday.

The lawmaker recalled the sage’s contributions to the growth and development of the country as well as his effort at preventing the war, noting that it was unfortunate that Achebe ignored the enlisting of estate agents by Chief Awolowo to manage properties of the Igbos in the then Western region.

“It is indisputable that Achebe has the right to write on any topic that crosses his mind, but he has no right whatsoever to irresponsibly murder history by his recklessly attacking a great leader like Papa Awolowo,” Salam said.

Armed with a book, Because I Am Involved, published by the late Chief Chuckwuemeka Ojukwu, who led Igbos in the war of secession in 1967, the lawmaker said the late Igbo warlord recognised the greatness of Awolowo and that no amount of denigration could reduce from Awo’s achievements as a nationalist. Source

yourbaphobia? is that English or Yoruba?

Following Awo's economic policy, I think he would have made a good president if he had the chance but i stand grounds with Achebe's claim towards Awo in the sense that the policy of starvation that ravaged mostly the future generation of Biafra was suggested by him but i don't know if actually he has that undisguised hatred for Igbos like Murtala Mohammed. I believe for sure that Awo is Afraid to leave under the imperialism of the Northern government after passing through the torment of imprisonment by Tafawa Belewa because of his log ahead with Ahmadu Bello, thus he believes that the presence of eastern Nigeria will shild him from some political acute angle, to that cause he did everything to make sure the Biafrans are subdued to remain under Nigeria. I think Both Achebe's and Ojukwu's claim about Awo is correct though they might seemingly counter. Personally i love Awo's political muscle that gained much weight such that the Yoruba's revolted Akintola when the nation was yet at its cradle, earning the west a name "WILD WILD WEST" but i strongly hate him as a person.