One striking thing about the Germans, they grow up aptly aware of who they are. No single child goes through high school without learning about the Jewish Holocaust.
They are taught that the Holocaust was an unfortunate event, that it happened because of Hitler’s authoritarian nature.
They are taught that had Hitler been more rational, the Holocaust wouldn’t have happened.
They often compare it to the Katyn massacre and the purge in the USSR (which I think they do of course to douse their own guilt).
But nonetheless, they tell everyone about the Jewish holocaust.
If the holocaust which happened about 80 years ago is still being talked about, I do not see any reason why anyone would say we should not talk about the Biafra war.
Chinua Achebe, when he published his book “There was a country,” got a lot of backlash for it. Some called him bias. But all he did was tell his story.
Other people from the other parts of the country have their stories too.
So why can’t we tell the stories from both ends?
The Federal Government on 27th March 2018 announced the reintroduction of History Studies back into the Nigerian primary and junior secondary school curriculum, this is coming after 36 years of abolishment.
All I know about the war and about Nigeria’s History I learned from my dad and books, I was not taught in school, there was no single discussion about it.
I remember the last meeting at my book club, we reviewed Chinua’s last book “There was a country,” it was alarming to know that 98% of the people in the room didn’t know what started the war.
People were almost arguing blindly and ‘stupidly’. It was almost an embarrassing sight.
But hopefully, it’s changed for these younger ones.
And I hope they tell the stories from both sides.