Sir : Mr Ogbuehi starts his letter (18 October) by
reminding me that 'abuse is no substitute for civilised and logical argument' then immediately assails me for lack of education and also for what he calls twisting the truth. Really. This is typical of the consummate arrogance and deviousness of the Ibo people—traits which have made them the worst-hated tribe in West Africa. Agree with them and they are at your feet: disagree and they are at your throat. No half measures.
On only four points will I answer Mr Ogbuehi's boorish claims:
(a) General Ironsi did indeed arrest the youne Ibo officers responsible for the coup of January 1966 and the ghastly murders of Nigeria's prominent statesmen. But why did he not tell us what happened after the arrest? The fact is that eighteen of them were promoted from major to lieutenant-colonel and when prisoned they actually received their lull army pay! This can easily be checked from official sources.
(b) There may well have been a small minority of Ibos in the top posts in the Federal public service but it is a fact that 45 per cent of the service was made up of Ibos who, as a people, made up only a sixth of Nigeria's population.
(c) It was not wrong for the `Ibos to aspire to
lead Nigeria' but it was wrong for them to try to achieve this by murder, assassination, .seizure of Nigeria's produce, rolling stock and aircraft and incitement to riot. All this before secession took place. (d) I have no private grievances against the Ibos as Mr Ogbuehi alleges. In fact, I went to some trouble and risked personal injury to get my two Ibo servants through crowds of hostile Hausas, then past heaven knows how many road blocks mounted by the army and eventu- ally in to the capital of Kaduna. There I man- aged to get them into a protective custody camp and they were later flown safely to Lagos and home. I still hear from them now and again.
Mr Ogbuehi must really be more careful when using the technique of the half-truth.
Angus Buchanan Newton Village, Millerhill, Dalkeith
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