Former Kaduna Central Senator Shehu Sani has defended Nigeria’s first President, Nnamdi Azikiwe, against claims linking him to the events that led to the Nigerian Civil War.
Speaking on Creative Lord TV, Sani argued that Azikiwe was neither involved in the failed 1966 coup nor a participant in the civil war, and therefore should not be blamed for either event.
According to Sani, it is unfair to direct criticism at Azikiwe when he was not consulted or involved in the decisions that led to the coup or the conflict.
“If Ojukwu did not join the coup which Nzeogwu planned because they didn’t consult him, so why should Nnamdi Azikiwe join a war that he was not consulted to join?” Sani said.
He further argued that responsibility for historical events should rest with those directly involved, rather than individuals who played no role in initiating them.
“If you cannot insult the person who initiated a failed coup, you cannot insult a person who led a civil war. So why should someone who was neither part of the coup nor part of the civil war become a scapegoat of your anger?” he added.
Sani’s remarks were made in the context of ongoing discussions about the causes of the 1966 coup and the Nigerian Civil War, as he urged against attributing responsibility to individuals who, according to him, were not involved in either event.
